▁of ▁steps ▁closer . ▁ ▁British ▁Rail ways ▁Board ▁( Res id u ary ) ▁Ltd . ▁improved ▁upon ▁and ▁changed ▁an ▁earlier ▁offer ▁that ▁now ▁trans fers ▁a ▁ 7 - met re ▁wide ▁strip ▁of ▁land ▁to ▁the ▁society . ▁ ▁The ▁land ▁runs ▁parallel ▁to ▁the ▁Al ston ▁bay ▁platform ▁at ▁H alt wh ist le ▁main line ▁station ▁and ▁provides ▁sufficient ▁space ▁for ▁proper ▁station ▁and ▁run - round ▁facilities ▁for ▁narrow ▁gauge ▁trains . ▁ ▁This ▁important ▁step ▁allows ▁the ▁society ▁to ▁approach ▁Network ▁Rail ▁for ▁agreement ▁to ▁use ▁its ▁land ▁alongside ▁the ▁platform ▁and ▁the ▁platform ▁itself . ▁ ▁Additionally ▁a ▁small ▁par cel ▁of ▁land ▁that ▁allows ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁station ▁area ▁from ▁the ▁Al ston ▁Arch es ▁Vi ad uct ▁will ▁be ▁made ▁available ▁to ▁the ▁railway ▁society . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁February , ▁the ▁South ▁T yn ed ale ▁Railway ▁joined ▁the ▁Heritage ▁Sk ills ▁In iti ative ▁and ▁an ▁engineering ▁skills ▁tra ine e ▁will ▁join ▁the ▁South ▁T yn ed ale ' s ▁mainly ▁volunte er ▁work force ▁in ▁March . ▁ ▁The ▁one - year ▁project ▁is ▁in ▁partners hip ▁with ▁the ▁North ▁of ▁England ▁C iv ic ▁Trust ▁back ed ▁by ▁a ▁b urs ary ▁and ▁supported ▁by ▁the ▁Heritage ▁Lot tery ▁Fund . ▁ ▁The ▁scheme ▁is ▁specifically ▁aim ed ▁at ▁over coming ▁skills ▁short ages ▁in ▁traditional ▁engineering ▁craft s . ▁ ▁The ▁new ▁tra ine e ▁will ▁work ▁alongside ▁the ▁railway ' s ▁sk illed ▁volunte er