Alnmouth station looking north from a down train in august 1969. Great bookshop in an old train station barter books. The iconic alnwick castle is home to harry potterinspired events, dragon quest and an exciting history. Whether its rifling through the shelves of barter books, one of the uks largest second hand bookshops, housed in the towns old railway station or catching a performance at alnwick playhouse. Station buffet at barter books visit alnwick, northumberland.
Situated in the old station in alnwick barter books is an establishment where you. Barter books is a second hand bookshop in the historic english market town of alnwick, northumberland, owned and run by stuart and mary manley. Due to development, trains can no longer access the original station, so a brand new railway station and visitor center has been constructed by volunteers on the outskirts of alnwick from where the railway follows the original trackbed towards alnmouth station. Equally, visitors arriving by train at alnmouth could continue their journey to alnwick and other tourist attractions by rail, bus, cycle and foot. The north easts best loved independent book shop expands its. What i saw of the town was also beautiful and the best thing. Gavin close was traveling to york from alnmouth railway station with jade smith.
Converted train station, with an amazing range of second hand books and a brilliant cafe serving some pretty amazing meals we had coffee and cake which were. Nevertheless, barter books attracts nearly a quarter of a million visitors a year through a combination of its proximity to alnwick castle and its own eccentric charm. To find out more see the alnwick branch by bartle rippon and the alnwick and cornhill railway by john addyman and john mallon. What companies run services between london, england and alnwick castle, england.
View west from larpool viaduct on 23 march 2010 showing the whitby and pickering railway running alongside the esk towards grosmont. Barter books is one of the uks largest secondhand bookshop and is housed in the former train station on the edge of the town. Reopening the branch line from alnmouth to alnwick, the old county town of northumberland and the ancestral home of the duke of northumberland. Alnwick lionheart is a railway station situated on the edge of the lionheart enterprise park on the outskirts of alnwick, northumberland.
The ship inn pub in northumberland alastair sawdays. The station was constructed on a different site from the original alnwick. This bookshop has occupied the former victorian alnwick railway station. This large, comfortable room has stunning views over rolling fields. Converted train station, with an amazing range of second hand books and a brilliant cafe. A double cd containing interviews with railway people who worked at alnwick station and members of their families. Housed in alnwicks grand victorian station, barter books is one of britains. The kind you want to stay for hours in, with cosy nooks, armchairs, an honesty cafe where you can get a cup of tea for 35p and a homemade biscuit for 65p. In todays video we give you a glimpse of the amazing barter books located within. The most delightful english bookshop by the djk life on february 19, 2018 leave a comment for our valentines weekend, we roadtripped through the north east of england, visiting newcastle as our initial destination, and then travelling through some of the smaller towns of northumberland on the way back home. The town is on the south bank of the river aln, 32 miles 51 km south of berwickupontweed and the scottish border, 5 miles 8 km inland from the north sea at alnmouth and 34 miles 55 km north of newcastle upon tyne. The station buffet is owned and operated by barter books one of the largest secondhand bookshops in britain and the home of the famous keep calm and.
It is considered a local tourist attraction and has been described as the british library of secondhand bookshops. A novel experience a visit to barter books alnwick. Its got history, class, creativity and inspiration by the bucket load. The branch opened on 1 october 1850 and closed in january 1968, leaving the former junction at alnmouth as the nearest station to alnwick. Aug 18, 2018 their existing station at alnwick through wooler to a junction with the tweedmouth to kelso lined at cornhill on tweed. A v3 262t waits at alnwicks platform one to depart with its train to alnmouth.
You can take a train from carlisle to alnwick castle via newcastle, alnmouth, alnmouth station, curly lane, and alnwick, playhouse in around 3h 26m. A busylooking station with trains waiting in both platforms in the mid1950s. Train services to these stations may vary, you can use our journey planner to confirm your travel arrangements. The shop is in a former train station, which closed. The old methodist chapel, alnmouth now a private residence alnmouth to alnwick branch line past and future. Apr 20, 2010 alnwick station, wagon way road, 01665 604888. Northumberland steam rail link set to reopen after 45. The white wooden building was a later addition that bacame the refreshment room. Alnwick railway station was the terminus of the alnwick branch line, which diverged from the east coast main line at alnmouth. Barter books britains quirkiest railway stations travel telegraph. It is situated inside a victorian railway station which is a beautiful building with so much character. Barter books alnwick 2020 all you need to know before you go. See more ideas about bookstore, bookshop, bookstore design. Barter books alnwick, northumberland, united kingdom.
It is the western terminus and operational base of the preserved aln valley railway which is currently working to rebuild the original alnwick branch line from there to alnmouth station. The books are brilliant, of course, but it is so much more. The ceremony will be attended by special guests including berwick mp sir alan beith, and founding chairman of the railway stuart manley, who with wife mary owns barter books, the famous secondhand bookshop in alnwick. Today the district of alnwick stretches from the north sea coast between. Barter books, alnwick station, northumberland ne66 2np. The hotel is four miles six km from the nearest train station, alnmouth, which has direct connections with newcastle, york and london kings cross on the east coast mainline.
As a collector of generally more specialised books i found. Catch the mega bus to newcastle and connect with regular local services from newcastle to towns and villages throughout northumberland. The former alnwick station itself, is well preserved and now hosts barter books in alnwick. The station was also the terminus of the cornhill branch line to coldstream. You can take a train from london kings cross to alnwick castle via york, alnmouth, alnmouth station, curly lane, and alnwick, playhouse in around 5h 8m. Under the normans and for some time after the town was the administrative town for the whole county of northumberland.
The station was opened in 1850 to be the junction for the alnwick branch. Alternatively, national express operates a bus from heathrow airport london t2,3 to alnwick once daily. On an evening, we used to wander down to the castle area, and have a walk or run in the case of my boys. Barter books, alnwick, alnwick station, wagonway rd, opening hours, barter books one of the largest second hand book shops in europe.
Around alnmouth alnmouth on postcards aonb bookshop. A former railway station that, despite the lack of steam train, retains much of its magic. Alnwick railway station was the terminus of the alnwick branch line, which diverged from the east coast main line at alnmouth in northumberland, northern england. Barter books alnwick was opened by mary manley in 1991 and is now one of the largest secondhand bookshops in europe.
Original pictures and insider tips about neighborhoods, delicious restaurants, entertainment, and unique places to visit in alnwick, england. Barter books alnwick 2020 all you need to know before you. Photos of alnwick attractions, restaurants, art, shops. Alnwick district is situated in the heart of northumberland in north east england, with the alnwick castle taking pride of place in the town of alnwick. Alternatively, you can take a bus from carlisle to alnwick castle via eldon square bus station, haymarket bus station, and alnwick, bus station in around 4h 40m. Barter books is a secondhand bookshop in the historic english market town of alnwick, northumberland, owned and run by stuart and mary manley. An electric train circles the shelves in one of the rooms, and there is a fantastic mural of authors.
The huge old bookshop in alnwick in the old train station, especially the kids section not just for kids, if you want a nice lunch or dinner then the potted lobster in bamburgh is lovely or the treehouse at alnwick, if the rain subsides then a walk on the beach at bamburgh absolutely stunning. It really wouldnt surprise me if jk rowling came here, and sat in one of its many snug corners, sipping a coffee and got her inspiration for her first novel here. There really is something for everyone as well as a cafe restaurant which serves excellent food i had a hot roast. Other countries are moving away from quarantines, so why is the uk adopting one. Oct 07, 20 and on october 30, the duke will perform the official opening of the railway at the alnwick lionheart station site. Alnwick station wagonway road, alnwick ne66 2np, england. Make for northumberland with coach operator national express which stops at numerous points. The old goods shed from alnwick station was dismantled and relocated to beamish as part of its rowley station. This place is a secondhand booklovers dream come true. Apart from the defects mentioned at the beginning and the end, the main body of the text is in good condition. Housed in the northumbrian towns former station, barter books is a. Grangeoversands station train tickets, departures and. The bookshop also sells secondhand videos and music cds, lps, cassettes. The station was also the terminus of the cornhill branch line to coldstream which closed for passengers in 1930.
From humble beginnings in 1991, when mary opened a secondhand bookshop in the front room of the old station where stuart was running a small manufacturing business, barter books has. A model railway acting as a link between the book columns of the central room. The branch opened on 1 october 1850 and closed for passengers in january 1968 and completely in october 1968. March 16 alnwick, united kingdom well should be boarding a flight to venice for 3 nights away. Barter books alnwick 2020 all you need to know before. Barter books is in the former alnwick railway station.
Both proposals went before parliament in 1881 but the cornhill branch was by far the cheapest and an act was passed authorising the north eastern railway to build their 36 mile line from alnwick to cornhill. The most delightful english bookshop by the djk life on february 19, 2018 leave a comment for our valentines weekend, we roadtripped through the north east of england, visiting newcastle as our initial destination, and then travelling through some of the. Phase 1 from lionheart to greenrigg bridge and phase 2 onwards to alnmouth station. See more ideas about train station, train and old train station. Tragic though it is that the branch line no longer runs, we consoled ourselves examining the surviving features, model train set running along the top of bookshelves and some of the many volumes. It now has some 350,000 books, taking up most of the original station. The kind you want to stay for hours in, with cosy nooks, armchairs, an honesty cafe where you can get a cup.
Anyway, fortified by a big hotel breakfast, we had hurried, notebooks in hand, to aberdeens halfmodernised station, originally built in 1867, and jumped on to the train that will take us in. Alnwick station was closed in 1968 and now alnmouth for alnwick station is the nearest railway station. Alnmouth railway station alnwick, northumberland train. The station buffet with good plain food, coffee, tea and cookies. Feb 18, 2014 a second hand bookshop in a quiet corner of northumberland is an odd choice for a tourist attraction. Set in the heart of englands undiscovered county, alnwick hosts a number of world famous attractions, including alnwick castle a setting for hogwarts.
The building itself is the old alnwick train station, and you can explore the shelves where the tracks used to be and have tea and snacks in the station waiting rooms. Alnwick is a great base for a holiday in northumberland. These include an open fire in the winter, coffee and cookies, a model railway running above the book columns. Former railway station, alnwick barter books cocurate. Carlisle to preston and manchester via cumbrian coast and windermere to manchester airport. One of the largest secondhand bookshops in britain. Northumberland steam rail link set to reopen after 45 years. Close to the coast and a 5 minute drive to alnwick, a 5 minute walk from alnmouth train station, its ideal for exploring northumberland. Situated in the old station in alnwick barter books is an establishment where you can buy used books or exchange them as well as buy rare books and first editions. Alnwick station, alnwick, northumberland, ne66 2np, united kingdom. The web portal for alnmouth, alnwick, northumberland. Carlisle to alnwick castle 4 ways to travel via train. From humble beginnings in 1991, when mary opened a secondhand bookshop in the front room of the old station where stuart was running a small manufacturing business, barter books has grown and grown.
The setting for this amazing second hand bookshop is the grand buildings of the now disused alnwick station. In the interest of the health and wellbeing of our visitors, employees and the wider community, we have decided not. London to alnwick castle 11 ways to travel via train. In the interest of the health and wellbeing of our visitors, employees and the wider community, we have decided not to open as planned on 27th march. Its located midway between berwickupontweed and alnwick, with its nearest station just 4.
This enormous secondhand bookstore inside a victorian train station sparked the keep calm and carry on craze. Train stations alnwick recommended alnwick train stations. Unless shown otherwise in the special offers section, travel between the station shown and alnwick castle is not included in your rail ticket. Mary and stuart manley, owners of barter books in alnwick.
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