ALTHOUGH it had been anticipated that services on the Northumberland Line from Newcastle to Bedlington and Ashington would begin in June, delays in the work are pushing the opening date back.
Some of the delays on the Government’s Restore Your Railways project are due to poor ground conditions on land in the former coal mining area, with work to build two of the line’s stations at Bedlington and also at nearby Blyth Bebside slipping behind schedule.
Since early spring there has been considerable efforts to complete level crossing work and major signalling, connecting the 18-mile line to the Tyneside Integrated Electronic Control Centre. Signalling between Bedlington and Ashington has gone live, and new level crossings have been installed at Bedlington North, Green Lane, North Seaton and Marcheys House.
Currently, Northumberland County Council, which is a key partner of the project, is saying the line is set to open in the summer, adding that driver training was due to begin in June. At time of going to press, Real Time Trains was showing driver training schedules from June 24.
The local authority has announced fares for
