Leamside Line

[DH1Commuter]

I'm confused as Kim McGuiness is suggesting that the line will reopen and that the government have confirmed the funding. This is simply not true. The government have given some money for a business case to be produced and that's about it. They will only commit funding in the future if the business case shows value for money.

Fair enough but it seems very dishonest of the Mayor to be announcing a new line that might not even happen.

Disingenuous would be fair; SOME of it (the Washington Metro extension) is further down the line and will probably get done. Full line reopening is absolutely not promised.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

The information is included in this BBC News article today.
The key out-take, as referred to by others:

An agreement to reopen a regional rail line has been signed by the transport secretary, subject to the assurance that it delivers good value for money.
Further development work on the Leamside Line, which runs from Pelaw in Gateshead to Tursdale in County Durham, is set to progress as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) initiative.
The document stated the government would ensure resources were available for the Leamside Line reopening "subject to agreement of that business case and assurance that this delivers good value for money".
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander met Labour's North East Mayor Kim McGuinness on Thursday to progress the long-awaited proposal, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Described very much as a passenger orientated scheme (outline proposal?) with added freight benefits.
The map in the article shows stations at:
Ferryhill
Shincliffe & Bowburn
Durham Parkway / Belmont
West Rainton / Leamside
Penshaw
Fencehouses
Washington South*
Washington North*
Follingsby*

With a triangular junction arrangement to serve South Hylton from the south.

The date I read for the Metro was 2033, so the railway after that?

*It is not clear whether the last three are GBR only, Metro only or shared.

 

[DevonshireRail]

R.e. service patterns, I've heard murmurings of a "regional" Teeside-Tyneside service. I imagine a semi-fast service between the two would be extremely helpful, and would likely still be able to share tracks with the metro north/west of Pelaw.

https://hansard.parliament.uk/commo...54DA-4D04-455C-B8CC-AC62D92B3F1A/LeamsideLine

What sort of improvements to long distance services would we see?

 

[MboroFC]

I've heard murmurings of a "regional" Teeside-Tyneside service. I imagine a semi-fast service between the two would be extremely helpful

Would make sense to reopen the freight only line through Stillington to passenger. Though I don't know the complications of doing that, someone else might. Wouldn't need any stations along it but would offer a much more direct route to Ferryhill then goes via Leamside Line to Newcastle.