Revamped train line set to open in northern England for the first time since the 1960s with fares starting from £1
A NEW train service is set to launch in the UK later this year – connecting two destinations for the first time since the 1960s.
Services along the Northumberland Line in Northumberland are slated to begin operating later this year.
The train line closed down in the 1960s when services were scrapped during a nationwide railway restructure.
For the last 60 years only freight trains have used the stretch of track between Ashington and Newcastle.
The revamped route is part of the government’s Restoring Your Railways Project, which aims to reconnect communities.
According to Network Rail, six new train stations are being built along the 18-mile route.
Construction work has been underway since August 2022, with major track and signalling upgrades taking place as well as other updates to infrastructure.
When the track opens later this year, two passenger trains will run in each direction every hour between Monday and Saturday.
An hourly service will operate during weekday evenings and on Sundays.
Trains between Ashington and Newcastle are set to take 35 minutes, while trains from Newsham to Newcastle will take 24 minutes.
It is hoped that the new route will ease car and bus congestion in the area.
Fares will start from just £1 for passengers aged 21 using a Pop Blue Card – a local metro card in the area.
The price of other fares, including those for full-paying adults, have not yet been revealed.
The Northumberland Line is being delivered by several companies, including the Department for Transport, Network Rail, Transport for the North, Nexus and Northern Trains Limited, North Tyneside Council, North of Tyne Combined Authority and Newcastle City Council.
It is slated to open in summer 2024 – although the launch could be delayed until December 2024.
Council Leader Glen Sanderson told Nexus: “We’re delighted to confirm passenger trains will be running from Summer 2024 and this will be an absolute game changer for transport in the area.
“The line will bring so many benefits in terms of work and education opportunities, inward investment and business growth in the county and a reduction in congestion.”
Some stations may not be operational when the line opens because construction progress appears to have fallen behind at Blyth Bebside and Bedlington.
Meanwhile, the first part of the East West Railway (EWR) Line is slated to open in 2025, providing direct service between Oxford and Bletchley.
The first stage of the EWR Line, which one day hopes to connect South Wales with East Anglia, is nearing completion.
NEW TRAIN STATIONS
There are plenty of new train stations opening up across the UK, including Moseley Village Train Station.
Moseley Village Train Station first opened to the public in 1867 before closing down in 1941 as a wartime economy measure.
It will be one of three stations to reopen along the Camp Hill line in Birmingham, with the other two stations being Pineapple Road and Kings Heath.
The new stations will provide regular train services into Birmingham New Street.
Three scenic train journeys you can take in the UK
Cornish Coast – One trip that rail enthusiasts seem to love is along a stretch of the Cornish coast and takes just 10 minutes to complete.
The route from St Erth to St Ives only stops at Carbis Bay en route to its final destination, but the views out the window for the whole journey are pretty spectacular.
Another highlight of the journey is that St Ives station is situated right next to Porthminster beach, meaning the sand and sea can be accessed almost immediately.
Meanwhile, the station is less than a ten minute walk into town, where the harbour, shops, galleries and pubs can be explored.
Durham to Edinburgh – Another train route that people in the UK love is the East Coast train line between Durham and Edinburgh, with coastal views and city landscapes among the sights that can be seen out the window.
Newcastle, Berwick, Lindisfarne and Durham Cathedral are all among the highlights on that route.
Scotland’s West Highland Line – While Scotland is home to plenty of famous landmarks and top attractions, it also has one of the most breathtaking train routes in the world.
Scotland’s West Highland Line has previously been dubbed the best rail journey in the world by Wanderlust – and it’s easy to see why.
The journey from Glasgow to Fort William is one of my favourite train routes – and I’ve interrailed through mainland Europe.
With mountain landscapes, serene lochs, wistful moors, and wildlife all visible through the train window, it’s certainly a route all holidaymakers should consider doing at least once.
Northern Ireland will also benefit from a huge new transport hub when Belfast Grand Central eventually opens.
Meanwhile, Aldridge station in Walsall, West Midlands, is also set to reopen following a £30million revamp.