Newsham station on the Northumberland Line set to open 'by the end of February'

Speaking at a meeting of the Cramlington, Bedlington and Seaton Valley Local Area Committee, Cllr Richard Wearmouth told members that the Newsham station would be open “by the end of February”.

Currently, trains are only stopping at Ashington and Seaton Delaval after numerous delays.

Newsham was originally due to open at the same time – however, difficulties with power, engineering and regulations pushed the opening back until “early 2025”.

Despite the additional detail on the timescales, neither Cllr Wearmouth nor Northumberland County Council were able to give a specific date for the opening of the Newsham station.

The remaining stations – Bedlington, Blyth Bebside and Northumberland Park, are set to open later this year.

Despite the delays – blamed on a variety of factors including poor weather and even the discovery of an unexploded bomb – more than 50,000 passengers used the line in the first month after trains began running on December 15.

It marked the first time passengers have travelled on the line since it was cut as part of the notorious Beeching Cuts in the 1960s.

Speaking at a meeting of the North East Combined Authority, Cllr Wearmouth said lessons from the Northumberland Line could be used in the ongoing campaign to reopen the Leamside Line – another victim of the Beeching Cuts.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness replied: “The Northumberland Line opens up the area. We need to do it again, and again after that.”