Northumberland rail campaign group SENRUG honoured for its work

Best known for its campaign to reinstate the Northumberland Line, a new passenger railway which will connect Newcastle to Ashington, SENRUG (South East Northumberland Rail User Group) has been presented with awards from Railfuture, the national voluntary campaign group battling for a ‘bigger and better’ railway.

SENRUG’s newsletter editor Dave Shaw was awarded Joint Gold for Best Newsletter.

In addition, the group also won Joint Silver for Best Website and another Joint Silver for Best Campaign.

On top of this, SENRUG chairman Dennis Fancett, who last year won the Rail Campaigner of the Year Award, was awarded Joint Silver for Best Campaigner.

Presenting the awards to the group at Seaton Delaval in front of the new Northumberland Line railway station, Railfuture North East Branch chairman Keith Simpson said: “It is a delight to come here today and present these awards, whilst seeing the Northumberland Line construction work taking place first hand.

“Congratulations to Dennis and Dave, and the entire team at SENRUG, who are an example to other campaigning groups around the country.”

Receiving his award for Best Campaigner, Mr Fancett said: “it’s pleasing to know what we do here in Northumberland is recognised.

"When we first launched our campaign for The Northumberland line some 19 years ago, in those days known as the Ashington Blyth and Tyne line, it was hard to be taken seriously.

"Everyone said it could never happen. But we stuck with it, diligently presenting our arguments to influencers from the different stakeholder groups.

"Now, at last the line is finally being built, with the expectation that the first trains will be running late next year.

"Never let anyone tell you that campaigning from volunteer groups like ours will not pay off.”

He added the campaign group’s work was continuing and it had plans for further extensions for the Northumberland line.

He said: “We are already discussing this with the local authority, and neither are we neglecting the need to protect and develop the services on South and East Northumberland’s existing rail routes.”

The group said anyone who shared its objectives was welcome to join. For more information, visit http://www.senrug.co.uk/