Charity Train to Take Northern Passengers Onto Historic Weardale Railway

Northern is set to operate a passenger service over a heritage railway for the first time, with a special charity train planned to run along the Weardale Railway later this month.

Tickets are now available for the one-day service, which will depart from Darlington station on Sunday 22 February. The train will travel to Stanhope via the Weardale Railway before completing a return journey and heading back to Darlington. The event has been organised in partnership with the Weardale Railway.

The 16-mile heritage line, which dates back to 1847, runs between Bishop Auckland West and Stanhope in County Durham and is a well-known tourist attraction, offering journeys through the Weardale countryside. After entering administration, the railway was saved in 2020 by The Auckland Project, which has since invested heavily in repairs and infrastructure upgrades.

Northern will operate the service using a Class 158 train, calling at Newton Aycliffe, Shildon, Bishop Auckland West and Stanhope. The journey between Darlington and Bishop Auckland will follow part of the historic route taken by the world’s first passenger railway service in 1825.

Tickets are priced at £25, with all proceeds being donated to two local charities. These are The Angel Trust, based in Bishop Auckland, and 123help4familys, based in Stanhope. The train is being run as part of Railway 200, the nationwide programme marking the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway.

Jason Wade, a service delivery director at Northern, said:

“This is a very rare opportunity for people to travel on a Northern train along the Weardale Railway and enjoy some stunning scenery. There are a limited number of tickets, so if you’d like to join us on board please book now to avoid missing out. It has taken a lot of hard work and planning to get to this point and I would like to thank everyone who has volunteered to help make this happen. We’re really excited about this service, as it will be the first time Northern Trains has operated a passenger train on a heritage railway line and we have a chance to raise money for two fantastic local charities.”

Claire Gibbons, general manager at Weardale Railway, said:

“This is a truly special moment for the Weardale Railway. Welcoming a Northern service onto our heritage line for the first time celebrates both our railway’s rich history and its future, while giving more people the chance to experience this beautiful part of County Durham — all while supporting local charities.”

Jane Ruffer, chief executive at The Auckland Project, said:

“The Weardale Railway is a vital part of our region’s heritage and community, and this partnership with Northern is a wonderful example of what can be achieved through collaboration. It’s a rare and exciting opportunity for passengers, and one that helps ensure this historic line continues to thrive for generations to come, while also raising much-needed funds for local charities.”

On the day, the train will leave Darlington at 9.46am, stopping at Newton Aycliffe at 9.57am, Shildon at 10.01am and Bishop Auckland West at 10.42am, before continuing along the Weardale Railway to Stanhope, where it is due to arrive at 12.00pm.

After completing a full journey along the heritage line, the service will depart Stanhope at 1pm, calling again at Bishop Auckland West at 2pm before returning to Stanhope. The final leg of the day will see the train leave Stanhope at 3.50pm, stopping at Bishop Auckland West at 5pm, Shildon at 5.22pm, Newton Aycliffe at 5.31pm and arriving back in Darlington at 5.44pm.

Image: Northern