Place Rothley Grid reference NZ045908 Original company Rothbury Branch | Area Northumberland Pre-grouping North British Railway Platforms in use 1 | |
Post-grouping London and North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Region of British Railways 1 November 1870 Station opened as Rothley private station Similar Ewesley railway station, Fontburn Halt railway st, Scotsgap railway station, Brinkburn railway station, Middleton North railway st | ||
Longwitton station was a weather board and corrugated iron built railway station in Northumberland on the Rothbury Branch. Originally known as Rothley and built as a private halt for the Trevelyan Estate, the name was changed in 1875 to Longwitton when it became a public station.
History
In 1859 Parliament authorised the Wansbeck Railway Company to build the line from Morpeth to Reedsmouth. In 1862 the line from Morpeth to Scotsgap opened.
The next year the Northumberland Central Railway were authorised to construct a line from Scotsgap to Ford on the Berwick to Kelso line. They also were permitted to build a short branch line to Cornhill. Due to financial difficulties the line was to be built in stages starting with the section from Scotsgap to Rothbury which was started in August 1869 and completed by November 1870. The North British Railway and the branch line became part of the London and North Eastern Railway in 1923. In September 1952 passenger services were withdrawn and the line closed in November 1963.
The station was opened as Rothley a private station serving the local Trevelyan Estate but became public when the line was absorbed into the North British Railway. Renamed Longwitton in April 1875 the station served a limestone quarry and colliery until the 1920s. On 3 July 1875 a major accident occurred on the line just south of Longwitton leading to the deaths of three people.