The scheme to build Paddy Waddells Railway (or Cleveland Extension Mineral Railway to give its full name) was started in 1872 and intended to connect Kilton Thorpe to the ironworks at Glaisdale. The scheme struggled financially from the outset as the Eskdale mines and furnaces in the South all struggled, whilst iron mining and production became concentrated to the North in Cleveland. After year of inactivity the scheme was finally scrapped in the 1889. Glaisdale Ironworks having already closed by this point anyway.
Many parts of the infrastructure of the line were constructed, even though no trains ever ran.
This bridge was constructed at Rake House in Glaisdale to carry the road over the railway.
One of the critical factors in the success of the industry in our project area was the construction of the Cleveland Railway, this was opened in November 1861 between the Skelton Old Shaft mines and Normanby Jetty, extending toward Boosbeck in 1862. Branches were also constructed to Slapewath, Stanghow and Aysdalegate mines.
With the construction of the railways came numerous interesting bridges, tunnels and culverts.
This culvert (in orange) carries a stream under the branch line which went to Slapewath Mine
This small tunnel (yellow) went under the same branch line, but was dry for livestock and people to cross under the railway.
This much more sizeable tunnel (red) passed under the main line.
Considering they date from the 1860’s, they are all in excellent condition.
Building work in Guisborough briefly revealed stonework from the original route of the Cleveland Railway which opened in 1861 as a freight line for the local ironstone mines, the original route continued west over a wooden viaduct and skirted the southern edge of the Eston hills.
In 1865 the Cleveland Railway, Middlesbrough and Guisborough Railway and Stockton and Darlington Railway were all taken over by the North Eastern Railway, the route quickly became redundant and closed in 1873 after only 12 years of use.
Hutton Hall was built in 1866 for Sir Joseph Whitwell Pease, the son of Joseph Pease one of the key players in the Stockton & Darlington Railway
Pease became first Baronet of Hutton Lowcross and Pinchinthorpe in 1882.
In 1902 a Bank crash forced the Pease family to sell the Hutton Hall estate, this photo is from the sale catalogue