Stanhope - Bishop Auckland service changes

[yorkie]

Weardale Railways have published the following press release:

Weardale Railway announced today that it is redesigning the passenger
service between Stanhope and Bishop Auckland that it has operated
since May, 2010.
Ed Ellis, president of Weardale Railway, said that “Our surveys of
passengers have clearly shown that passenger interest is
overwhelmingly in a heritage-type service for leisure travellers – a
service which Weardale Railway is particularly well positioned to
provide, given our heritage which dates back to the Stockton &
Darlington Railway, the first railway in the world. Very few
passengers over the past 19 months of service have used the service
for commuting.
“Accordingly, we plan to expand and improve our heritage railway
services catering specifically to the leisure and heritage market,
utilizing vintage locomotives – both steam and diesel - and heritage
carriages.
“In addition, we are in the process of making a series of facility
improvements, including a new platform at Bishop Auckland, improved
access to connecting trains at Northern Rail’s Bishop Auckland
station, a new track loop, and upgrades to the Stanhope station that
will improve our passengers’ experience.
“We will be announcing details of these improved heritage services
over the next several months. In the meantime, 31 December will be
the current community service schedule’s last day of operation.”
Ellis went on to say that the company will consider reinstating the
community service schedule if a particular need is identified, and if
financial support for a renewed service is available.
A majority interest in the Weardale Railway was acquired by British
American Railway Services in 2008, and the company reopened the line
to Bishop Auckland (and the connection to the national network) in
2010. Scheduled passenger service between Stanhope and Bishop Auckland
began in May, 2010. Freight service, utilizing a new coal transload
terminal at Wolsingham, began this year.

It's a shame that the 'community' service hasn't been well loaded but hopefully they can concentrate on providing a more attractive service for enthusiasts.

I've used their trains around a handful of times to reach the Waskerley Way (disused line) cycle route.

 

[tbtc]

It's a shame that the 'community' service hasn't been well loaded

I agree; IIRC wasn't part of their initial justification that they wanted to run it as an "everyday" service (and not just a tourist attraction)?

Hopefully the new station at Bishop Auckland will improve access (rather than walking up an unlit lane down the side of B&Q, some way from the centre of the town).