Heworth Interchange

Heworth Interchange consists of a National Rail, Tyne and Wear Metro and bus station. It is located in the suburb of Heworth, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England, and opened on 5 November 1979 for rail and bus services. The station joined the Tyne and Wear Metro network around two years later, on 15 November 1981.

Heworth
Tyne and Wear Metro station
General information
Location	Heworth, Gateshead England
Coordinates	54°57′05″N 1°33′21″W
Grid reference	NZ285619
Transit authority	Tyne and Wear PTE
Platforms	2
Tracks	2
Bus stands	7
Construction
Parking	463 spaces
Bicycle facilities	4 cycle lockers 25 cycle racks
Accessible	Step-free access to platform
Other information
Station code	HEW
Fare zone	B
History
Original company	Tyne and Wear Metro
Key dates
15 November 1981	Opened
Passengers
2017/18	1.01 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Tyne and Wear Metro Following station Pelaw towards South Hylton Green Line Felling towards Airport Pelaw towards South Shields Yellow Line Felling towards St James via Whitley Bay
Location Heworth Location in Tyne and Wear, England

Tyne and Wear Metro

Heworth is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburbs of Felling and Heworth, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear. It joined the network on 15 November 1981, following the opening of the third phase of the network, between Haymarket and Heworth.

History

The Tyne and Wear Metro station opened over two years later than the adjacent rail station, serving as a replacement for former rail stations at Felling and Pelaw, which were closed by British Rail on 5 November 1979, ahead of conversion work to join the Tyne and Wear Metro network.

Opening initially as a terminus station, trains reversed in the platforms, using the crossovers to the west of the station in passenger service. Reversals later took place at the new sidings at Pelaw, once they had been completed.

On 24 March 1984, the network was further extended south to South Shields, with the station opening to through services. In the following year, on 15 September 1985, Pelaw reopened as an intermediate station – almost six years after its closure by British Rail.

Facilities

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with two lifts providing step-free access to platforms at Heworth. As part of the Metro: All Change programme, new lifts were installed at Heworth in 2012,^[2] with new escalators installed in 2015.^[3]

The station is equipped with ticket machines, 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.^[4][5]

The station is fitted with automatic ticket barriers, which were installed at 13 stations across the network during the early 2010s, as well as smartcard validators, which feature at all stations.^[6][7]

The houses a coffee kiosk and newsagent's shop in the ticket hall. Additionally, there is the provision for car parking (operated by Gateshead Council), as well as cycle parking at the station, with four cycle lockers, and 25 cycle racks available.

Services

As of April 2021^[update], the station is served by up to ten trains per hour on weekdays and Saturday, and up to eight trains per hour during the evening and on Sunday. Additional services operate between Pelaw and Benton, Monkseaton, Regent Centre or South Gosforth at peak times.^[8]

Rolling stock used: Class 599 Metrocar

Art

There are two art installations at Heworth. The first, South Tyne Eye Plan (1990) by Mike Clay, is located on the station concourse, and represents the area of Heworth and Felling between 1988 and 1990 in the form of a "continuous unwinding scroll".^[9]

The second, Things Made (1990) by Jenny Cowern, is located on the south and west outer walls of the station building, and is made up of 29 large panels, each of which represent industries that have operated in the area, such as coal mining, glass making, textiles and shipbuilding.^[10]

Bus

Heworth Bus Station opened in November 1979, along with the British Rail station. It is located above the four platforms, and bordered by Sunderland Road and the A184. It is served by Go North East's local bus services, with frequent routes serving Gateshead, as well as Newcastle upon Tyne, South Tyneside and Washington.

The bus station has seven departure stands (lettered A–F and X), each of which is fitted with a waiting shelter, seating, next bus information displays, and timetable posters. It was refurbished in November 2012, at a cost of £200,000.^[11]

As of September 2024^[update], the stand allocation is:^{[citation needed]}

Stand	Route	Destination
A	51	Gateshead via Leam Lane, Springwell Estate, Wrekenton & Low Fell
	57	Newcastle via Leam Lane, Beacon Lough, QE Hospital & Gateshead
	58	Newcastle via Leam Lane, Felling & Gateshead
B	52	Gateshead via Felling
	92	Team Valley via Leam Lane, Springwell Estate & Wrekenton
	93	Gateshead via Felling, QE Hospital, Low Fell, Team Valley & Bensham
	94	Gateshead via Gateshead Stadium & Gateshead College
	515	Queen Elizabeth Hospital via Felling
C	27	South Shields via Pelaw , Bill Quay, Hebburn , Jarrow , Tyne Dock , Chichester & Westoe
	515	Hebburn via Pelaw & Bill Quay
	568	Bill Quay via Pelaw
D	57	Wardley
	558	Seaburn via Fellgate, Boldon Colliery, East Boldon , Cleadon & Whitburn
	X10	Middlesbrough express via Dalton Park, Peterlee, Billingham, Norton & Stockton-on-Tees
E	4	Houghton-le-Spring via Wardley, Follingsby Park, Usworth, Concord, Washington Galleries , Fatfield, Penshaw, Shiney Row, Bournmoor & Fence Houses
	58	Follingsby Park via Wardley
	X58
	83A	Chester-le-Street via Wardley, Usworth, Concord, Washington Galleries , Fatfield, Harraton, Rickleton & Barley Mow
F	27	Newcastle via Sunderland Road & Gateshead
	X10	Newcastle express via Gateshead
	X58

National Rail

Heworth
General information
Location	Heworth, Gateshead England
Coordinates	54°57′05″N 1°33′21″W
Grid reference	NZ285619
Owned by	Network Rail
Managed by	Northern Trains
Transit authority	Tyne and Wear PTE
Platforms	2
Tracks	2
Other information
Station code	HEW
Classification	DfT category F2
History
Original company	British Rail (Eastern Region)
Key dates
5 November 1979	Opened
Passengers
2018/19	22,588
2019/20	23,454
2020/21	10,786
2021/22	27,412
2022/23	29,148
Services
Preceding station Northern Following station Sunderland towards Middlesbrough via Hartlepool Durham Coast Line Newcastle Terminus
Location Heworth Location in Tyne and Wear, England
Notes Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Heworth is a railway station on the Durham Coast Line, which runs between Newcastle and Middlesbrough via Hartlepool. The station, situated 2 miles 59 chains (3 miles; 4 kilometres) south-east of Newcastle, serves the suburbs of Felling and Heworth, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

History

The station opened on 5 November 1979, following the closure of nearby Felling and Pelaw by British Rail, ahead of their conversion to join the Tyne and Wear Metro network. Prior to this, passenger trains ran on the southern pair of tracks, which are now used by the Tyne and Wear Metro.

North of Pelaw Junction, heavy rail and light rail services operate separately. Heading south, heavy and light rail services share the line, implementing the Karlsruhe model for a distance of 8 miles 13 chains (8.2 miles; 13 kilometres), as far as Sunderland South Junction.

Facilities

The station has two platforms, only one of which has a ticket machine (which accepts card or contactless payment only), seating and an emergency help point. Additionally, there is a waiting shelter on the Middlesbrough-bound platform. There is step-free access to both platforms, which are linked by ramp and road bridge. There are two pay and display car parks (operated by Gateshead Council) and cycle storage at the station.^[12]

Services

Northern Trains Route 2
v t e
Durham Coast line
Newcastle Heworth Sunderland Seaham Horden Hartlepool Seaton Carew Billingham Stockton Thornaby Middlesbrough
Most services extend to/from Hexham or Nunthorpe.

As of the December 2023 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Most trains continue eastbound to Hexham (or Carlisle on Sunday) and Nunthorpe in the opposite direction. Two trains per day (three on Sunday) continue to Whitby. All services are operated by Northern Trains.^[13]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

Gallery

• 
  A Metro service terminating at Heworth, seen in May 1983.
• 
  A bus loading passengers at Heworth, seen in May 1983.
• 
  The station concourse and ticket barriers, seen in May 1983.

References

1. "Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures". 2017–2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
2. "New passenger lifts for Heworth and Four Lane Ends". Nexus. 4 July 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
3. "New escalators for Heworth and Gateshead". Nexus. 18 March 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
4. "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
5. "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
6. "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
7. "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
8. "Timetables and stations: Heworth". Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
9. "'South Tyne Eye Plan' by Mike Clay". Nexus. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
10. "'Things Made - Fragments From Tyne and Wear' by Jenny Cowern". Nexus. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
11. "Nexus to improve facilities at Heworth Interchange". Nexus. 20 August 2012. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
12. "Station facilities for Heworth (HEW)". National Rail. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
13. Table 41 National Rail timetable, December 2023

External links

• Media related to Heworth Metro station at Wikimedia Commons
• Train times and station information for Heworth Interchange from National Rail

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Sunderland		Northern Trains Durham Coast Line		Newcastle Central