The success of the Northumberland Line keeps being proven: passenger numbers pass 1,000,000 since opening! On Friday 23rd January 2026, an event was held at Blyth Bebside station to mark the millionth passenger journey on the Northumberland Line since opening just 405 days before on Sunday 15th December 2024, as shown in this article fromContinue reading “Northumberland Line million passenger milestone, Northumberland Park opening, and the N.C.L. for Edinburgh to Amsterdam via Port of Tyne?”
Category Archives: News
Digital PAYG rail ticketing tested by Green Signals: A potential fix to the recent Pop card problems?
Please watch the video below from Green Signals about the digital pay as you go trial by East Midlands Railway, but a system that could have clear potential in places like Northumberland where many smaller stations are unlikely to get the infrastructure seen at major stations like Newcastle Central. A solution to current Pop cardContinue reading “Digital PAYG rail ticketing tested by Green Signals: A potential fix to the recent Pop card problems?”
Lord Hendy backs extra Northumberland Line carriages: the N.C.L. an answer?
In a recent article from the Northumberland Gazette ‘Rail minister backs plans for additional carriages on the Northumberland Line‘, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, the Rail Minister has backed the calls for extra carriages to be sourced for the Northumberland Line. To quote from the article; ‘In the letter to Cllr Sanderson, seen by theContinue reading “Lord Hendy backs extra Northumberland Line carriages: the N.C.L. an answer?”
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.”
Northumberland Line: First anniversary upcoming, and huge success to date!
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 NewshamContinue reading “Northumberland Line: First anniversary upcoming, and huge success to date!”
Thundering beyond a thousand!
The Northumberland Coast Loop petition reached the milestone of 1000 signatures earlier tonight (approx 18:00 when I briefly looked while at Disney on Ice at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle), but by 21:50 when I arrived home it had thundered on to a thousand and six! Thank you to everyone who has signed the petitionContinue reading “Thundering beyond a thousand! “
Blyth Bebside at 12,000 passengers already, Northumberland Line tops 800,000 trips, Newbiggin extension plans, and thoughts on Moor Farm roundabout
The past week has had a number of significant news announcements, and with a number of links between them, it is perhaps the right time to address them together. Blyth Bebside station is blossoming; and is boosting overall numbers for the Northumberland Line towards a million passengers! There has been more great news on theContinue reading “Blyth Bebside at 12,000 passengers already, Northumberland Line tops 800,000 trips, Newbiggin extension plans, and thoughts on Moor Farm roundabout”
Chathill Station: Waiting room repairs in Summer 2026?
A couple of recent blog posts by the Chathill Rail Action Group (CRAG) and Cllr Guy Renner-Thompson have announced that repairs to the damaged waiting room at Chathill station are due to be started in Summer 2026; having been brought forward from a 2027 start date. This is great news for Chathill Station and hopefullyContinue reading “Chathill Station: Waiting room repairs in Summer 2026?”
‘Flying Scotsman’ needs a parallel ‘Stopping Scotsman’? Cross party collaboration for better Berwick rail services and call to invest in the ECML.
Collaborative calls for a ‘Stopping Scotsman’ service at Berwick, and elsewhere in the Scottish Borders area. A Facebook post by John Lamont MP and David Smith MP has highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the neighbouring MP’s either side of the Scottish Border on the East Coast Main Line (ECML) to see the services to Berwick-Upon-TweedContinue reading “‘Flying Scotsman’ needs a parallel ‘Stopping Scotsman’? Cross party collaboration for better Berwick rail services and call to invest in the ECML.”
Newsham and other stations vs Arriva buses?
It has been good to see the BBC News coverage recently (14.10.25) about lack of direct bus services to the new station at Newsham on the Northumberland Line, after our blog post on 2nd October titled ‘New railway station at Newsham; but no buses to it!‘. The company operating buses, Arriva (now owned by aContinue reading “Newsham and other stations vs Arriva buses?”
The Northumberland Coast Loop 