Footage gives first glimpse of new Northumberland Line

Train operator Northern released the footage, which was taken from the front of a class 158 train as it travelled along the new route set to open in 2024. 

The construction sites of the new stations -– Northumberland Park, Seaton Delaval, Newsham, Blyth Bebside and Bedlington can be seen as the train wends its way through the landscape passing groups of houses and fields.  

The completed project will result in an upgrade of 18 miles of track to provide local communities with enhanced connectivity between Newcastle to Ashington.  

The scheme, proposed by Northumberland County Council, has been made possible thanks to the government’s Restoring Your Railway Fund, which offered development funding to explore options to restore lost rail services connections to communities.  

Kerry Peters, regional director at Northern, said: “Bringing new rail services to the North East as part of the Northumberland Line is really exciting and we’re honoured to be able to connect all the communities based along the route.  

“Northern will be operating all passenger services and we are already developing plans to provide a timetable that will help local communities and deliver this positive impact for the region.”   

Planning permission was also recently granted to create a new facility close to Ashington station for Northern's conductors who will be working along the route.  

The Northern building will be just off the southern end of the station platform, in its own secure compound with access to the station car park. It will have mess room facilities, an office, and a signing in point for staff.  

Meanwhile, construction is already well underway at Ashington station and platform, which will be the northern-most point on the line and will whisk people to the centre of Newcastle in just over half an hour. 

Northern is also set to recruit a team of conductors for the new service later this year.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,500 services a day to more than 500 stations across the North of England.