Northumberland Line: Route to reopening from 1960s to present day

A railway line linking stations in Northumberland to Newcastle described as a "truly groundbreaking project of national importance" will soon welcome passengers again for the first time in 60 years.

But why did passenger trains stop running in the first place, and how has its revival come to fruition?

Train services on what we now know as the 'Northumberland Line', serving towns like Ashington and Bedlington, began life in the 1840s.

The railway was primarily built to transport coal, but in the late 19th century quickly became popular with commuters seeking a quick way into and out of Newcastle.

By the mid 20th century, like many branch lines serving smaller towns and villages, the Northumberland Line was suffering declining passenger numbers.

Passenger trains were eventually withdrawn from much of the line on 30 July 1964 as part of the infamous 'Beeching cuts'.

Freight trains continued running, but in the 1990s calls began to grow for the line to reopen to passengers.

This was in part due to increased traffic congestion and a campaign group calling for the restoration of services was formed in 2005.

Northumberland County Council got on board with the idea in the early 2010s, and undertook feasibility studies into the potential for passenger trains to resume.

Government funding awarded in 2021 allowed planning applications for the new stations to be submitted, and construction began in summer 2022.

Earlier in 2024, a plan for a phased opening was confirmed, beginning with Ashington and Seaton Delaval stations initially, followed by Newsham early in the New Year.

The remaining three stations at Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park are scheduled to open next year.

However, officials at Northumberland County Council have confirmed a "lessons learnt" report is being carried out into the project, after costs spiralled due to delays and inflation.

Northumberland County Council Leader Glen Sanderson recently said: “The Northumberland Line is a truly groundbreaking project of national importance that has been talked about almost since the line was closed for passengers over 60 years ago.

"Despite the enormity of the job we have been determined to re-open the line for passengers - and that is what we have done."

“I’m extremely grateful for the patience of local residents and to all the partners for getting the line open.”

The line reopens to the public on Sunday (15 December).

Trains will run every half hour Monday to Saturday and hourly on Sunday. The end-to-end journey time from Ashington to Newcastle will be approximately 35 minutes.

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