On Saturday 4th July 2026, ‘The Tynesider’ railtour, operated by The Railway Touring Company and West Coast Railways, ran north from London to Newcastle; with the train continuing to Morpeth to take advantage of the ‘balloon loop’ formed by the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and the former Blyth and Tyne lines to turn theContinue reading “‘The Tynesider’ Railtour 2026: ‘Tangmere’ on the Bedlington Balloon Loop. West from Bedlington before the Newbiggin extension?”
Category Archives: Northumberland Coast Loop
Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG Meeting: 1st July 2026
Another great meeting of the Northumberland Branch tonight, with much discussion on buses, rail services (ECML, Northumberland Line, and Tyne Valley Line), and also of cycling integration with rail too. Membership is FREE, with the chance to have a real say in better buses, trains, and more! Why not sign up now? We aim toContinue reading “Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG Meeting: 1st July 2026”
Car dependent tourism a risk of ruining Northumberland?
A recent article from The Northern Echo sets our the case for a visit to Craster ‘beating’ Bamburgh, though both are listed as beautiful settings on the Northumberland Coast. However, the reason behind Bamburgh being beaten is perhaps a warning sign of what Northumberland risks; if we depend on car based tourism like the LakeContinue reading “Car dependent tourism a risk of ruining Northumberland?”
Ian Lavery MP calls for the Newbiggin extension; can the Northumberland Coast Loop come soon too?
A recent article in The Chronicle details Ian Lavery MP, asking for a debate on the expansion of the hugely popular Northumberland Line from Ashington to Newbiggin by the Sea. In the article, it quotes Mr Lavery MP with one and a half million journeys having been taken on the line since it opened onContinue reading “Ian Lavery MP calls for the Newbiggin extension; can the Northumberland Coast Loop come soon too?”
Cllr Hunter, why not Berwick to Blyth by rail, not road for young people to access education, training, and employment?
A recent article by Cllr Hunter of Berwick, who also owns a road haulage business called DHH Contracts, has joined many of the voices calling for dualling the A1. In the article, she says that the lack of dual carriageway leads to vehicles being delayed, increasing costs such as driver hours and fuel, especially ifContinue reading “Cllr Hunter, why not Berwick to Blyth by rail, not road for young people to access education, training, and employment?”
A1 Safety Campaign: Modal shift onto the ECML being overlooked for transporting people and goods in near perfect safety?
Following a spate of recent serious incidents on the A1 in Northumberland, a new safety campaign called ‘NASA’ (Northumberland A1 Safety Alliance) has formed. While making the A1 safer is undoubtedly an admirable and much needed aim for everyone, is using the parallel ECML being overlooked as an option to reduce traffic on the A1Continue reading “A1 Safety Campaign: Modal shift onto the ECML being overlooked for transporting people and goods in near perfect safety?”
2026: The time for the ECML to do more for transport to, from, within, and through Northumberland alongside the A1?
In recent news, it has been revealed that in 2025, around eleven million tourists visited Northumberland, a new record, and the A1 has been stated to be a ‘key problem’, but does this overlook the role the ECML, other rail links and buses could be playing to reduce this key problem and enable more sustainableContinue reading “2026: The time for the ECML to do more for transport to, from, within, and through Northumberland alongside the A1?”
Northumberland Strategic Investment Site (N-SIS) and the Northumberland Coast Loop (N.C.L.): Blyth Bebside to Edinburgh in 90-105 minutes by rail?
On Tuesday 19th May 2026, Northumberland County Council officially launched the ‘Northumberland Strategic Investment Site (N-SIS)‘, located in and around Cambois, Northumberland. Quoting directly from the Business Northumberland blog page ‘…The site builds upon recent successes including the £10bn Blackstone QTS Data Centre Campus and JDR Cables £130m new advance[d] manufacturing development at the adjacentContinue reading “Northumberland Strategic Investment Site (N-SIS) and the Northumberland Coast Loop (N.C.L.): Blyth Bebside to Edinburgh in 90-105 minutes by rail?”
239 signatures in seven days for regular rail services over part of ‘The Seven Counties Rambler’ route
Please click here for my latest update on the Northumberland Coast Loop petition.
Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG June 2026 Meeting in Morpeth
The Northumberland Branch of North East Public Transport User Group (NEPTUG), formed in March 2026 exists to promote integrated bus and rail transport across Northumberland, as well as promoting active travel (walking, cycling etc) routes too. Membership is FREE to everyone, with online meetings during the Autumn, Winter and early Spring, and our first in-personContinue reading “Northumberland Branch of NEPTUG June 2026 Meeting in Morpeth”
The Northumberland Coast Loop 