This time in two weeks, Monday 15th December 2025 will mark the first full year since the long awaited opening of the Northumberland Line to passengers. Starting with just the two stations at Ashington, and Seaton Delaval at the outset on 15th December 2024, there are now four of the six stations open, with Newsham opening in March 2025, and Blyth Bebside opening in October 2025. The next two stations at Bedlington, and Northumberland Park are due to open in ‘early 2026’, with no precise date yet announced.
Despite these issues with delayed opening of stations and of cost overruns, the line so far having cost £336.4m, the line has been a HUGE success with regards to passenger numbers, with over 800,000 now having used the line since opening, well ahead of any projections, and even the dreams of most optimistic advocates for the reopening.
Hopefully on the anniversary itself, or a few days afterwards, we can see just how close to carrying a million passengers that the Northumberland Line actually is, and that the remaining stations may at last be given a more precise opening date.
Expansions of the Northumberland Line
Plans for expansion of this highly successful line have already been put forward; such as the expansion of the line to Newbiggin by the Sea in this recent BBC article.
The proposed Newbiggin extension is very much welcomed, but ideally should also happen alongside the Northumberland Coast Loop, which as can be seen below, has now reached 1037 signatures on the petition in support of this route, which you can view here: https://c.org/wbhpn9ffpJ
Hopefully it’ll soon be possible to travel both to Newbiggin by the sea by rail again, after a now 61 year absence, as well as being able to travel directly from destinations around the ‘loop’ to North Northumberland and Scotland, something not yet seen, aside from special trains of the past and railtours.
An example from the past is this 4th August 1962 Whitley Bay to Glasgow train, which due to the Morpeth North Curve (M.N.C.) not existing, needed to awkwardly reverse at Morpeth station to head north, it not being possible until 1980 to head directly from the Choppington and Hepscott, run around the M.N.C. and pass through Pegswood to head directly north.
The Morpeth North Curve is photographed below, a route avoiding an awkward reversal at Morpeth station to head northwards from SE Northumberland or North Tyneside.
The Northumberland Coast Loop 