Northern's facilities for Northumberland Line drivers and conductors put in place in Ashington

The base at Ashington Station will be used by the route’s nine conductors and their team manager as well as drivers.

The cabins were installed at the southern end of the platform. It features a break room, a locker room, a signing-on point for important notices, and equipment storage.

Ashington was chosen as the base’s location as it is the end of the line for passenger trains.

Jason Wade, regional director for Northern, said: “We are working hard to ensure our staff have everything they need to run services and connect communities along the Northumberland Line.

“We will provide a timetable that will allow people of all ages to get where they need to go for a low cost, whether they are travelling to school, commuting to work, or heading for a fun day out.”

Glen Sanderson, leader of Northumberland County Council, said: “It is fantastic to see these buildings going in at Ashington as we prepare for the line reopening in the coming months.

"We have had very difficult weather conditions over the last six months so it is lovely to see the sun shine again. With drier weather now making working easier at the various sites, we are making good progress on this hugely ambitious project.

“The final touches are now being done at Ashington and the new road bridge at Newsham is nearing completion.

“This is a real example of partners working together to get passenger services running again and we are looking forward to many more milestones in the near future ahead of the official opening.”

The Northumberland Line project will return passenger rail between Ashington and Newcastle for the first time since the 1960s when it opens this summer.

Initially stations at Ashington, Newsham, and Seaton Delaval will open, with a journey the length of the route taking 35 minutes. Some services will also call at Manors.

Bedlington, Bebside, and Northumberland Park stations have been hit by construction delays and are now not due to open to passengers until 2025.