History
The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway was formed in 1829, and was opened in stages. The first section of that line to open for passenger trains was between Blaydon and Hexham, which was formally opened on 3 March 1835, with normal services beginning either the next day, or on 9 March 1835. The line was extended from Hexham to Haydon Bridge on 28 June 1836. After the N&CR had been absorbed by the North Eastern Railway, Hexham became a junction station with the opening of the first section of the Border Counties Railway, between Hexham and Chollerford on 5 April 1858. The first section of a second branch, the Hexham and Allendale Railway (H&AR) was opened (for goods) in August 1867 - the H&AR, initially promoted to serve lead mines, opened for passengers on 1 March 1869.
On the main line, the next station to the west of Hexham was Fourstones, which closed in 1967.
The station has two waiting rooms. Platform two's waiting room has a fireplace made of black marble, which includes many fossilised orthoceras cephalopods, dated to approximately 400 million years old.
The floral displays have won several awards from the Britain in Bloom scheme.
Dating from around 1835, Hexham station is one of the oldest purpose-built railway stations in the world.
The station has diminished in size and importance since the closure of the Allendale branch and the Border Counties Railway in the 1950s, both of which met the Tyne Valley line west of Hexham station.
Read more about this topic: Hexham Railway Station
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