Campaigners call for more trains to stop at Chathill

Hundreds of high speed trains pass through every day on journeys to and from Scotland.

But just two services a day, operated by Northern Trains to and from Newcastle, stop to pick up and drop off passengers.

Local campaigners, frustrated by what they ironically term the ‘Chathill Flyer’, now plan to ask for the five daily TransPennine Express services between Newcastle and Edinburgh to call in.

They have been backed by councillors Guy Renner-Thompson and Wendy Pattison from Northumberland County Council who believe communities including Seahouses, Bamburgh, Beadnell and Ellingham deserve a better rail service.

Cllr Renner-Thompson, member for Bamburgh ward and a long-time campaigner for the reopening of Belford station, said: “This appalling service does not go anywhere near meeting the needs of the many people in our area who desperately need a decent train service.”

Cllr Pattison, member for Longhoughton ward, added: “We at Northumberland County Council are always seeking to reduce our carbon footprint and more trains at Chathill will reduce vehicle emissions and traffic on our local roads.”

The early train leaves Newcastle at 5.57am, arriving in Chathill at 6.47am. It leaves at 7.08am but takes 74 minutes to reach Newcastle at 8.22am.

An evening train leaves Newcastle at 5.57pm, arriving in Chathill at 6.55pm before leaving again at 7.15pm, arriving in Newcastle at 8.14pm.

John Holwell of Chathill Rail Action Group (CRAG), welcoming the councillors’ support, said:”This is exactly the support we need in achieving our objective of more trains at Chathill.

"The Chathill Flyer has struggled on for years but must now be retired in favour of more frequent fast trains.”

He said a recent questionnaire, issued to local residents, showed significant demand not just for journeys to Newcastle (and further south) but to Edinburgh and other Scottish destinations.

The South East Northumberland Rail Users’ Group (SENRUG) has previously called for a full electric local stopping service, hourly in each direction, seven days a week, which would serve Pegswood, Acklington and Chathill, and would have capacity for further new or re-opened stations to be added, such as Belford, Beal and Warkworth.