Northumberland Railway Line: Test Train Runs On Planned Route
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first four paragraphs.
A test train has travelled along part of a new Northumberland line ahead of the reintroduction of passenger services.
Six new stations are to be built and 18 miles (29km) of track upgraded between Newcastle and Morpeth.
The test train contained dignitaries and rail officials, with full services expected to start in 2024.
Northern said it was looking at running two trains an hour six days a week and hourly services on Sundays.
It very much sounds to be a good start.
The article certainly has a good picture of one of the bridges on the line.
Morpeth?
Note that the article says that the first phase goes to Morpeth. I had thought it was going to Ashington.
Or could it be that Network Rail want to open up Newcastle and Morpeth to take some local services off the East Coast Main Line.
The Anonymous Widower 
Wouldn’t normally be interested, but a quick look proves you’re right. Ashington it is.
Bad, bad BBC.
Mind you the mainline route north and south of Newcastle is overused and could do with capacity improvements as I found out standing on Durham station a few years back.
Comment by fammorris | August 14, 2021 |
It’s certainly in the plan to link to Morpeth and as the station is getting East Coast Trains , it could be useful.
I also wonder, if the building of the line is easier, if they get the track and signalling fixed, switch the Newcastle and Morpeth service to that route and then add the stations one by one.
Comment by AnonW | August 14, 2021 |