Tyne & Wear Metro
Locale	Tyne and Wear England
Transit type	Rapid transit
Began operation	1980
System length	77. England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) 7 km (48. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand 3 mi)
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	60
Daily ridership	129,000
Operator(s)	Nexus

Tyne and Wear Metro network

Legend Whitley Bay Monkseaton Cullercoats West Monkseaton Tynemouth Shiremoor North Shields Northumberland Park A19 Meadow Well Percy Main A19 Palmersville Howdon Ashington, Blyth and Tyne Line East Coast Main Line Willington Gut Hadrian Road Wallsend Benton Four Lane Ends Longbenton South Gosforth Depot South Gosforth Regent Centre Wansbeck Road Fawdon A1 Kingston Park Bank Foot Callerton Parkway Airport Newcastle International Airport Walkergate Chillingham Road Ilford Road Byker Ouseburn East Coast Main Line West Jesmond Manors Manors Curve Stock Line Jesmond Haymarket Monument St James Central Station River Tyne (Queen Elizabeth II Bridge) Gateshead Gateshead Stadium Felling Heworth A184 Pelaw Pelaw sidings Hebburn Jarrow A19 River Don Bede A194 Simonside Tyne Dock Chichester South Shields South Shields sidings A194 Fellgate A19 River Don Brockley Whins East Boldon Seaburn Stadium of Light St. Peter's River Wear Sunderland Sunderland sidings Park Lane University Millfield Pallion South Hylton   Durham Coast Line omitted for clarity

The Tyne and Wear Metro is a light rail metro system based around Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead and Sunderland, in the metropolitan county of Tyne and Wear in North East England. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (TWPTE using the brandname of Nexus is the Passenger Transport Executive for the metropolitan county of Tyne and Whitley Bay Metro station is a station on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro network in Whitley Bay, North Tyneside, England. Monkseaton Metro station is a station on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro network in Monkseaton, North Tyneside, England. Cullercoats Metro station is the Tyne and Wear Metro station serving Cullercoats on the North Tyneside coast West Monkseaton Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro in Monkseaton, North Tyneside, England, which was originally opened Tynemouth Metro station is one of the oldest stations and possibly the grandest on the Tyne and Wear Metro network Shiremoor Metro station is on the Yellow Line of the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving the village of Shiremoor, in North Tyneside, England. North Shields Metro Station is on the Tyne and Wear Metro Yellow line Northumberland Park Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro Yellow Line in North Tyneside near Newcastle upon Tyne, England The A19 is a major Road in England, running parallel to and east of the A1 road. Meadow Well Metro Station is on the Tyne and Wear Metro in the UK Percy Main Metro station is a Station on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro in the village of Percy Main, in North Tyneside, The A19 is a major Road in England, running parallel to and east of the A1 road. Palmersville is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro system named for the nearby community Howdon Metro station is a station on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro network in Howdon, North Tyneside, England. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East Hadrian Road Metro station is on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro, in North Tyneside, England. Wallsend Metro station is located towards the centre of Wallsend, a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in Tyne and Wear, England. Benton Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro Yellow line between Four Lane Ends and Palmersville. Four Lane Ends Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro network Longbenton Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro network South Gosforth Metro station is located in a Suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. South Gosforth Metro station is located in a Suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. Regent Centre is a large Business park in the Gosforth area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Wansbeck Road is one of the stations in Newcastle upon Tyne, on the Green Line of the Tyne and Wear Metro, which opened 10 May, 1981. Fawdon Metro station serves the Fawdon area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Kingston Park Metro station serves the Kingson Park Suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne and a Retail park some 6 kilometres north of the city centre Bank Foot Metro station in the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne, (opened 1981) was the terminus of the Tyne and Wear Metro Green line before the extension Callerton Parkway station in Newcastle upon Tyne is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro Green line which opened on 17 November 1991, when the line Airport is a terminus station of the Green line of the Tyne and Wear Metro that serves Newcastle Airport, Newcastle upon Tyne. Newcastle Airport is located in Newcastle upon Tyne, about 6 Miles (11 km) north-west of the city centre Walkergate Metro station in Newcastle upon Tyne is on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro. Chillingham Road Metro station is located in the south of the Heaton area of Newcastle upon Tyne. Ilford Road Metro station is located mid-way between the Newcastle upon Tyne suburbs of Jesmond and Gosforth. Byker Metro station is located in Byker, an area in the east-end of Newcastle upon Tyne. The Ouseburn is a river which flows through Newcastle upon Tyne into the River Tyne. The East Coast Main Line ( ECML) is the electrified high-speed railway link between London and Edinburgh connecting Yorkshire, North East West Jesmond Metro station is one of two Tyne and Wear Metro stations that serve the Suburb of Jesmond in Newcastle upon Tyne. This article refers to the Tyne and Wear Metro station for the National Rail station of the same name please see Manors railway station. Jesmond Metro station is located just north of Newcastle upon Tyne City Centre Haymarket Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro in the north of the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. For the London Underground station see Bank and Monument stations Monument is a principal station on the underground St James Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the west end of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Central Station is an underground station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, which is located below the main line Newcastle railway station. The River Tyne is a River in England. It is formed by the confluence of two rivers the North Tyne and the South Tyne. The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge carries the Tyne and Wear Metro from Newcastle upon Tyne to Gateshead over the River Tyne. Gateshead Interchange is the name of a Transport interchange in the centre of the town of Gateshead, England. Gateshead Stadium Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving the town of Gateshead, England. Felling Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving the district of Felling. Heworth station is a suburban interchange between Bus, Northern Rail and Tyne and Wear Metro services List of A roads beginning with 1 in Great Britain beginning north of the Thames, east of the A1. Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. Hebburn Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in South Tyneside, England. Jarrow Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the centre of the town of Jarrow in South Tyneside, England. The A19 is a major Road in England, running parallel to and east of the A1 road. Bede is the name of a Tyne and Wear Metro station It is named after the Venerable Bede, a Monk who established St Paul's monastery nearby The A194 road is a road in Tyne and Wear, England. It runs northeast from its start at junction 65 of the A1/A1(M near Washington, Simonside Metro station is the name of a Tyne and Wear Metro station in South Tyneside, England, which opened on 17 March 2008 Tyne Dock Metro station is situated on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro system in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, England. Chichester (ˈtʃaɪtʃɛstə is an area of South Shields in the administrative area of Tyne and Wear, North East England. South Shields Metro station is the main Tyne and Wear Metro station for South Shields, England The A194 road is a road in Tyne and Wear, England. It runs northeast from its start at junction 65 of the A1/A1(M near Washington, Fellgate Metro station serves the Fellgate area of Jarrow, in South Tyneside, England. The A19 is a major Road in England, running parallel to and east of the A1 road. Brockley Whins Metro station is on the Tyne and Wear Metro Green Line East Boldon Metro station serves the East Boldon area of South Tyneside, England. Seaburn Metro station was a former National Rail station converted for use by the Tyne and Wear Metro upon the opening of the Sunderland extension Stadium of Light Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, situated to the north of the centre of the city of Sunderland, England. St Peter's Metro Station on the Tyne and Wear Metro is the nearest one to the University of Sunderland 's St Peter's Campus The River Wear (wɪə("wee-er" is a river in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards mostly through County Durham, Sunderland station is a National Rail and Tyne and Wear Metro station in Sunderland, north-east England. Park Lane Interchange' in Sunderland is the second-busiest bus station in the United Kingdom, after Victoria Coach Station in London The University Metro Station on the Tyne and Wear Metro is the nearest one to the University of Sunderland 's City Campus hence the name Millfield is a Suburb, a little to the west of the centre of Sunderland. Pallion Metro Station is on the Green line of the Tyne and Wear Metro. South Hylton Metro station serves the suburb of South Hylton on the banks of the River Wear. Route Middlesbrough Thornaby Stockton Billingham Seaton Carew A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England. It lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. North-East England is one of the nine official Regions of England and comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear The network opened in 1980, and in 2005-2006 provided 36. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. 6 million public journeys on its route of nearly 78 kilometres (48 miles). ^[1] It is operated by Nexus^[2] and is one of only two underground metro-type systems in the UK outside London, the other being the Glasgow Subway. The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (TWPTE using the brandname of Nexus is the Passenger Transport Executive for the metropolitan county of Tyne and London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The Glasgow Subway is an underground metro line in Glasgow, Scotland.

Overview

The Metro is usually described as Britain's first modern light rail system. For specific light rail systems many of which use the words "light rail" as part of their name see List of light-rail transit systems. However, it can be considered a hybrid system, displaying elements of light rail, heavy underground metro, and longer-distance, higher speed suburban and interurban railway systems. A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway or metro(politan system is an electric passenger railway Commuter rail, regional rail or suburban rail is a Passenger rail transport service between a city center and outer suburbs and Commuter towns In Australia "interurban" is a general term for Intercity rail. "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation.

The Metro began operating in 1980, but was an evolutionary development, as it was a pioneering system in the use of existing rights-of-way to create a modern rail transit system,^[3] linking them with purpose-built tunnels under central Newcastle and Gateshead. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) A right-of-way is a strip of land that is granted – through an Easement or other mechanism – for Transportation purposes such as for a Rail line or Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England. It lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. Much of the Metro's route was part of one of the world's first electric urban railway systems, which opened in 1904 on public passenger lines that were then already well established (see Tyneside Electrics). Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on The Tyneside Electric refers to the suburban railways on Tyneside that were electrified by the North Eastern Railway from 1904 onwards and formed one of the earliest ^[4] The Metro alignment comprises most of two of the world's oldest passenger railways, the Newcastle & North Shields Railway (Metro between Chillingham Road and North Shields) and the Brandling Junction Railway (between Gateshead and Monkwearmouth, near the Stadium of Light), both opened in 1839, making the Metro arguably one of the world's oldest local rail transport systems. The Stadium of Light is a football Stadium in Sunderland, North East England which opened in 1997. Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. In the case of Metro's Chichester station, the route of an existing mineral railway was chosen instead of the previous passenger railway alignment, as it passed through a more heavily populated area than the previous High Shields station, This is also the oldest section of the Metro route, dating back to 1834.

Changes

With the opening of the Sunderland extension in 2002,^[5] the Metro became the first UK system to implement a form of the Karlsruhe model, using track shared with mainline trains on the section between Pelaw and Sunderland. Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Karlsruhe model means urban and Heavy rail trains running on the same track Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. ^[6] The section from Sunderland to South Hylton was previously part of the Sunderland to Durham mainline, closed in the wake of the Beeching Axe in the 1960s, and was the second Metro segment to be built on a completely disused line, following on from the Newcastle International Airport extension, which was largely built on the former Ponteland branch line. Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. South Hylton is a suburb in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, on the south bank of the River Wear. Durham (ˈdʌrəm in RP, locally ˈdʏrəm is a small city and main settlement of the City of Durham district of County Durham, England The Beeching Axe is an informal name for the British Government 's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 Newcastle Airport is located in Newcastle upon Tyne, about 6 Miles (11 km) north-west of the city centre Ponteland is a small town situated in Castle Morpeth, Northumberland. ^[7]

When the Metro first opened, it was claimed to be part of the UK's first integrated public transport system. Sustainable transport is a concept developed in reaction to things that have gone visibly wrong with transportation policy practice and performance through much the world over the last The Metro was intended to cover trunk journeys, while buses were reoriented toward shorter local trips, tightly integrated with the Metro schedule, to bring passengers to and from the Metro stations, using unified ticketing. Much was made of the Metro's interchange stations such as Four Lane Ends and Regent Centre, which combined a large parking facility with a bus and Metro station;^[8] this distinction is no longer emphasised. Parking is the act of stopping a Vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time Some passengers complained that the Metro integration was pursued overzealously, and for example, bus passengers to Newcastle Upon Tyne would be forced to change to the Metro in Gateshead for a short trip, rather than have the bus route continue for a short distance further into Newcastle. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Integration lasted until deregulation of bus routes in 1986. However, it is still possible to buy Transfare tickets that combine a Metro and bus journey. A Transfare is an inter-modal ticket available for a single journey within Tyne and Wear.

News and issues

• The Metro has been the subject of criticism from environmental campaigners as it does not permit the carriage of standard bicycles, though there are now storage lockers for these at some stations. Environmentalism is a broad philosophy and Social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the environment. The bicycle, cycle, or bike is a pedal-driven, human-powered vehicle with two wheels attached to a frame, one behind Only small folding bicycles are now permitted on the Metro. A folding bicycle or folder is a type of Bicycle that incorporates Hinges or joints in the frame and handlebar stem that permit it to be

• The Metro long had a problem with fare evasion on the system, due to the lack of ticket inspectors on the trains. Fare evasion, as distinct from Fare avoidance, is the act of illegally travelling on public transport having deliberately not purchased the required ticket to travel Train Conductor (North America The Conductor is the railway employee charged with the management of a freight passenger or various other types of Train, and is In recent years, the number of inspectors has increased, and in 2005 the penalty fare for travelling without a valid ticket was increased from £10 to £20. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. On the United Kingdom 's Public transport systems a penalty fare is a special fare charged at a higher than normal price because the purchaser did not comply with ^[9]

• Northumberland Park Metro station, costing a total of £7. Northumberland Park Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro Yellow Line in North Tyneside near Newcastle upon Tyne, England 5 million^[10] opened on 11 December 2005 and serves a new housing development between Shiremoor and the A19 Holystone Interchange, and is located adjacent to existing track between Palmersville and Shiremoor on the northern loop section of the yellow line. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Shiremoor (originally called Tynemouthshire Moor is a place in North Tyneside. The A19 is a major Road in England, running parallel to and east of the A1 road. It also acts as a feeder station for Nexus' R19 bus service, supporting Cobalt Park business park, the Silverlink Retail park, and North Shields.

• The "Stand clear of the doors please" announcement, which sounded before the doors started to close, was introduced in 1991. In 1996, a contest was held in which several mystery celebrities recorded the phrase, with a prize awarded for correct identification; these recordings were replaced by staff announcements after the contest ended. In order to increase the clarity of the announcement (especially for individuals not fluent in English) the phrase was replaced with "Doors closing" in 2004.

• In May 2007, an elderly woman on a mobility scooter entered the Metro on one side and crashed through the opposite doors falling onto the track. [1] Nexus stated that the doors had not been faulty and that this was the first occasion in 27 years that a set of doors had been forced open.

• On 17 October 2007 services were suspended between Benton and Shiremoor due to track subsidence to the east of Northumberland Park. This appears to have occurred due to the collapse of a disused mineshaft near the station with services suspended for a number of days for remedial work to make the area safe. ^[11]

• The network's newest station, Simonside, opened on 17 March, 2008. Simonside Metro station is the name of a Tyne and Wear Metro station in South Tyneside, England, which opened on 17 March 2008 Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger

Rolling stock

The design of the Metrocars was partly derived from that of the German Stadtbahnwagen B, although the Metrocars were built by Metro-Cammell in Birmingham (now part of Alstom). Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. The Stadtbahnwagen Typ B (translation Type "B" Light Rail Vehicle, short form B-Wagen) is a Light rail vehicle used by several Stadtbahn The Metropolitan Cammell Carriage and Wagon (MCCW was a Birmingham, England based manufacturer of Railway carriages and Wagons based in Birmingham ( ˈbɜːmɪŋəm Ber -ming-um Alstom ( is a large French multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and Transport markets Prior to opening, the Metro's two prototypes (numbered 4001 and 4002; they are still in service) underwent several years of testing at the Metro's own test track on North Tyneside, opened in 1975. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The track was also used to test cars for the Hong Kong MTR, also built by Metro-Cammell. Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders MTR, or Mass Transit Railway, is the Rapid transit Railway system in Hong Kong. However, to accommodate the larger size of the Hong Kong cars, a short above ground test tunnel had to be demolished. The test track was built on the route of an old mineral wagonway, and it is now home to the Stephenson Railway Museum. Wagonways are the horses equipment and tracks used for hauling wagons which preceded steam powered railways There are two styles of waggonway and two spellings The Stephenson Railway Museum is managed by Tyne and Wear Museums on behalf on North Tyneside Council, and is located at Middle Engine Lane in North Shields

The Metro uses the line voltage of 1500 V DC, which was previously used on the Woodhead Line but is now unique in Britain. The Woodhead Line was a railway line linking Sheffield, Penistone and Manchester in the north of England. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Metro has a rated top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph), which it attains on the rural stretches of the line. The vehicles have a minimum turning radius of 50 metres (55 yds), although there are no curves this tight on the system, except for the non-passenger service chord between Manors and West Jesmond.

During the early years of Metro, cars were operated in single and double sets. As single set cars became overcrowded Nexus (operator of the system) resumed to using two cars as standard. ^[12] Single sets are used today, but only to operate the new Sunday service. Single cars became common during construction of the Sunderland extension when some units were taken for testing of the new track.

Metro car external details (Third-angle projection)

Metro car internal details (Third-angle projection)

The prototype Metro car, 4001, has been restored to its original livery (seen here at South Hylton in 2005). Orthographic projection is a means of representing a three- Dimensional (3D object in two dimensions (2D Orthographic projection is a means of representing a three- Dimensional (3D object in two dimensions (2D Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

A Tyne & Wear Metro train heading for South Shields stopping at Kingston Park station. South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne. Kingston Park is a suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne 6 km north west of the city centre

A Tyne & Wear Metro train shown crossing a level crossing. The term level crossing (also called a railroad crossing, road through railroad, railway crossing, train crossing or grade crossing

Metro sign near Newcastle University. Newcastle University is a leading research intensive University located in Newcastle upon Tyne in the north-east of England.

Route

The Metro system currently consists of two lines:

• Green line - Newcastle Airport to South Hylton via Newcastle upon Tyne city centre, Gateshead, Sunderland city centre and continuing on to South Hylton. Newcastle Airport is located in Newcastle upon Tyne, about 6 Miles (11 km) north-west of the city centre South Hylton is a suburb in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, on the south bank of the River Wear. Newcastle upon Tyne ( (often shortened to Newcastle) is a city and Metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, England Gateshead is a town in Tyne and Wear, England. It lies on the southern bank of the River Tyne, opposite Newcastle upon Tyne. Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. South Hylton is a suburb in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, on the south bank of the River Wear. ^[13]
• Yellow line - St James to South Shields via North Shields, Tynemouth, Whitley Bay, then looping back on itself and going south via the city centre again to Gateshead, the Jarrow and South Shields. St James' Park is an All-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom. South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne. North Shields (or locally just Shields) is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North This article concerns itself with the village For the Parliament constituency of the same name see Tynemouth (UK Parliament constituency Tynemouth Whitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England Jarrow (ˈjæroʊ or /ˈjærə/ is a Town on the River Tyne, England with a Population around 27000 (2001 Census) South Shields is a coastal town in Tyne and Wear, England, located at the mouth of the River Tyne. ^[14]

Originally there was also a Red line that ran between Pelaw and Benton, and a Blue line that ran between St James and North Shields. Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. Benton is a district approximately four miles to the north east of Newcastle upon Tyne. North Shields (or locally just Shields) is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North Additional trains ran on these lines during peak hours to increase the service frequency at the busier stations; they also made sense in the context of the extensions that were mooted at the time the Metro was opened. Rush hour at Shinjuku 02JPG|thumb|right|250px|Rush hour at Shinjuku Station, Yamanote Line]] A rush hour or peak hour is a part of the day during which Many of these additional services still operate today, but are now considered Yellow line services.

Geographically accurate map of the Tyne and Wear Metro system.

See also: List of Tyne and Wear Metro stations

Distances

The blue plate on the electrification mast shows Howdon to be at kilometre point BP 19. The following is a list of Tyne and Wear Metro stations Purpose-built stations The following stations were built specifically for the Tyne and Wear Metro system Howdon Metro station is a station on the Yellow line of the Tyne and Wear Metro network in Howdon, North Tyneside, England. 732.

Distances on the system are measured relative to a datum point at South Gosforth. South Gosforth Metro station is located in a Suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. The system is metric, with distances reported in km to the nearest m. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Lines are designated as OUT and IN. The IN line is the line from St. James to South Shields via the inside of the loop (yellow line). St James Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the west end of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. South Shields Metro station is the main Tyne and Wear Metro station for South Shields, England The OUT line is the line from South Shields to St. James via the outside of the loop. By extension the IN line is also the line from Airport to South Gosforth, and onwards from Pelaw to Sunderland and South Hylton. Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. Sunderland station is a National Rail and Tyne and Wear Metro station in Sunderland, north-east England. South Hylton Metro station serves the suburb of South Hylton on the banks of the River Wear. Distance plates are mounted on all overhead line structures and these are used for references. Overhead lines or overhead wires are used to transmit Electrical energy to Trams Trolleybuses or Trains at a distance from the Different distances are normally quoted for stations, depending upon whether the direction of travel is IN or OUT. Distances increase from the datum in all directions. ^[15]

The Sunderland extension, being Network Rail owned, uses the miles and chains system. Network Rail is a British "not for dividend" Company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited a company limited The boundary between systems close to Pelaw Metro Junction. ^[16]

Notable features

Wallsend station is probably the only station in Britain with signs in Latin. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome.

• The Tyne and Wear Metro was the first railway in the UK to operate using the metric system; all its speeds and distances are measured in metric units only. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located

• Smoking has been forbidden on the entire system since service began; this was one of the first comprehensive smoking bans. Tobacco Smoking is the inhalation of smoke from burned dried or cured leaves of the Tobacco plant most often in the form of a Cigarette. Smoking bans are public policies including Criminal laws and Occupational safety and health Regulations which prohibit Tobacco smoking ^[17]

• A large-scale public artwork by Nayan Kulkarni, Nocturne, consisting of a moving kaleidoscope of light travelling along the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (which carries the Metro between Newcastle and Gateshead) was inaugurated in April 2007. The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge carries the Tyne and Wear Metro from Newcastle upon Tyne to Gateshead over the River Tyne. April 2007 is the fourth month of that year It began on a Sunday and 30 days later ended on a Monday.

• Wallsend station is probably the only public facility in Britain in which the signage is in Latin. Wallsend Metro station is located towards the centre of Wallsend, a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in Tyne and Wear, England. Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Artist Michael Pinsky was commissioned to create the bilingual signs, along with a map of Hadrian's Wall in the style of the Metro map, to commemorate the area's Roman heritage and its location near the Segedunum Roman fort at the end of the wall. Hadrian's Wall ( Latin: perhaps Vallum Aelium, "the Aelian wall" is a stone and turf Fortification built by the Roman Ancient Rome was a Civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC Segedunum ("strong fort" was a Roman fort at modern-day Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England, UK. The Latin word castra, with its singular castrum, was used by the ancient Romans to mean buildings or plots of land reserved to or constructed for use as a military The project was part of Newcastle and Gateshead's unsuccessful joint bid to become European Capital of Culture in 2008. The European Capital of Culture is a city designated by the European Union for a period of one Calendar year during which it is given a chance to showcase its 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common ^[18]

• Before tunnelling could begin, several disused mineshafts in Newcastle and Gateshead, some of them hundreds of years old, had to be completely filled in.

• Although the Metro opened in 1980, most of its route was previously part of one of the world's first electric suburban railways, which began service in 1904. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Year 1904 ( MCMIV) was a Leap year starting on Friday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting on

• The Metro incorporates almost all of two passenger railways that began operation in 1839: the Newcastle & North Shields Railway (Metro between Chillingham Road and North Shields), and the Brandling Junction Railway (Metro between Gateshead Stadium and Stadium of Light). Year 1839 ( MDCCCXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common Chillingham Road Metro station is located in the south of the Heaton area of Newcastle upon Tyne. North Shields Metro Station is on the Tyne and Wear Metro Yellow line Gateshead Stadium Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving the town of Gateshead, England. Stadium of Light Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, situated to the north of the centre of the city of Sunderland, England. Apart from engineering breaks, such as the time required for conversion to Metro, the two lines have been in continual use as passenger railways for over 165 years. Engineering is the Discipline and Profession of applying technical and scientific Knowledge and This article is about passengers in commercial transportation for other uses see Passenger (disambiguation A passenger is a term broadly used

• The very oldest part of the Metro alignment has been in use for over 170 years — the section between the end of the tunnel approaching Tyne Dock and Chichester, which was part of the Stanhope & Tyne Railway, opened in 1834. Tyne Dock is a small neighbourhood within the town of South Shields, England, on the south of the River Tyne. Chichester (ˈtʃaɪtʃɛstə is an area of South Shields in the administrative area of Tyne and Wear, North East England. Year 1834 ( MDCCCXXXIV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common

• The Metro is the first underground train network in the UK to install repeaters allowing customers to use their mobile phone in tunnels, an achievement that is being closely watched by the London Underground. A repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and Retransmits it at a higher level and/or higher power or onto the other side of an obstruction The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire

• The Metro pioneered the playing of classical music in some of its stations, which had a positive effect on reducing vandalism on the premises. Classical music is a broad term that usually refers to mainstream music produced in or rooted in the traditions of Western liturgical and Secular music In 2005 the London Underground began to follow the Metro's example. The London Underground is a Metro system serving a large part of Greater London and neighbouring areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire ^[19]

Fare dodgers are exposed

• For many years, the Metro was the only rapid-transit system in the world with a "pretzel" configuration in which a line crosses over itself and trains pass through the same station twice at different platforms, as yellow line trains do at Monument Station. A pretzel is a bread pastry of German origin that has the shape of a three looped Knot or twisted braid It was joined by the Vancouver SkyTrain in Canada and the RandstadRail tram system in the Netherlands in 2006. The SkyTrain is a two-line urban mass transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page RandstadRail is a Light rail project in the southern area of the Randstad Conurbation in the west of The Netherlands. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Toronto had previously experimented with a pretzel configuration in 1966. The Toronto subway and RT is the main Rapid transit (RT railway system in Toronto, Ontario, Canada operated by the Toronto Bay is a station on the Bloor-Danforth line of the subway system in Toronto, Canada. Year 1966 ( MCMLXVI) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the 1966 Gregorian calendar. ^[20]

• The Metro network employs a variant of the Karlsruhe model between Pelaw and Sunderland, which means it shares tracks with heavy rail freight and passenger services, so-called because of its initial use in the city of Karlsruhe where the cities trams operate on conventional railways lines. The Karlsruhe model means urban and Heavy rail trains running on the same track A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train ^[21] Freight trains already used the Metro infrastructure from Bank Foot to Benton stations for the first decade of operations.

• Metro is one of the few systems where the names of people convicted to fines for not paying their fare (fare dodgers or losers as they were referred to as on the original signs) are shown on posters entitled "Names and Shames" in the stations in a kind of shameful exposure somewhat comparable to the stocks. FINE was created in 1998 and is an informal association of the four main Fair Trade networks F Fairtrade Labelling Organizations International A fare is the Fee paid by a traveler allowing him or her to make use of a Public transport system rail, Bus, taxi, etc Stocks are devices used since Medieval times for Public humiliation, Corporal punishment, and Torture.

Opening dates

Current issues

Timetable constraints

Since the opening of the Sunderland extension, Nexus found that the standard of service across the Metro network fell. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) This article concerns itself with the village For the Parliament constituency of the same name see Tynemouth (UK Parliament constituency Tynemouth Haymarket Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro in the north of the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. Whitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England Gosforth is an area of Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England to the north of the city centre Events 1291 - Scottish Nobles recognize the authority of Edward I of England. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 South Gosforth Metro station is located in a Suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne in England. Bank Foot Metro station in the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne, (opened 1981) was the terminus of the Tyne and Wear Metro Green line before the extension Fawdon Metro station serves the Fawdon area of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Haymarket Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro in the north of the city centre of Newcastle upon Tyne. Heworth station is a suburban interchange between Bus, Northern Rail and Tyne and Wear Metro services For the London Underground station see Bank and Monument stations Monument is a principal station on the underground Events 1533 - Conquistadors from Spain under the leadership of Francisco Pizarro arrive in Cajamarca, Inca Year 1982 ( MCMLXXXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link displays the 1982 Gregorian calendar) St James Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the west end of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. This article concerns itself with the village For the Parliament constituency of the same name see Tynemouth (UK Parliament constituency Tynemouth For the London Underground station see Bank and Monument stations Monument is a principal station on the underground Wallsend Metro station is located towards the centre of Wallsend, a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in Tyne and Wear, England. North Shields (or locally just Shields) is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North Events 1401 - Mongol emperor Timur sacks Damascus. 1603 - James VI of Scotland Year 1984 ( MCMLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1984 Gregorian calendar) Heworth station is a suburban interchange between Bus, Northern Rail and Tyne and Wear Metro services South Shields Metro station is the main Tyne and Wear Metro station for South Shields, England Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. Jarrow Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the centre of the town of Jarrow in South Tyneside, England. Events 668 - Eastern Roman Emperor Constans II is assassinated in his bath at Syracuse Italy. Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Kingston Park Metro station serves the Kingson Park Suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne and a Retail park some 6 kilometres north of the city centre Events 1400 - Owain Glyndŵr is declared Prince of Wales by his followers Year 1985 ( MCMLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link displays 1985 Gregorian calendar) Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. Events 1279 - A Mongolian victory in the Battle of Yamen ends the Song Dynasty in China. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Palmersville is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro system named for the nearby community Events 284 - Diocletian is proclaimed emperor by his soldiers Year 1991 ( MCMXCI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar. Bank Foot Metro station in the suburbs of Newcastle upon Tyne, (opened 1981) was the terminus of the Tyne and Wear Metro Green line before the extension Airport is a terminus station of the Green line of the Tyne and Wear Metro that serves Newcastle Airport, Newcastle upon Tyne. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. Pelaw Metro station serves the Pelaw area of Gateshead, England. South Hylton Metro station serves the suburb of South Hylton on the banks of the River Wear. Sunderland (, or /ˈsʌn(dlən/ is a City in Tyne and Wear, England. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Airport is a terminus station of the Green line of the Tyne and Wear Metro that serves Newcastle Airport, Newcastle upon Tyne. South Hylton Metro station serves the suburb of South Hylton on the banks of the River Wear. St James Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, in the west end of the centre of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. South Shields Metro station is the main Tyne and Wear Metro station for South Shields, England Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Northumberland Park Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro Yellow Line in North Tyneside near Newcastle upon Tyne, England Events 45 BC - In his last victory Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Simonside Metro station is the name of a Tyne and Wear Metro station in South Tyneside, England, which opened on 17 March 2008 This was mainly due to Network Rail stipulations requiring Metro services to be timetabled at least three minutes apart from the mainline trains at Pelaw and Sunderland. Network Rail is a British "not for dividend" Company limited by guarantee whose principal asset is Network Rail Infrastructure Limited a company limited The stipulations mean that it is difficult for Metro services to run to a regular timetable.

As a result of the above, Nexus decided to reduce the number of mainline services between Sunderland and Newcastle from 36 per day to 22, this was effective from 11 December 2005. Events 359 - Honoratus, the first known Prefect of the City of Constantinople, takes office Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This allows Metro trains to run at evenly spaced 12-minute intervals throughout the day between Sunderland and Newcastle.

Poor patronage on Sunderland extension

The patronage on the section of the route between Park Lane and South Hylton has failed to meet targets. In 2004–2005 fewer than half the passengers predicted to use the service between these two points did so. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In addition, passenger numbers have fallen on this section since 2003–2004. Year 2003 ( MMIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " This has led Nexus to introduce a 50% reduction in services between Park Lane and South Hylton, again effective from December 2005. PortalCurrent events News collections and sources See WikipediaNews collections and sources. One possible reason for the lack of patronage is that there are only four stations on this section of route, therefore the vast majority of people living in Sunderland would have to first take a bus, then a Metro or mainline Train. A train is a connected series of vehicles that move along a track ( Permanent way) to transport freight or passengers from one place to another The line also runs along the south bank of the River Wear, further limiting its catchment area. The River Wear (wɪə("wee-er" is a river in North East England, rising in the Pennines and flowing eastwards mostly through County Durham, Park Lane's westbound platform is now used only for through trains to South Hylton. Those trains which terminate at Park Lane cross over onto the northbound platform for passengers to alight.

Corporate identity and livery

From the beginning, the Metro system employed a distinctive design and corporate identity, in part to distinguish itself from the decrepit rail system it replaced, but also to match the livery of the bus system then in use. Design is used both as a Noun and a Verb. The term is often tied to the various Applied arts and Engineering (See design disciplines In Marketing, a corporate identity is the "persona" of a Corporation which is designed to accord with and facilitate the attainment of business objectives The Calvert typeface, used for signage and in printed materials, was designed specifically for the Metro by Margaret Calvert. In Typography, a typeface is a set of one or more Fonts designed with stylistic unity each comprising a coordinated set of Glyphs A typeface usually comprises Margaret Calvert (b 1936 South Africa) is a Typographer and Graphic designer who along with colleague Jock Kinneir, designed many of the road The corporate identity was revised in 1998, de-emphasising the Calvert font, and adding the word Metro to its M logo. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) A logo ( Greek el λογότυπος = el-Latn logotypos is a graphical element ( Ideogram, Symbol, Emblem, Icon, Sign)

The Metro fleet was initially painted in a two-tone livery of cadmium yellow and white that matched the Metro station design of the time, as well as the livery of the Tyne and Wear bus fleet until 1986. A livery is a Uniform or other sign worn in a non-military context on a person or object (such as an airplane or Vehicle) to denote a relationship Go North East was originally the founding company of the Go-Ahead Group. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) In the mid-1990s a new colour scheme was introduced, with Metrocars painted solid red, green, or blue, with a yellow wedge at each end and yellow triangles on the doors. The 1990s collectively refers to the years between and including 1990 and 1999 Red is any of a number of similar Colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of Light discernible by the human eye in the wavelength Green is a Color, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a Wavelength of roughly 520–570- nm. Blue is a Colour, the Perception of which is evoked by This scheme was modified slightly in 2005, in part to comply with safety regulations (the doors are now solid yellow). Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In addition, many Metrocars have carried full-body advertising. The initial prototype (no. 4001) has been repainted in its initial yellow-and-beige livery (see image above)

The future

Yellow, Green - existing Metro lines run by Nexus. Black - Tyne passenger ferry run by Nexus. Dark grey - proposed extensions on existing rail lines. Light grey - proposed extensions requiring new track.

Haymarket Station renovation

Further plans call for Haymarket station in Newcastle city centre to be renovated as part of an overall improvement of the site; it will include leisure and retail facilities. Renovation started in 2008. ^[23]

Further coverage by the Metro

In 2002 Nexus unveiled an expansion plan that would extend the Metro system by adding new sections using street running, this changing the Metro into a high-end tram system. See also 2002 (disambiguation Year 2002 ( MMII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train Nexus argued that this would provide a cost-effective way to introduce rail service to parts of Tyne and Wear the current Metro services did not reach. The plan listed a number of routes, not all of which were to be built as rail lines; transitional bus services were envisioned that could be replaced by trams as demand increased. However, the original Project Orpheus has been abandoned, possibly because of the government's present "value-for-money" policies for public transport. This increased scrutiny has affected expansion plans for other light-rail systems such as Manchester Metrolink, where an expansion scheme was halted even after construction had begun. Manchester Metro redirects here - for the Manchester Metroshuttle free bus routes see Metroshuttle or First Manchester Manchester Metrolink Critics have said that Government policies now overtly favour bus schemes. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. A Metro link to Washington failed to gain Government backing, despite the existence of substantial railway rights of way to both Pelaw and Sunderland; preliminary support was offered only to a guided bus scheme. Washington is a town within the Metropolitan borough of the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. For the government of parliamentary systems see Executive (government. Guided buses are Buses steered for part or all of their route by external means usually on a dedicated track.

Doubling of single-track section

Another project, to remove the last section of single track in the Metro system, between Pelaw and Bede, would cost around £12 million, and would allow freight trains to use the Metro infrastructure. See also Pound (currency.The pound sign (" £ " or " ₤ " is the symbol for the Pound sterling —the currency of the Again, the Government has expressed doubts as to whether it considers this would be cost-effective. This however is included in a revised Project Orpheus. Along with the improvements to the current system, a Tyne and Wear Metro improvement and regeneration project is currently proposed with plans outlined in the Adobe external links document. As of 2005, there has been discussion of a public-private partnership to raise the funds necessary to modernise the Metro system. Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Public-private partnership ( PPP) describes a government service or private business venture which is funded and operated through a partnership of government and one or more

Suggested extensions

Currently Considered suggestions:

• Tyne Dock to East Boldon along one of two dismantled railway alignments could easily be added, as only a short distance lies between two Metro lines. Tyne Dock is a small neighbourhood within the town of South Shields, England, on the south of the River Tyne. The Boldons are a group of three villages in England - East Boldon, West Boldon and Boldon Colliery - bordering the north of Sunderland "Railroad" and "Railway" both redirect here For other uses see Railroad (disambiguation. This provides a service from South Shields direct to Sunderland City Centre via the Whiteleas area of South Shields. Suggested by the South Tyneside Local Development Framework and reported by local newspaper the Shields Gazette in January 2008.

Among extensions proposed at various times, none of which is currently being considered, are:

• Washington, either via the disused Leamside Line or a new route. Washington is a town within the Metropolitan borough of the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. History The line opened in 1839 and was formed from the original lines of the Newcastle and Darlington Junction Railway and the Durham Junction Railway Present planning may lead to the Leamside Line being opened as a conventional passenger rail line instead. The government favours guided-bus service to Washington.

• Blyth & Ashington, running on existing little-used freight lines. Blyth ( or spelling pronunciation) is a Town in southeast Northumberland, England. Ashington is a town in the Wansbeck district of Northumberland, England. Northumberland Park station is being built to provide a link to a potential new rail service to these communities; if opened, it will not be a part of the Metro system.

• Killingworth and Cramlington have been planned since Metro was on the drawing board, but would require widening of the busy East Coast main line to four tracks, which would be expensive, or a new alignment involving street running. Killingworth, formerly Killingworth Township, is a town north of Newcastle Upon Tyne, in North Tyneside, United Kingdom. The Town of Cramlington in the county of Northumberland is situated nine miles north of the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne in the north-east of

• The West End of Newcastle would require entirely new track involving tunneling and bridging in rough terrain; this would be very costly and is perhaps least likely to receive funding, though would probably have the highest potential ridership.

• Ryhope, in southern Sunderland, has been mooted as an extension using existing railway lines. Ryhope is a coastal village along the southern boundary of the City of Sunderland, in Tyne and Wear, North East England. This route is under criticism at present due to the further reduction in Northern Rail services that would likely have to follow.

Seaham - a proposal was drawn up by Tyne and Wear Passenger Authority to extend Metro southbound to Seaham. The suggested connection to Seaham would run on a section of the existing Durham coast line, south of Sunderland.

External links

• Tyne and Wear Metro official website
• Nexus - Metro Operator home page
  • Nexus - How the T&W Metro could look in the future at Haymarket station
  • Nexus - Plans for improvement and extension of the Metro
  • Nexus - Statistics of the Tyne and Wear Metro
• TheTrams.co.uk Tyne and Wear Metro article
• Identifont - Characters of the Calvert font used on Metro signage
• Commissioning the Sunderland Direct extension in 2002

References

See also

• List of rapid transit systems
• List of Tyne and Wear Metro stations
• London Underground
• Rail transport
• Dublin Metro