Here’s a poster for our forthcoming spring meeting which takes the form of a hustings featuring the three parliamentary candidates for Wansbeck.

You are unlikely to get a better chance to size up the possible future shape of the nation, so why not come along and find out what they intend to do for the railways locally and nationally?

We would be grateful if you would take the opportunity to publicise in your workplace, local shops or anywhere you can do so. We hope to see you there!

Relating to Provision of Inter-City type Rail Services at Morpeth Station

Eureka homepage

Hot on the heels of the last announcement about the NELPG tour comes the news that Tornado is going to come round the Blyth and Tyne on 24th April!

Run by Pathfinder tours, it is called the Tees-Tyne Express, and apparently it cannot go round the coast to Middlesbrough because of problems with steam on or near the Metro lines, so instead it will stop at Newcastle for some to disembark while those who wish go on round to Morpeth and back (no stops I think).

At present there are no plans to sell tickets from Newcastle as the train is filling up fast despite not having been advertised yet properly. They should know about whether there are spare seats for the ABT about a month before. Should be a fine sight anyway, and another feather in the cap for the ABT – apparently this is the last time in the North for Tornado for some time, as it is to work out of London for a while after this.

Exciting news!

NELPG (The North Eastern Locomotive Preservation Group) are running a trip round the Ashington Blyth and Tyne on May 8th.

This is an advance on earlier tours in that the engine, K1 class 2-6-0 no.62005, actually worked on the old Blyth and Tyne and was shedded at Blyth.

The train is scheduled to visit North Blyth, and then will go on up to Ashington hauled by diesel, and possibly to Lynemouth.

Tickets are £60 from Skipton, but I do not know whether they will be available from Newcastle – further details on the NELPG website.

Following Network Rail’s announcement that £3.25 billion is to be spent improving stations (see press release below)

http://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/content/detail.aspx?ReleaseID=4800&NewsAreaID=2

They now have an online survey taking place at which you can select your local station, and say how it needs to be improved. This is at:

http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/6063.aspx

SENRUG Chairman Dennis Fancett was asked to give a presentation on the group’s campaign to re-open the Ashington Blyth & Tyne Line to Rail Minister Geoff Hoon, at a meeting convened by Wansbeck MP Denis Murphy, held at Woodhorn