Significant progress has been made in the campaign to upgrade the freight-only Ashington branch, north of Newcastle in the north-east of England, and turn it into a mixed traffic route serving several communities in Northumberland. A legal order has been granted to the local authority and Network Rail to allow some level crossings to be closed and other works to be undertaken with a view to restoring services in about a year’s time. This should bringing passenger services to the region for the first time in over half a century.