Northumberland Line
| Northumberland Line | |||
|---|---|---|---|
A Class 158 crosses North Seaton Railway Bridge | |||
| Overview | |||
| Status | Open | ||
| Owner | Network Rail | ||
| Locale | |||
| Termini | |||
| Stations |
| ||
| Website | https://www.northumberlandline.uk/ | ||
| Service | |||
| Type | Heavy rail | ||
| System | National Rail | ||
| Operator(s) | Northern Trains | ||
| History | |||
| Opened | 15 December 2024 | ||
| Technical | |||
| Line length | 18 mi (29 km) | ||
| Track gauge | 4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge | ||
| |||
The Northumberland Line is a railway route in North East England. Services are operated by Northern Trains and link some of south-east Northumberland's major population centres in Ashington, Bedlington and Blyth to the nearby city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Passenger services were reintroduced in 2024 after 60 years as a freight-only line.
The line was originally part of the Blyth and Tyne Railway system, a once-extensive railway network that covered much of south-east Northumberland. Passenger services ceased in 1964, when they were withdrawn as part of the Beeching cuts. Construction of new stations and works to upgrade the existing rail infrastructure to enable resumption of passenger traffic began in August 2022, with the first trains running in December 2024 between Ashington and Newcastle. Further stations opened in 2025, and the final stations are scheduled to open in early 2026.