In Wylam, railway history can be explored from different perspectives: in the museum, at historic buildings and on paths that follow the River Tyne. Walking and cycling are also among the documented activities available locally. When planning your visit, you can therefore choose between exhibitions and architectural heritage on the one hand, and getting active along former transport routes on the other.

Museum and Historic Buildings

Wylam Railway Museum is located in the Falcon Centre on Falcon Terrace in Wylam, NE41 8EE. Its exhibitions explore Wylam’s unique contribution to early railway history. Exhibits include working scale models of the locomotives Wylam Dilly and Puffing Billy. The museum offers a practical introduction to the subject, which can also be explored outside the exhibitions through the history of the Waggonway and the bridges.

George Stephenson's Birthplace is a small stone cottage in a garden near the River Tyne. Built around 1760 to house mining families, it is a Grade II* listed building. The NCN72 cycle route leads to the birthplace; the ride along the river is considered flat. Alongside the museum, it is another building at the heart of Wylam’s history.

Hagg Bank Bridge was originally built for a railway line and dates to 1876. It is considered the first of its kind and can be seen on walks or cycle rides through Wylam. Together with the cottage and museum, it reveals different aspects of the railway theme: residential and social history, exhibitions about locomotives and the former use of transport routes.

Waggonway, River and Cycle Routes

The Wylam Waggonway was originally built to transport coal from Wylam to Lemington. Today, it forms part of the Hadrian's Wall National Trail. Visitors can walk or cycle along the Waggonway; it passes George Stephenson's Birthplace and follows the River Tyne. Its historic function and present-day use come together here: the route links its former role as a coal transport route with its use today for walks and cycle rides.

Near Wylam, Tyne Riverside Country Park offers a traffic-free cycle route along the disused Waggonway from Prudhoe to Newburn and beyond. The park also has a car park in Wylam. When planning a cycling trip, two different connections are relevant: the Wylam Waggonway by the river and the longer route around the Country Park. The route’s stated starting and ending points should not be confused with a link from a particular car park.

The landscape has another distinctive feature: near Wylam lies the Close House Riverside nature reserve. There, on the River Tyne floodplain, is an area of heavy-metal grassland. This rare habitat occurs only in areas with high concentrations of heavy metals. The nature reserve adds a distinctive riverside habitat to the themes of railway history and cycling.

Choose Your Stay Based on Your Interests

When looking for a hotel in Wylam, you can choose where to focus based on the kind of exploring you prefer. Those interested in exhibitions and historic buildings will find points of interest at the Railway Museum, George Stephenson's Birthplace and Hagg Bank Bridge. If you would rather explore on foot or by bike, consider the Wylam Waggonway and the cycle route nearby. The Waggonway connects these interests in its own way: today it is a route for walks and cycle rides, as well as part of the history of coal transport from Wylam to Lemington.

For the main travel overview: Northumberland.