Event Wylam 12 March 2024

The community in Wylam and surrounding area is being asked what it wants from the railway that serves their local station as the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership and Tyne Valley Rail Users’ Group consult residents. A drop-in session is to be held on Tuesday,12 March between 7pm and 9pm in the Foyer at Wylam Methodist Church.

In advance of the election for the North East Mayor in May and a general election later in the year, the groups want to know how local people feel the rail service can be improved so that they can raise key issues with the candidates.

Malcolm Chainey, Chair of the Community Rail Partnership said “we want to engage with electoral candidates about transport issues and the importance of the Tyne Valley Railway’s role connecting communities between Newcastle and Carlisle and beyond. Do current rail services meet the needs of people in the Wylam area, where do they want to travel to and at what time, are connections with other modes of transport available, are there good walking and cycling routes to the station and are the facilities at the station and on the trains meet expectations?”

Anyone unable to attend can provide feedback by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

One of the four pillars of the community rail strategy is the requirement for DfT accredited community rail partnerships to provide a voice for the community and it is anticipated that further events will be held at other locations along the Tyne Valley Railway route.

The Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, 17 October.  Invitations have been extended to the Partnership's members, Directors and other partners and stakeholders to attend the event.

In advance of the meeting, you can view:

 

 

 

IAccreditation logo 23 24n  April, we were subject to the re-accreditation  process with Community Rail Network. on behalf of the Department for Trasnport,  assessing our work during the last year, our Action Plan for 2023-24, and our financial and governance records. 

Accreditation is formal recognition by the DfT that the Community Rail Partnership (CRP) operates to a high standard and that its objectives and DfT Community Rail Strategyactivities are supported by the Government and that they meet the objectives of the Community Rail Strategy.

We are happy to report that re-accreditation has been achieved and thank our rail industry colleagues, our officer Fiona, and our volunteers for their support of our projects and work iduring 2022-23 and during the forthcoming year.

During the meeting we gave the representatives from Community Rail Network a tour of Haltwhistle Water Tower as we outlined the Partnership's plans to use the building in support of the local community and rail passengers.

Projects Director, Julie, outlines potential use of the Water Tower to Community Rail Network representatives

Alongside train companies, we encourage people to think about the journeys they make and their impact on the environment.  Leaflet

Do you know that Northern customers can now compare cost, travel time and CO2 emissions of their rail journey compared to the equivalent journey by road? Northern's calculator is available here. 

For longer distance comparisons, you can also look at comparable emissions for travel by plane.  Check out the calculator on LNER's website.CO2_Ncl_-_Kgx.jpg

The second Haltwhistle is Something Special exhibition was officially opened on 10 June.  This has been a community-led project with research by HISS event 10 Junevolunteers and residents from Haltwhistle and the surrounding parishes, many of whom attended the opening event celebrating with some delicious homemade cakes.

The new exhibition features enlightening information about the history and heritage of the area and is displayed in the waiting room on Platform 1 at Haltwhistle Railway Station (Newcastle-bound platform).  Open daily, there is no admittance charge.

So if you are in Haltwhistle, pop along and learn more about the history of the area.

Heritage poster

The first exhibition, which was well received, featured local dogs; the breeds associated with the area as well as a collage of many of the dogs currently residing in Haltwhistle and surrounding parishes.HISS MONTAGE DOGS POSTER

Plans are now underway for the next exhibition, which will focus on local food. Local group, Zig Zag, will be researching content for the third exhibition, which is likely to be unveiled in late 2023/early 2024.

We are grateful to CrossCountry Trains for their support of this project and to Northern for allowing the exhibition to be displayed in the waiting room. 

And finally, a huge thank you to everyone in our community, without whose enthusiasm, time and research skills, these exhibitions would not be possible.