Please take a look at my new page collating together the four rail services that could potentially travel through Bedlington, Northumberland. Four Options for Rail in SE Northumberland: 2024 onwards
Author Archives: hogg1905
Port of Blyth: Time for a Tunnel?
The Northumberland Line reopening, and particularly the new A1061 bridge replacing the level crossing at Newsham has sparked a lot of side conversation around the ‘Blyth Relief Road‘, which now centres around the proposal for 4.5km (2.8mi) dualling of the A1061 from the A189 ‘Three Horse Shoes’ to South Beach which skirts the southern edgeContinue reading “Port of Blyth: Time for a Tunnel?”
A ‘Railway Quarter’ for Bedlington?
Bedlington Station is due to open as part of the Northumberland Line, at time of writing by December 2024. In 2025, the Stockton and Darlington (S&D) Railway, internationally famous as one of the early railways will be celebrating its 200th anniversary year, with, rightly, major investments into places like the Skerne Bridge in Darlington, andContinue reading “A ‘Railway Quarter’ for Bedlington?”
Northumberland Coast Loop – Webpage now live
Please visit the Northumberland Coast Loop webpage below to see further details of the proposal and answers to frequently asked questions: https://ryanhogg.com/northumberland-coast-loop/ I would also like to thank Gareth Dennis and his recent RailNatter 195 episode for the ‘how to’ on drawing transit maps. If you have any feedback, please do leave a comment onContinue reading “Northumberland Coast Loop – Webpage now live”
What if the Morpeth North Curve had been built by the Victorians? Part 1
The Morpeth North Curve was actually built in the late 1970’s and completed by 1980, finally providing a direct route between Pegswood and Hepscott, rather than reversal at Morpeth. According to Warn (1976 p.35/36) in his ‘Main Line Railways of Northumberland’ book, a curve was authorised in 1882 ‘to avoid reversing coal trains travelling fromContinue reading “What if the Morpeth North Curve had been built by the Victorians? Part 1”
The Northumberland Loop – 150 Petition Signatures!
The Northumberland Loop petition started a little under a month ago (5th October 2023) has now gained 150 signatures at time of writing (4th November 2023) showing the potential support for the route to see passenger services introduced. Thank you to all who’ve signed so far! The ECML isn’t looped but WCML is The ECMLContinue reading “The Northumberland Loop – 150 Petition Signatures!”
Plessey Viaduct, Flying Scotsman and the Northumberland Loop
All of the below is purely my own opinions and doesn’t reflect that of any other organisations or persons. The ‘Northumberland Loop’ refers to the Blyth and Tyne lines north of Newcastle Upon Tyne that runs northward to Bedlington, Northumberland then west towards Morpeth and Pegswood. The Loop name is derived from the Northumberland LineContinue reading “Plessey Viaduct, Flying Scotsman and the Northumberland Loop”
The X18 – The Connecting bus between (nearly) all the railway stations on the Northumberland Coast?
At time of writing (October 2023), the X18 is a long-distance bus connecting Newcastle Upon Tyne to Berwick Upon Tweed, broadly paralleling the East Coast Main Line (ECML) throughout its trip – but could a few modest changes to the route make it a much better intermodal choice (bus + rail)? The existing timetable showsContinue reading “The X18 – The Connecting bus between (nearly) all the railway stations on the Northumberland Coast?”
The Case Against Dualling the A1 in Northumberland
5 Reasons why A1 Dualling is not a ‘magic wand’ project: 1. Induced demand: Widened roads almost universally lead to more traffic – local examples of this include the Tyne Tunnel (more traffic passing through the tunnels caused chaos at Silverlink and Testos junctions). Its also surely inferred from the ‘economic growth’ arguments of aContinue reading “The Case Against Dualling the A1 in Northumberland”
Northumberland Loop Line: Edinburgh to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne via Pegswood, Bebside for Blyth, & Northumberland Park?
At time of writing (mid February 2023), work is progressing well on the Northumberland Line between Ashington, Northumberland and Newcastle Upon Tyne, with intermediate stations at Bedlington, Bebside (for Blyth), Newsham, Seaton Delaval and Northumberland Park (interchange with Tyne & Wear Metro). Plans at present are for a simple local train service running half hourlyContinue reading “Northumberland Loop Line: Edinburgh to Newcastle-Upon-Tyne via Pegswood, Bebside for Blyth, & Northumberland Park?”
Ryan Hogg 