An End of the Tanfield Railway

I am interested in the Tanfield Railway & South Shields.   Around 1840 these were linked by the Brandling brothers, who were interested in making their fortune from shipping coal & firing their links to industry in South Shields by establishing the Brandling Junction Railway (BJR).
 

South Shields OS town map sheet 42 surveyed 1855
(from National Library of Scotland)

In the map above, Harton Colliery high staiths are at bottom left,  Trinity Church is near bottom right.   There's a viaduct over Commercial Road near top right, with sidings and a ballast hill, but I've never seen sign of these features on the ground - what are they?

Segment of OS town map sheet 42 of 1855, showing the lines heading top left (NW)
(from National Library of Scotland)
Beyond bottom right these lines joined the BJR north of High Shields Station,
& the route continued into South Shields Goods & Low (passenger) Stations.

Segment of OS town map sheet 39 of 1855, showing Brandling coal drops
(from National Library of Scotland)
The sidings at top right of the previous map enter at bottom right of this.

I'd seen glimpses of coal drops on the Tyne between Harton High Staiths & Low Staiths in SS on other maps, but together with the direct feed into the glass works all now became obvious.   These maps show a result of the Brandlings' development of the Tanfield 3'10" wooden waggonway into a standard gauge iron railway from 1840.   By 1855 the NER had taken over the line, seeking profit from further modernisation; the TIC would dredge the Tyne & build piers; large iron steam colliers would take over from sail; Tyne Dock would be developed (& much later Dunston Staiths).   No wonder the Brandling Drops at South Shields disappeared!

Clearly the Brandling Junction Railway modernised & extended our waggonway from Redheugh through Gateshead to South Shields & Sunderland North Dock (Monkwearmouth) to tap the mineral wealth of NW Durham.   This would have had an affect on the longevity of our branch, enabling us to now celebrate its 300th anniversary.

_______________________________________________________

The area covered by these maps was developed by the nascent industry of the 18th & early 19th centuries, greatly changed by industry during Victorian times, hitting industrial peaks through the first half of the 20th century industry & its wars, declined in the later 1900s, and is today being turned over to housing,   Dating from about 1850, OS maps give an insight into this development - it's incredible to be able to follow commerce, industry, railways, streets, houses & therefore work, people, communities & facilities as they come & go. 

The National Library of Scotland makes all of this freely available.   Use its maps to follow changes in your own area.