Heworth Interchange is a transport hub consisting of a National Rail, Tyne and Wear Metro and bus station, as well as a park and ride facility. The interchange is located in the suburb of Heworth, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. The rail and bus stations opened on 5 November 1979, with the Metro station opening two years later on 15 November 1981. The new Heworth rail station took over the role of the former Felling and Pelaw rail stations, which closed on the same day as its opening, to allow them to be converted into Metro stations. The National rail line and Metro lines have separate tracks at this point, but share the same alignment of what was originally the Brandling Junction Railway and now forms part of the Durham Coast Line.
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 station building houses a coffee kiosk and newsagent's shop in the ticket hall.
Services
As of April2021[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.
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".[8]
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.[9]
The station opened on 5 November 1979,taking over the role of the nearby Felling and Pelaw stations,which closed in the same day as Heworth's opening,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.
Heworth station sits west of Pelaw Junction,where heavy rail and light rail services operate separately. Heading east of the junction heavy and light rail services share the line,implementing the Karlsruhe model for a distance of 8miles 13chains (8.2 miles;13 kilometres),as far as Sunderland South Junction.
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.
As of the December 2023 timetable change, the station is served by an hourly service between Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Most trains continue westbound 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.[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 local Go North East and Central Gateshead Buses bus services, with frequent routes serving Gateshead, as well as Newcastle upon Tyne, South Tyneside and Washington. It is also served by some regional Go North East buses to Stockton and Middlesbrough.
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]
There are also several bus layover areas and a taxi rank with space for 9 taxis.
Parking
The interchange acts as a park and ride facility and has both a short stay and a long stay car park. The short stay car park to the south is a paid facility with a 4 hour max stay, containing 63 spaces plus 7 accessible spaces. The long stay car park to the north is a paid facility with a 7 day max stay, containing 382 spaces plus 8 accessible spaces and 4 ev charging spaces. Blue Badge holders can park for free in both car parks.
There are 6 free set-down-only spaces by the short stay car park, with a 20 minute max stay.
Bicycles
The station has 25 bicycle stands located in a covered area of the Metro station building.
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.
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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.
