The final station on the Northumberland Line station will open to passengers in March 2026.
On Sunday, March 29th, Bedlington will become the sixth and final station to open to passengers on the line since December 2024.
It’s the sixth station to be completed on the line, which since its opening in December 2024, has seen life-changing benefits not just in terms of travel, but also investment, educational and job opportunities, and enhanced public transport connectivity across the wider region.
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The line had previously been closed to passengers services for 60 years.
The first trains to leave Bedlington on March 29th will be the 8.28am travelling to Ashington, and the train to Newcastle at 8.43am.
Northumberland County Council Leader Glen Sanderson said: “I am absolutely delighted to be able to confirm Bedlington opening for March 2026.
“It’s the culmination of so much work, led by the County Council, but it wouldn’t have been possible without everyone else who has been so integral to making the Northumberland Line the success it is.
“I also want to thank the local community – I know they’ve been looking forward to a station in Bedlington for a long time and they’ve been watching it go up, as well as facing some inevitable disruption that goes with major infrastructure works,
“But we’ve made it and are so much looking forward to welcoming passengers next month.”
Cllr Martin Gannon, Cabinet Member for Transport at the North East Combined Authority, said: “I am pleased to see that the Northumberland Line station at Bedlington will be open next month – this is great news for public transport in the North East and will undoubtably open up more opportunities for local people for education, employment and leisure.
“The Northumberland Line has been so positive for the region and passengers will soon be able to enjoy seamless interchange with our region’s Metro services when Northumberland Park Station opens later in February. This will mean that, from the 1 April, passengers on the Northumberland Line can enjoy the Mayor’s Fares on Pop Pay as You Go which will slash the cost of a ticket to no more than £2.50 for a single journey which is incredibly good value.”
Alex Hornby, Northern’s commercial and customer director, said: “We’re looking forward to the opening of the final station on the Northumberland Line so we can welcome customers on board in Bedlington.
“Transforming an old freight line into a busy passenger railway with six new stations hasn’t been easy, but all of that hard work is paying off as it’s having a huge impact on the region. This is the all-important final piece of the puzzle and another landmark moment for us all.
“Well over one million journeys have been made on the line so far, with customers making the most of our quick, reliable and affordable services.
“Opening Northumberland Park later this month and Bedlington in March will allow even more people to benefit, whether they’re travelling into work or heading out to see friends and family.”
“We are proud to see the Northumberland Line reach another significant milestone with the opening of Bedlington, the final station on this project,” said Richard Whitehead, chief executive for AECOM’s Europe and India region.
“It has been a pleasure to work with Northumberland County Council and our other partners over the past six years on one of the largest local authority-led rail projects in the UK’s history, bringing to bear AECOM’s deep bench of expertise in this sector.
“The line has already seen tremendous success in the short time since its initial reopening – passing over a million passenger journeys last month – and we look forward to seeing it surpass these achievements in the years ahead.”
