Have you ever been to Alston? There's absolutely nothing there. The mystery about the Alston branch wasn't that the line closed, it was that it survived as late as 1976.
Alston can barely sustain a bus service- just two off-peak return trips a day to Haltwhistle, with positioning moves from Hexham also run in service- so a train wouldn't stand a hope.
ETA welcome to the forum OP. It's a good question. I think it'll do better as a preserved railway than it ever did commercially. It's a shame the A69 means that the narrow gauge lime can't reach Haltwhistle.
We went to Alston last summer on the bus from Haltwhistle. There's only a few buses a day and they are under threat. I tried advising the passengers on the bus how to go about saving the service and how deregulation works in relation to socially necessary services and no -one was interested. In many ways if their bus service comes off its their own fault. Obviously when it's gone they will them protest when it's too late.
Anyway back to Alston. It's described as a bustling market town. To call Alston dead is an understatement. It's a dreadful place. Holiday cottages are advertised at a grand a week. Are they insane. Half the town is up for sale. The only shop in town doesn't allow dogs. We were the first customers for two hours. They don't deserve customers with such a short sighted policy.
We were there for 44 minutes and it was 44 minutes too long.
The surrounding scenery is stunning. Lambley viaduct is truly amazing. There's no work or life in the area. The town monument still has the buntings up from the silver jubilee 40 years ago.
There's no life in Alston because the people there don't make any effort to make the town more welcoming. It's not dying on its feet it's dead.
Alston has had the worse snow this winter for 35 years. Yes the train would have kept running but the people who live in Alston wouldn't be seen dead on a train as it would be bad for their image. The car is God in Alston.
Move west to Keswick and you see a town that's crying out for a train service. Sadly Cumbria country council is about as anti public transport as you can get. They make Northumberland CC look progressive and that is how bad Cumbria CC are.
Keswick will never get its trains back. There a clear need but no political will whatsoever.
Alston doesn't really need a train service. The locals can't even remove tatty 40 year old flags that make the town look dreadful. Those that would benefit from public transport in the small settlements between Alston and Haltwistle aren't remotely interested in even saving what few buses remain. They told me that the be cut off without the bus. Of course, they want someone else so save their buses.
With such mentalities is it any wonder that Alston and the surrounding settings are dead?
Trains aren't needed in Alston. Trains aren't wanted. Tourists aren't wanted.
It's a sad sad place that's created its own downfall.
