So in 50 day’s time, the 8th March 2025, The Seven Counties Rambler, operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society, a circular tour starting early in the morning, and ending late evening at Linlithgow. On it’s long but scenic route, it will take in Edinburgh, then via Midcalder Junction, Kilmarnock, Dumfries, Carlisle, Ais Gill, Hellifield, Clitheroe, Preston, Shap, and back to Carlisle. From Carlisle, the railtour then heads along the Tyne Valley Line through Hexham, reaching  Newcastle towards the evening.

The section particularly of interest to this campaign, is the route back to Edinburgh and Linlithgow via Bedlington from Newcastle; as the railtour will take the Northumberland Line as far as Bedlington, then bearing left at Bedlington Junction, takes the Hepscott Line, heading towards Morpeth. At Hepscott Junction, the train will then bear right, joining the 1980 built Morpeth North Curve bound for Pegswood, rejoining the East Coast Main Line (ECML) at Morpeth North Junction, where I recently recorded a Northumberland Coast Loop Explained video, featuring the newly printed ‘Northumberland Coast Loop’ headboard, produced by JAF Graphics.

The ‘Loop’ on the Northumberland Coast: Linking South East Northumberland and North Tyneside to The North?

As can be clearly seen from the above map (The Railway Magazine, January 2025 p. 9), the link between Bedlington, and the ECML (shown in red) could easily be utilised to provide connections between up to five of the Northumberland Line stations (only exception is Ashington due to the track layout seen above), and those in North Northumberland or Scotland (essentially anywhere north of, and including Pegswood, unfortunately not shown). 

This is shown on our route diagram below, which shows the stations (either already open, or due to open later in 2025) that the above Rambler Railtour is due to pass through in just seven weeks time, perhaps showing just how readily this route could be to implement?

As can be seen above route would link significant towns such as Blyth (the largest town in Northumberland, and home to the economically significant Port of Blyth), as well as a large part of North Tyneside directly to North Northumberland and Scotland, a route never previously possible due to passenger closure happening in 1964, 16 years before the Morpeth North Curve enabled a direct connection, and sadly long after most stations (with the sole exception of Bedlington) had been demolished.

Newcastle to Edinburgh Semi-Fast and Newcastle to Berwick Local Services via Bedlington?

First off is the semi-fast service, probably this would be the first service to implement given constraints on the ECML between Newcastle and Edinburgh, and could fit well as just a handful of services per day (as Grand Central has proven with Sunderland – London services via the slower Durham Coast route.

The proposed service pattern for the Northumberland Coast Loop would take two forms; with a semi-fast (limited stop) service, probably originating at Edinburgh, calling in Northumberland at Berwick, Alnmouth (for Alnwick and Amble), Pegswood (for Morpeth and Ashington), Blyth Bebside (for Blyth, Cramlington and Bedlington), and in North Tyneside, calling at Northumberland Park before heading on to Newcastle, and potentially destinations beyond.

This type of service would likely be a handful of trains per day, for example Grand Central runs five daily trains between Sunderland and London, calling at intermediate stations like Hartlepool en-route, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park could similarly be intermediate stops between Edinburgh and Newcastle on a long distance route such as Edinburgh to London. Existing diesel trains can run at up to 125mph, so using existing rolling stock for the N.C.L. route shouldn’t present any great issues if units are available.

A local service would ideally be much more frequent (perhaps as often as hourly), and would call at all stations, but would likely be a Newcastle to Berwick and back route. As the implementation of a local service on the ECML north of Newcastle depends on use of electric units, it is probably likely to hinge upon the recent announcement of a tender for new trains, which may hopefully be specified as bi-mode units capable of 100mph+ and able to work both on and off overhead wires. 

Extended Grand Central Service: London to Edinburgh via Sunderland and Bedlington?

Whilst not speaking for the open access operator, this is just as an example to illustrate the concept.

The current Sunderland to London service, operated by Grand Central trains might present a great opportunity to be extended from it’s current northern terminus at Sunderland to Edinburgh, creating a service linking the Scottish and English capital cities via Blyth and Sunderland.

This route would massively improve connections to, from, and between areas in the North East; giving Teesside, the Durham Coast and Sunderland a direct link to Edinburgh, the Scottish Borders, and the Northumberland Coast, and vice versa.

Given the huge popularity of Edinburgh as a city to visit from the North East, it is highly likely that any extension of the service would be well patronised, and even taking the slightly longer and slower route via Bedlington would still be relatively attractive as a service, and potentially without abstraction from other operators.

From my own experience, places in North Northumberland such as Alnwick are popular destinations from around the North East, a rail service linking North Northumnerland to SE Northumberland, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Wearside and the Durham Coast would likely be well patronised too, conversely, travelling to Teesside and especially Saltburn/Whitby could be made easier by such as service, especially if a single change between GC/similar services could be made to reach these popular coastal destinations.

It would be good to hear feedback from Grand Central if they would contemplate such an extension to their North Eastern services in future, even if only early morning/late evening ones to start with?

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