(18 Jan 2025, 10:38 am)DH9 wrote Thoughts on Northumberland Line here, having used it twice.
Plenty people at Ashington keen on it, but an access ramp to the main road is needed. Why put buffers there as a loop via Widdrington to Morpeth is possible?
Needs bus services to link into it, but north car park entrance from main road is not the best with it being narrow.
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea extension won't happen as some line relaying will be needed beyond Woodhorn.
Bedlington station is barely started and you won't see this open probably until 2026. The track branches there, so that could be an interchange for postulated services via Morpeth.
Bedside will probably be ready early summer 2025, but there's certainly some work still to be done. It'll probably see lowest use with Newsham being preferred due to latter's location nearer housing.
Newsham, early March latest with mid-February possible. It should have been further north at its original location for easier access. Trackbed for branch into Blyth in part exists, but housing further on means this branch is a non-starter.
Seaton Delaval is seeing reasonable use. Tidy little station.
Northumberland Park, I'd say September earliest as there's alot to do. The station is on the north side of the track, where south side next to Metro station would have made more sense to make a proper interchange.
With some clever thought, an extra station could have been slotted between Northumberland Park and Manors.
Manors will continue to be an underused station.
Stations in general have little cover for the elements, but at moment look tidy.
There's a development planned on Wansbeck Square which will link the station to the main street, believe it's starting very soon. I've heard on another forum the holdup was Wilko not wanting to leave their unit which has been solved by them going bust pretty much.
Bebside is the dark horse of the stations imo as it serves the part of Blyth with by far the worst bus service, if they have one at all, and also has massive scope for people doing P&R.
Like for example if someone from Lynemouth, South Ashington or Newbiggin wanted to go to Newcastle it would be far the best station to drive to, about 1/3 of the way (distance wise) but at the point where things start to go South traffic wise (Moor Farm and Cradlewell / Cowgate / South Gosforth - depending which way you go) so would be a much much quicker option. It's certainly more attractive than sitting on the X21 for 90 minutes+ at peak times which is just a joke of a journey time for the distance.