Northumberland Line coming soon, but station openings delayed

The Northumberland Line, which will bring passenger trains back into service between Ashington and Newcastle, is set to re-open in the summer, but only half the six stations on the route will open this year.

Seaton Delaval, Ashington and Newsham stations will open this year but Blyth Bebside, Bedlington and Northumberland Park will not open until next year at the earliest.

The delays have been linked to a range of issues, including historic mine workings, contamination and inflationary pressures.

Northumberland County Council said the new, “phased approach” will allow for services to start at the “earliest possible opportunity”. It said a great deal of work still needs to be completed such as the new signalling system.

Council leader Glen Sanderson said: “This is a hugely complex project with major station construction works being undertaken at six separate sites, signalling and track improvements along the line and changes to numerous level crossing points, all of which must be coordinated and undertaken to minimise disruption to local communities, rail freight services and road users.”

Money for the project has come from the Government’s Restoring Your Railways funding.  

The project is supported by a number of key partners, including the DfT, Transport for the North (TfN), Nexus and Northern Trains Limited, North Tyneside Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority and Newcastle City Council.

Passenger services were withdrawn from the northern section of the line (serving Blyth, Bedlington, Ashington and Newbiggin) in 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts.

Find out more about these and other developments at Rail Stations + Property on 5 March in London, organised by Landor LINKS, sponsored by Burges Salmon and supported by LTT.

The event will focus on: changing travel patterns, including the resurgence of leisure travel; stations as hubs, with a focus on mobility hubs; and transport-led development with a spotlight on major UK projects.