Northumberland Line Making Significant Progress with New Station Opening
The Northumberland Line continues to transform regional transportation with the announcement that Newsham Station in Blyth will open to passengers on Monday, March 17, 2025. This marks another milestone in the project that has already seen over 110,000 passenger journeys since service began.
Newsham Station Opens in March
The new Newsham Station will allow travellers to reach Newcastle in just 21 minutes, with peak-time return tickets costing £4.80. This station joins the currently operational stations at Newcastle Central, Manors, Seaton Delaval, and Ashington, with three additional stations at Bedlington, Blyth Bebside, and Northumberland Park scheduled to open later in 2025.
Northumberland County Council Leader Glen Sanderson highlighted the project's success: "The amazing passenger numbers show that this very ambitious project has been needed for decades, and that the real commitment from the County Council along with our partners has paid dividends for our residents, tourists and businesses."
A public drop-in event will be held at Blyth Town Football Club on Tuesday, March 11 from 5pm-7:15pm where residents can learn more about the new service, ticket purchasing, train times, and ask questions.
Community Rail Partnership Taking Shape
The Northumberland Line Community Rail Partnership is now registered as a not-for-profit community interest company. The partnership is seeking local organizations to join and potentially provide funding to appoint a rail officer who can help implement ideas from volunteer board members. Interested parties can email rail@northumberland.gov.uk for more information.
Accessibility Focus
On February 14, the Northumberland Line project team hosted an event with accessibility groups at Ashington Station. Representatives from six local groups reviewed features including tactile paving, help points with braille assistance and T-loop technology, and ticket machines with displays that lower for wheelchair users.
Construction Updates
Progress continues across all stations:
- Northumberland Park: Construction of platform walls and foundations for the lift shaft and staircase continues
- Blyth Bebside: Platform and station footbridge installation progressing, with a public information session scheduled for March 3
- Bedlington: New station platforms under construction, with overnight work necessary
Several road closures are planned to facilitate construction, including at Bedlington South Level Crossing (Station Road) during late March and early April, and a full closure of Furnace Road from March 24 until mid-June.
Residents can stay updated by signing up for the monthly digital newsletter at nland.cc/signup or visiting www.northumberlandline.uk for the latest project information.
