Author Archives: hogg1905

The Rambler Railtour: Only 50 Days To Go, and Extend Grand Central Trains to Edinburgh via Bedlington?

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,Continue reading “The Rambler Railtour: Only 50 Days To Go, and Extend Grand Central Trains to Edinburgh via Bedlington?”

Northumberland Line: 50k Journeys In The First Month  and more N.C.L. News!

Northumberland Line: 50,000 journeys already! A recent post from Northumberland County Council (see screenshot below) shows that the Northumberland Line is off to a very strong start, with 50,000 journeys being made in the first month since opening. This has also been published on Rail Advent. This is despite the line opening with just twoContinue reading “Northumberland Line: 50k Journeys In The First Month  and more N.C.L. News!”

Northumberland County Council Elections 2025

On 1st May 2025, Northumbrians will go to the polls to select their local county councillors, with a total of 69 across the entire county being selected by residents this year. As candidates are now being announced, it is time to raise the route with candidates for your ward and seek their support for theContinue reading “Northumberland County Council Elections 2025”

The Tweed, Blyth and Tyne Line For Beautiful Northumberland By Rail?

A recent social media post (shown below), from Northumberland County Council is marketing the Northumberland Line as ‘scenic journey through the heart of the county’ with ‘historic stations and breathtaking landscapes’ making it ‘a true gem of the North East’. While the above does certainly hold true; the Northumberland Line is and will be aContinue reading “The Tweed, Blyth and Tyne Line For Beautiful Northumberland By Rail?”

The Rambler Heading Over Rare Track

On 8th March 2025, eight weeks from today, The Seven Counties Rambler, operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society (SRPS) is due along the proposed Northumberland Coast Loop route between Newcastle and Edinburgh, travelling via the Northumberland Line as far as Bedlington, before taking the Hepscott Line and Morpeth North Curve to rejoin the EastContinue reading “The Rambler Heading Over Rare Track”

Developing The Northumberland Coast Loop: Better Than Dualling The A1?

Building on this blog post that opposes further dualling of the A1 in Northumberland, could the Northumberland Coast Loop (N.C.L.) be part of the alternative investment?  The premise of the N.C.L. is to provide large towns such as Blyth, and areas such as North Tyneside a direct rail link northwards, by using the existing freightContinue reading “Developing The Northumberland Coast Loop: Better Than Dualling The A1?”

First Anniversary of the Northumberland Coast Loop Website

On the 9th of January 2024, the Northumberland Coast Loop website went live, therefore the 9th January 2025 marks the first anniversary of the website. Over the course of the past 12 months, the website has attracted visitors from across the globe, and in substantial numbers, with a little over seven and a half thousandContinue reading “First Anniversary of the Northumberland Coast Loop Website”

2Q08 – Middlesbrough Sidings to Butterwell Junction and return 8.1.25

A last minute find on Realtime Trains is the presumed test train starting at Middlesbrough Sidings at 08:35 this morning (8.1.25), due to reach Bedlington at 14:30, then taking the Hepscott Line towards Butterwell Junction, where presumably it takes refuge in the former disposal point sidings between 14:49.5 and 14:54.5, before heading back to HepscottContinue reading “2Q08 – Middlesbrough Sidings to Butterwell Junction and return 8.1.25”

Reprieve for the 08:10 CrossCountry service from Alnmouth?

This recent article from the BBC suggests that the highly popular 08:10 CrossCountry service from Alnmouth (for Alnwick) might survive the December 2025 ECML timetable change, though this is not yet certain. CrossCountry wish to maintain the service serving Alnmouth, and as a very popular on (around 100 daily users of this train are quotedContinue reading “Reprieve for the 08:10 CrossCountry service from Alnmouth?”