Howdon Metro station

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

Howdon
Tyne and Wear Metro
Location
Place	Howdon
Local authority	North Tyneside
Coordinates	54.9959°N 1.4942°W / 54.9959; -1.4942
Fare zone information
Metro zone	B
Network One	2
Original zone	28
Station code	HOW
Operations
Platforms	2
Usage
Metro Usage	0.38[1] million
History
Original company	Newcastle and North Shields Railway
Opened	18 June 1839
Renamed	1 December 1875 to Howdon-on-Tyne
Closed for conversion	11 August 1980
Metro since	14 November 1982 as Howdon
Distance from datum
Out distance	PB 19.672 km[2]
In distance	BP 19.745 km[2]
List of stations

The original station at Howdon opened in 1839, under the Newcastle and North Shields Railway.[3] This later became part of the North Tyneside Loop, served by the North Eastern Railway. In December 1875, the station was renamed Howdon-on-Tyne, to prevent it being confused with Howden station in East Yorkshire.

Following closure for conversion in the early 1980s, the station was demolished and almost entirely re-built. Only the eastbound platform (trains towards Whitley Bay), clearly identifiable by its stone construction, remained from the original station. The westbound platform was re-built and sited on the opposite side of the level crossing on Howdon Lane, creating a staggered platform arrangement.

A pedestrian subway was built to allow passengers to cross the line, however, it does not have ramps for improved wheelchair or pushchair access. The North Eastern Railway footbridge was removed, and is now located at Goathland on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway.[4]

The station was refurbished in 2011, along with nearby Meadow Well. The refurbishment project involved the installation of white vitreous enamel panels, new seating and lighting, and improved security and accessibility, as well as resurfaced platforms. The station was also pained in to the new black and white corporate colour scheme.[5]

The station was used by 376,215 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 at Howdon. The station is equipped with ticket machines, waiting shelter, 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.[6][7] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[8][9]

There is no dedicated car parking available at the station. There is the provision for cycle parking, with 5 cycle pods available for use.[10]

Service and frequency

Howdon 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 06:04 (06:15 on Saturday and 06:22 on Sunday). Services from platform 2 operate towards St. James, with the first train departing at 05:36 (05:55 on Saturday and 06:40 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.[10]

Journey times from Howdon are:

• 4 minutes to Wallsend
• 12 minutes to Whitley Bay
• 15 minutes to St. James
• 34 minutes to South Gosforth via Whitley Bay

See also

• Howdon

References

1. "Tyne and Wear Metro usage figures 2017–2018". Retrieved 21 August 2019.
2. Maxey (Ed.), David (1987). Mile by Mile - Rail Mileages of Britain and Ireland. Peter Watts Publishing Limited, Woodchester, UK. ISBN 0-906025-44-3.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
3. Young, Alan (1999). Suburban Railways of Tyneside. Martin Bairstow. p. 57. ISBN 1-871944-20-1.
4. Hutchinson, Ken (2019). Wallsend at Work: People and Industries Through the Years. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. ISBN 978-1-445686-13-4.
5. "Howdon and Meadow Well Metro stations get bright new look". Nexus. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
6. "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
7. "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
8. "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
9. "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
10. "Timetables and stations: Howdon". Nexus. Retrieved 27 May 2020.

External links

• Local area map and onward travel information for Howdon
• Timetable and station information for Howdon
• Media related to Howdon Metro station at Wikimedia Commons

Preceding station		Tyne and Wear Metro		Following station
Hadrian Road towards St James		Yellow line		Percy Main towards South Shields