Politicians welcome Northumberland Line investment ahead of its opening to passengers for first time in over 60 years

The first train will run from Newcastle to Ashington from 8am on Sunday, December 15, arriving at Ashington at 8.36am.

Politicians and media were given a sneak peek of the £298.5m investment on Thursday and were greeted by pupils from NCEA Bishop's Primary School in Ashington.

Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, said: “I know the investment in transport can transform communities, not at the click of a finger or the push of a button but through bigger thinking about how transport shapes the livelihoods of local people.

"I want to thank Northumberland County Council, Northern trains and Network Rail - you have turned a vision into a reality, overcoming engineering challenges, working through covid delays and gripping rising costs at a time when every penny counts.”

Cllr Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “All great projects have a great outcome, they show that people can work together and produce something that is going to be brilliant and have lasting social benefits for many, and produce significant economic benefits for the area.”

And North East Mayor Kim McGuinness added: “I'm so excited to be here today to celebrate this milestone of the Northumberland Line which is set to begin operating this weekend.

"This place is full of proud and talented people and good transport links are about much more than getting from A to B, they are the infrastructure of opportunity that connects people to jobs, to education and crucially to each other.”