The Rothbury Branch was a 13-mile single track railway line in Northumberland, England. It was built by the Northumberland Central Railway and was conceived as part of an alternative trunk route from Newcastle to Berwick. There were serious problems raising money for the ambitious scheme, and it was scaled back to run from Scotsgap to Rothbury. It opened in 1870. Even so, it was always short of money and had to request the North British Railway to take it over, along with its debt, which was effected in 1872.