A PARTNERSHIP has been formed to encourage men over 50-years-old to explore the region by train.

The Bishop Line Community Rail Partnership (CRP), in Bishop Auckland, has joined forces with Sporting Chance, which aims to encourage an active lifestyle in men through exercise and by creating opportunities for them to get out and socialise.

A group of 38 men took the journey from Middlesbrough up the Bishop Line to Bishop Auckland, returning to Shildon where they visited Locomotion: National Railway Museum, Shildon, and the Durham Amateur Football Trust exhibition.

They used the specially produced Bishop Line guide to complete their journey.

Gill Watson, project development officer at Sporting Chance, said: “Many of the men had not been on the train for years but would now visit the museum again and use the railway as it was so easy. The day went to plan and the men had a great time.”

Robert Whitehouse, community rail officer at The Bishop Line CRP, said: “The Bishop Line guides have been created to encourage people to use the line to go up to Bishop Auckland and Shildon.

“It’s great to see the guides being put to their intended use with this group of men being able to take advantage of the many fantastic destinations on offer along the Bishop Line.”