Work begins to improve Weardale Heritage Railway line

The Durham Dales Gateway development received the funding through the government’s Stronger Towns Fund initiative and is one of several projects as part of Bishop Auckland’s levelling up programme. 

Work to transform the Bishop Auckland West Railway Station and the Weardale Heritage Railway has begun. New infrastructure, including improved parking, will allow the attraction to expand. 

Demolition of the site’s Escomb Road annex building was completed in June and works for the new development are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.  The annex has stood derelict for seven years and was previously used by Bishop Auckland Hospital.  

Demolition work at the Escomb Road site (Image: The Auckland Project)

Weardale Railway was purchased by The Auckland Project in March 2020 after its future was threatened by administration. The organisation has since carried out a programme of maintenance and repairs to the infrastructure, along with improvements to the trains to bring the heritage line back into operation while ensuring its long-term future. 

Edward Perry, chief executive officer at The Auckland Project said: “We’re delighted that new life is being injected into this derelict space, with help from the Stronger Towns Fund.

"The Weardale Railway heritage line into Bishop Auckland provides a huge opportunity for the cultural and economic regeneration of the town, enabling an important connection to everything the town, and the Dales, have to offer.  

“We hope this development will bring more visitors to the southern end of the high street and that people holidaying in the region will find Bishop Auckland much easier to access. All of which, of course, will benefit the local and regional economy.” 

News of the latest development comes as Bishop Auckland MP Sam Rushworth claimed the former Conservative government scrapped the proposed Darlington-Weardale railway scheme but didn’t tell local authorities or politicians. 

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The project was shortlisted as part of the Restoring Your Railway Fund, announced by the Tories in 2020. However, the programme was cast in doubt when Labour pledged to review it last month. 

The proposal was promoted by The Auckland Project and focused on developing the Darlington-Dales corridor, improving the connectivity of towns and villages along the Weardale line, and reviewed the possibility of providing a link to Crook.

However, The Auckland Project confirmed the Restoring Your Railway scheme is separate from the latest development to restore the heritage attraction and the latest plans are not affected.