NEW OWNERS HAVE ‘IMPRESSIVE ASPIRATIONS’ FOR WEARDALE LINE
Trains between Stanhope and Darlington via the Weardale Railway could become a reality, after The Auckland Project purchased the line, bringing it out of administration.
The future of the Weardale Railway, and the Dartmoor Railway in Devon, had been put into doubt when their owner – British American Railway Services – put the lines up for sale after the company’s owner, Iowa Pacific Holdings, went into receivership late last year (SR502).
While the Dartmoor Railway has since gone into administration and was still seeking a buyer at the time of going to press, the Weardale’s future has been secured after north east charity The Auckland Project – which for the last nine years has sought to create opportunities and drive investment into Bishop Auckland and the surrounding area – purchased the line for an undisclosed sum.
Following the purchase, which will create around 50 new roles on the railway, the charity has announced ambitious plans to reinstate rail services over the entirety of the 18-mile route between Stanhope and
Bishop Auckland and eastwards to Darlington via Shildon. A spokesman for The Auckland Project said: “The project has no experience of running trains and to deliver a full service from Darlington westwards it will require a partnership with a train operating company.”
Despite the intention to run full services over the national network to Darlington, a spokesman for The Auckland Project told Steam Railway:
“It is our intention to run a regular heritage train and events programme on the Weardale Railway and we hope to do this as quickly as possible. Our first steps, however, will be to review the railway’s operational needs and create a new business model working with the Weardale Railway Trust. We hope to have more news to share soon.”
Weardale Railway Trust chairman Kevin Richardson commented: “We were initially disappointed when the previous owners announced the decision to offer WR for sale. We were delighted, therefore, to learn that The Auckland Project had taken over ownership of the railway.
“Their aspirations for the railway are very impressive.”