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?”
Category Archives: Railtours
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!”
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.”
RAILTOUR REMINDER
A quick reminder of the railtour over the Northumberland Line is around noon tomorrow (12:00 Monday 25th August 2025), operated by West Coast Railways, and will take the proposed southbound Northumberland Coast Loop route (Edinburgh to Newcastle Upon Tyne via Bedlington). Will be great to see photos/videos of this service if you can get outContinue reading “RAILTOUR REMINDER”
Lunchtime Railtour (1Z84) over the Northumberland Coast Loop route via Bedlington on 25.8.25
A railtour running via the proposed southbound Northumberland Coast Loop route (from Berwick Upon Tweed , through Pegswood and Bedlington, then to Newcastle Central) has just had timings released on Realtime Trains, please click the link below for further information: Link to 1Z84 Dunbarton to Newcastle, 25.8.25 on Realtime Trains This is a railtour operatingContinue reading “Lunchtime Railtour (1Z84) over the Northumberland Coast Loop route via Bedlington on 25.8.25”
Nearing 900 Signatures on the N.C.L. Petition & Railtour via Bedlington News
As of late Sunday 17th August 2025, the petition to ‘Start a Newcastle – Edinburgh Rail Service via Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park‘ stands at a fantastic 898 signatures so far. This shows the continued and increasing support for the route to become established, which hopefully will come soon after the completion of stations inContinue reading “Nearing 900 Signatures on the N.C.L. Petition & Railtour via Bedlington News”
100 Days Since ‘The Seven Counties Rambler’
Today, Sunday 15th June 2025, marks 100 days since an early morning start at Linlithgow station on the 8th March, and an excellent railtour by SRPS Railtours around southern Scotland and northern England. The final leg of this railtour, was of particular interest to this campaign as it follows the proposed Northumberland Coast Loop route;Continue reading “100 Days Since ‘The Seven Counties Rambler’”
Northumberland Coast Loop Petition: 30th May 2025
As of this morning, the Northumberland Coast Loop Petition, stands at a brilliant 425 signatures this morning. This petition aims to see the introduction of a new rail route between Newcastle and Berwick/Edinburgh via Bedlington, directly linking the newly opened Northumberland Line stations to North Northumberland and Scotland, rather than the current situation of transferringContinue reading “Northumberland Coast Loop Petition: 30th May 2025”
The Seven Counties Rambler in Retrospect and N.C.L. Target 2030
On Saturday 8th March 2025, I was one of the many passengers aboard ‘The Seven Counties Rambler‘, operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society. It promised to be an epic and spectacular tour of Southern Scotland and Northern England, passing through Edinburgh, the outskirts of Glasgow, before heading south to Carlisle, a big loop takenContinue reading “The Seven Counties Rambler in Retrospect and N.C.L. Target 2030”
48hrs until The Seven Counties Rambler heads from Newcastle to Edinburgh via Bedlington (aka the Morpeth Avoiding Line)
On the evening of Saturday 8th March 2025, a pair of Class 37 locos leading ‘The Seven Counties Rambler‘ railtour, operated by the Scottish Railway Preservation Society will depart Newcastle bound for Edinburgh, via the Northumberland Line, marking the inaugural railtour over the line since reopening for passenger trains in December 2024. The section ofContinue reading “48hrs until The Seven Counties Rambler heads from Newcastle to Edinburgh via Bedlington (aka the Morpeth Avoiding Line)”
The Northumberland Coast Loop 