Hopes Railway Station In Picturesque Village Could Become ‘Gateway’ To Northumberland Coast
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Chronicle Live.
This is the sub-heading.
A rail company boss said there was a “real opportunity” for the station to have a bigger role
These three paragraphs add more details.
A key railway boss has provided hope that one of Northumberland’s quietest railway stations could finally see more trains pulling in. Chathill Station on the East Coast Mainline is close to two of the county’s most popular tourist destinations in Seahouses and Bamburgh.
Despite the excellent location it is one of the county’s least-used stations. Just 1,580 passengers were recorded between April 2024 and March 2025 – although this was up 25% on the previous 12 months.
Locals have been urging rail companies to make more stops in the village. Now, the boss of operator First Rail Open Access, which runs Lumo services, has visited the station and claimed there is a “real opportunity” to strengthen its role. Lumo provides services on the East Coast between King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverly, passing through Chathill.
It seems that Lumo must think it is worthwhile stopping at Chathill.
Chathill: The Station That The Nation Forgot
This feature has the same title as this section.
It is well worth a read and gives a good background to the history of Chathill station and the other stations on the East Coast Main Line, and the former branch to Seahouses.
Could Modern Digital Signalling Be The Key For Lumo?
Lumo runs between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street six time per day, calling at Stevenage, Newcastle, Morpeth, Edinburgh Waverley, Haymarket and Falkirk High.
Note.
- Stevenage calls only pick up Northbound and put down Southbound, so have Lumo developed procedures to get passengers on and off the train, as fast as possible?
- The East Coast Main Line is also under control of full digital signalling at Stevenage, so is that used to expedite the stop?
- Going North the trains seem to have a time where they leave Stevenage like 0606 and in reality they might arrive at 0604 and leave at 0606. So do they go as fast as traffic will allow between Kings Cross and Stevenage, using the digital signalling and the Mark 1 eyeball to keep tabs on the train in front?
- Going South a similar procedure seems to be used.
A typical stop at Stevenage seems to take between one and two minutes.
I have just checked Morpeth and all Lumo services seem to stop at Morpeth and they seem to take between one and two minutes.
It looks to me, as a Graduate Control Engineer, that full digital signalling on the East Coast Main Line might allow a couple extra stops to be added to Lumo’s timetable.
Will East Coast Main Line Digital Signalling Allow 140 mph Running?
I asked Google AI the question in the title of this section and received this reply.
Yes, the digital signalling being installed via the East Coast Digital Programme is a key technical enabler for future 140 mph (225 km/h) operation on parts of the East Coast Main Line.
This will surely, allow trains to pick up enough time on 140 mph sections of the line, to give enough time for the extra stops.
How Much Time Will 140 mph Running Save?
A quick calculation shows that if a train ran at 140 mph instead of 125 mph for a hundred miles, there would be approximate five minutes saved.
I suspect this would allow two extra stops.
Could An Extra Stop Be Made At Reston?
This OpenRailwayMap shows Chathill and South-East Scotland.
Note.
- The orange track going up the coast is the East Coast Main Line between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh.
- Chathill station is marked by the blue arrow in the South-East corner of the map on the East Coast Main Line.
- The East Coast Main Line crosses the Firth of Forth on the Forth Bridge to the West of Edinburgh.
- The yellow track coming down from the Edinburgh area is the Borders Railway to Galashiels and Tweedbank.
- Two former railways lead between Tweedbank and Berwick-upon-Tweed and Reston stations on the East Coast Main Line.
- Important stations, that are North of Chathill, are Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston, Dunbar and East Linton.
- Berwick-on-Tweed and Dunbar are well-served by LNER, with Reston getting one train per day.
I could see Lumo stopping at Reston, just as they share business at Morpeth with LNER.
Are There Any Plans To Connect The Borders Railway To Berwick-On-Tweed?
Looking at the map, I just had to ask Google AI the question in the title of this section.
I received this reply.
Official feasibility and business case studies are instead focused on extending the current Tweedbank terminus south toward Hawick and Carlisle along the old Waverley Route.
Grassroots Proposals
Tweed Valley Campaign: A volunteer group called the Tweed Valley Railway Campaign has lobbied to restore a link running east from St Boswells toward Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Local Benefits: Proponents argue an east-west connection would link the Borders directly to the East Coast Main Line, helping tourism and commuters.
Official Status: Despite local campaigns, transport authorities and councils have not adopted the Berwick route as part of official funded transport strategies.
Official Extension Plans
Carlisle Route: Government backing and funding are directed toward an extension study heading toward Hawick and Carlisle.
Timeline: Consultants are advancing a strategic business case for the Carlisle alignment, expected to report by late 2027.
I wonder if there might be a simpler interim plan.
Consider.
- Galashiels has a vert smart rail and bus interchange.
- Google AI says that Galashiels interchange can handle coaches.
- Wrightbus are launching hydrogen coaches in the next year or so.
- Hydrogen coaches will be powerful and silent.
- Hydrogen coaches will have a working range of 1,000 km.
I could see that hydrogen coaches running from Galashiels to Carlisle and Berwick-on-Tweed could be a winner.
New East Linton Station Development Given The Go Ahead
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the first paragraph.
Proposals to open a station in the village of East Linton, for the first time in over half a century, have just been approved by East Lothian Council’s planning committee.
In The Scottish Borders Have Caught London Overground Syndrome, I said this.
It would also appear that because of the success of the Borders Railway, that there are suggestions to add new stations on the East Coast Main Line at Reston and East Linton. This is said under Future in the Wikipedia entry for East Linton station.
Proposals to reopen the station, along with the former station at Reston, have received the backing of John Lamont MSP, who has taken the case to the Scottish Parliament. A study published in 2013 proposed that East Linton and Reston stations be reopened. Since Abellio ScotRail took over the franchise in April 2015, they have now committed to reopening East Linton and Reston Stations as part of the local Berwick service by December 2016 but due to the shortage of rolling stock this will now commence in December 2018.
So it would appear there is a high chance it will happen.
Reston station is well on the way to completion and the site is shown in this Google map.
Note.
- The East Coast Main Line running between the North-West and South-East corners of the map.
- The brown scars around the railway indicate the site of the station.
- The main A1 road is just off this map to the North.
In New Rail Service From Newcastle To Edinburgh To Stop At These Northumberland Stations, I indicated that a new service from TransPennine Express will start running in December 2021 and will call at Reston station, when it opens.
Now East Linton station is on its way.
This Google Map shows the village of East Linton.
Note.
- The East Coast Main Line going through the middle of the village.
- The A1 curves South of the village.
Will the station be built in the middle of the village?
The page on Scotland’s Railway, indicates it will be.
East Linton and Reston stations seem to be progressing at speed, but then so did Horden and it appears Soham will be open this year.
Network Rail seem to have at last got their project management right.
New Rail Service From Newcastle To Edinburgh To Stop At These Northumberland Stations
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Chronicle Live.
Details of the service are as follows.
- It will be run by TransPennine Express.
- It starts in December 2021.
- It will run five times per day (tpd)
- It will call at Cramlington, Morpeth, Widdrington, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston and Dunbar.
It is planned to run at least until May 2023.
These are my thoughts.
What Trains Will TransPennine Express Use?
The service will probably need a single train, if it was run by a dedicated fleet of trains, that just shuttled between Edinburgh and Newcastle. TransPennine could use either an electric Class 802 train or a diesel Class 185 train.
The diesel train might not be a good idea for operational reasons as TransPennine’s current services to Newcastle and Edinburgh use Class 802 trains.
But this service wouldn’t need a Class 802 train, as the route is fully electrified, so TransPennine might use a Class 800 train, if one were available from another company in the First Group.
TransPennine could also extend selected Manchester Airport and Newcastle services to Edinburgh, which might be the most efficient ways of using both trains and platforms in Newcastle.
This would give those using the intermediate stations between Edinburgh and Newcastle a service to and from Manchester Airport and the intervening stations, with a change at Newcastle, which would involve staying on the same train.
I’d organise the service as five tpd between Manchester Airport and Edinburgh with calls at Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Manchester Victoria, Huddersfield, Dewsbury, Leeds, York, Northallerton, Darlington, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle, Cramlington, Morpeth, Widdrington, Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Reston and Dunbar.
The big advantage of this, is that TransPennine could use the existing Class 802 trains, although they may need one more.
Reston Station
It looks like it will be a much needed service, that will get the new Reston station up and running.
I suspect that, passenger numbers at Reston station will determine the calling pattern after May 2023.
Will Other Services Continue?
TransPennine Express only has one service that stops between Newcastle and Edinburgh and that is the hourly service between Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh stations and that only stops at Morpeth.
I doubt this service will be changed, although after May 2023, it may make some extra stops depending on passenger numbers on the new service.
It should be noted that CrossCountry and LNER call irregularly at Alnmouth, Berwick-upon-Tweed and Dunbar.
As LNER are in rather a mess over their new timetable, I suspect that after May 2023, there could be a bit of a sort out of services.
How Will The New Service Fit With The Reopened Northumberland Line?
Initially the Northumberland Line will run as far as Ashington and won’t open until 2023 at the earliest.
But plans exist to extend the Northumberland Line to Morpeth.
The new service would fit well with an extended Northumberland Line service.
How Will The New Service Fit With East Coast Trains New London And Edinburgh Service?
East Coast Trains will be running a new Open Access service between London and Edinburgh from this autumn.
- It will have a frequency of 5 tpd.
- It will stop at Newcastle, Morpeth and Stevenage.
- It will offer one way fares of £25.
East Coast Trains are another First Group company.
As both services are five tpd in both directions, will the two services co-ordinate stops, so that passengers between say London and Reston can take advantage?
Going North, the stopping train could follow the East Coast Trains express and going South the stopping train would be a few minutes in front of the express.
This would also help with maximising capacity between Edinburgh and Newcastle on the busy East Coast Main Line.
Conclusion
This new stopping service between Edinburgh and Newcastle looks to be a simple solution to improve passenger services for intermediate stations between the two important cities.
A New Reston Station
This page on the Scotland’s Railway web site, gives an overview of the project to build a new Reston station on the East Coast Main line about 3.5 miles North of Berwick-upon-Tweed station.
This is the project summary given on the web page.
Network Rail has developed proposals to create a new station at Reston in the Scottish Borders.
We worked with local partners and stakeholders to develop plans for the station and liaised with the local community in advance of submitting a planning application to Scottish Borders Council.
Planning consent was granted in February 2021 and the team are gearing up to deliver a challenging programme of work to create the new station.
The page also says that work on the station started in March 2021. Certainly, by May 2021, there was quite a bit happening.
This Google Map shows the village of Reston.
Note.
- The A1 running East-West at the top of the map.
- Main Street running East-West across the middle of the map.
- The East Coast Main Line runs North West-South East across the South-West corner of the map.
The station would appear to be East of the road called The Orchard.
Station Facilities
Looking at the video the station appears to have the following facilities.
- Two platforms.
- About seventy car-parking spaces, which is designed to be expanded
- Five disabled car-parking spaces.
- Electric car charging.
- Bicycle storage
- Full step-free access, at the South-Eastern end of the station.
There does not appear to be any avoiding line for freight trains or a bay platform to reverse trains.
But there appear to be a pair of crossovers to the North of the station site.
Distances Between Reston Station And Selected Towns
This are road distances between Reston station and selected towns.
- Duns – 10 miles
- Galashiels – 38 miles
- Hawick – 47 miles
- Kelso – 26 miles
Are there plans for new housing in the area?
Services Between Newcastle And Edinburgh
The following services run between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
- CrossCountry – 1 tph – Plymouth and Edinburgh/Glasgow – Stops at Alnmouth (irregular), Berwick-upon-Tweed (irregular), Dunbar (1tp2h)
- East Coast Trains – 5 tpd – London Kings Cross and Edinburgh – Stops at Morpeth
- LNER – 1 tph – London Kings Cross and Edinburgh – Stops at Berwick-upon-Tweed
- LNER – 1 tph – London Kings Cross and Edinburgh – Stops at Alnmouth (1tp2h)
- TransPennine Express – 1 tph – Liverpool Lime Street and Edinburgh – Stops at Morpeth
Note.
- tpd is trains per day.
- tph is trains per hour.
- tp2h is trains per two hours.
- All services are run by 125 mph trains
- All services stop at Edinburgh and Newcastle.
- A typical service averages around 88.9 mph between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
The timetable appears to be arranged to ensure at least 4 tph between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
I have a few thoughts.
How Many Services Should Call At Reston?
On an urban line, stopping frequencies of services of up to four or even six tph are common, which would probably be in excess of what is needed at Reston.
Most rural main or secondary lines have frequencies of one or two tph.
I would suggest that if you’re designing and building a station, that will cost several million pounds, then the station must have at least an hourly service, but that two tph would be much more preferable.
In an ideal world, there might be two tph.
- A slow train that stopped at all the larger stations, which could include East Linton, Dunbar, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Almouth and Morpeth.
- A fast train that stopped just once at Reston station between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
Note.
- Like Reston station, East Linton station is also under construction.
- Reston station, is likely to have a selection of buses to Galashiels and other towns in the Borders.
- Reston station has space for a sensible amount of parking.
I would also expect bus and train services to obey these conditions.
- Be timetabled to arrive and leave at the same time each hour.
- Run from early until late.
- Provide an easy interchange, so that travellers don’t have to endure too much unfriendly weather.
- Have a comprehensive ticketing system to attract passengers.
I also think that a warm waiting room and cafe should be provided.
Will Reston Station Have A Direct Service To London And The South?
Both of LNER’s services between Edinburgh and London call at York, Darlington and Newcastle, with only one service calling at Berwick-upon-Tweed.
This Google Map shows the location of Berwick-upon-Tweed station.
Note.
- The long island platform between the tracks.
- There are 124 parking spaces.
- The A1 is some distance away to the West.
It all looks very cramped.
So if, one of LNER’s London services stopped at Reston, would it be better for all travellers and operators.
I would suggest that it would probably be ideal if one of LNER’s two services stopped at Berwick-on-Tweed and the other stopped at Reston.
It would also probably be a good idea for ticketing to consider Reston as a Berwick-on-Tweed station.
Will ERTMS Signalling Be Used Between Edinburgh and Newcastle?
I don’t think this is a question of will, but more one of when.
- It will enable trains to run at up to 140 mph.
- It will handle trains efficiently, when they are running at different speeds.
- It will allow the increasing of the frequency of trains on the double-track route.
- All trains on the route will probably be fitted with equipment to run under in-cab digital ERTMS signalling in a few years.
I would expect that ERTMS signalling could be used to run an increasingly complex pattern of trains between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
Will There Be 140 mph Running Between Edinburgh and Newcastle?
I have flown my helicopter along the route between Edinburgh and Newcastle and ridden it in a 125 mph train many times.
Given how Network Rail have squeezed increased speeds out of routes like the Midland Main and Great Eastern Main Line, I have no doubt that some 140 mph running will be possible between Edinburgh and Newcastle.
I estimate that with a substantial amount of 140 mph running between Edinburgh and Berwick-on-Tweed could save as much as fifteen minutes on current timings.
What Trains Will Be Used Between Edinburgh and Newcastle?
Consider.
- It is a fully-electrified double-track railway.
- There will be 125 mph and possibly 140 mph express trains passing through.
I suspect that to avoid getting in the way of the expresses, trains with at least a 110 mph capability would be needed.
Some of the redundant Class 350 trains would probably do fine.
How Will LNER’s Extra Paths Affect Trains Between Edinburgh and Newcastle?
In the December 2020 Edition of Modern Railways, there is an article, which is entitled LNER Seeks 10 More Bi-Modes.
This is the last paragraph.
Infrastructure upgrades are due to prompt a timetable recast in May 2022 (delayed from December 2022), from which point LNER will operate 6.5 trains per hour out of King’s Cross, compared to five today. As an interim measure LNER is retaining seven rakes of Mk. 4 coaches hauled by 12 Class 91 locomotives to supplement the Azuma fleet and support its timetable ambitions until new trains are delivered.
In A New Elizabethan, I suggest that one of these extra paths could be used to run a third hourly service between London King’s Cross and Edinburgh.
I would think it likely, that it only would only stop at Newcastle, if it provided a fast service between the two capitals.
Is Reston Station About Borders Unemployment?
This post has been up for a few days now and there have been comments about the cost of this station and the more-than-adequate car-parking provision for the small villages.
This article on the Southern Reporter is entitled Unemployment In Borders Up Almost 120% Year On Year.
Could it be that one of the purposes with its expandable car-parking is to allow people to get to jobs in Edinburgh and Newcastle?
- It should also be noted that Britishvolt are planning to build a £4 billion battery factory at Blyth, which according to reports will employ between three and five thousand people.
- It is a distance of seventy miles and Google says it will take nearly an hour-and-a-half.
- I suspect a 110 mph train between Reston and Bebside stations on the Northumberland Line would take about forty-five minutes.
- Bebside station is on the Northumberland Line and will have a shuttle bus to the Britishvolt factory.
- Porterbrook are developing a battery/FLEX version of their 110 mph Class 350 trains.
By choosing to build a station will the possibility of large amounts of parking are the Scottish Government doing the best for the unemployed in the Borders?
You can imagine a scenario in the employment office at Britishvolt.
- They are getting a lot of letters and e-mails asking about jobs.
- Someone does a bit of counting and realises their planned car-park is too small.
- Problems are outlined to ministers in the UK and Scottish Governments.
- The reopening of the Northumberland Line and the building of Reston station do appear to have been accelerated.
Perhaps the rail developments are a small price for both governments to pay to secure a £4 billion investment,
Conclusion
There’s a lot more to Reston station, than first appears.
The Anonymous Widower 