920,000 passengers on the Northumberland Line in first year of operating!

A recent article in The Chronicle states that since opening in December 2024, the Northumberland Line has now carried 920,000 passengers! This is a phenomenal success for the line, and gives a daily average of approximately 2,520 passengers being carried everyday on the route.

Happy 1st Anniversary to the Northumberland Line!

Today, Monday 15th December marks the first full year of the Northumberland Line, running from Ashington, Northumberland to Newcastle Upon Tyne, which opened on Sunday 15th December 2024. On that day, only two stations of the six stations were opened, Ashington as the terminus of the line, and Seaton Delaval, with Newsham opening a fewContinue reading “Happy 1st Anniversary to the Northumberland Line!”

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: A £450m economic boost to the North East, but an easy Edinburgh link could further boost it?

A recent article in The Chronicle ‘Northumberland Line has developers ringing council’s planning department ‘off the hook’ since launch last year‘ has some interesting data contained within it, as the line approaches its first full year of operation on Monday 15th December 2025, and the millionth passenger is expected in 2026. In a presentation ‘CouncillorsContinue reading “Northumberland Line: A £450m economic boost to the North East, but an easy Edinburgh link could further boost it?”

Cllr Carr’s call for more carriages on the Northumberland Line – the N.C.L. solution awaits?

A post today in The Chronicle ‘Call for more matchday carriages and better parking on Northumberland Line‘ quoting Cllr Daniel Carr of Newsham rightly points to the need for more capacity on this thriving new line as it is approaching its first anniversary on the 15th December 2025. The Northumberland Line, which is, as yetContinue reading “Cllr Carr’s call for more carriages on the Northumberland Line – the N.C.L. solution awaits?”

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!”

Northumberland Coast Loop rail and bus campaigns: November 2025 update

As of today, the last day in November 2025, the campaigns have made significant progress so far, which are outlined briefly below. Northumberland Coast Loop Rail Service The current campaign is centred around forming a new Newcastle to Edinburgh InterCity service via Blyth, Northumberland since the petition was launched on the 13th February 2025, toContinue reading “Northumberland Coast Loop rail and bus campaigns: November 2025 update”

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”

Council ‘committed’ to Northumberland Line extension to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea; but what of the Northumberland Coast Loop?

An article in The Chronicle released today (7.11.25) states that Northumberland County Council is ‘committed’ to extending the highly successful Northumberland Line on to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. Similar to the other places served by the Northumberland Line, Newbiggin lost its rail services in 1964 when the line closed to passengers, but unfortunately, the railway into Newbiggin didContinue reading “Council ‘committed’ to Northumberland Line extension to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea; but what of the Northumberland Coast Loop?”

ECML capacity enhancement options between Newcastle and Edinburgh from Network Rail

It is often said that the East Coast Main Line (ECML) between Newcastle and Edinburgh is ‘full’; running the maximum number of trains reliably and safely each day due to constraints on the capacity of the line. The position of this campaign has always been that capacity of the ECML can grow to meet theContinue reading “ECML capacity enhancement options between Newcastle and Edinburgh from Network Rail”