Stations
One of the project’s priorities is to enable people to travel quickly between Ashington and Newcastle, helping encourage them to switch from car to rail. With this in mind, the number of stations and their locations have been chosen to carefully balance passenger demand and journey times. However, the project does not prevent the future development of additional stations at other locations and extensions to the line.
The new stations on the Northumberland Line will be:
Click on the links above for more information on each station.
All the new stations will have facilities to help ensure safe and easy journeys.
Trains will run to/from Newcastle Central Station, giving connections to the National Rail network.
They will also be fully accessible to people with reduced mobility and other access requirements.
The stops will have ticket machines but will be unstaffed and will not have ticket offices. Shelters will be provided on each platform, providing waiting passengers with protection from the weather. These shelters will have 8 to 16 seats, with extra standing space and access via each end.
Station Guides
Ashington
Ashington station will be the northern most station on the Northumberland Line. The track layout at the station has been carefully designed so that the route can be extended further north in the future, to locations such as Newbiggin and Woodhorn, though any such extension would be part of a separate scheme. Ashington station will have a single platform on the west side of the line, located on part of the existing car park. The existing car park will be extended, and will include Blue Badge spaces and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging bays. Pedestrian and vehicle access into the car park will be from Kenilworth Road and will be designed to maintain delivery access to Wansbeck Square shopping centre and access to the rear of Station Road properties. The station and car park will include tree planting and wildlife friendly landscaping, focused on the areas around the extended car park. Planning application 21/00387/CCD.
Bedlington
Bedlington station will be the first stop for trains leaving Ashington and will have two platforms, one for services to Ashington and one for services to Newcastle. In order to meet the predicted demand for passenger services some additional parking will be needed at the station, including Blue Badge spaces and Electric Vehicle (EV) charging bays. The station and car park will include tree planting and wildlife friendly landscaping. Some minor works are required to both the level crossings close to the station. In particular, the road will be re-prioritised at Bedlington South level crossing, creating a through route from Station Road to Palace Road/Street into St Johns Road. People will use this level crossing to interchange between the two station platforms. New boundary fencing will be installed to keep the station secure, and to provide screening for residential properties and businesses where necessary. No works are proposed to the signal box at the station, the project team are working with Network Rail regarding the future of the North station building. Planning applications 21/01106/CCD and 21/03060/CCD.
Blyth Bebside
Blyth Bebside station will be the second stop for trains leaving Ashington and will have two platforms, one for services to Ashington and one for services to Newcastle. It will have all the facilities described on page 13 of this booklet. The proposed station site is south of residential properties on Heather Lea, and is a former colliery tip that has already been partially reclaimed. The station location has moved further south since our previous consultation to lessen impacts on the highway network, namely the existing grade separated junction between the A189 and the A193. The current proposed location has better access from the main road and is further away from the high voltage overhead power lines. Pedestrian and vehicle access to the station will be along a widened and upgraded Errington Street from Front Street, where a new widened junction will be constructed. A station footbridge will provide access between the platforms. It will have stairs and lifts on both sides. A new pedestrian and cycle bridge over the A189 will also be provided. Planning application 21/00878/CCD and Chase Meadows 21/00388/CCD.
Newsham
Newsham station will be the third stop for trains leaving Ashington and will have two platforms, one for services to Ashington and one for services to Newcastle. There will be a footbridge with lifts to allow passengers to transfer between platforms. The footbridge at this station will be similar to the one provided at Blyth Bebside. A new road bridge over the railway will be provided resulting in the closure of the Newsham level crossing. This has the benefit of improvements to public safety, better traffic flows along the A1061 and a better and more robust signalling solution. Planning application 21/03720/CCD.
Seaton Delaval
Seaton Delaval station will be the fourth stop for trains leaving Ashington. It will have a single platform located to the south east of the existing railway line and the A192 bridge. A new road will be constructed from the A192 adjacent to the existing car park entrance of The Hastings Arms to provide access into the station. This road will be a primary pedestrian and cycle access route to the station, with new lighting installed to improve safety. The station will be connected with the existing public open space and footpath network in Whytrigg Close and Wheatridge. Planning application 21/02253/CCD.
Northumberland Park
Northumberland Park station will be the fifth stop for trains leaving Ashington. It will have a single platform, allowing passengers to interchange with existing Tyne and Wear Metro services from the adjacent Metro station. Access to the platform will be by stairs and lift from Algernon Drive, where a separate scheme promoted by North Tyneside Council is looking at highway improvements and additional cycle storage. Given the existing provision within the Northumberland Park multi-storey car park, no additional car or bike parking will be created at this station. The existing car parking nearby is anticipated to be sufficient for passenger demand. Planning applications Northumberland Park 21/00299/FUL and Palmersville Dairy 21/02173/FUL.
