For the very first time, Northern will operate special New Year’s Day limited-stop trains between Middlesbrough and Whitby. The services do not require booking and will feature the same cheap fares as during regular times of the year, along with the added bonus of dogs travelling free!
The special New Year’s Day services will depart Middlesbrough at 09.53 and 14.50 and will only call at:
- Nunthorpe
- Battersby
- Danby
- Grosmont
- Whitby
Return services will leave Whitby at 11.25 and 16.22 and will feature the same stops as the outbound journey, however will continue from Middlesbrough to Darlington at 12.45, returning at 14.22 in order to connect with other long-distance trains from the north and south of England.
The special limited-stop trains are part of a trial and members of the public are advised to give it a try in order to see the service repeated. Some concerns have been raised due to the trains not calling at some of the less busy stations on the route, however, this is necessary in order to offer a quicker end-to-end journey time.
The 1st of January will still see trains call at:
- Danby for Moors Centre
- Glaisdale for the Esk Valley and Coast to Coast walks
- Grosmont for the North Yorkshire Moors Railway
- Whitby for the full seaside experience with plenty of family fun and fabulous fish and chips!
Community Rail Partnership Chair Alan Williams said:
“This initiative is great news for both local people and visitors. We have been lobbying for better services for the Valley and Whitby for some time. This is a small but significant step forward for the line.”
“This is an experiment. To ensure it becomes a regular New Year’s Day service, we need your support. So please come along and join us for a grand day out!”
To find out more, please visit www.eskvalleyrailway.co.uk or email: [email protected]
Responses
A lot of train cancellations around Bolton.
Hopefully they run on time, or the crews aren’t striking.
This year’s been ruined by the train operators inability to run a decent service.
I have had to make many journeys involving other trains operators, buses or a taxi to get to and from my workplace. It isn’t just the cost but the extra two or three hours to get home that concerns me.
Let’s hope 2024 sees a better year on the trains for all users.
Merry Christmas to all rail users.