'Rare' passenger service on Weardale Railway for first time

A Northern passenger train will travel the length of the Weardale Railway in a one-off journey on February 22, departing from Darlington at 9.46am and arriving at Stanhope by midday.

It will return to Darlington at 5.44pm, after travelling the full length of the Weardale Railway.

The journey is part of Railway 200, the UK-wide celebration marking 200 years since the modern railway was born and follows part of the route taken by the world’s first passenger train in 1825.

Jason Wade, 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."

Tickets are priced at £25, with all proceeds supporting The Angel Trust in Bishop Auckland and 123help4familys in Stanhope.

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."

The Weardale Railway is part of The Auckland Project, which operates heritage attractions in Bishop Auckland.

Northern, the UK’s second largest train operator, runs 2,650 services a day across more than 500 stations.

Tickets can be purchased through the Weardale Railway website.