102-614: The Byker Viaduct (also known as the Byker Metro Bridge ) is a 2,674 ft (815 m) curved S-shaped light railway bridge, which carries the Tyne and Wear Metro over the River Ouseburn in Newcastle upon Tyne . It carries the line from Manors Metro station in the city centre to the west, to Byker Metro station in the area of Byker to the east, over the lower Ouseburn valley, with
204-566: A Downer Rail / CRRC joint venture, Hitachi and Stadler Rail were short-listed to build the new fleet. Stadler was awarded a contract to build and maintain 42 five-carriage light rail vehicles in January 2020, with deliveries to commence in late 2021 and all trains to be in passenger service by 2024. The new trains will feature next stop audio-visual information displays, Tube -style linear seating to increase capacity, wider doors and aisles, air conditioning, WiFi and charging points. Following
306-463: A municipal borough and in 1889 it was made a county borough , independent from Durham County Council . In 1870, the Old Town Hall was built, designed by John Johnstone who also designed the previously built Newcastle Town Hall . The ornamental clock in front of the old town hall was presented to Gateshead in 1892 by the mayor, Walter de Lancey Willson, on the occasion of him being elected for
408-666: A temperate climate which is considerably warmer than some other locations at similar latitudes as a result of the warming influence of the Gulf Stream (via the North Atlantic drift ). It is located in the rain shadow of the North Pennines and is therefore in one of the driest regions of the United Kingdom . One of the most distinguishing features of Gateshead is its topography . The land rises 230 feet from Gateshead Quays to
510-501: A 70 m (230 ft) stretch of dual track, to be used to carry out infrastructure training, including track, points, signalling and overhead line. The site is also used to stable and maintain a small number of vehicles. During March 2020, the government announced a £103 million scheme, known as Metro Flow , during the 2020 Budget . The project aims to increase frequency from five to six trains per hour, reduce journey times and improve service reliability. From September 2022,
612-524: A Gateshead Quays cultural quarter. The development includes the Gateshead Millennium Bridge , erected in 2001, which won the prestigious Stirling Prize for Architecture in 2002. The brutalist Trinity Centre Car Park , which was designed by Owen Luder , dominated the town centre for many years until its demolition in 2010. A product of attempts to regenerate the area in the 1960s, the car park gained an iconic status due to its appearance in
714-644: A Metro up to every three minutes between Pelaw and South Gosforth , at peak times. Originally, there was also a Red Line between Heworth (later Pelaw) and Benton and a Blue Line between St James and North Shields. Additional trains ran on these lines during peak hours to increase the frequency at the busier stations. [REDACTED] Cycle lockers [REDACTED] All stations have step-free access [REDACTED] Cycle lockers [REDACTED] All stations have step-free access All stations have cycle racks or StreetPods Additional trains operate between Pelaw and Monkseaton at peak times The Metro Control Centre
816-455: A contract to run the operations side of the business on its behalf. The successful bidder was to obtain a seven-year contract commencing on 1 April 2010, with up to an additional two years depending on performance. In February 2009, four bids were shortlisted: DB Regio , MTR Corporation , Serco-Abellio , and an in-house bid from Nexus. By October 2009, the shortlist had been reduced to bids from DB Regio and Nexus. In December 2009, DB Regio
918-525: A converted flour mill. The Glasshouse International Centre for Music , previously The Sage, a Norman Foster -designed venue for music and the performing arts opened on 17 December 2004. Gateshead also hosted the Gateshead Garden Festival in 1990, rejuvenating 200 acres (0.81 km ) of derelict land (now mostly replaced with housing). The Angel of the North , a famous sculpture in nearby Lamesley ,
1020-554: A cost of £12 million. The Tyne and Wear Metro is currently operated from a single depot, also based in Gosforth . The depot was opened in 1923 by the London and North Eastern Railway and was used to house the former Tyneside Electrics stock. The depot was inherited by Metro, prior to the system's opening in August 1980. The depot is located at the centre of the triangular fork between
1122-436: A crane and secured using an epoxy resin and steel cables. The slopes of the valley prevented the effective use of a straightforward winch on the deck itself. Each web of the structure feature multiple large unreinforced shear keys , the 2.2m deep segments have three keys per web while up to five keys are used on the deeper sections. A complete span could be erected on temporary supports using only bar prestressing, after which
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#17328525786841224-623: A legal record, dated 1430. Throughout the Industrial Revolution the population of Gateshead expanded rapidly; between 1801 and 1901 the increase was over 100,000. This expansion resulted in the spread southwards of the town. In 1854, a catastrophic explosion on the quayside destroyed most of Gateshead's medieval heritage, and caused widespread damage on the Newcastle side of the river. Sir Joseph Swan lived at Underhill, Low Fell, Gateshead from 1869 to 1883, where his experiments led to
1326-658: A maximum speed of 80 km/h (50 mph). The first units to be built were two prototypes, numbered 4001 and 4002, which were delivered for testing in 1975. These were followed by 88 production units, which were built between 1978 and 1981. The design of the Metrocar was based on the Stadtbahnwagen B , a German light rail vehicle developed in the early 1970s. The units were built by Metro-Cammell , Washwood Heath . The fleet has been refurbished several times and several liveries have been used. The original livery used at opening
1428-529: A new fleet of 46 (originally 42) units, designed by Swiss manufacturer, Stadler . Delivery of the new rolling stock began in February 2023, with the first unit expected to enter service some time between September and November 2023, and the remainder following into 2024 or 2025. It will also see the introduction of a new signalling system, overhaul and maintenance of structures, track and overhead lines, and further station improvements. In July 2018, Nexus announced
1530-494: A new underground section to better serve the busy central areas of Newcastle and Gateshead , as it was felt that the existing rail network didn't serve these areas adequately. This new system was intended to be the core of a new integrated transport network, with buses acting as feeders to purpose-built transport interchanges. The plans were approved by the Tyneside Metropolitan Railway Act 1973 (c. xxxii), which
1632-417: A small group of Newcastle merchants acquired the 'Grand Lease' of the manors of Gateshead and Whickham . In the hundred years from 1574 coal shipments from Newcastle increased elevenfold while the population of Gateshead doubled to approximately 5,500. However, the lease and the abundant coal supplies ended in 1680. The pits were shallow as problems of ventilation and flooding defeated attempts to mine coal from
1734-507: A spray-on compound. On 11 November 1982, the viaduct was opened to traffic as part of the St James to Tynemouth section of the Metro. The completed bridge is 27 ft (8.2 m) wide, and carries standard gauge double tracks up to 30 m (98 ft) above the ground, with 18 spans up to 226 ft (69 m) long; six of the spans are over the river valley, with the remainder continuing on
1836-571: A third time. He was also one of the founders of Walter Willson's, a chain of grocers in the North East and Cumbria. The old town hall also served as a magistrate's court and one of Gateshead's police stations. In 1974, following the Local Government Act 1972 , the County Borough of Gateshead was merged with the urban districts of Felling , Whickham , Blaydon and Ryton and part of
1938-430: A town", adding that it appeared to have been designed "by an enemy of the human race". William Wailes the celebrated stained-glass maker, lived at South Dene from 1853 to 1860. In 1860, he designed Saltwell Towers as a fairy-tale palace for himself. It is an imposing Victorian mansion in its own park with a romantic skyline of turrets and battlements. It was originally furnished sumptuously by Gerrard Robinson. Some of
2040-477: A unified marketing brand name, NewcastleGateshead , to better promote the whole of the Tyneside conurbation. Climate in this area has small differences between highs and lows, and there is adequate rainfall year-round to meet the criterion for Oceanic climate, at least 30 mm per month. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is " Cfb " (Marine West Coast Climate/ Oceanic climate ). The town
2142-463: A unit moving under its own power for the first time, prior to beginning full trials. The first of the new fleet arrived at the Metro depot on 28 February 2023. As of 2024, three of these first nine units delivered had completed their daytime testing and the focus was moving to driver training. Nexus stated that it expects to have the first units in service by the end of 2024, but again no specific date has been given. In addition to passenger trains,
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#17328525786842244-1012: Is a cricket club and a rugby club adjacent to each other on Eastwood Gardens. These are Gateshead Fell Cricket Club and Gateshead Rugby Club. Gateshead Rugby Club was formed in 1998 following the merger of Gateshead Fell Rugby Club and North Durham Rugby Club. Gateshead is served by the following rail transport stations with some being operated by National Rail and some being Tyne & Wear Metro stations: Dunston , Felling , Gateshead Interchange , Gateshead Stadium , Heworth Interchange , MetroCentre and Pelaw . Tyne & Wear Metro stations at Gateshead Interchange and Gateshead Stadium provide direct light-rail access to Newcastle Central , Newcastle Airport , Sunderland , Tynemouth and South Shields Interchange . National Rail services are provided by Northern at Dunston and MetroCentre stations. The East Coast Main Line , which runs from London Kings Cross to Edinburgh Waverley , cuts directly through
2346-729: Is a town in the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough of Tyne and Wear , England. It is on the River Tyne 's southern bank. The town's attractions include the twenty metre tall Angel of the North sculpture on the town's southern outskirts, The Glasshouse International Centre for Music and the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art . The town shares the Millennium Bridge , Tyne Bridge and multiple other bridges with Newcastle upon Tyne . Historically part of County Durham , under
2448-410: Is based at Gosforth , in a building alongside the station at South Gosforth . It is responsible for operating the network's signalling and electrical supply, as well as being used to communicate with train drivers and other staff using two-way radio equipment. The original equipment at the control centre was replaced in 2007, with a new computerised signalling control system installed in August 2018 at
2550-573: Is policed by British Transport Police . The rest of the network is policed by Northumbria Police . When the Tyne and Wear Metro first opened, it was intended to form part of an integrated public transport system, with the local bus network reconfigured to act as 'feeder' services for the Metro. The Metro was intended to cover trunk journeys, while buses were re-designed towards shorter, local trips, to bring passengers to and from Metro stations, using unified ticketing , and with their timetable integrated with
2652-632: Is visible from the A1 to the south of Gateshead, as well as from the East Coast Main Line . Other public art include works by Richard Deacon , Colin Rose, Sally Matthews , Andy Goldsworthy , Gordon Young and Michael Winstone . The earliest recorded coal mining in the Gateshead area is dated to 1344. As trade on the Tyne prospered there were several attempts by the burghers of Newcastle to annex Gateshead. In 1576
2754-667: Is within the wider Tyne & Wear Green Belt, with its portion in much of its surrounding rural area of the borough. It is a part of the local development plan which is in conjunction with Newcastle city borough, and was created in the 1960s. Its stated aims are to: In the Gateshead borough boundary, as well as the aforementioned areas, it also surrounds the communities of Chopwell , Crawcrook , Greenside , High Spen , Kibblesworth , Lockhaugh, Rowlands Gill , Ryton , Sunniside , as well several small hamlets. Landscape features and facilities such as woods and nature reserves, local golf courses, Burdon Moor and Whinell Hill are also within
2856-545: The City of Sunderland (together forming Tyne and Wear ). It has been described as the "first modern light rail system in the United Kingdom". The system is currently both owned and operated by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive (Nexus), thus is fully under public ownership and operation. The Metro was originally conceived of during the early 1970s, incorporating much of the earlier infrastructure formerly used by
2958-510: The Football League in 1960 in favour of Peterborough United , whilst Gateshead Thunder lost their place in Super League as a result of a takeover (officially termed a merger) by Hull F.C. Both Gateshead clubs continue to ply their trade at lower levels in their respective sports, thanks mainly to the efforts of their supporters. The Gateshead Senators American Football team also use
3060-582: The Local Government Act 1888 the town was made a county borough , meaning it was administered independently of the county council . In the 2021 Census , the town had a population of 196,151. Gateshead is first mentioned in Latin translation in Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People as ad caput caprae ("at the goat's head"). This interpretation is consistent with the later English attestations of
3162-675: The Roman-British fort of Gabrosentum . There has been a settlement on the Gateshead side of the River Tyne, around the old river crossing where the Swing Bridge now stands, since Roman times. The first recorded mention of Gateshead is in the writings of the Venerable Bede who referred to an Abbot of Gateshead called Utta in 623. In 1068 William the Conqueror defeated the forces of Edgar
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3264-541: The Tyneside Electrics network), and a short stretch of the freight-only Ponteland Railway between South Gosforth and Bank Foot , which had not seen any passenger traffic since 1929. The converted railway lines were to be connected by around 6 mi (10 km) of new infrastructure, which was built both to separate the Metro from the existing rail network, and also to create the new underground routes under Newcastle and Gateshead. Around 4 mi (6 km) of
3366-405: The Tyneside Electrics suburban network, with some elements dating back as far as 1834. Construction work began in 1974, the majority of this activity being centred on the building of new tunnels and bridges that linked with several preexisting conventional railway lines that were converted. In parallel, a purpose-built fleet of Metrocars was procured. The initial portion of the Tyne and Wear Metro
3468-689: The York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway . In 1854 the works moved to the Greenesfield site and became the manufacturing headquarters of North Eastern Railway . In 1909, locomotive construction was moved to Darlington and the rest of the works were closed in 1932. Robert Stirling Newall took out a patent on the manufacture of wire ropes in 1840 and in partnership with Messrs. Liddell and Gordon, set up his headquarters at Gateshead. A worldwide industry of wire-drawing resulted. The submarine telegraph cable received its definitive form through Newall's initiative, involving
3570-452: The rural district of Chester-le-Street to create the much larger Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead . The town of Gateshead is in the North East of England in the ceremonial county of Tyne and Wear , and within the historic boundaries of County Durham . It is located on the southern bank of the River Tyne at a latitude of 54.57° N and a longitude of 1.35° W. Gateshead experiences
3672-539: The 1920s and 1930s created even more joblessness and the Team Valley Trading Estate was built in the mid-1930s to alleviate the situation. In the late noughties , Gateshead Council started to regenerate the town, with the long-term aim of making Gateshead a city. The most extensive transformation occurred in the Quayside , with almost all the structures there being constructed or refurbished in this time. In
3774-491: The 1960s, the decision was made to de-electrify the Tyneside Electrics network and convert it to diesel operation, owing to falling passenger numbers and the cost of renewing end-of-life electrical infrastructure and rolling stock. The Newcastle to South Shields line was de-electrified in 1963, followed by the North Tyneside routes, in 1967. This was widely viewed as a backward step, as the diesel trains were slower than
3876-450: The 1971 film Get Carter , starring Michael Caine . An unsuccessful campaign to have the structure listed was backed by Sylvester Stallone , who played the main role in the 2000 remake of the film. The car park was scheduled for demolition in 2009, but this was delayed as a result of a disagreement between Tesco , who re-developed the site, and Gateshead Council . The council had not been given firm assurances that Tesco would build
3978-462: The Indies, as well as flax, wine, and grain. He sold tea, sugar, chocolate, and tobacco. He operated the largest coal mines in the area, and was a leading salt producer. As the government's principal agent in the North country, he was in contact with leading ministers. William Hawks , originally a blacksmith , started business in Gateshead in 1747, working with the iron brought to the Tyne as ballast by
4080-840: The International Stadium, as well as this it was used in the 2006 Northern Conference champions in the British American Football League . Gateshead Leisure Centre is home to the Gateshead Phoenix Basketball Team. The team currently plays in EBL League Division 4. Home games are usually on a Sunday afternoon during the season, which runs from September to March. The team was formed in 2013 and ended their initial season well placed to progress after defeating local rivals Newcastle Eagles II and promotion chasing Kingston Panthers . In Low Fell there
4182-526: The Maintenance and Renewals Skills Centre at South Shields . Since the Tyne and Wear Metro opened in 1980, it has operated using the same rolling stock. The fleet comprises a total of 87 (formerly 90, until March 2017) articulated units, known as Metrocars, which are numbered 4001–4090. The Metrocars are represented on TOPS, as the Class 599. When in service, Metrocars are normally coupled together in pairs and have
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4284-410: The Metro schedule. Several purpose-built transport interchanges, such as Four Lane Ends , Heworth and Regent Centre were built for this purpose. Integration was short-lived, and lasted until the deregulation of bus services, in 1986. It is, however, still possible to purchase Transfare tickets, to combine a journey made using multiple modes of transport in Tyne and Wear. During November 1991,
4386-407: The Metro was operated under a concession by DB Regio instead; upon the expiry of the contract, it returned to being operated by Nexus. Various improvements are underway as of March 2024. During 2016, Nexus launched a programme to replace its existing rolling stock , which dates back to the 1980s, with new Class 555 articulated light rail trains; the first of these are expected to enter service by
4488-537: The Metro, contracted out operations and train maintenance as part of a deal with the government, to secure modernisation investment and operating subsidy for the system between 2010 and 2021. Nexus continued to set fares, frequency of services and operating hours. Opponents would suggest that this arrangement was privatisation by the back door, though some services had already been contracted out, such as cleaning of stations and ticket inspections. During November 2008, Nexus invited potential bidders to declare an interest in
4590-401: The Tyne and Wear Metro also operates three battery-electric locomotives (numbered BL1–BL3), which were manufactured by Hunslet in 1988. The company also operates a Plasser and Theurer ballast tamper and 15 wagons, which are used for maintenance and repair work. The Tyne and Wear Metro is publicly owned, receiving funding from council tax payers and government. Nexus , which owns and manages
4692-483: The Tyne and Wear Metro was extended to Newcastle Airport at a cost of £12 million. The new section of track, covering a distance of around 2.2 miles (3.5 km), continued along the alignment of the former Ponteland Railway , with two stations constructed at Callerton Parkway and Airport . In March 2002, a £100 million extension, covering 11.5 miles (18.5 km), was opened from Pelaw to Sunderland and South Hylton . The extension used part of
4794-484: The Tyne and Wear Metro, with up to £350 million to be spent on the Metro: All Change programme, over the course of the following eleven years. A further £230 million would support running and maintenance costs, over the following nine years. As a result, between 2010 and 2017, the Metro was operated under contract by DB Regio . Gateshead Gateshead ( / ˈ ɡ eɪ t s ( h ) ɛ d / )
4896-542: The Tyne colliers. Hawks and Co. eventually became one of the biggest iron businesses in the North , producing anchors, chains and so on to meet a growing demand. There was keen contemporary rivalry between 'Hawks' Blacks' and 'Crowley's Crew'. The famous 'Hawks' men' including Ned White, went on to be celebrated in Geordie song and story. In 1831 a locomotive works was established by the Newcastle and Darlington Railway, later part of
4998-510: The announcement of the £103 million Metro Flow project, in March 2020, four additional Stadler units have been funded, bringing the total number of units on order from 42 to 46. During September 2020, the Metro Futures website was launched, allowing the public to give their view on several elements of the new Metro fleet. In December 2021, Nexus revealed that the Metro fleet had entered
5100-502: The arrival of new rolling stock towards the end of 2021, a new depot was constructed near Howdon , in North Tyneside . The site is used as a temporary stabling and maintenance facility for up to 10 Metrocars, whilst the current depot at South Gosforth is being reconfigured. The temporary depot at Howdon opened in August 2020. A further vehicle stabling and maintenance facility is also scheduled to open in South Tyneside , as part of
5202-521: The beginning of work to construct the new Maintenance and Renewals Skills Centre, at Mile End Road in South Shields . Construction began in August 2018 and was opened in November 2020. The £8.4 million project saw the construction of a three-storey training centre, with classrooms, a mock control room, driver training simulator, covered tracks and inspection pits, and a mock Metro station, as well as
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#17328525786845304-463: The branch to Airport and the northern leg of the North Tyneside Loop . It is situated between stations at Longbenton , South Gosforth and Regent Centre ; it is used for stabling, cleaning, maintenance and repair of the fleet. It can be accessed by trains from either east or west and there is also a depot-avoiding line running from east to west, which is not used in public service. Prior to
5406-402: The cables were threaded and stressed. The plateau section comprises eight short spans. The track comprised continuously welded rails laid upon reinforced concrete slabs with discreet rubberised pads in between and secured using Pandrol clips; deployed by a slipform paver, these had a specified tolerance of 3mm in 3m. The surface of the deck was waterproofed after the track slabs were laid using
5508-612: The construction of the new infrastructure, re-electrifying the routes with overhead line equipment, the upgrading or relocation of existing stations, and the construction of several new stations, some of which were underground. Major civil engineering works on the surface included two bridges, the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge and the Byker Viaduct . By 1984, the final cost of the project was £265 million (equivalent to £855 million in 2023). The Tyne and Wear Metro
5610-433: The day (Monday to Saturday), and up to every 15 minutes during the evening and on Sunday. This allows for a combined frequency of up to every six minutes (Monday to Saturday), and up to every seven to eight minutes during the evening and on Sunday, between Pelaw and South Gosforth . Additional trains run during morning and evening peak hours (Monday to Friday) between Pelaw and Regent Centre or Monkseaton . This provides
5712-470: The deeper seams. William Cotesworth (1668-1726) was a prominent merchant based in Gateshead, where he was a leader in coal and international trade. Cotesworth began as the son of a yeoman and apprentice to a tallow - candler. He ended as an esquire, having been mayor, Justice of the Peace and sheriff of Northumberland. He collected tallow from all over England and sold it across the globe. He imported dyes from
5814-420: The demographics of Gateshead with the wider Metropolitan borough. The town's population in 2011 was 120,046 compared with 78,403 in 2001. This is due to a slight population increase and boundary and methodology changes since 2001. Felling used to be a separate urban subdivision and had a population of around 35,000, but now it is considered part of Gateshead town. The population of the 2011 census boundaries in 2001
5916-556: The early 2010s, regeneration refocused on the town centre. The £150 million Trinity Square development opened in May 2013, it incorporates student accommodation, a cinema, health centre and shops. It was nominated for the Carbuncle Cup in September 2014. The cup was however awarded to another development which involved Tesco , Woolwich Central . In 1835, Gateshead was established as
6018-421: The east side of the valley as a lower elevated section. During early 2017, a series of weekend closures of the viaduct were enacted so that a planned replacement of the track could be conducted. Tyne and Wear Metro The Tyne and Wear Metro is an overground and underground light rail rapid transit system serving Newcastle upon Tyne , Gateshead , North Tyneside , South Tyneside , and
6120-510: The electric trains they replaced. During the early 1970s, the poor local transport system was identified as one of the main factors holding back the region's economy, and in 1971 a study was commissioned by the recently created Tyneside Passenger Transport Authority (now known as Nexus) into how the transport system could be improved. This study recommended reviving the badly run-down former Tyneside Electrics network by converting it into an electrified rapid transit system, which would include
6222-531: The end of 2024. Under the Metro Flow scheme, announced in March 2020, works costing £103 million are to increase the service frequency from five to six trains per hour, reduce journey times and improve reliability levels. The present system uses much former railway infrastructure, mostly constructed between 1834 and 1882, one of the oldest parts being the Newcastle and North Shields Railway , which opened in 1839. During 1904, in response to tramway competition which
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#17328525786846324-581: The existing Durham Coast Line , with the line being adapted to allow a shared service between Metro and rail services – therefore becoming the first system in the United Kingdom to implement a form of the Karlsruhe model . Between Pelaw and Sunderland , intermediate stations at Brockley Whins , East Boldon and Seaburn were re-built, with a further three being purpose-built for the network, at Fellgate , Stadium of Light and St. Peter's . Between Sunderland and South Hylton , around 3 miles (4.8 km) of
6426-477: The existing Metro network, including links to Cramlington , Doxford Park , Killingworth , Metrocentre , Seaham , Team Valley and Washington . In addition to this, plans would see the introduction of street-running trams, river buses across the Tyne , and cable cars , linking 29 key corridors. The project has since been abandoned, with plans reworked and developed into the Metro: All Change programme. The first phase of Metro's All Change programme saw
6528-505: The final assembly phase at Stadler's factory in Switzerland and that the manufacturer is in the process of fitting the main interior components of the first of the new trains. The works include the installation of wheels, seats, equipment cases, piping, wiring, flooring, windows and other internal furnishings. During September 2022, Nexus released a video taken at Stadler's test track in Erlen of
6630-490: The first such structure in Britain to be built using cantilevered concrete sections with joints glued with epoxy resin . The viaduct was one of the largest challenges in terms of civil engineering in the construction of the whole Metro system. This was in part due to the terrain, which not only comprised a densely populated area along with the need to accommodate a future road alignment, but also featured geology challenges in
6732-518: The form of faults and multiple coal seams directly beneath the site that present design challenges. During June 1976, construction work on the viaduct commenced; it would take three years to complete. Initial work was focused on the erection of the reinforced concrete piers, the highest of which being roughly 70 meters above the ground. Towards the base of each pier, they flared outwards. A total of 253 concrete segments, each one weighing 40 tonnes, were cast on-site prior to being lifted into place using
6834-433: The former Penshaw-Sunderland line , which closed to passenger traffic in May 1964, was used as the alignment of the route. Five purpose-built stations at Park Lane , University , Millfield , Pallion and South Hylton were constructed for the network. During 2002, Nexus unveiled an ambitious 15-year plan for transport in Tyne and Wear, named Project Orpheus . The project, valued at £1.5 billion, aimed to extend
6936-406: The goal of the refurbishment programme being to extend the service life of the fleet until 2025 prior to the delivery of new rolling stock. Each Metrocar was stripped down to its frame and built back up again, with the addition of improved disabled access and new door control systems, with renewed interiors, seating and lighting. A new black, grey and yellow livery was also adopted. Refurbishment work
7038-491: The green belt area. The town of Gateshead consists of the following districts. Some of them were once separate settlements that were absorbed by encroaching urban sprawl , while others consist entirely of retail, industrial and housing estates. Many of these areas overlap each other and their boundaries are by no means official or fixed. Gateshead is a Town (Urban Subdivision) in the Tyneside urban area . The table below compares
7140-462: The invention of the electric light bulb . The house was the first in the world to be wired for domestic electric light. In 1889 one of the largest employers ( Hawks, Crawshay and Sons ) closed down and unemployment has since been a burden. Up to the Second World War there were repeated newspaper reports of the unemployed sending deputations to the council to provide work. The depression years of
7242-399: The modernisation of a further 45 stations, including the re-building of the station at North Shields , which was completed in September 2012, as well as the installation of new communications system, and the overhaul and maintenance of structures such as bridges, tunnels, track and overhead power lines. The third phase of Metro's All Change programme began in 2019, with the procurement of
7344-413: The name, among them Gatesheued ( c. 1190 ), literally "goat's head" but in the context of a place-name meaning 'headland or hill frequented by (wild) goats'. Although other derivations have been mooted, it is this that is given by the standard authorities. A Brittonic predecessor, named with the element *gabro- , 'goat' (c.f. Welsh gafr ), may underlie the name. Gateshead might have been
7446-565: The network were also introduced, as part of the first phase of the All Change programme. The first phase of the programme also saw the completion of a new station at Simonside , in March 2008, as well as the refurbishment and modernisation of Haymarket , in 2009. An upgrade of platforms at Sunderland , and the refurbishment and modernisation of several other stations was also undertaken during this phase. Lifts and escalators were replaced at several stations, between 2009 and 2016. Phase 1 of
7548-524: The new infrastructure was in tunnels , whilst the remainder was either at ground level or elevated. The elevated sections included the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge , a new 350 m (1,150 ft) bridge carrying the Metro across the River Tyne, and the 815 m (2,674 ft) Byker Viaduct across the Ouseburn Valley , between Byker and Manors . Construction work began in October 1974. This involved
7650-403: The original network (between Haymarket and Tynemouth ) opened in August 1980, with the final stage (between Heworth and South Shields ) opening in March 1984. Extensions to Newcastle Airport and Sunderland opened in 1991 and 2002 respectively. The opening dates of services and stations are as follows: The Sunderland branch of the network, which runs over National Rail infrastructure,
7752-463: The panelling installed by Robinson was later moved to the Shipley Art Gallery . Wailes sold Saltwell Towers to the corporation in 1876 for use as a public park, provided he could use the house for the rest of his life. For many years the structure was essentially an empty shell but following a restoration programme it was reopened to the public in 2004. The council sponsored the development of
7854-558: The previously envisioned town centre development which was to include a Tesco mega-store as well as shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, offices and student accommodation. The council effectively used the car park as a bargaining tool to ensure that the company adhered to the original proposals and blocked its demolition until they submitted a suitable planning application. Demolition finally took place in July–August 2010. The Derwent Tower , another well known example of brutalist architecture,
7956-542: The programme also involved the overhaul of infrastructure, including communications, track and overhead power lines, structures and embankments. Phase 2 of the All Change programme saw the £20 million refurbishment of 86 Tyne and Wear Metrocars (originally all 90 Metrocars were due to be refurbished). Each Metrocar was stripped down to its frame and built back up again, with the addition of improved disabled access, new door control systems, and renewed interiors, seating and lighting. A new cadmium yellow and black livery
8058-621: The project will see three sections of single line between Pelaw and Bede converted to dual use, with an existing freight-only line electrified, and re-designed to operate using a similar system to the shared line between Pelaw and Sunderland . As part of the project, four additional Stadler units have been funded, bringing the total number of units on order from 42 to 46. The Tyne and Wear Metro network consists of two lines: Services commence between 05:00 and 06:00 (between 06:00 and 07:00 on Sunday), with frequent trains running until around midnight. Each line runs up to every 12 minutes during
8160-562: The river emptying into the north side of the River Tyne , to the south. It was one of two major bridges built specifically for the Tyne and Wear Metro, the other being the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge crossing the River Tyne . It is one of three high level bridges in close proximity making the same crossing, with the Ouseburn railway viaduct to the north and the Byker road bridge to the south. The bridge and elevated section form an S-curve, which takes
8262-428: The start of a £25 million project to install new ticket machines at all 60 stations across the network. Unlike the former ticket machines, which only accepted payment with coins, the new machines are able to accept payment with credit and debit card (with an upgrade to accept contactless payment in 2013), notes and coins. Automated ticket barriers (at 13 stations), and smart card validators at all stations across
8364-506: The summer months, and is home of the Gateshead Harriers athletics club. It is also host to rugby league fixtures, and the home ground of Gateshead Football Club . Gateshead Thunder Rugby League Football Club played at Gateshead International Stadium until its purchase by Newcastle Rugby Limited and the subsequent rebranding as Newcastle Thunder . Both clubs have had their problems: Gateshead A.F.C. were controversially voted out of
8466-486: The town as an urban sub-division. The 2011 ONS urban sub-division of Gateshead contains the historical County Borough together with areas that the town has absorbed, including Dunston , Felling , Heworth , Pelaw and Bill Quay . Given the proximity of Gateshead to Newcastle, just south of the River Tyne from the city centre , it is sometimes incorrectly referred to as being a part of Newcastle. Gateshead Council and Newcastle City Council teamed up in 2000 to create
8568-475: The town centre (Bridges and Saltwell) have minority populations very similar to the national average. The Tyneside metropolitan area, which contains the borough of Gateshead, has a population of 829,300; the NewcastleGateshead urban core area has population of 480,400. The Metropolitan borough of Gateshead had a population of 200,214 in 2011. Gateshead is the main major area in the metropolitan borough and
8670-620: The town centre and continues rising to a height of 525 feet at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sheriff Hill . This is in contrast to the flat and low lying Team Valley located on the western edges of town. The high elevations allow for impressive views over the Tyne valley into Newcastle and across Tyneside to Sunderland and the North Sea from lookouts in Windmill Hills and Windy Nook respectively. The Office for National Statistics defines
8772-480: The town on its way between Newcastle Central and Chester-le-Street stations. There are presently no stations on this line within Gateshead, as Low Fell , Bensham and Gateshead West stations were closed in 1952, 1954 and 1965 respectively. Several major road links pass through Gateshead, including the A1 which links London to Edinburgh and the A184 which connects the town to Sunderland . Gateshead Interchange
8874-537: The town takes up around 60% of the borough's population. Other major areas in the borough include Whickham , Birtley , Blaydon-on-Tyne and Ryton . Gateshead is home to the MetroCentre , the largest shopping mall in the UK until 2008; and the Team Valley Trading Estate, once the largest and still one of the larger purpose-built commercial estates in the UK. The Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art has been established in
8976-518: The track over the Byker road bridge at its east end. The Byker Viaduct was built specifically to carry the then-planned Tyne and Wear Metro across the Ouseburn Valley, permitting a direct connection between the centre of Newcastle and the east end of the city and the coastal areas beyond. It was designed by Ove Arup and Partners and constructed by Mowlem . It was a notable structure for the era, being
9078-635: The use of gutta-percha surrounded by strong wires. The first successful Dover – Calais cable on 25 September 1851, was made in Newall's works. In 1853, he invented the brake-drum and cone for laying cable in deep seas. Half of the first Atlantic cable was manufactured in Gateshead. Newall was interested in astronomy, and his giant 25-inch (640 mm) telescope was set up in the garden at Ferndene, his Gateshead residence, in 1871. J. B. Priestley , writing of Gateshead in his 1934 travelogue English Journey , said that "no true civilisation could have produced such
9180-514: The Ætheling and Malcolm king of Scotland ( Shakespeare 's Malcolm ) on Gateshead Fell (now Low Fell and Sheriff Hill ). During medieval times Gateshead was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Durham . At this time the area was largely forest with some agricultural land. The forest was the subject of Gateshead's first charter, granted in the 12th century by Hugh du Puiset , Bishop of Durham. An alternative spelling may be "Gatishevede", as seen in
9282-606: Was cadmium yellow and white, in accordance with the colours used by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive at the time. A mid-life refurbishment of the fleet, carried out in-house, took place between 1995 and 2000; a new livery was adopted consisting of red, green or blue bodies, with yellow front and rear ends, and triangles containing the Metro logo on the doors. A £20 million refurbishment of 86 Metrocars (originally all 90 were due to be refurbished) began in June 2010, with
9384-515: Was 113,220, proving that there was some sort of population increase. In 2011, 8.0% of the population of Gateshead Town were from an ethnic minority group (non-indigenous), compared with only 6.0% for the surrounding borough. Despite the borough's low ethnic minority population compared with the England average of 20.2%, it has slightly more ethnic minorities than other boroughs in Tyne and Wear, such as Sunderland or North Tyneside, and two wards near
9486-415: Was also adopted. Work commenced in June 2010, at Wabtec at Doncaster Works , and was completed five months ahead of schedule, in August 2015. The first Metrocar to receive refurbishment was 4041, the unit being named after former Gateshead Councillor and MP, Harry Cowans , in honour of his work in the 1970s, to help to secure the construction of the network. The second phase of the programme also saw
9588-631: Was also designed by Owen Luder and stood in the neighbourhood of Dunston . Like the Trinity Car Park it also failed in its bid to become a listed building and was demolished in 2012. Also located in this area are the Grade II listed Dunston Staiths which were built in 1890. Following the award of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of almost £420,000 restoration of the structure was planned in 2014 and completed by 2015. Gateshead International Stadium regularly holds international athletics meetings over
9690-517: Was completed five months ahead of schedule in August 2015. During 2016, Nexus unveiled plans to secure funding of £550 million for a replacement fleet, with a target for them to be in service by the early 2020s. In November 2017, the Chancellor of the Exchequer , Philip Hammond , announced that the government would contribute £337 million towards the new fleet. The proposed new fleet
9792-535: Was named as the preferred bidder, with the contract for operating the system signed in February 2010, and the handover of the service taking place in April 2010. One of DB Regio's first initiatives was the Metro Dig It programme, and involved the re-painting of stations and deep-cleaning of stations and trains. In February 2010, the government confirmed it would award Nexus up to £580 million to modernise and operate
9894-405: Was opened during August 1980, although construction of the original network was not completed until March 1984. Early on, Metro operations were integrated with local bus services , although this practice ended with the deregulation of the buses during the late 1980s. Multiple extensions to the original network were promptly worked upon; the first of these, from Bank Foot to Newcastle Airport ,
9996-417: Was opened during November 1991. A second extension, from Pelaw to Sunderland and South Hylton , was completed in March 2002. By 2013, the network comprised a total of 60 stations (these being a mixture of underground and above-ground stations) across two lines, covering 77.5 km (48.2 mi) of track. While the Metro has largely been operated by Nexus directly, for a period between 2010 and 2017,
10098-449: Was passed by Parliament in July. Around 70% of the funding for the scheme came from a central government grant, with the remainder coming from local sources. Three railway lines, totalling 26 miles (42 km) were to be converted into Metro lines as part of the initial system – these being the North Tyneside Loop and Newcastle to South Shields branch (both of which were formerly part of
10200-485: Was planned to have dual-voltage capability, able to operate on the Metro's existing 1,500 V DC electrification system as well as the 25 kV 50 Hz AC used on the Network Rail network, to allow for expansion of Metro service. However Nexus decided not to include a dual-voltage design, prioritising use of rechargable battery technology instead. In September 2018, Bombardier , CAF ,
10302-537: Was taking away passengers, the North Eastern Railway started electrifying parts of their local railway network north of the River Tyne with a 600 V DC third-rail system, forming one of the earliest suburban electric networks, known as the Tyneside Electrics . In 1938, the line south of the River Tyne between Newcastle and South Shields was also electrified. Under British Rail in
10404-464: Was the first railway in the United Kingdom to operate using the metric system , with all speeds and distances stated in metric units only. It was also the first transport system in the United Kingdom to be designed to be fully accessible to passengers with disabilities, with step-free access available at all stations across the network. Originally, the Tyne and Wear Metro was intended to be opened in stages between 1979 and 1981. The first stages of
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