SOUTH Tynedale Railway trains will soon be travelling from Alston to Slaggyford for the first time since 1976.
The 1.5 mile stretch of line from Lintley Halt to Slaggyford has been rebuilt, along with the station at Slaggyford, as part of ambitious plans to revive the line all the way to Haltwhistle by 2022.
The multi-million pound project has been supported with a £4.3m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
The first train will run on the line on Saturday, June 9, with a second service on Sunday.
Chairman of the South Tynedale Railway Preservation Society Richard Graham said: “This will be an historic weekend for the society, one of whose main aims is to recreate a community railway linking Alston Moor with the national railway network at Haltwhistle.
“Opening the extension to Slaggyford is the first step towards fulfilling this aim and I would like to thank the team of staff and volunteers who have worked really hard, overcoming numerous obstacles, to help us reach this milestone.”
Tickets for the first two journeys must be purchased online in advance. Then from June 12, trains will run on the new stretch of the line four times a week.
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