This video (Railways Of The North-East in Retrospect 1961 to 1968), at 20min 35seconds in starts with a section ‘The Alternative East Coast’
The narration of the video tells us that this was a diverted Edinburgh to Kings Cross service, hauled by 43109 due to the mainline being blocked near Morpeth (due to an accident on 13th November 1992).
The train above would almost certainly have followed the proposed route of the Northumberland Coast Loop, coming off the East Coast Mainline at Morpeth North Junction, passing through Hepscott village, then Bedlington, before continuing down what is soon to reopen as the Northumberland Line later this year and into Newcastle.
While the above service was an emergency diversion, it perhaps shows a ‘What could’ve been…’ as had stations like Bedlington, Bebside, Newsham etc remained open beyond 1964, maybe a ‘mainline’ service could have happened; arguably the Port of Blyth ‘Ship Shape’ video from 1986 which highlights the ‘superb transport links, with London just three hours away by rail’.
With the Northumberland Line soon to open a number of stations once again, for the first time in 60 years the line will once again have regular passenger services, but could some of the trains offer direct connections to Scotland and London?
So far, 642 signatures have supported the petition to see this route be considered as a option going into the future; it would simply build upon the existing investment made into the Northumberland Line, and make use of the Hepscott Line and Morpeth North Curve, used by 43109 in the above video back in 1992 but for routine, regular services not just emergency diversions.
If you like the proposal, please share this post on your social media and reach out to your local MP’s, county councillors and local councillors to state your support for the Northumberland Coast Loop route.
The Northumberland Coast Loop 