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?”

Northumberland Line nearing completion; lets see Newbiggin, the N.C.L., and Choppington station next!

On Sunday coming (29th March 2026), the final Northumberland Line station at Bedlington will finally open to passengers and mark the completion of this hugely successful but unfortunately much delayed project. The opening date of 15th December 2024 was much revised from original forecasts, and only two stations (Ashington, and Seaton Delaval) opened on thatContinue reading “Northumberland Line nearing completion; lets see Newbiggin, the N.C.L., and Choppington station next!”

The Forth, Blyth and Tyne rail route update 21.3.26

A little update on the campaign to date! Petition progress to date As of 21.3.26, the petition for the route (Start a Newcastle – Edinburgh Rail Service via Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park on Change.org) now stands at an amazing 1,142 signatures, and steadily continues to grow. Please click the link above if you haven’tContinue reading “The Forth, Blyth and Tyne rail route update 21.3.26”

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”

Almost a year on since ‘The Seven Counties Rambler’; need for the Northumberland Coast Loop and six years of Northern being in the DfT.

Today, the 1st of March 2026, is just a week ahead of the first anniversary of ‘The Seven Counties Rambler’ operated by the SRPS (the Scottish Railway Preservation Society) which ran on the 8th March 2025. Circular Tour: Linlithgow to Linlithgow via Carlisle, Preston, Newcastle, Bedlington, and Edinburgh A huge circular route around Scotland andContinue reading “Almost a year on since ‘The Seven Counties Rambler’; need for the Northumberland Coast Loop and six years of Northern being in the DfT.”

Response to Cllr Hunter: The real safety solution to the A1 could be better use of the ECML in Northumberland for passengers and freight.

A recent article in the Northumberland Gazette states ‘Renewed calls for safety improvements on A1 in Northumberland after spate of serious crashes’ by local Councillor Isobel Hunter (Cllr Hunter) who represents Berwick West with Ord area in Berwick Upon Tweed, who has raised that the dualling scheme for the A1 between Morpeth and Berwick ‘should notContinue reading “Response to Cllr Hunter: The real safety solution to the A1 could be better use of the ECML in Northumberland for passengers and freight.”

Northumberland Park station on opening day and future northward connections?

Today, Sunday 22nd February 2026 marked the opening of the long awaited Northumberland Park station, heavily delayed but here at last! To visit the station on opening day to take a look, especially considering its potential importance to the Northumberland Coast Loop, I took a train from my local station at Alnmouth to Northumberland ParkContinue reading “Northumberland Park station on opening day and future northward connections?”

1100 Northumberland Coast Loop supporters

As of 12th February 2026, one thousand, one hundred people have signed the Northumberland Coast Loop petition for a rail service from Newcastle to Edinburgh via Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park.  This is just shy of its first anniversary as a petition, it being launched a year ago tomorrow on 13th February 2025. This comparesContinue reading “1100 Northumberland Coast Loop supporters”

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?”