Railfuture campaigning for rail lines and stations to be reopened has been a success, thanks to alliances with other groups. In 60 years since the infamous report The Reshaping of British Railways more than 400 stations and 500 miles of route have been added to the network, meeting with tremendous popular support. Buy the sixth edition of Railfuture's A-Z guide to line and station re-openings since 1960, Britain's Growing Railway, published 2017, here.
The turning point may have been saving the Settle and Carlisle line from closure in 1989. All the main parties throughout England, Scotland and Wales now make calls for both new lines and reopenings.
Local people know rail provides strong local economic and social inclusion benefits. Providing extra rail services also relieves pressure on the roads and provides an environmentally friendly means of transport which is open to all, without the need for a private car with all its inherent pollution, noise and danger.
Rail is crucial to transport planning and essential if Britain is to have a sustainable public transport system for the future. Despite the people are in love with their car myth peddled by some, over half the population already use rail. Annual rail use is over 3 billion journeys including London Underground, the Glasgow Subway and light rail systems.
New lines have been constructed, freight-only lines reopened to passengers and closed lines reinstated:
2024
2015
Birmingham Snow Hill link
The turning point may have been saving the Settle and Carlisle line from closure in 1989. All the main parties throughout England, Scotland and Wales now make calls for both new lines and reopenings.
Local people know rail provides strong local economic and social inclusion benefits. Providing extra rail services also relieves pressure on the roads and provides an environmentally friendly means of transport which is open to all, without the need for a private car with all its inherent pollution, noise and danger.
Rail is crucial to transport planning and essential if Britain is to have a sustainable public transport system for the future. Despite the people are in love with their car myth peddled by some, over half the population already use rail. Annual rail use is over 3 billion journeys including London Underground, the Glasgow Subway and light rail systems.
New lines have been constructed, freight-only lines reopened to passengers and closed lines reinstated:
2024
- The Northumberland Line saw its first regular passenger trains return to Ashington after six decades on Sunday 15 December 2024. Railfuture has long supported the SENRUG campaign to re-introduce passenger services on part of the Ashington Blyth and Tyne freight network, which has brought around 100,000 people in an area of high unemployment and poor transport links within reach of jobs and education in Newcastle. The Northumberland Line received a major boost in January 2021, and in May 2021 came news of an application being submitted for an Order under the Transport & Works Act. A special train for official stakeholders ran in August 2021. In July 2023 contracts were confirmed to build three of the new stations. The line was opened officially on 12 December and passenger services started on Sunday 15 December 2024. Third of six new stations Newsham opened on Monday 17 March 2025, and fourth new station Blyth Bebside opened on Sunday 19 October 2025.
- Blackpool North mainline station gained a connection with Blackpool Tramway from 16 June 2024 with services T2 (North station to and from Starr Gate) and T3 (North station to and from Fleetwood) ie NOT service T1.
- Levenmouth Rail Link opened to passengers on Sunday 2 June 2024.In 2019 the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson announced the green light and £75m to reopen the route to passenger services, with stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge. A year later Network Rail confirmed the start of vegetation clearance along the route. In early-2021 there were signs of change! In Spring 2021, railway sleepers appeared in their thousands! On 15 June 2021 the Scottish Government Transport Minister visited and Network Rail Scotland added an update. In December 2021 it was a story of 'Fife go to Levenmouth'! Opening 'no later than 2024' so look out for May 2024's timetable changes! August 2023 saw a visit from the MSP for Mid-Fife & Glenrothes Jenny Gilruth inspecting progress, soon followed by Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop who secured the last track clip. The line was opened officially on Wednesday 29 May 2024, ahead of public services starting again with the new timetable on Sunday 2 June. Levenmouth rail link opened to passengers on Sunday 2nd June 2024.~/tc~
- Ebbw Vale - Newport services commenced on 1 February 2024, after a break of 60 years and 16 years after Ebbw Vale was re-connected to the national network with Cardiff services.
- Edinburgh Trams extension to Newhaven opened on Wednesday 7 June 2023.
- The Barking Riverside extension of the Gospel Oak - Barking London Overground service opened through to a new station at Barking Riverside on 18 July 2022.
- London's own 'east west rail' Crossrail / TfL Rail became the Elizabeth line on 24 May 2022 with the opening of Abbey Wood-Canary Wharf-Paddington services, adding existing London Underground or Docklands Light Railway stations Bond Street (on 24 October), Tottenham Court Road, Canary Wharf, and Custom House to the national rail network (Whitechapel already a national rail station since becoming part of London Overground).
- Exeter to Okehampton via Crediton: regular alternate-hourly services were restored to the newly-named Dartmoor line from Saturday 20 November 2021, as part of the Devon Metro and the first reopening to be completed by the Restoring Your Railway initiative. The service became hourly from May 2022.
- Peterborough bypass aka Werrington dive-under: Railfuture campaigned for grade separation at Werrington as part of the East Coast Upgrade, which now completes a strategic eastern spine route for freight, relieving the East Coast Main Line. Network Rail proposals in June 2014 included alternatives of a flyover or a dive-under. Start of work on the Werrington Grade Separation project was delayed from early 2017 to autumn 2018 and completion from early 2019 to 2021. The concrete box structure was pushed under the ECML between 16-24 January 2021, the signalling commissioned in September 2021, and the official opening of the new tunnel took place on 9 December 2021.
- London Underground services on the Northern Line extension from Kennington on the Southwark/Lambeth boundary via Nine Elms to Battersea Power Station in Wandsworth started on 20 September 2021.
- Manchester Metrolink Trafford Park extension 2020
- Midland Metro Centenary Square extension 2019
- Halton Curve, championed by the North Cheshire Rail Users Group, winners of a Commendation for Best Social Media Award for this campaign video in Railfuture's 2016 Rail User Group Awards, for near-30 years. Montage of a few video clips captured on a trip over Halton Curve, from Frodsham to Liverpool Lime Street on re-opening day, Sunday 19th May 2019.
- Parkgate (Rotherham) - Sheffield Supertram extension to new tram stop (not a National Rail station) to serve new developments, regeneration and retail centre to the north east of the town centre, provided as part of the Sheffield tram-train trial opened on 25 October 2018 after many delays.
- Manchester Metrolink Second City Crossing.
2015
- Borders Railway opened on 6th September 2015, linking stations at Shawfair, Eskbank, Newtongrange, Gorebridge, Stow, Galashiels, and Tweedbank. This shows what dedicated local campaigners can achieve with political support. For the full story, see Railfuture - Borders Railway Reopening.
- Yeovil Junction - Yeovil Pen Mill. The curve linking the two routes through Yeovil has been in use for diversions, but this is the first regular scheduled service for 47 years.
- Todmorden Curve. After several delays due to lack of rolling stock and ongoing signalling work, the first passenger service ran on 7th May 2015; this video shows the driver’s eye view from the 8.18am service from Burnley to Manchester Victoria. The reinstated curve enables direct train services between Accrington, Burnley and Manchester.
- Bicester curve. First step in East West Rail, enabling Marylebone - Oxford Parkway services
- East London Line extensions, with stations at Dalston Junction, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch High Street
- Airdrie-Bathgate and new station at Blackridge opened on 12 December 2010 with stations at Armadale, Caldercruix and Drumgelloch following in 2011. Enjoy watching the video!
- Kettering - Corby
- Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine opened to Alloa on 15 May 2008.
- In February 2008 the Ebbw Vale line reopened with new stations at Ebbw Vale Parkway, Llanhilleth, Newbridge, Crosskeys, Risca and Pontymister, and Rogerstone. View or download the Press Pack for the Start of Main Works event on 28 September 2006.
- The Larkhall-Milngavie line reopened in December 2005 with new stations at Larkhall, Merryton, Chatelherault and Kelvindale (formerly Dawsholm) and has been a resounding success.
- The Vale of Glamorgan line reopened in 2005 and to celebrate, Railfuture staged its Rail Re-openings Conference in Barry.
- CTRL/HS1 including new stations St Pancras International (2007), Ebbsfleet International for international services2007; domestic services started 2009) and Stratford International(2009). See also our High Speed rail campaign.
- Heathrow Airport
- Channel Tunnel
- Robin Hood line
- Manchester Airport
- Stansted Airport
- Thameslink
Birmingham Snow Hill link