Abandoned railway station that reopened after 60 years wins ‘The World Cup Of Train Stations’

A TINY station in Northumberland that was closed from the 1960s until last year, has been crowned ‘Britain’s most life-changing station.’

It beat 330 stations across the country for the award – known as ‘The World Cup Of Train Stations,’ and the town itself also has a rich celebrity past from sportsmen to actors.

‘The World Cup Of Stations’ was launched in honour of 200 years of railways in Britain, to bring attention to the stories behind the stations and how much they’ve changed and brought communities together.

Ashington train station, up the road from Newcastle upon Tyne, opened in December last year as part of the restoration of the Northumberland Line.

It was shut due to Beeching cuts to the railway in the 1960s which resulted in the closure of thousands of stations, but Ashington has made a mighty comeback.

Ashington competed against 330 nominations, which were whittled down to 20 by a judging panel.

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It stood against the likes of Liverpool Lime Street, London Paddington, London Waterloo, Vauxhall and York.

In just over five days, over 24,000 people voted, with Ashington being one of the country’s newest stations in the shortlist.

Trains started running between Newcastle and Ashington in December last year, and it’s not even finished yet as additional stations along the line are set to open next year.

Jacqueline Starr, Rail Delivery Group chief executive officer said: “As we celebrate 200 years of rail history, Ashington shows how investing in stations can transform lives linking people to opportunity, pride, and possibility.”

The Northumberland Line was one of many to be axed as part of the Beeching cuts to the railway in the 1960s but was brought back as part of a £298.5 million redevelopment project.

Ashington sits 15 miles north of Newcastle, close to the coast and was once centre of the coal mining industry.

It was the birthplace of some of Britain’s biggest sporting stars like Bobby and Jack Charlton, who were both part of the England national team that won the 1966 World Cup against West Germany.

Jackie Milburn, also born in Ashington and went on to be one of the most legendary players for Newcastle United.

Cricketing brothers Steve and Ben Harmison were born there, and after retiring from cricket, Steve managed his hometown football club in Ashington.

The TV and actor and popstar Robson Green hails from the town too – going on star in top shows like Casualty, Soldier Soldier and more recently, Grantchester.

The top things to do in Ashington on Tripadvisor include exploring the Woodhorn Museum which is based on the town’s mining history.

Inside is memorabilia, gallery exhibitions and trinkets from the days it operated as a mining hub.

It’s known for having lots of woodland and green spaces too which you can see by visiting the Queen Elizabeth II Country Park, or taking a walk around the Wansbeck Riverside Park.

On Tuesdays, Ashington holds a market where sellers sell all sorts from food to clothing and gifts.

The town is very close to Newcastle, which is a 30 minute drive away, or along the Northumberland Line, a 48 minute train journey.

It’s not all towns and cities, Ashington is minutes from the coastline with some of the nearest beaches in neighbouring Newbiggin-by-the-Sea.

The small seaside town has a north, south and east beach where you’ll spot a fleet of traditional fishing boats – but the coastline is a great spot for paddling in the summer and rock pooling.

Newbiggin is also known to be one of Britain’s most budget-friendly seaside resort.

At the seaside town, you can get a bargain ice cream at Caffe Bertorelli and cheap pints at The Coble pub.

Ashington is near Cresswell Beach too, a sandy spot known for being dog-friendly and a starting point for the Northumberland Coastal Path.

Another great beach is Druridge Bay which has rugged coastline, a seven-mile beach, sand dunes and is popular for activities like birdwatching and horse riding.

These beaches might be about to get even more popular as this year, Northumberland beaches became one of the world’s trending destinations.

The northern county of Northumberland has been getting lots of attention over the summer, with plenty of pretty beaches that are usually less busy than those in the south.

Airbnb said: “Northumberland is drawing more summer visitors, with searches up over 50 per cent this summer, thanks to its pristine North Atlantic beaches.”

These include Embleton Bay, Low Newton-by-the-Sea and the seaside town of Bamburgh.

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The first ever Greggs pub has opened in Newcastle – just 30 minutes from Ashington…

Writer Jenna Stevens headed up to Newcastle for the opening of the UK’s first Greggs pub…

When I heard that Greggs were opening a pub, my first thought was “a Greggs sausage roll and a pint in one place? Sign me up!”

But what I wasn’t expecting to find at The Golden Flake Tavern was a traditional, homely pub with an impressive menu that could take on the best of boozers.

The room was decked out with local art, a jukebox, board games and cosy booths. From branded Golden Flake coasters and napkins, to a framed painting of Geordie legends Ant and Dec.

Newcastle is the birthplace of Greggs, so it’s only fitting that the pub has opened in its city centre.

The Golden Flake Tavern’s menu is loaded with Greggs’ best-loved bakes, reimagined as pub dishes.

I opted for the Greggs pub staple: the Sausage Roll and Mash and was wowed by the dish’s posh presentation. The sausage roll had been sliced in half and carefully propped up against the mash like a Michelin star meal.

I tried the Gosforth 1939 Stottie Lager (£6.50) – a beer named with Greggs’ history in mind – and all cocktails are priced at £11.50.

The Golden Flake Tavern is open daily from 11am – 7pm at Fenwick Newcastle. And you need to visit soon as the pub is open to visitors until February 2026.

Read more on the English port town that stars in Hollywood’s top films – from Indiana Jones to Batman and Paddington Bear – with a train station also making the shortlist.

Plus, these two huge cities north of London have been tipped for direct trains to Europe.