Background

The Ashington, Blyth & Tyne railway line, from Newcastle through Bedlington to Ashington, is a fully operational, maintained and mostly doubletracked railway. And yet it carries no passenger trains. The line is maintained and kept at operational standards for a few freight trains per day.

SENRUG is campaigning for passenger trains to be re-introduced, to provide a fast, regular rail service between Ashington, Bedlington and Newcastle Central Station.

Benefits

• Easier commuting
• Regeneration of Ashington and Bedlington Station areas with new job opportunities
• Less traffic on the busy A189 Spine Road, reducing rush hour congestion.
• Reduction of traffic and parking congestion in Newcastle City
• Good for the environment. Even diesel trains use 20 times less fuel than cars per passenger
• Cost efficient transport: more trains on the line would decrease costs per train

History

A previous attempt to re-open the line was rapidly dismissed when the former Railtrack priced it at £46 million. SENRUG thinks this figure was significantly over-inflated.

Since then, a similar scheme – The Vale of Glamorgan Line – involving the same length of existing, operational track and the rebuilding of the stations along the route, was recently reopened to passengers for only £17m, which seems a much more reasonable figure.

A Solution From SENRUG

Much of the cost in re-opening the whole line is due to the southern section between Benton Junction and Newsham where a number of sharp bends and level crossings necessitate speed restrictions. To eliminate these would require significant engineering works.

SENRUG has therefore proposed a phased approach for re-opening. Phases 1 and 2 would require very little engineering work and could therefore be introduced relatively inexpensively to allow passenger rail services to return to Bedlington and Ashington.

Phases 1 & 2 would enable trains from Newcastle to reach Bedlington in 28 mins and Ashington in 36 mins. That's 15 minutes quicker than by bus. And the train goes direct to Central Station making it easy to connect onto other rail services to Durham, York, London or the Tyne Valley.

The train would also provide a direct service from Ashington and Bedlington to the MetroCentre.

PHASE 1

Existing trains from Newcastle to Morpeth would be extended to re-opened stations at Choppington and Bedlington Station. SENRUG believes the trains could do this almost within the time they currently wait in the siding at Morpeth.

Once the capital costs of re-building the two stations is met (Bedlington Station is almost intact), trains could run from Newcastle, via Cramlington and Morpeth to Choppington and Bedlington at only a marginal increase in cost.

The North East Assembly has agreed that this plan appears viable and have commissioned an independent study. This is due to report back by May 2007, and if positive, trains could be running to Bedlington by 2009!

PHASE 2

Services would be extended to Ashington by reversing the train once it reaches Bedlington Station. Still virtually intact, Ashington Station has a prime town-centre location with adjacent parking within the main shopping area. Easy commuting to Newcastle would create job opportunities and increase the attractiveness of Ashington as a place to live.

Because trains could not get to Ashington and back within the time they currently wait at Morpeth, at least one extra train unit and crew would be needed to maintain an hourly service, but SENRUG believes this extra cost would be justified by the regenerative benefits a rail service to Ashington would bring.

PHASE 2 A

Beyond Ashington, the line runs adjacent to the Woodhorn Museum, and a further station could be built here to allow for rail access to the Museum and Wansbeck Hospital from Ashington, Bedlington, Morpeth and Newcastle. If a long platform were built, it is likely the station would also attract direct charter trains from other parts of the country.

PHASE 3

Opening the southern section of the line from Benton allowing trains to run on the two interconnecting lines:

1. Newcastle – Manors – Northumberland Park (Metro interchange) – Seaton Delaval – Newsham – Bebside – Bedlington – Ashington – Woodhorn
2. Newcastle – Manors – Cramlington – Morpeth – Choppington – Bedlington

Future Possibilities

A further extension from Woodhorn to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea, by relaying track along the former track bed,would open up more job opportunities for people living in Newbiggin as well as promoting leisure travel to the area.

Opening the private coal line from Ashington via Linton to Butterwell (near Stobswood) would allow additional trains between Alnmouth, Widdrington and Newcastle via Ashington and Bedlington without taking space on the East Coast Main Line between Butterwell and Benton Junction. This would be important if the Blue Sky Forest leisure development near Widdrington Station moves forward.

How Can I Help?

We need both local and central government decision makers to know how much support there is for re-opening the line. Here's how you can help:

• Sign the petition (now closed) to 10 Downing Street at petitions.pm.gov.uk/ABTreopening
• Write letters to your local MP, your County Councillor, and the Department for Transport (Rail) (www.dft.gov.uk). You may find your MP is supportive, but he needs to know how many people support him in backing this campaign. www.writetothem.com will help you contact your elected representatives.
• Join SENRUG – add your voice to ours, so we can speak out more loudly. We're the South East Northumberland Rail User Group and campaign for better rail services in the area. Annual membership is £5 per adult or couple (£2.50 for unwaged). Send a cheque payable to SENRUG with your name and address to:
  SENRUG Membership Secretary,
  28 Bracken Ridge,
  Morpeth,
  Northumberland
  NE61 3SY
  The application form can be found here.
• Keep up to date here at senrug.co.uk to keep up to date with all our campaigns.