MetroCentre railway station
MetroCentre is a railway station on the Tyne Valley Line, which runs between Newcastle and Carlisle via Hexham. The station, situated 3 miles 39 chains (3.49 mi; 5.61 km) west of Newcastle, serves Metrocentre, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.
| General information | |
|---|---|
| Location | Metrocentre, Gateshead England |
| Coordinates | 54°57′32″N 1°39′54″W / 54.9588888°N 1.6649320°W |
| Grid reference | NZ215627 |
| Owned by | Network Rail |
| Managed by | Northern Trains |
| Transit authority | Tyne and Wear PTE |
| Platforms | 2 |
| Tracks | 2 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | MCE |
| History | |
| Original company | British Rail (Eastern Region) |
| Key dates | |
| 3 August 1987 | Opened as Gateshead MetroCentre |
| 17 May 1993 | Renamed MetroCentre |
| Passengers | |
| 2017/18 | 0.335 million |
| 2018/19 | 0.302 million |
| 2019/20 | 0.299 million |
| 2020/21 | 61,036 |
| 2021/22 | 0.287 million |
| Location | |
MetroCentre Location in Tyne and Wear, England | |
| Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road | |
History edit
The station was opened on 3 August 1987 by British Rail, and was initially named Gateshead MetroCentre.[1] The station's name was later shortened to MetroCentre on 17 May 1993.[2]
The station is situated on a section of line built by the North Eastern Railway, which was constructed in sections between 1893 and 1909.[3] It linked the lines over the newly commissioned King Edward VII Bridge with the original Newcastle and Carlisle Railway freight route to Redheugh and Dunston Coal Staiths, dating back to 1837.[4]
Refurbishment edit
Between January and February 2020, the platforms at the station were extended ahead of the introduction of upgraded rolling stock, as part of the Great North Rail project.[5][6]
Facilities edit
The station has two platforms, both of which have seating, a waiting shelter, next train audio and visual displays and an emergency help point. There is a footbridge linking the station with the Metrocentre, which provides step-free access to both platforms.[7]
MetroCentre has recently joined the Northern Trains penalty fare network, as new ticket machines were installed at the station in December 2020.[8]
Services edit
Northern Trains Route 4 |
|---|
Tyne Valley Line |
As of the December 2021 timetable change, there are three trains per hour between Newcastle and Hexham, two of which continue to Carlisle. On Sunday, there are three trains per hour between Newcastle and MetroCentre, one of which continues to Carlisle. Most trains extend to Morpeth or Nunthorpe via Hartlepool. All services are operated by Northern Trains.[9]
Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter
References edit
- ^ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 102. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
- ^ GB National Rail Timetable, 1993-94 Edition, Table 48
- ^ Body, G Railways of the Eastern Region Volume 2, 1988, Patrick Stephens Ltd, Wellingborough, ISBN 1-85260-072-1, p.133
- ^ Marsden, Richard. "The North Eastern Railway: Bridges around Newcastle". LNER Encyclopedia. from the original on 24 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ "Upgrade at MetroCentre station will mean more seats for passengers". Network Rail Media Centre. 14 January 2020. from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ Collings, Katie (14 January 2020). "Metrocentre station platform extended to make way for trains with more seats". ChronicleLive. from the original on 26 October 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
- ^ "MetroCentre Station Train Tickets, Departures and Timetables". Northern Trains. from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ^ "Penalty Fares Map". Northern Trains. from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
- ^ "Train times: Sunderland and Newcastle to Hexham and Carlisle" (PDF). Northern Trains. 12 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
External links edit
- Media related to MetroCentre railway station at Wikimedia Commons
- Train times and station information for MetroCentre railway station from National Rail
| Preceding station | National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunston towards Newcastle | Northern Trains Tyne Valley Line | Blaydon towards Carlisle | ||