This plaque, on the Weardale Museum building - commemorates the Wear Valley Extension Railway [1895] and mentions the line from Stanhope to Wearhead, which closed in 1963.

The present day Weardale Railway is an 18 mile heritage line running from a connection with the main rail network at Bishop Auckland to Eastgate in Weardale, County Durham, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Currently a 16 mile section of line between Bishop Auckland and Stanhope has been restored for passenger and freight use.
[I believe that the section up to Eastgate - the now demolished cement works - still has track in situ and the WR would like to reopen / relay the full route]

www.weardale-railway.org.uk