North East Mayor pleads with Network Rail over NUFC cup final trains
The North East mayor has pleaded with rail chiefs to move engineering works that are posing a major headache for Newcastle United fans heading for Wembley next month.
Supporters travelling down to London for the Carabao Cup final clash with Liverpool on Sunday, March 16 are being forced to navigate major disruption to train services.
Engineering works scheduled as part of the renovation of Darlington Station mean that reduced services will be running between the North East and the capital.
While Network Rail has insisted that it will not reschedule the works as doing so would “cost several million pounds of taxpayers’ money”, Kim McGuinness has urged bosses to think again.
In a letter sent to Network Rail, the Labour mayor urged them to do “everything possible to open the line or find paths for additional trains” to help Magpies fans hoping to see their team lift a first domestic trophy in 70 years.
As it stands, LNER will be running a reduced service on cup final weekend to avoid the line closure at Darlington – with trains diverted via Hartlepool and journey times extended by around 80 minutes.
The disruption also means that no Lumo trains will be operating between London and Newcastle at all that weekend.
Ms McGuinness wrote: “Every Newcastle United fan is looking forward to the Carabao Cup Final on 16 March, when tens of thousands will make their way south to Wembley, to cheer on their team against Liverpool.
“For most fans the obvious first choice for travel will be by train on the East Coast Mainline between Newcastle and Kings Cross. I am sure you can imagine the dismay of fans – a dismay which as a fan myself I share – that the line will be closed at Darlington, with only a limited number of trains able to take the alternative route via Hartlepool.
“This also means that there will be no Lumo trains operating all weekend and only limited Grand Central services, hugely reducing the number of seats available and pushing up the price of travel.
“A cup final is a special event for a region like ours passionate about sport. It should also be an opportunity for the rail network to show itself at its best in offering a fast and convenient route from the North East to London.
“I understand railway engineering works must be carefully planned and cannot easily be moved or altered without a knock-on effect to other events. Many fans though will be rightly asking why there is no room for flexibility.
“I urge you and your team to look again at the works planned for cup final weekend and do everything possible to open the line or find paths for additional trains. If you can do that, I can promise you Newcastle United’s huge fan base will fill them all.”
Newcastle have been allocated around 32,000 tickets for the final, though many more Geordies are expected to make the journey down to London.
Network Rail confirmed last week that it would not be cancelling the engineering works.
A spokesperson said at the time: “Engineering work of this nature is planned years in advance, and this project is a key part of Darlington station’s £140m regeneration. It would cost several million pounds of taxpayers’ money to change these plans, causing a delay to the Darlington station project into 2026 – meaning it would also miss this year’s celebrations marking the 200th anniversary of the modern railway.
“There would be a knock-on effect on other engineering projects too, bringing lengthy delays and causing much greater levels of future disruption. However, we are working closely with LNER to see as many services as possible run on the weekend of the League Cup Final, to help Newcastle United supporters on their way to Wembley.
“Our advice is for passengers to plan ahead and check all parts of their journeys with National Rail Enquiries or their train operators before travelling.”
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