Tynemouth Station

Tynemouth Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro network. It was designed by William Bell for the North Eastern Railway Company. and is Grade II* listed on the National Heritage List for England. As well as serving the Tyne and Wear Metro, it hosts a number of permanent businesses, and a weekly market. North Tyneside Council and Millhouse Developments jointly own Station Developments Limited, which in turn is the owner of Tynemouth station.

History

The railway station was opened in 1882 by the North Eastern Railway. It served as the terminus for the first section of the Metro network from Tynemouth to Haymarket (in Newcastle City Centre) via Benton and Jesmond, that opened on 11 August 1980; all trains used the present platform 2.

It became a through station once more on 14 November 1982 when the section to St James via North Shields, Wallsend and Monument became the fourth section of the network to commence services. British Rail continued to use the bay platforms at the southern end of Platform 2 for services from Newcastle via Wallsend until the day before the first section of the Metro opened, meaning that Tynemouth station never closed.

Regeneration

In 2007, English Heritage placed the station on its "at-risk" register of notable buildings in need of restoration. In early April 2009 plans regarding proposed regeneration of the station, were put on show briefly to members of the public and local businesses.

North Tyneside Council's Planning Committee received a planning application dated 16 September 2009 which envisaged substantial redevelopment of the Tynemouth Metro Station site. The owners of the site, Station Developments Limited wished to build a 16,000 sqft supermarket on the site, as well as other improvements. A leading supermarket chain was said to have shown interest. The insertion of a supermarket of such size would be likely to have a large effect on the amenity of the surrounding area, which is a designated conservation area.

The station was renovated in 2012, and following the revamp it was officially opened by Anne, Princess Royal on 2 July 2012.

Services

Trains from St James and Monument travel onwards anti-clockwise around the North Tyneside Loop to South Shields via Four Lane Ends, Central Station, today call at Platform 1, while services running in the opposite direction stop at Platform 2.

Events

A weekly market is held in the station concourse every Saturday and Sunday, which doubles as a farmers' market once a month.

The Friends of Tynemouth Station have held book fairs several times a year, and they have also arranged the displays of artwork that are regularly seen in the central section of the bridge and hanging from the roof area at the station.

The station concourse is also used as an events area during the annual Mouth of the Tyne Festival.