A TYNE Valley railway station is one of more than 30 across the Northern network to have been given a makeover.

Work to give Stocksfield Station and 35 others across the country a face lift is nearing completion and has seen the rail operator give more than 9,700 metres of walls, waiting rooms, benches, railings, doors and window frames a fresh coat of paint - with the area of the completed work measuring the size of three football pitches.

More than £800,000 has been invested by Northern on improving the overall look of each station building to provide a better welcome for customers.

It comes as part of Northern’s wider programme of transformation across the rail network.

The company's campaign – A Better Way to Go - highlights the work being done by the train operator to improve every step of the customer journey.

Regional director at Northern Chris Jackson said: "I would like to thank our customers for their patience while improvement works were carried out.

"The stations look fantastic and their new look will help us provide a better travelling experience for all our passengers.

“We are working hard to make sure our stations are safe, accessible and welcoming places for customers and even small changes – like giving our stations a fresh coat of paint - can make a big difference.

“Our A Better Way to Go campaign demonstrates the hard work that has taken place as we continue to transform rail travel in the north and I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved.”

The campaign, which will be seen in stations, on-trains and online, will also cover improvements including: a new fleet made up of 100 state-of-the-art trains, another 240 trains fully refurbished, an industry-leading mobility scooter policy, roll-out of more bodycam units for station staff, improved CCTV onboard and in stations, car park refurbishments and platform extensions.

As part of the campaign, Northern has launched an online tool allowing people to find out what improvements have been made to their local station at www.northernrailway.co.uk/better