Next year is Railway200, a celebration of 200 years since the opening of the Stockton and Darlington (S&D), widely viewed as the beginning of the ‘modern railway’. However, there could be, as set out in this blog post, a case for Bedlington400+, and Tanfield 300 to tell the important story of more than 200 yearsContinue reading “2025 the Year of the Northumberland Coast Loop?”
Category Archives: Northumberland Coast Loop
Is there really a huge desire to see the A1 dualled? Why not improve the ECML instead?
A recent Chronicle article sets out an apparent ‘huge desire’ from Northumberland residents to see the A1 dualled, but is there really such a huge call for it? Dualling the A1 is poorly supported. Going back to 8th March 2012, a petition by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, later MP for Berwick Upon Tweed to ‘DUAL THE A1Continue reading “Is there really a huge desire to see the A1 dualled? Why not improve the ECML instead?”
UK’s Tallest Christmas Tree at Cragside – A lesson in bus/rail connections?
This article from the Northumberland Gazette discusses the upcoming decoration of a 42m high Giant Redwood being decorated at Cragside this Christmas, probably the largest Christmas tree in the UK. Given that this very popular National Trust site generates many trips year round, but especially for what is likely to be a spectacular in-person ChristmasContinue reading “UK’s Tallest Christmas Tree at Cragside – A lesson in bus/rail connections?”
Spend £1, get up to £2.73 back; why investing into the ECML makes more sense than dualling the A1 in Northumberland.
Another recent article in the Northumberland Gazette raises concerns about dualling of the A1 between Morpeth and Ellingham potentially being cancelled once again. In one of our recent blog posts, we set out the case for expanding the capacity of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) rather than dualling in detail, but in a nutshellContinue reading “Spend £1, get up to £2.73 back; why investing into the ECML makes more sense than dualling the A1 in Northumberland.”
N.C.L. September 2024 Update – Petition and Merch
N.C.L. Petition Update On our petition, the number is steadily rising and at time of writing stands at 684 signatures. A massive thank you to all who’ve supported it so far! Merch Currently looking into opportunities for some Northumberland Coast Loop Merch – more news on this front soon!
Car Parking will ‘destroy’ the Lake District – Let Northumberland Learn The Lessons Before It’s Too Late?
This recent article by the BBC talks about how a new 70 space car park behind the Ruskin Museum in Coniston could be the start of the ruination of the Lake District by paving it over; arguably destroying the picturesque landscape of the area by doing so. Northumberland, with a less developed but growing tourismContinue reading “Car Parking will ‘destroy’ the Lake District – Let Northumberland Learn The Lessons Before It’s Too Late?”
To Lindisfarne by Rail and Bus?
This BBC article about the vicar of Holy Island (Lindisfarne) being on a mission to turn the tide raises a few interesting issues. Firstly, the annual visitor figures are up to an astounding 800,000 per year, with most presumably arriving by car at present, and causing issues as the island is so small, as theContinue reading “To Lindisfarne by Rail and Bus?”
Green Signals Podcast – GBRf North Blyth to Fort William Alumina Train Trip & Chathill News
Episode 48 of the Green Signals podcast (29th August 2024) had a segment on the North Blyth to Fort William Alumina train. Richard Bowker, one of the podcast hosts was joined by John Smith, CEO of GBRf on part of the route in Scotland, discussing a broad picture of this particular service, as well asContinue reading “Green Signals Podcast – GBRf North Blyth to Fort William Alumina Train Trip & Chathill News”
Little-known Line Could Boost Coastal Connectivity
The picture below shows Class 66 (66301) hauling the regular North Blyth to Fort William ‘Alcan’ tanks (filled with Alumina at Port of Blyth and taken to the Alvance smelter near Fort William) along the Morpeth North Curve which links the Hepscott Line between Bedlington and Morpeth to the East Coast Main Line. This freightContinue reading “Little-known Line Could Boost Coastal Connectivity”
Bedlington Station Update 14th August 2024 and its place in ‘Railway 200’?
Station Updates (Northumberland Line project) A new ‘fly through’ video of Bedlington has just been released by NorthumberlandTV (YouTube Channel) which shows the final plans for Bedlington Station, and the complexity of the site between a junction at the northern end and a level crossing on the southern end. There is also an update onContinue reading “Bedlington Station Update 14th August 2024 and its place in ‘Railway 200’?”
The Northumberland Coast Loop 