Northern Express service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough starting July 2023.

[TBY-Paul]

Looks like Northern are introducing an Express service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough starting in July. There are 6 Southbound & 6 Northbound services departing every 2 hours, calling at Thornaby, Hartlepool & Sunderland only
Newcastle departures:- 08.06, 10.17, 12.15, 14.18, 16.17 & 18.20
Middlesbrough departures:- 08.16, 10.16, 12.16, 14.16, 16.16 & 18.16.
Services start 3rd July, Monday to Saturday only
A major let down, going via the Durham coast, and not calling at Stockton is a surprise.
Details now in Realtime Trains, ID codes 1J**

 

[cuccir]

I'm not sure there's the space on the ECML for anything else, which is a shame but equally this route covers the three biggest population centres in the region.

They've cut 13 minutes from the all stops service so really do need to limit where they call to get time benefit. Thornaby allows changes to Darlington and is more or less as close to Stockton town centre as Stockton is anyway.

 

[TBY-Paul]

Train ID	Newcastle Dep	Midddlesbrough Arr	Journey Time
1J01	08.06	09.13	67 Minutes
1J03	10.17	11.27	70 Minutes
1J05	12.15	13.27	72 Minutes
1J07	14.18	15.27	69 Minutes
1J09	16.17	17.27	70 Minutes
1J11	18.20	19.27	67 Minutes

Train ID	Middlesborough Dep	Newcastle Arr	Journey Time
1J00	08.16	09.32	76 Minutes
1J02	10.16	11.32	76 Minutes
1J04	12.16	13.32	76 Minutes
1J06	14.16	15.31	75 Minutes
1J08	16.16	17.29	73 Minutes
1J10	18.16	19.31	75 Minutes

Although an improvement on current times, they are hardly earth shattering times.. going via Stillington would give an approximate journey time around 50-54 Minutes*
AIUI, the main issue with using the Stillington route was to do with getting across to the ECML and how that would impact the ECML.

* Based on current timings, Middlesbrough -Norton South 14 min (inc calls at Thornaby & Stockton), Ferryhill south-Newcastle 20mins (inc calling at Durham), Ferryhill South - Norton South can be covered by freight traffic in 19 mins

 

[Cowley]

Evening folks
We’re going to have this thread for the factual day to day side of things and any discussions around what could have happened, what could be used as stock etc can now be discussed in the thread below.
Thanks.

New Northern Express service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough - speculation and ideas.

Looks like Northern are introducing an Express service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough starting in July. There are 6 Southbound & 6 Northbound services departing every 2 hours, calling at Thornaby, Hartlepool & Sunderland only Newcastle departures:- 08.06, 10.17, 12.15, 14.18, 16.17 & 18.20...

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