Walkergate Metro station

Walkergate is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving Walkergate in Newcastle upon Tyne. The station joined the network in November 1982, following the opening of the line between Tynemouth and St. James.

Walkergate
Tyne and Wear Metro station
LocationWalkergate, City of Newcastle upon Tyne
England
Coordinates54°59′07″N 1°33′33″W
Grid referenceNZ282657
Transit authorityTyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Parking24 spaces
Bicycle facilities3 cycle pods
Disabled accessStep-free access to platform level
Other information
Station codeWKG
Fare zoneA and B
History
Original companyNewcastle and North Shields Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
18 June 1839Opened as Walker
1 April 1889Renamed Walker Gate
11 August 1980Closed for conversion
14 November 1982Reopened as Walkergate
Passengers
2017/180.21 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Metro Following station
Wallsend
towards South Shields via Whitley Bay
 Yellow Line Chillingham Road
towards St James
Location

The station is situated on the site of the former Walker station, which opened in 1839, under the Newcastle and North Shields Railway. This later became part of the North Tyneside Loop, served by the North Eastern Railway. The station was later renamed Walker Gate in April 1889. In the days of British Rail, the station was known as both Walkergate and Walker Gate. The Tyne and Wear Metro, however, uses the single word form.

Following closure for conversion in the early 1980s, the station was demolished and re-built. The original North Eastern Railway footbridge was preserved, and is now located at Pickering station, on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.[2]

The station underwent modernisation work between September 2013 and July 2014, as part of the Metro: All Change programme. This involved improvements to accessibility (including the installation of a passenger lift), aesthetic changes, and the introduction of new smart ticket machines and validators.[3][4]

The station was used by 213,773 passengers in 2017–18.

Facilities

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramps providing step-free access to both platforms, as well as a lift providing step-free access to platform 1 (for trains towards Whitley Bay). The station is equipped with ticket machines, sheltered waiting area, seating, next train information displays, timetable posters, and an emergency help point on both platforms. Ticket machines are able to accept payment with credit and debit card (including contactless payment), notes and coins.[5][6] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[7][8]

There is a small free car park available at the station, with 24 spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with 3 cycle pods available for use.[9]

Service and frequency

Walkergate is served by the Yellow Line, which operates between South Shields and St. James with an end-to-end journey time of 83 minutes.

Services from platform 1 operate towards South Shields via Whitley Bay, with the first train departing at 05:57 (06:09 on Saturday and 06:16 on Sunday). Services from platform 2 operate towards St. James, with the first train departing at 05:43 (06:01 on Saturday and 06:46 on Sunday). Trains run frequently across the network, at intervals of up to every 12 minutes (Monday to Saturday daytime), and every 15 minutes (evening and Sunday), with the last trains departing at around midnight.[9]

Journey times from Walkergate are:

See also

References
  1. "Tyne and Wear Metro usage figures 2017–18". Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  2. Vanns, Michael A. (2017). The North Yorkshire Moors Railway. Pen & Sword Transport. ISBN 978-1473892088.
  3. "Refurbishment works starts at Walkergate Metro station". Nexus. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  4. "New lift installed at Walkergate Metro station". Nexus. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  5. "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  6. "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  8. "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  9. "Timetables and stations: Walkergate". Nexus. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
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