Tees Valley Line

The Tees Valley Line is a name for the railway route between Bishop Auckland and Saltburn via Darlington, Middlesbrough and Redcar. Also operated on the line are services from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Middlesbrough, Redcar and Saltburn via Darlington (using the ECML between Newcastle and Darlington). The Line between Darlington and Bishop Auckland has been re-branded The Bishop Line and is supported by the Bishop Line Community Rail Partnership.

Beyond Bishop Auckland, the railway line continues as the newly re-opened Heritage Weardale Railway. A regular freight service operates on weekdays moving coal from Wolsingham to power stations further south.

Service
All trains along the route are currently operated by Northern Rail, with the exception of First TransPennine Express services starting at Middlesbrough and calling at Thornaby. The majority of the Northern Rail services are worked by Class 142 Pacer units, with occasional services provided by Class 156 SuperSprinter units.

Between Darlington and Middlesbrough/Saltburn there is a service running almost every half-hour during the daytime, becoming roughly hourly in the evenings. The service to Bishop Auckland is more sparse, running hourly at peak times and two hourly off peak. A once weekly service in each direction stops at Tees-side Airport station to service Durham Tees Valley Airport.

The towns and villages served by the line are listed below.
 * Bishop Auckland
 * Shildon
 * Newton Aycliffe
 * Heighington
 * Darlington
 * Middleton St George
 * Eaglescliffe
 * Thornaby
 * Middlesbrough
 * Redcar
 * Marske-by-the-Sea
 * Saltburn by the Sea

History
The section of line between Bishop Auckland and the East Coast Main Line, as well as the section between Dinsdale Station near Middleton St George and Eaglescliffe station, follow the original route of the Stockton and Darlington Railway.

The line from Middlesbrough to Saltburn, as well as the freight line to Boulby mine, were part of the Whitby Redcar and Middlesbrough Union Railway (WRMU). This extended to Whitby, until it was closed on 5 May 1958.