Autumn 2003 will see the launch of Whistle Stops, a guide highlighting selected real ale pubs situated close to stations on the Tyne Valley Railway Line. The main launch will take place at the Boathouse, Wylam (date to be confirmed) with a Cumbria event in Wetheral or Great Corby. It is a joint promotion between the Tyne Valley Line Rail Users' Group, CAMRA, and the Tynedale Rural Transport Partnership.

The Tyne Valley Line Rail Users' Group have an interest in the rail service that runs from Newcastle to Carlisle. The group was formed with the twin aims of improving the service offered to passengers along the line and encouraging rail travel, hence the involvement in producing this guide. Tynedale Rural Transport Partnership is an organisation developing and promoting new travel opportunities within Tynedale District; it provides funding for innovative new transport links and infrastructure; it also promotes greater use of existing public transport, the support given to this guide being one such example.

The pub information in the guide has been compiled by the Solway and the Tyneside & Northumberland Branches of CAMRA. While it is not an exhaustive list of real ale outlets, it is largely based on entries in the 2003/2004 editions of CAMRA's best selling Good Beer Guide. Whistle Stops will also feature details of the breweries situated close to the route of the line. Wylam Brewery have agreed to brew a special beer, "Wylam Whistle Stop Ale", to mark the guide's launch. This will only be available for a limited period to coincide with the launch and exclusively in outlets listed in the guide that are able to sell guest ales of their choice.

In Carlisle featured pubs include the Cumberland Inn, close to the station, a CAMRA Pub of the Season last year and the best preserved ex-State Management pub in the city, selling Black Sheep and guest beers. The King's Head on Fisher Street, recently refurbished, sells guest beers including Yates. Also featured are the Woodrow Wilson (Wetherspoon's) and the Howard Arms a Theakston's house on Lowther Street. Travelling from West to East along the line, the Wheatsheaf, Wetheral, situated on the bank of the River Eden, is listed in the 2003 Good Beer Guide and sells Greenall's Bitter and Marston's Pedigree. The Crown near the station sells Theakstons and Ruddles beers and the Killoran has Jennings Cumberland.

The Corby Bridge Inn, Great Corby, on the other side of the Eden, is a spectacular walk along the railway viaduct from Wetheral station. It is Solway CAMRA's Pub of the Year for both 2002 and 2003; it sells Thwaites bitter and mild, plus a guest beer, and hosts mini beer festivals.

Brampton station is some way from the town centre, where the Nag's Head has guest beers and the White Lion stocks Black Sheep and a guest beer. The trains donıt stop at the most easterly Cumbrian pub, the Railway Inn at Low Row, but the community is campaigning to get the station restored. The pub has railway artefacts and sells Thwaites Bitter and Thoroughbred.

Across in Northumberland, the Black Bull In Haltwhistle not only sells a varied range of beers from independent breweries including local micros, but also brews its own beer. The Bowes Hotel in Bardon Mill close to the river was once a coaching house, and sells a changing range of beers. Hexham is a fine historic town where the GBG listed pubs are the Forum (a Wetherspoonıs pub) and the Tap and Spile, selling one of the widest ranges of real ales in the area and featuring live music. The Angel in Corbridge sells Black Sheep beers and guest beers. The Wellington in Riding Mill dates back to 1660 and sells Courage Directors, Theakstons and guest beers. The Boathouse in Wylam, is just next to Wylam Station and is the tap for the Wylam brewery (just outside Heddon on the Wall). The pub has eight handpumps selling beers from North East microbreweries.