Horden station opens after 56 years and £10.55m revamp

Horden's new station has opened 56 years after its previous one was closed

A coastal village has welcomed its first train in 56 years after its new £10.55m station opened.

The stop at Horden near Peterlee, County Durham, is expected to welcome more than 70,000 passengers a year, Durham County Council said.

The southbound 07:31 BST train was the first service to stop at the station after it opened earlier.

The village's original station opened in 1905 but closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching review.

Council leader Simon Henig said: "It has been a long-held ambition to have a station at Horden so, after a number of years of hard work and commitment by ourselves and our partners, it's fantastic that we have now welcomed the first train and the first passengers.

"This new facility will open up significant opportunities for communities across east Durham, by providing a direct transport link to Teesside, Wearside and Tyneside. And, of course, it will also make it easier for people from outside the area to travel to the east of the county, whether for business or pleasure."

The station's official opening ceremony had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The council said passengers are asked to follow all public transport rules and guidelines.

The station is a joint project between Durham County Council, Network Rail, Northern and Story Contracting.

Horden will have direct services to various stations including Middlesbrough, Newcastle and Sunderland.

It is being funded by the council, with an additional £4.4m from the Department of Transport's New Stations Fund and a grant from the North East Local Enterprise Partnership.