Durham Dales Gateway works triggered
New parking and improved access will be brought to Bishop Auckland West station, underpinning the growth of services offered by the Weardale Heritage Railway’s operator, The Auckland Project.
The Durham Dales Gateway development will comprise 88 car parking spaces, six electric vehicle charging points, five new cycle racks and a new ticketing system.
This infrastructure will enable Weardale Heritage Railway to accommodate increased visitor numbers and provide training, employment and learning opportunities, the Auckland Project said. A lack of parking had meant that services were previously limited.
Bishop Auckland West, the eastern terminus of the heritage line, is linked by a footpath to the main Bishop Auckland station on the main national network, this station offering services to Darlington.
The infrastructure project at the heritage station has received £900,000 from Durham County Council’s Stronger Towns Fund allocation and is one of the tranche of Bishop Auckland projects included in its £53m Levelling Up Fund award.
Demolition of the site’s Escomb Road annexe building was completed in June and works for the new development are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
The annexe had stood derelict for seven years, previously utilised for clinical use associated with Bishop Auckland Hospital.
Weardale Railway was purchased by The Auckland Project in March 2020, bringing it out of administration. Since then, a programme of inspections, network assessments, maintenance and repairs has been carried out, along with improvements to trains, to bring the heritage line back into operation and give it a future.
Edward Perry, chief executive 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, has to offer.
“We hope that 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 that much easier to access. All of which, of course, will benefit the local and regional economy.”
Among other projects under way or completed as part of Bishop Auckland’s regeneration are the public space-led £12m Kingsway Square – which started in April – a Stack food & drink destination, and the faith museum and castle restoration recognised in the 2024 RIBA North East Awards.
The Escomb Road site will house parking. Credit: The Auckland Project
