Chathill Station has rising passenger numbers, and a great example of ‘bus meets train’ working well!
A recent article in The Northumberland Gazette ‘Campaigners call for better train service as new figures show more passengers using Chathill railway station‘ shows that stations only served by the so-called ‘Chathill Flyer’, which runs twice a day from Newcastle Central Station to Chathill, then runs as an empty train to the sidings at Belford, before heading back Chathill empty, and forming the return service to Newcastle.
Between April 2024 and March 2025, the Office for Rail and Road (ORR) has recorded 1,580 passengers using the station, an increase of about 25% on the previous year, 2023/24, which saw 1,264 passengers using the station.
It is considered that a connecting bus service, the 0918 bus service, from Belford to Chathill via Bamburgh and Seahouses, operated by Borders Buses, has helped by providing a public transport connection to this small, rural station.
This is a clear example of how proper bus and rail integration can work successfully, despite the very infrequent rail service that Chathill presently receives (only the twice daily ‘Chathill Flyer’).
The Chathill Rail Action Group (CRAG) states that this increase in passenger numbers, whilst modest shows the latent demand for a better rail service calling at Chathill station, and that stopping other trains at the station, that presently fly through would work to improve connections to this station.
The ‘Chathill Flyer’ has been busier at almost all stations on its route too
Looking at the wider picture of the Chathill Flyer, it has actually seen a significant rise in overall use looking at the figures, with increased passenger loadings at Chathill, Acklington and Widdrington stations compared to the preceding years (see below), with the only station noting a small fall being Pegswood.
The larger stations on the route of the Chathill Flyer, those at Alnmouth for Alnwick, Morpeth, Cramlington and Manors have been omitted as data does not specify the exact train, whilst these stations are only served by the ‘Flyer’, so it can easily be determined that these trains are busier.
Chathill Station: 1,264 passengers in 2023/24, rising to 1,580 in 2024/25.
Acklington Station: 550 passengers in 2023/24, rising to 856 in 2024/25, and recently featured in another blog post which suggested a closure threat in a Northern Echo article.
Widdrington Station: 2,270 passengers in 2023/24 rising to 2,652 in 2024/25, making it the most popular small station in Northumberland.
Pegswood Station: 1,500 passengers in 2023/24, falling modestly to 1,468 in 2024/25
Together in 2023/24, these four small stations accounted for 5,584 passenger entries and exits based on the above figures, this growing to 6,556 passengers in 2024/25; almost a thousand extra passengers using these smaller ECML stations, and not counting potential use of the train to and from the larger stations such as Almmouth, Morpeth, Cramlington, and Manors.
Again, this data indicates a latent demand for a better rail service at these smaller stations; perhaps operating the ‘Chathill Flyer’ three, maybe four times per day is one option, or as CRAG suggests, stopping other services at these smaller stations to give them a wider range of trains to choose from is another solution?
The Northumberland Coast Loop 