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Members of a campaign that would help improve rail travel in north Northumberland by restoring old links between the East Coast Main Line and the Borders Railway will be speaking at a public meeting next week.

Launched last year, the Tweed Valley Railway Campaign committee know it is a long-term aim that would require substantial investment and they are starting off by looking to generate wider public awareness and support.

Part of that has been presentations to local councils, which have received a positive response, and the next stage of its public programme is speaking at an event organised by the South East Northumberland Rail User Group (SENRUG) at Morpeth Town Hall on Thursday, March 9 – 7.30pm start.

The group is seeking to re-instate the railway line from Tweedmouth or Berwick to St Boswells, where it would link up to an extended Borders Railway, offering through services to Edinburgh.

SENRUG chairman Dennis Fancett, left, and Tweed Valley Railway Campaign chairman James Boulton pictured during a meeting last autumn. Picture by Gus Russell.

Members have been keen to work closely with SENRUG, recognising its experience in pressing for the Northumberland Line to be opened.

The meeting will be an opportunity to hear about the plans, proposed stations, and the state of the former infrastructure and alignment that will be brought back into use, along with an opportunity to ask questions.

Tweed Valley Railway Campaign secretary Gus Russell said that the assistance from SENRUG has been “really helpful” and the aim in the next couple of years is to gain major support to help its case in asking organisations on both sides of the border to help fund feasibility studies, which he believes will be a seven-figure sum (something between £1million and £9,999,999).

He added: “We are delighted with the support that we have received for the campaign from Berwick-upon-Tweed Town Council, the North Northumberland Local Area Council and other local councils we have met along the route.

“If we can achieve our goal, Berwick and other communities will benefit from an increase in tourism – as well as better public transport access to work, healthcare and education.

“In terms of feasibility studies, who funds them would have to be worked out. In the meantime, we are continuing to raise awareness and hopefully we will get hundreds more signed-up supporters this year. For more information, go to www.tweedvalleyrailway.co.uk”

For more details about SENRUG and its campaigns, go to www.senrug.co.uk

Public meeting in Morpeth to discuss aims of Tweed Valley Railway Campaign