Campaigners are calling for the 21-mile long Leamside line, which closed in 1992, to be revamped and reopened to benefit freight and passenger travel around Wearside.

Network Rail has previously cold-shouldered the plans for the new Tyne-Tees railway, which would see the reopening of the disused Leamside line, at a cost of more than £65million.

But the rail infrastructure operator has now given its first indication that the scheme is not a dead duck.

It has been included in a 209-page document outlining future plans to meet growth on the East Coast Main Line (ECML), which includes more seats on more and longer trains.

It said: "The reinstatement of the former Leamside Line would require major capital expenditure, and it is very unlikely that this could be justified with network flexibility benefits alone."

However, the report recommended a study into the Ferryhill to Newcastle route, which would establish the level of benefits that could contribute to Leamside reinstatement costs.

Network Rail told the Echo that the Leamside's future would depend on if demand on the ECML doubled, as is predicted in some quarters, in the next decade.

Houghton and Washington East MP Fraser Kemp, who has spearheaded the campaign to reopen the route, said: "This is the first time Network Rail has recognised the importance of the Leamside Line as something that needs further development.

"This is the biggest step forward in decades.

"Nobody doubts that there would be capital costs involved, but they would be small in terms of investment into the rail network over the next decade."

Mr Kemp said that the next step will be to get major companies behind the idea before taking it to ministers.

The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Authority and Metro operator Nexus have commissioned a report into reopening the Leamside track, which runs through Washington, Penshaw and Durham before joining the ECML near Teesside.

The scheme already has the backing from North East politicians and transport groups.

The proposition could see stations opening in Washington North, Washington South, Penshaw, Fence Houses and Gateshead East, on a route carrying up to 2,000 passengers a day.