Category Archives: Chathill

Blyth Bebside to Berwick-Upon-Tweed in just 50 MINUTES by rail: c.40 mins faster than going via Newcastle or Morpeth.

The Northumberland Line now complete, with all six stations now open and bustling, it is time to really set the sights on the next steps for the line, and in my view, it should be to make use of the existing connection from Bedlington headed west, not only to Morpeth, as put forward by SENRUG,Continue reading “Blyth Bebside to Berwick-Upon-Tweed in just 50 MINUTES by rail: c.40 mins faster than going via Newcastle or Morpeth.”

Mini Switzerland for Northumberland?

A very interesting video from transport campaigner and rail engineer Gareth Dennis  on the ‘Mini Switzerland’ trial in the Hope Valley, UK. Much of the same lessons can be applied to Northumberland, using existing railway stations and buses, but operating them as a cohesive, intergrated system and not as a bus system that is separateContinue reading “Mini Switzerland for Northumberland?”

Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG: Campaigning together for better bus, rail, and active travel routes and services in Northumberland.

On Wednesday 1st April 2026 at 18:30, the first ordinary meeting of the Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG took place following the founding AGM on 4th March 2026. Please read below for more information about the meetings and what the group intends to do, but if you’d like to get involved, please feel welcome to joinContinue reading “Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG: Campaigning together for better bus, rail, and active travel routes and services in Northumberland.”

NEWS: CRAG proposes more trains to stop at Chathill.

An article today in the Northumberland Gazette: ‘North Northumberland rail campaign group proposes solution to tackle transport poverty‘ discusses the proposal put forward by the Chathill Rail Action Group (CRAG) to help ease the transport poverty problem in North Northumberland, many residents of which don’t have access to a private car, but also places manyContinue reading “NEWS: CRAG proposes more trains to stop at Chathill.”

North East Bylines: Northumberland Coast Loop inferred and from coal to commuting.

An interesting article from North East Bylines ‘A tale of two branch lines’ by Mark Corner which comes very close to mentioning the Northumberland Coast Loop campaign except in name, but it is a great read and I’d wholly recommend doing so! If the original writer, or any other wishes to write about the NorthumberlandContinue reading “North East Bylines: Northumberland Coast Loop inferred and from coal to commuting.”

Coffee and a chat about Chathill and more at Barter Books 2.2.26

Yesterday, I joined John from the Chathill Rail Action Group (CRAG) for a coffee and a chat about Chathill station, and the wider context of the ECML, the Northumberland Coast Loop and more besides in the brilliant surroundings of Barter Books, housed in the original Alnwick station. Could the fortunes of Chathill change in 2026,Continue reading “Coffee and a chat about Chathill and more at Barter Books 2.2.26”

Northumberland Coast Loop station usage 2024/25: 1.245 million passengers in total.

With the recent publication of passenger figures for all of the existing railway stations in Northumberland in the Northumberland Gazette, a little analysis reveals the current and potential volumes of passengers who use these twelve stations between Berwick and Manors. The table above shows the stations on the proposed Northumberland Coast Loop from Berwick UponContinue reading “Northumberland Coast Loop station usage 2024/25: 1.245 million passengers in total.”

Call for more Chathill trains after rising passenger figures, and nearly 1000 extra passengers on the ‘Chathill Flyer’ last year?

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 fromContinue reading “Call for more Chathill trains after rising passenger figures, and nearly 1000 extra passengers on the ‘Chathill Flyer’ last year?”

Acklington Station: Rise in passenger numbers, but a threat of closure?

A recent article in The Northern Echo ‘Acklington among Britain’s quietest train stations in UK‘, shows that whilst still in the 50 least used stations in the UK, with just 856 entries and exits in the 2024/25 railway ticketing year, this was a major increase on the previous year, which had 550 in 2023/24. ThisContinue reading “Acklington Station: Rise in passenger numbers, but a threat of closure?”