Way back in 2017, the ‘Bound for Craigy’ Railtour by the Branch Line Society worked a section of its quite epic trip, which starting in Kings Cross to Edinburgh over what is now being campaigned for as the Northumberland Coast Loop, which is the alternative route between Newcastle and Berwick via Bedlington.
Between Newcastle and Berwick, this railtour headed off the East Coast Main Line (ECML) at Benton Junction, travelled along the then freight only former Blyth and Tyne lines, passed the then still derelict Bedlington Station, and turned onto the freight only line via Hepscott, took the Morpeth North Curve, and rejoined the ECML at Morpeth North Junction, just to the south of Pegswood Railway Viaduct, before heading towards the Scottish capital of Edinburgh.
This BLS railtour was the beginning of the idea behind the Northumberland Coast Loop, with what was to become the Northumberland Line very much taking shape at that time, it was obvious that such a route running regularly in the near future could give North Tyneside and South East Northumberland a massive connectivity boost by making use of this route headed north.
Fast forward to today (21st December 2024), almost a week on from the Northumberland Line partially opening to traffic, and as more stations are opening during the course of this year, it is making more and more sense to exploit; it could allow car free travel between SE Northumberland/North Tyneside and places in North Northumberland/Scotland more viably, rather than travelling into Newcastle Central to head north again.
The Seven Counties Rambler
Almost eight years to the day after the Bound for Craigy Railtour, the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) are operating another railtour along the proposed Northumberland Coast Loop route, with The Seven Counties Rambler due on 8th March 2025.
I’ve booked my ticket on what promises to be a fantastic tour starting and finishing in Linlithgow, taking in Edinburgh Waverley, then the Settle and Carlisle Line, the WCML over Shap, then Tyne Valley Line back to Newcastle, before taking in the Northumberland Line, then cutting across the Hepscott Line and finally heading north back towards Linlithgow.
With some passengers potentially leaving the service in Newcastle, I have enquired if any spare seats from Central Station to Waverley/Linlithgow might be made available for those who’d like to do this shorter route.
Hopefully given the theme of Railway200 in 2025, this might be the first of many railtours making use of the route!
The Northumberland Coast Loop 