Cramlington, United Kingdom

The development of railways in Cramlington began with the transport of coal from the local collieries. The Cramlington waggonway opened in 1822–1823, connecting the collieries with routes used to transport coal towards the Tyne. The opening of the Newcastle and Berwick Railway and Cramlington station in 1847 provided a link for passenger traffic, as well as supporting the area's growing industrial development. Cramlington was the site of two notable railway accidents. In 1855, the chassis of a first-class carriage failed, while in 1926 the Merry Hampton locomotive and five carriages of the Flying Scotsman express from Edinburgh to King's Cross were derailed by striking miners during the General Strike. The story of the derailment was recounted in the BBC Two programme Yesterday's Witness: The Cramlington Train Wreckers in 1970, and later turned into a successful play.

During World War I, the North East of England was protected by the No. 36 Home Defence Squadron. The squadron was formed at Cramlington on 1 February 1916 by Capt. R. O. Abercromby, with Cramlington subsequently becoming an important base for military planes and airships. The Airship Station was at Nelson Village. A reference to Cramlington airfield is made in W. E. Johns 1935 book The Black Peril from the extremely popular Biggles series.

The town remained small until 1964 when it was chosen by Northumberland County Council as the location for a new “township”.

The development of a new town development in Cramlington was first discussed in 1958. In June 1961, Northumberland County Council's Planning Committee approved the draft plans to establish what it hoped would be "Britain's first enterprise town." The development model for Cramlington was radically different to the government sponsored New Town. While the County Council supported the town’s infrastructure, the majority of development was planned by two house building companies, William Leech and J.T. Bell. It was predicted to take 20 years, cost £50m and eventually house 40,000 inhabitants across a four square mile site that also included an industrial zone. A one-way road system was proposed, with the waggon ways of the former pits being repurposed as pedestrians paths. The plan was finally approved by the Minister of Housing and Local Government in January 1963, by which time the estimated population had grown to 48,000 and the cost projected at £60m. It marked the first time a new town had been developed without the establishment of a government-backed development corporation. The planning officer predicted that it should look like a town in five years and be complete in 20 years. The first factory was to be completed by summer 1963. In October 1964, an advert inviting investment in the development recorded an area of 2,200 acres, 530 of which were for industry.

The housing and industrial sites developed rapidly, by 1968 this led to Cramlington becoming a "dormitory of urban Tyneside" due to the lack of investment in shops, schools, and community facilities. Local MP Eddie Milne sought government assistance to bring the amenities in line with these large scale developments.

2017 archaeological excavations carried out ahead of housing development at White Hall Farm uncovered the remains of an Iron Age settlement, including an enclosed settlement and several roundhouses. The discovery attracted considerable interest from local residents, but the archaeological remains were excavated and recorded to allow the housing development to proceed.