The Northumberland Line opened on 15th December 2024, following a 19-year long campaign from SENRUG. Click here for a brief chronological history of our campaign. The line is a huge success and SENRUG understands passenger numbers are vastly exceeding forecasts. But the line isn’t finished yet. Whilst Newsham station subsequently opened on 17th March 2025, we are still waiting for the remaining stations – Bedlington, Blyth-Bebside and the all-important Metro interchange at Northumberland Park. All these stations are promised for later in 2025, though SENRUG is concerned at how much dates may be slipping.
We also need a later evening train from Newcastle to Ashington – the current last train at 22:16 is far too early, and SENRUG believes there should be one at least an hour later, at around 23:16. SENRUG understands the business case agreed by the Department for Transport was for trains to be running up until midnight.
SENRUG will continue pressing the authorities until all the remaining aspects of the original Northumberland Line project are completed and in service.
After that, there are various extensions we want to see. These have not been agreed as yet, but SENRUG will continue campaigning for them. They include:
Additionally, SENRUG believes that ultimately all the single track sections of the Northumberland Line will need to be doubled. SENRUG suggests the section from Seghill North to Newsham South should be doubled first, in conjunction with creating the new station at Seghill, and building a 2nd platform at Seaton Delaval. This could be followed by the section from east of Northumberland Park to the south end of the current Seghill loop. The section through Northumberland Park station could be achieved by building a new Metro track and platform to the south of the existing lines, and letting the current westbound Metro line become the eastbound Northumberland Line track. This then leaves one further section between west of Northumberland Park station to Benton East junction.
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