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All I can say is thanks to the council, they actually listened to our requests, I rang the council yesterday and asked for the roads on our estate to be ploughed because we couldn't get out of the estate properly, well they came out today and did it, so well done....also seeing you on the main street gritting footpaths and clearing snow makes us think you are actually listening to the residents, well done.

It's well ironic, innit!

The Blyth and Tyne Reopening got another say in the News Post Leader. From what I can tell with having contacts within the Rail Industry etc. Network Rail are having a proper look into the reopening (about time only took them few years!!) they've cancel the demolition of the Ashington Signal box which is important part of the Reopening. They were going to shut it originally due to it having no use any more, (there was the station and Junction to the open cast pit loading areas which is out of use for now....possibly getting reopened as well) The reopening of Bedlington and Ashington station would not take much, no re-signalling only the platforms need sorting and considing they've been out of use for 50 years now there in good nick. But for other stations would need more work. The Blyth and Tyne Chater that SENRUG did proves you don't need re-signalling of the line and it can be done with current signalling and working methods. It is mostly Network Rail not pulling there finger out and mountains of red tape that is within the Industry. Northern Rail the passenger Rail Company that Run alot of the North East Local Services still train there drivers on the Blyth and Tyne Route. Once every so often you may see the odd passenger train or the odd looking old Diesel Locomotive running around doing Driver Refreshers etc. So the reopen could happen fairly quickly but there is the normal amount of bull poop to get though 1st.

they did a cracking job, the sent digger around the estate, freeing up the roads and then come along with a little tractor and ploughed the paths they done a cracking job. seen them doing this couple times. people morn on about it some times but people seem to froget Northumberland is HUGE streching from Backworth to Kielders to Bewick its a huge oporation sorting all the roads out and then to sort out the estates on top. they tractors were working late into the night when i finished work at 10.30 there was a tractor ploughing the Tescos Car park. got to say BIG thanks to the counciel and all the hard working people that helped to keep the regoin (most of the time) lol

Must be summpin wrong with me i am still wearing shorts or nearly

I used to do that too Pete. I also used to like to ride the swing gate after the train had gone by. The signal man used to bang on the window at us but we always did it.

It was good fun, especially in those days as we all wore short trousers until we were about twelve years of age.

That brought back some good memories, the old footbridge, we used to run up there when the train was comming to let the steam run up our legs, good old days