CrossCountry wants to run Alnmouth to Newcastle peak time service despite omission from draft rail timetable

The 8.10am train from Alnmouth to Newcastle – used by dozens of city workers and students – is not included in the proposed new East Coast Main Line timetable from December 2025.

However, CrossCountry remain hopeful and point out the draft timetable is subject to change and that further discussions are planned in the coming months.

A CrossCountry spokesperson said: “The published December 2025 timetables are drafts and remain subject to change. All final timetable decisions are the responsibility of Network Rail. "It is our intention for our morning Alnmouth to Newcastle service, currently departing at 08:10, to continue from December 2025 onwards, and we continue to work collaboratively across the rail industry to ensure the best possible service for customers in the North East and across the country.”

A Network Rail spokesperson added: “The published December 2025 timetables are draft and remain subject to change.

“We work collaboratively with all train operators and the wider rail industry to ensure timetable changes, which take place twice a year, provides the best and most reliable possible service for passengers.

“We will continue to do that as we work towards the timetable changes later this year.

“In this instance, Network Rail will work with CrossCountry so the morning Alnmouth to Newcastle service continues from December 2025.”

The service has been described by Dennis Fancett, chairman of the South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG) as "vital for commuters and those going to college".

The draft timetable includes extra services between Newcastle and London King’s Cross, as well as faster journey times between Edinburgh and London.

But when it comes to Northumberland, local campaigners believe the stations at Alnmouth, Berwick and Morpeth have lost out overall.

Additional TransPennine Express services between Newcastle and Edinburgh and a later weekday return from Edinburgh back to Northumberland stations have been welcomed.

But the campaigners say there are more negatives, including fewer LNER services stopping at the three Northumberland stations.

Mr Fancett previously said “Whilst we would support the objective of providing more train capacity between London and Edinburgh, this should not be achieved by reducing services in Northumberland.”