NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE | Public Transport

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Some other interesting current threads on SSC, about the subject of "Transport in Newcastle upon Tyne" . . .


RAIL Transport - in Newcastle and the North East
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1365155

BUS Transport - in Newcastle and the North East
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=982512

Tyne and Wear Metro
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=402998

Central Station Redevelopment | Newcastle | Various | U/C
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1600715

Newcastle International Airport
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=402870


NB - There are numerous other current "Newcastle Transport" threads. A LIST of all of these (including those listed above) can be accessed by clicking on the
Newcastle Transport Tag, at the bottom of this thread . . .


Newcastle Transport
http://www.skyscrapercity.com/tags.php?tag=newcastle+transport

Couple of things. Nexus is Tyne & Wear's transport operator. The river on the Metro map isn't the Tees, its the Wear. I realise you're not English but the thread should be titled 'Tyne & Wear Public Transport' or 'North East England Public Transport' if you're going to include separate towns & cities in your posts.

Fatfield said:

Couple of things. Nexus is Tyne & Wear's transport operator. The river on the Metro map isn't the Tees, its the Wear. I realise you're not English but the thread should be titled 'Tyne & Wear Public Transport' or 'North East England Public Transport' if you're going to include separate towns & cities in your posts.

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Thanks for noticing mistakes

Newcastle upon Tyne / Newcastle and the North East / Tyne and Wear Metro

The TYNE AND WEAR METRO Map . . .



The Tyne and Wear Metro opened in stages, from August 1980 onward. These (now rare) early maps reflect the system as it gradually opened, and also includes two "pre-opening" versions of the MAP. Below we therefore show The evolution of the METRO MAP from 1969 to the present day.

Many of us are familiar with the famous 'diagramatic' style Metro Map, on the walls of station platforms etc, but, we often don't notice the subtle changes that have been made to it, over the years. Mind, some of the changes have not exactly been 'subtle' as the map responded (in the early years of the Metro, particularly) to the ever-expanding system, as new stretches were opened, post 11th August 1980 . . .

NB - Copy of these maps already posted on the "MISC | Subway/Metro/Tube Maps" thread, on this forum, but I feel these maps should also (definitely) be part of THIS thread also . . .


1 - 1969 (Pre-system opening) the original Tyneside PTE proposed route, from "Rapid Transit for Tyneside" published by Tyneside PTE



2 - 1971 (still pre-opening) and the 'diagramatic' map first appears. NOTE, the station called 'Osborne', in between West Jesmond and Jesmond stations. This map is from 'Public Transport on Tyneside, a Plan for the People', by Tyneside PTE.



3 - 10th August 1980, the Metro opens and its first public-use map shows that only the 'Haymarket to Tynemouth' (Yellow Line) stretch is open.



4 - April 1981, the 'Haymarket to Bank Foot' stretch (Green Line) opens



5 - October 1981, The Metro bridge opens (Royal opening on 6th November) and the lines extend through Monument (for the first time) and on to Heworth. The 'Red Line' for peak day-time journies, is also added to the map.



6 - 1982, the riverside part of the Yellow Line from Tynemouth, through the second level at Monument, to St James' opens.



7 - 1982, the Green Line is extended from Heworth to South Shields, and the second 'peak day-time' line (the Blue Line) between St James' and North Shields, is added to the map.



8 - 1985, Kingston Park and Pelaw stations are added and a 'mark' for the future Palmersville station can be seen on the map.



9 - 17th November 1991, the line to Newcastle Airport opens and is added to the map, on the Green Line.



10 - Here in the year 2000, showing the Sunderland extension (The 'South Hylton Line' to be more correct) under construction . . .




11 - The extension to Sunderland opens, and the map changes considerably. The 'sloping line' of the South Gosforth to Gateshead stretch is straightened, the two 'peak time' lines (Red & Blue lines) are gone, and the yellow line now diverts off at Pelaw, down to South Hylton.



12 - One thing I hadn't noticed until 'right now', is that they have re-introduced the SLOPING LINE of the central section of the map, in today's current map . . but this time it is sloping the other way!



I hope you found these evolving 'Metro Maps' (as the system was planned, then started and then extended over the years) of interest.

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=402998
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Svartmetall said:

^^ They also switched the line that is running to Sunderland it seems. It's the green line rather than yellow as it was in the second most recent map.

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Yes, correct.

Originally it was the 'circular coast-line' that was extended to Sunderland (the 'Yellow' line trains) then they changed it what it is now, the 'Airport' Line (the 'Green' line) trains, running to Sunderland from Newcastle Airport.

Falubaz said:

Is there any chance for an extention? If i remember it right, there were rumors about making another loop on the west side.

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Recent plans announced by NEXUS, for possible extensions . . .

Metro in push for £300m new train fleet which could
extend the network to Metrocentre and Cobalt.
Newcastle Evening Chronicle, March 25th 2014, by Adrian Pearson




Metro chiefs are readying a multi-million pound bid to the Government as they start to set out what the service will look like in two decades’ time. Plans for new trains worth some £300m are to be worked up as Metro bosses look at whether new Metros or trams could open up services to the Cobalt business park, Newcastle’s West End, Washington, the Metrocentre and the Team Valley. The plans would need massive new Government investment, and are likely to lead to a lengthy lobbying campaign similar to the one which secured the current cash for station and track improvements.

Metro bosses say the current trains, even with the latest renewals, have around 10 years left of regular day-to-day service before the cost of keep them going would outweigh the benefits. With the next Metro extension likely to include plans to stretch out across the city, high tech street trams are also needed for on-street services. Expansion on to existing railways across the region will need new trains as the current fleet cannot have carriages added on to them and the extra routes would ruin frequency targets without new stock coming in. Metro owner Nexus will kickstart the lengthy process by asking the public for their views on how the service should grow.

Council transport authority chairman David wood said: “You only look to build extensions when you’ve made sure your house is in good condition. We’re able to look at potential extensions in future because the authority has made sure Metro is in good condition through the £389m modernisation programme.”

Bernard Garner, Nexus director general, said: “We’ve developed a long-term strategy for Metro which explains how it will continue to play a vital role in providing sustainable transport vital to the region’s future prosperity. “The key objective of the strategy is to secure a new fleet to replace the existing trains, which has been in use since 1980. It also identifies a number of new route corridors potentially suitable for Metro operation, using the most appropriate technology to meet the needs of each location. This could mean Metro or something similar, like street-running trams or high-quality bus routes. “By 2021 the vast majority of Metro’s assets like track, bridges and drainage, will have been renewed to a condition that will ensure their effective operation decades into the future. The major exception to this is the train fleet, which is currently undergoing refurbishment that will extend its operating life for perhaps another ten years, following which a new fleet will be required to ensure the needs of future customer are met for up to 40 years beyond that. “New trains will deliver several important benefits including improved accessibility and performance, better environmental performance and reduced energy consumption.”

Read More @ http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/metro-push-300m-new-train-6872372

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There have been MANY extensions plans and "home-made" MAPS to show them, over on the Tyne and Wear Metro thread over the years - http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=402998

After the recent announcement by NEXUS (in the post above) another set of new maps were produced, here is one of them . . .

No Opinion said:

April 5th 2014.

My ideas for Metro extensions, based on last weeks NEXUS announcement . . .



I acknowledge I have sacrificed geographical accuracy for clarity- perhaps a bit too far around North Tyneside.

The red line is the fast airport link, maybe 10-15 mins, but its the blue line that attempts to link and promote growth in certain key areas namely; West End/Scotswood, Manors/East Pilgrim Street new retail/financial/business sector across the CM; Ouseburn; Banks of the Tyne from Walker- North Shields, allowing a fast link to airport, science central via blue line and ports for industrial businesses to locate to.

I also added a few extra City Centre stops. Although its close to central station, a Stephenson Quarter stop would serve the new development there, and any other development in West Newcastle (near West Quayside).

Discovery would serve around the Discovery Museum and surroundings but could also have a bus interchange on St James Boulevard to connect Metro to Westgate Road way.

I ignored any possible "Trams on roads" extensions, because I do not see the point in them over buses. Also Sunderland extensions, as I do not think they are viable.

I know this is a tad optimistic but I think it does summarise visually some of peoples suggestions on here and provide a palette of possibilities.

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Minato ku said:

..but Alstom Citadis are low-floor trams, this is not compatible with the high platforms of Tyne and Wear Metro.

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Ah okay, didn't realise they didn't offer a high floor option too, not too familiar with the products of Alstom. Thanks for the info!

Fatfield said:

It also runs on a heavy rail section between Pelaw & Sunderland Central Station. There are also grade crossings on this stretch.

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It runs on an old railway alignment, but that doesn't mean it's heavy rail itself. A number of light rail systems use old heavy rail alignments too. Metrolink in Manchester does the same - uses old railway lines for parts of its route.

Svartmetall said:

Ah okay, didn't realise they didn't offer a high floor option too, not too familiar with the products of Alstom. Thanks for the info!



It runs on an old railway alignment, but that doesn't mean it's heavy rail itself. A number of light rail systems use old heavy rail alignments too. Metrolink in Manchester does the same - uses old railway lines for parts of its route.

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The track between Pelaw and Sunderland is shared with Network Rail heavy rail services. So any new trains will have to take that into account.

Rational Plan said:

The track between Pelaw and Sunderland is shared with Network Rail heavy rail services. So any new trains will have to take that into account.

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The Newcastle Metro current stock weighs around 39 tonnes. This is about 10 tonnes lighter than the class 142 railbuses (some of the lightest passenger rail services that I know of at least), so the current stock really is quite light (weight wise). Is there a special dispensation for this kind of rolling stock sharing tracks with NR services?