Belford Station re-opening

[60041]

After having talked about for several years, it looks like the re-opening of Belford Station is again on the cards. Todays edition of The Northumberland Gazette says that an application is being presented next week for a Government grant towards the estimated £1.5M cost of providing a new platfrm with associated car parking and lighting.
This follows the news last week that a planning application is being lodged with the County Council for a large extension to Cragmill Quarry and the provision of a rail siding and loading point at Easington, about a mile north of Belford.
At present the local stopping Newcastle to Chathill service runs ECS to Belford to run round and cross over to the up line before returning to Chathill. The extensive and attractive station building at Belford is privately owned, so the plan is to construct the new platform on the up loop opposite the old station buildings. The old, disconnected, line into Belford Quarry that leaves at this point is to remain mothballed as there are still occasional calls for it to be used for grain traffic.

[52D]

Good news but this must be tempered that the station is burdened by being a fair way from
the village it serves. I hope park and ride facilities are developed in conjunction with reopening.