7th in a series of 11 plaques, erected by Arts UK to mark the areas ironstone history.
Route of the first rail line to the mines. It was known as ‘the black lonnen’ by the Scottish miners and ‘the black lane’ by the English miners because of its covering of cedar ash.
Ironstone Plaque, Pontac Road, New Marske
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Fire ash was the standard ballast right up into the 1930s on the North Eastern and LNER.
Lonnen was a Geordie term for lane or street. We always called it Black Loddon. Loddon is a Norfolk term. Numerous New Marske miners hailed from Norfolk. Aldo the Loddon ran from the top of West Terrace to the mines.