While many countries are extending their webs of high-speed trains and Britain is stumbling toward building its second high-speed line, another less visible change is happening in the UK, where a number of connecting lines that were shut down in the 1960s are being returned to service.
One of the latest is a seven-station line running from Newcastle to Ashington with five stops between. The stations along the line lost service and their connection to Newcastle in 1964 under a program with the disarming name of “Reshaping British Railways,” mainly by assuming that cars had won the war for passengers.
In the case of the Ashington line, the tracks were not removed because the line continued to be used for freight service.
The current “Restoring Your Railway” program is reversing some of the mass closures of the past, partly for environmental reasons, but also to support economic growth. The service will return next summer, with trains every half-hour. The Transport Minister’s announcement said that “Communities in Northumberland can get ready for regular train services that will better connect people to jobs, education and opportunities while growing our economy. Restoring lost railway connections will drive tourism, boost local business opportunities and encourage investment across our regions.”
Image: Ashington Station, back when the world was still black and white
