Venues : On The Case Music : Keeping North East Music Live

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THE RATTLER

Sea Road / South Shields

0191 455 6789 / / http://www.the-rattler.co.uk/
Sea Road, South Shields, NE33 2LD
Open: 11am to 11pm Mon to Sun

Capacity: 200 Accessible: Yes Food: Yes

Sitting where The Rattler is now, around 130 years ago, you would have heard a very distinctive local sound...

It was made by a steam train, christened affectionately by the people here in the late 19th century for its noisy rattling. Hauled by an old steam engine, the train was a collection of second-hand carriages which ran along a two-mile rail line built to connect Whitburn Colliery and South Shields.

It opened in 1874 and carried coal, miners and, eventually, paying passengers ... but sadly, was around for just under 100 years, before it was overtaken by progress.

A superb public house now takes pride of place.