Wishful thinking over restoring old rail link (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Wishful thinking over restoring old rail link

11:09am Friday 19th June 2009

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REPORTS appeared this week about reopening disused rail lines. The Association of Train Operating Companies thinks up to 14 lines closed by Dr Beeching could be reopened because of the nation’s renewed enthusiasm for train travel.

Among the lines mooted is the Northallerton, Ripon and Harrogate line which might seem like a tremendous idea if it were not for the current upgrading of the A1 between Dishforth and Leeming to a proper motorway.

Regular users of the existing road may be familiar with the gentle incline just north of the A61 junction caused by the road clearing what was the old railway line. Unfortunately, no such provision is being made in the construction of the new motorway which seems to kill the idea stone dead. Trains might conceivably run again between Harrogate and Ripon, but the link to Northallerton seems to be irreversibly severed.

Town’s gaps

Almost overnight, the face of Darlington has changed. Two huge sites near the town centre have been cleared.

While few will mourn the passing of the ramshackle Feethams bus depot next to the town hall, or the old Evans Halshaw/C D Bramall/ Skippers/ John Neasham garage on the inner ring road, they do leave behind gaping holes in the townscape.

There’s not much prospect of either hole being filled in the near future either. The Feethams site is to become a temporary shoppers’ car park, which some town centre traders may welcome.

Others might muse where the shoppers are going to come from.

The old garage site is shrouded in some mystery. There has been some talk of the creation of an arts quarter in the area but nothing concrete has emerged.

Industry stake

Durham’s assistant chief constable Michael Barton was on form at Durham City’s Best Bar None Awards on Tuesday night at Ramside Hall.

Addressing the great and good assembled to honour best practice in the city’s pubs and clubs, ACC Barton said he felt the need, in the manner of local politicians, to declare an interest.

Specifically, he thought that having just put three of his children through university, he now had a major stake in the country’s brewing industry.

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