Category Archives: News

Bedlington Station opening: The end of the beginning?

Yesterday evening, Sunday 29th March, I travelled down to Bedlington station to see the final Northumberland Line station for myself, and one close to my heart as a born and bred Bedlingtonian! It is fantastic to see the town I grew up in once again reconnected to national network, but as the title suggests, IContinue reading “Bedlington Station opening: The end of the beginning?”

NEWS: NEPTUG Northumberland Branch

It was a delight yesterday (Wednesday 4th March 2026) to be a part of establishing the Northumberland Branch of the North East Public Transport Users Group (NEPTUG). There are branches for most parts of the North East active, with the branches covering local authority areas, so there is a Newcastle Branch and North Tyneside BranchContinue reading “NEWS: NEPTUG Northumberland Branch”

Northumberland Line million passenger milestone, Northumberland Park opening, and the N.C.L. for Edinburgh to Amsterdam via Port of Tyne?

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?”

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”