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Description
In 1879, the Whitburn Colliery opened the South Shields, Marsden and Whitburn Colliery Railway, which originally carried coal before taking on more commodities and, beginning in 1888, passengers. On New Year's Day 1947, the "Marsden Rattler" became the first nationalized passenger railway in Britain -- a year ahead of British Railways -- as the Whitburn Colliery had been taken over by the National Coal Board. Not quite seven years later, the last Marsden passenger train ran in November 1953 when buses took over, and fifteen years later the line also closed to freight trains in 1968. The number plate of steam locomotive No.5 is now displayed at the South Shields Museum.

Description
In 1879, the Whitburn Colliery opened the South Shields, Marsden and Whitburn Colliery Railway, which originally carried coal before taking on more commodities and, beginning in 1888, passengers. On New Year's Day 1947, the "Marsden Rattler" became the first nationalized passenger railway in Britain -- a year ahead of British Railways -- as the Whitburn Colliery had been taken over by the National Coal Board. Not quite seven years later, the last Marsden passenger train ran in November 1953 when buses took over, and fifteen years later the line also closed to freight trains in 1968. The number plate of steam locomotive No.5 is now displayed at the South Shields Museum.