Ashington, Blyth Tyne - Network Rail commissioned for study

[Stats]

Some progress being made on the potential re-opening of ABT to passenger services.

http://northumberland.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=6270&article=2615

Council steps up plans to re-open passenger service route
07 June 2013

Northumberland County Council is progressing with ambitious plans to re-open the Ashington Blyth and Tyne Freight Line to passenger services. This will provide better access to employment opportunities in Tyne and Wear, as well as creating a real incentive for employers to re-locate to south east Northumberland.

At the same time as increasing the opportunities for rail passenger travel, the authority is also looking at improvements for freight traffic on the route.

The Council has announced it has commissioned Network Rail to complete the necessary work to examine the best options for the scheme, which could cost up to £60 million.

The existing freight line between Newcastle and Ashington, will re-open to passenger services with a likely hourly service between Ashington and Newcastle and half-hourly service at peak times.

Bringing back regular passenger trains between Newcastle and Ashington has been a long-held ambition of Northumberland County Council. A key aim of the plans is to improve accessibility to employment and the wider north east jobs market for residents in the south east of the county.

At the same time the authority expects that an improved and sustainable transport network will help to attract inward investment by adding value to both our regeneration work and that of our partners.

By creating enhanced rail infrastructure that will improve transport opportunities the scheme will:
Provide a real incentive for potential employers to relocate to the area
help to realise the potential of the Blyth Enterprise Zone
deliver significant growth in sectors such as offshore oil and gas, renewables, engineering and for the port of Blyth itself
utilise the integrated transport links to support the expanding Cramlington manufacturing and pharmaceuticals industries

The proposed investment corridor approach will accommodate the existing freight use of the line as well as providing scope for increased freight demand.

The scheme will require line speed improvements, signalling improvements, a train passing loop and new stations along the route.

The council has allocated £750k to fund further studies and scheme design. A funding package is currently being put together in order to secure the future of the scheme. Discussions are also being held with developers as potential sources of funding.

One part of the package is a bid made to the Local Transport Board (LTB) for major transport scheme funding. The LTB is the regional body which has responsibility for major transport scheme funding that has been devolved from central government. The LTB major scheme priorities will be decided next month.

The council is currently holding talks with various stakeholder organisations including engaging with the South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG), to share ideas.

Councillor Grant Davey, Leader of Northumberland County Council said: We are now a step closer to making this long-held ambition a reality. Securing the funding is a major challenge, but I believe this scheme is vital to help open up access to employment for people in the south east of the county.

At the same time we believe an improved transport network providing easy access to and from the wider Tyneside area will encourage the growth of Blyth and Ashington as key hubs for new development and secure inward investment in the area.

Is there capacity on the ECML for a half-hourly peak service between Benton junction and NCL?

Moderator note: See also: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/could-the-blyth-and-tyne-route-be-reopened.177921/

 

[edwin_m]

I did the preliminary study for this and ECML capacity is tight but appears possible.

 

[#1 driver]

Is there capacity on the ECML for a half-hourly peak service between Benton junction and NCL?

I regularly have a stop in heaton loop for 10mins to an hour .
sometimes nothing comes by .
so i'd say there is enough space .

 

[55018ballymoss]

It is good to see this progressing. I hope that they provide costings for electrification of the branch as well.

 

[bluenoxid]

Is the line to Ashington via Linton and Pegswood still available?

 

[#1 driver]

no , it goes through Butterwell , and stops at Potland Burn ( coal loading point ) .
The line is gone from Ashington .
Hepscott branch is still open though .

 

[sarahj]

Perhaps one thing that could be done, put in a platform at northumberland park metro, then those using rail could have an easy change to the metro. After all many dont want to go to central, but the city/monument.

I've always liked the idea of a circle route. Ncle-morpeth-ashington-ncle, running every 30-60 mins with extra trains in the peak, suce as ashington-ncle shuttles. Perhaps develop stannington as a park and ride (its right next to the A1)

If access into central is limited, then perhaps, benton metro-morpeth-ashington-bedlington-benton. The links are(were) there, could be done.

Blyth is a difficult one, since the rail skirts the town, but a good interchange station with buses and car parks perhaps just near cowpen rd and the spine rd, and another station down near plessy rd/newsham.

 

[transmanche]

Perhaps one thing that could be done, put in a platform at northumberland park metro, then those using rail could have an easy change to the metro.

I believe that Northumberland Park was built with exactly that in mind.

 

[142094]

Might be thinking of Palmersville - you can see the area that would have been reserved for a doorway on platform 2 through to the mainline station.

Certainly very good news, and would be a welcome boost for the economy in the Blyth area. Hopefully if it goes ahead, it will make the case for reopening the Leamside line much stronger.

 

[transmanche]

Might be thinking of Palmersville - you can see the area that would have been reserved for a doorway on platform 2 through to the mainline station.

No, Northumberland Park. It's been sited approx 200m west of the old Backworth station, making sure it's away from where the B&T route diverges from the Metro.

It's also got easy access to the A19, a big car park and good bus links to Cobalt and the Shields ferry.

 

[142094]

No, Northumberland Park. It's been sited approx 200m west of the old Backworth station, making sure it's away from where the B&T route diverges from the Metro.

It's also got easy access to the A19, a big car park and good bus links to Cobalt and the Shields ferry.

Palmersville was specifically constructed to allow for expansion to include a platform on the ABT, long before Northumberland Park was thought about, especially when there was very little development in the Backworth area.

 

[transmanche]

Palmersville was specifically constructed to allow for expansion to include a platform on the ABT

That's as may be. But I wasn't mistaken and was thinking about Northumberland Park; which was (also) constructed to be an interchange - and not just a potential heavy rail interchange.

If the route to Ashington is re-opened, there won't be an interchange at Palmersville.

 

[142094]

I agree that Northumberland Park is the best site now for an interchange, but in terms of the work that would be needed to do so, it would be far easier at Palmersville. There would have to be a significant amount of remodelling done at Northumberland Park to add a platform. Palmersville was specifically designed so that an extra platform could be added quite easily to the existing station. Northumberland Park wasn't, and Nexus has never said if they would allow mainline services to stop at the current platforms.

 

[JohnCarlson]

I agree that Northumberland Park is the best site now for an interchange, but in terms of the work that would be needed to do so, it would be far easier at Palmersville. There would have to be a significant amount of remodelling done at Northumberland Park to add a platform. Palmersville was specifically designed so that an extra platform could be added quite easily to the existing station. Northumberland Park wasn't, and Nexus has never said if they would allow mainline services to stop at the current platforms.

While there is some space at Northumberland park for a platform it would be on quite a long section of single track, although some could be doubled, and would limit the service frequency.

Is there any reason the NR trains couldn't run into the Metro platforms? It would mean interchanging passengers wouldn't have top climb over the bridge either.

 

[edwin_m]

Is there any reason the NR trains couldn't run into the Metro platforms? It would mean interchanging passengers wouldn't have top climb over the bridge either.

It's an interesting thought, perhaps having trains towards Ashington sharing the track with Metro towards the coast and trains in the other direction staying on their own track to avoid conflicting junctions. Though if they did that the third platform would still be needed.

No technical reason why it couldn't happen, since it's essentially the same thing as on the Sunderland line, but there might need to be some work increasing clearances etc. I guess it's a question of whether this is the cheapest way of splitting the long single line, and if so whether the cost saving justifies the operational complication. The part of the single line that isn't next to Metro used to be double, so putting some of that back may be the best way to increasing route capacity.

Someone also seems to have left space for a future Metro stop here:

http://binged.it/12Eaeed

 

[JohnCarlson]

It's an interesting thought, perhaps having trains towards Ashington sharing the track with Metro towards the coast and trains in the other direction staying on their own track to avoid conflicting junctions. Though if they did that the third platform would still be needed.

No technical reason why it couldn't happen, since it's essentially the same thing as on the Sunderland line, but there might need to be some work increasing clearances etc. I guess it's a question of whether this is the cheapest way of splitting the long single line, and if so whether the cost saving justifies the operational complication. The part of the single line that isn't next to Metro used to be double, so putting some of that back may be the best way to increasing route capacity.



http://binged.it/12Eaeed

There is also plenty of space at Northumberland Park to drastically extend the platforms as in the case of Sunderland.

 

[bluenoxid]

It would be easier to stick in a platform(the pointwork won't be cheap and neither will be the signalling systems required to merge both lines together) Looking at the area this morning, there is width for a platform but a ramp might be difficult unless they put the ramp under the bridge and double back from the end of a platform or they lop the trees back.

 

[Mainliner]

The council seems keen to progress this as quickly as possible.

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/scottish-rail-chiefs-could-brought-4881171

Interesting comment about approaching "rail providers such as ScotRail". "We need to start looking at who can run a service – Scot-Rail are an obvious potential partner."

Much as I'm a rail advocate and user, I have to agree about the importance of dualling the A1 in Northumberland. The single carriageway stretches of a road between London and Edinburgh are a complete joke.

 

[swt_passenger]

The council seems keen to progress this as quickly as possible.

http://www.thejournal.co.uk/news/north-east-news/scottish-rail-chiefs-could-brought-4881171

Interesting comment about approaching "rail providers such as ScotRail". "We need to start looking at who can run a service – Scot-Rail are an obvious potential partner."

The council chap seems confused about the role of what he calls Scot-Rail, at one point he implies they are reopening the Waverley route, but I don't think the TOC, Scotrail, are responsible in any way for the job.

Is he really on about 'Transport Scotland', the organisation that backtracked eventually and made Network Rail responsible for the project after all? The same Network Rail that will probably re-open the AB&T I strongly suspect...

 

[bluenoxid]

I think some people have their wires crossed with regards to operation of services. I think names have been dropped in presentations. In all honesty, it will be a Northern Rail operation unless they can work with Nexus to acquire the stock and maintenance plan for the route.

I assume that they are looking very closely at the recent extension of services to Dunbar, thinking of what might happen if these are extended to Berwick upon Tweed and what could happen. Sadly, if they think that these trains are going to be DMU's, they really need to be looking at what they are ingesting.

I would really drive them towards looking at extending the Morpeth service to Bedlington. That is the quick win and a real driver of traffic for the ABT. However, any plan needs to include a P+R. The hinterland is massive and people will want to drive to a high quality rail head.

The A1 needs some better quality overtaking sections particularly in the section north of Morpeth. Whilst Dualling the lot would be appreciated some good quality sections of overtaking would assist many users of this road. The section north of Berwick was nicer to drive than the section south of Berwick.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Has there ever been any consideration to reopening the line through to the former terminal station of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. In a Bradshaw 1950 timetable (Table 74) that I saw some time ago, there was quite a regular service from Newcastle (Manors).

 

[AutoKratz]

Has there ever been any consideration to reopening the line through to the former terminal station of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea. In a Bradshaw 1950 timetable (Table 74) that I saw some time ago, there was quite a regular service from Newcastle (Manors).

The cost of an extension to Newbiggin would be too high for the cost benefit ratio so would never happen unfortunately.

Regarding the operation of the line, at one point there was an analysis of tram-train operation - by ordering trams at the same time as the Tees Valley Metro tram-trains through economies of scale however, in the light of the economic situation, I suspect this will now never happen.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

The cost of an extension to Newbiggin would be too high for the cost benefit ratio so would never happen unfortunately.

Living as I do so very many miles from the Ashington area, what has happened to the line of the railway from Ashington to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (which I note had its station closed in 1964).

 

[Eagle]

Much as I'm a rail advocate and user, I have to agree about the importance of dualling the A1 in Northumberland. The single carriageway stretches of a road between London and Edinburgh are a complete joke.

The road between London and Edinburgh is M1–M6–A74(M)–A702. It's usually the fastest and is considered to be the main route by TS.

But of course the A702 has quite a lot of single carriageway too.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I understand there is a document called Tees Valley Metro Progress Report that is dated November 2012 published by Tees Valley Unlimited,Cavendish House, Stockton-on-Tees. Has anyone had sight of this document ?

 

[swt_passenger]

Living as I do so very many miles from the Ashington area, what has happened to the line of the railway from Ashington to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea (which I note had its station closed in 1964).

Most of the route is still in regular use, as it gives access to Lynemouth power station and the adjacent Alcan smelter. (I think the latter is on borrowed time now.). I did read that Alcan had sold the power station to some other operator to use for the oral grid, originally it was dedicated to the Alcan plant, as it uses a massive amount of power...

 

[JohnCarlson]

Most of the route is still in regular use, as it gives access to Lynemouth power station and the adjacent Alcan smelter. (I think the latter is on borrowed time now.). I did read that Alcan had sold the power station to some other operator to use for the oral grid, originally it was dedicated to the Alcan plant, as it uses a massive amount of power...

I think a lot of the track and almost all of the route is still there. I think there have been proposals to restore the service for largely tourist reasons to Woodhorne which has a fair bit going on.

http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/

I wish to point out at the start I am not an expert in this but I believe that as stands the line has a lot of single track sections and the loops are not necessarily in the right places to allow a service to be extended to Newbiggin and on a half hourly basis. Indeed I am unsure how easy it is to have trains stopping adjacent to Northumberland park Metrostation and maintain a half hour service.

Newbiggin might not be a bad service to reinstate, but the North East is full of ex lines that could be reinstated. :cry:
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I understand there is a document called Tees Valley Metro Progress Report that is dated November 2012 published by Tees Valley Unlimited,Cavendish House, Stockton-on-Tees. Has anyone had sight of this document ?

I think I have seen something that might be it. The Tees Valley Metro is something that has been talked about for years. The document I saw was little more than an attempt to pass off limited incremental improvements and maintenance to the heavy rail system as being on the way to a Metro.

 

[transmanche]

Much as I'm a rail advocate and user, I have to agree about the importance of dualling the A1 in Northumberland. The single carriageway stretches of a road between London and Edinburgh are a complete joke.

The road between London and Edinburgh is M1–M6–A74(M)–A702. It's usually the fastest and is considered to be the main route by TS.

But of course the A702 has quite a lot of single carriageway too.

Even from Newcastle, I wouldn't drive up the A1 to get to Edinburgh - I'd use the A696-A68.

 

[#1 driver]

Most of the route is still in regular use, as it gives access to Lynemouth power station and the adjacent Alcan smelter. (I think the latter is on borrowed time now.).

smelter is long gone !

 

[Stats]

Has there ever been any consideration to reopening the line through to the former terminal station of Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

An extension to Newbiggin has long been mooted by SENRUG and others as a future phase. It would require relaying the final half mile of track into Newbiggin.

I wish to point out at the start I am not an expert in this but I believe that as stands the line has a lot of single track sections and the loops are not necessarily in the right places to allow a service to be extended to Newbiggin and on a half hourly basis. Indeed I am unsure how easy it is to have trains stopping adjacent to Northumberland park Metrostation and maintain a half hour service.

The route is single line between Palmersville and Newsham South level crossing, the rest of the line is double tracked. Network Rail will be looking into where passing loops will be required.

I understand there is a document called Tees Valley Metro Progress Report that is dated November 2012 published by Tees Valley Unlimited,Cavendish House, Stockton-on-Tees. Has anyone had sight of this document ?

https://www.teesvalleyunlimited.gov.uk/media/39872/metro_progress_report.pdf