A new daily spectacle will greet rail passengers travelling through Newcastle after a North East rail company teamed up with Newcastle Castle to launch the “Great Geordie Greeting”.
The project is a collaboration between Newcastle Castle and Lumo, bringing together heritage and modern travel in a colourful daily tradition.
Passengers on Lumo’s northbound trains to Edinburgh will now be greeted every weekday by a town crier as their train passes through the medieval grounds of Newcastle Castle.
Mick Wilkes, CEO of Newcastle Castle and Richard Salkeld, Director of Communications and Partnerships at Lumo, with the two crier and Lord Mayor
(Image: Lumo)
The inaugural event was attended by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle, Councillor Henry Gallagher, and featured the castle’s volunteer town crier and dancers from the North East Dance Project.
Mick Wilkes, CEO of Newcastle Castle, said: "We’re delighted to be working with Lumo on the Great Geordie Greeting and to celebrate the many layers of history that make this site so special.
"From the Roman fort of Pons Aelius to the Norman Castle and the railway that now passes through the site, each layer tells part of our city's story.
The official signing was a historic moment
(Image: Lumo)
"Rather than seeing the railway as something that divides our site, we’re pleased to embrace it as another part of our shared history.
"Partnerships with local organisations like Lumo are a great way for us to celebrate Newcastle’s heritage together and introduce the castle to new audiences."
The initiative aims to educate travellers about the historical significance of the site as they journey along the East Coast Main Line, which runs directly through the castle grounds.
The first greeting was marked with an official signing in the Castle Keep
(Image: Lumo)
Newcastle Castle stands on the remains of Pons Aelius, a Roman fort on Hadrian’s Wall, and has more than 2,000 years of history.
Today, visitors can explore its medieval chambers and passageways, take part in year-round activities, and enjoy free site tours, city walks, and a new tourist information hub.
Lumo, an open-access rail operator based in Newcastle, operates all-electric trains between London, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, passing through the castle site daily.
The North East Dance Project, a Newcastle group which brings together dancers of all ages, also joined the Castle team for the first greeting, with a colourful troop of performers
(Image: Lumo)
Jen Clare, service delivery director at Lumo, said: "We’re proud of the reputation we’ve built over the years, not only for offering affordable and sustainable travel, but also for doing things a little differently.
"The greeting will give our customers something extra special to look out for as they make their way towards Edinburgh, with spectacular views of the coast to look forward to as they continue their journey.
"Our East Coast services are proudly based in the North East and championing the best places for people to visit here is incredibly important to us.
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"The team at the castle share our desire to think differently about partnerships and I’m excited to see how the greeting develops over the coming months.
"It’s sure to be a real treat for visitors to the castle and our customers."
Lumo was recently named the UK’s best value rail operator and achieved a 90 per cent overall customer satisfaction score in the Rail Customer Experience Survey (RCXS), ranking among the top three long-distance operators for the period from October 2025 to March 2026.