Uncertainty over where extended Northumberland Line railway would fit in Newbiggin

That’s according to Coun Liz Simpson, who has represented the Newbiggin Central and East ward for the last 13 years. It comes after leading North East figures revealed an ambition to extend the £300 million railway after the first section to Ashington was officially opened this week.

The former Newbiggin station was the terminus of the Blyth and Tyne Railway – the precursor to the Northumberland Line – and opened in 1872. However, like the other stations on the network it fell victim to the infamous Beeching cuts and was closed in 1964.

The previous station was situated north of what is now the junction of the B1334 and Buteland Terrace. Part of the original route is now occupied by the Grace Darling Church of England Primary School – something that concerned Coun Simpson.

She said: “I have spoken to the deputy leader of the council (Coun Richard Wearmouth) about the line extending. It would be a good thing in a way – but I would like to see a feasibility study to see where it would come into Newbiggin.

“Where it used to be would now come past the school. We can’t have it coming so close to the school.

“To be quite honest, I don’t know where it would go. Newbiggin isn’t a huge place and we don’t have much green space.

“It would be welcome, people would like it. I have seen people asking why don’t we have it, but there is a lot to be looked into. I would like to see plans for where they would put a station.”

The original plans for the Northumberland Line would have seen additional stations at Woodhorn and Seghill, although these were dropped as part of revised proposals in 2019.

Coun Simpson believed a station at Woodhorn, which would also serve the Woodhorn Colliery Museum and the Northumberland Archives, would negate the need for a further station at Newbiggin.

She continued: “If you got it to Woodhorn you wouldn’t need one at Newbiggin. You would only be a mile or so down the road.”

Coun Simpson was previously the deputy leader of the Labour group, but resigned her membership in October after being blocked from standing for the party in the upcoming local elections. Despite her former political allegiance, she admitted the Conservative administration at County Hall deserved praise for completing the project.

Coun Simpson added: “You have to say well done to the Conservatives for getting it through. The Liberal Democrats started the process and Labour did some work on it, but it was the Tories that got it to fruition.”