In the last few days, the Coldstream Guards, in their 375th anniversary year, travelled from London King’s Cross to Berwick Upon Tweed to parade around the town, as they have the freedom of the town to do so.
Watch this clip from BFBS Forces News for more details
What is interesting to note is that travel by rail was preferable for the event due to its speed; making a London – Berwick – London round trip possible in a single day, and the opportunity for the 120 Guardsmen to sit back and relax in comfort, and catching up on much deserved rest during their rail trip to Berwick and back to London.
This illustrates the key role that rail can play in linking very distant parts of the UK together in a speedy and efficient way, with Berwick Upon Tweed about as far as possible to get from London whilst still remaining in England (but only just!).
The N.C.L. alongside existing ECML services
Whilst the Guardsmen obviously took the fastest direct train from London to Berwick, going via Cramlington and Morpeth; the Northumberland Coast Loop would allow Berwick to be reached directly by rail from other places within Northumberland such as Blyth, very much as an addition to other rail services, and not as a replacement for any of them — expansion of the mainline to accomodate more and varied services is the key to success.
While Blyth doesn’t presently have a direct passenger service towards Berwick, one is possible if the proposed Northumberland Coast Loop was to be implemented. Trains departing Newcastle could run up the Northumberland Line as far as Bedlington (making stops at Northumberland Park, and Blyth Bebside for semi-fast trains, all stops for local services), then take the existing line west through Hepscott to rejoin the mainline at Morpeth North Junction, then, pointing towards Pegswood, they would run north towards Berwick and Edinburgh.
If you support the idea of a Newcastle – Bedlington – Edinburgh route, please sign the petition here: https://www.change.org/p/start-a-newcastle-edinburgh-rail-service-via-blyth-bebside-and-northumberland-park/exp/cl_/cl_sharecopy_490421148_en-GB/10/679068674?recruiter=679068674&recruited_by_id=f8c66ca0-ee1b-11e6-b726-5dfd818fd527&utm_source=share_petition&utm_campaign=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink&utm_content=cl_sharecopy_490421148_en-GB%3A10
The Northumberland Coast Loop 