The Tyne and Wear Metro is an overground and underground light rail rapid transit system serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and the City of Sunderland. The network opened in stages from August 1980 and now serves a total of 60 stations, with two lines covering 77.5 km (48.2 mi) of track. The Metro can be accessed from a mixture of underground and above-ground stations. It has been described as the "first modern light rail system in the United Kingdom". The system is currently owned and operated by the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive, thus is fully under public ownership and operation.
Bill Quay is a residential area in Gateshead, located around 4 miles (6.4 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne, 12 miles (19 km) from Sunderland, and 17 miles (27 km) from Durham. In 2011, Census data for the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council ward of Heworth and Pelaw recorded a total population of 9,100.
The Durham Coast Line is an approximately 39.5-mile (63.6 km) railway line running between Newcastle and Middlesbrough in North East England. Heavy rail passenger services, predominantly operated Northern Trains, and some freight services operate over the whole length of the line; it provides an important diversionary route at times when the East Coast Main Line is closed. Light rail services of the Tyne and Wear Metro's Green Line also operate over the same tracks between a junction just south of Sunderland station and Pelaw Junction.
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.
The Leamside Line, originally part of the Durham Junction Railway, is a disused railway line, located in the North East of England. The alignment diverges from the East Coast Main Line at Tursdale Junction, travelling a distance of 21 miles north through the Durham Coalfield and Washington, prior to joining the Durham Coast Line at Pelaw Junction. The Leamside Line closed to passenger traffic in 1964, under the Beeching cuts.
Benton is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburb of Benton, North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 11 August 1980, following the opening of the first phase of the network, between Haymarket and Tynemouth via Four Lane Ends.
Brockley Whins is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburbs of Boldon Colliery and Brockley Whins, South Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 31 March 2002, following the opening of the extension from Pelaw to South Hylton.
Sunderland is a railway and metro station in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the Durham Coast Line, which runs via Hartlepool and the city between Middlesbrough and Newcastle. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains. Since 31 March 2002, the station has also been served by the Tyne and Wear Metro's Green Line.
Pelaw is a residential area in Gateshead, located around 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne, 11 miles (18 km) from Sunderland, and 17 miles (27 km) from Durham. In 2011, Census data for the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council ward of Heworth and Pelaw recorded a total population of 9,100.
Gateshead Interchange is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the town of Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 15 November 1981, following the opening of the third phase of the network, between Haymarket and Heworth.
Jarrow is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the town of Jarrow, South Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 24 March 1984, following the opening of the fifth phase of the network, between Heworth and South Shields.
Hebburn is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the town of Hebburn, South Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 24 March 1984, following the opening of the fifth phase of the network, between Heworth and South Shields.
Central Station is an underground Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the Grainger Town area of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 15 November 1981, following the opening of the third phase of the network, between Haymarket and Heworth. The station is named after Newcastle Central railway station, which stands directly above it.
South Shields railway station was the main railway station for South Shields, in Tyne and Wear, North-East England. The station was located on Mile End Road in the town centre. The station was opened by the NER in 1879 as the terminus of their newly extended Newcastle and South Shields Railway branch from Pelaw via Hebburn and had two platforms and an ornate overall roof.
Felling is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburb of Felling, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 15 November 1981, following the opening of the third phase of the network, between Haymarket and Heworth.
Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan area covering the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland, as well as North and South Tyneside, Gateshead and Washington.
Wardley is a residential area in Gateshead, located around 4 miles (6.4 km) from Newcastle upon Tyne, 10 miles (16 km) from Sunderland, and 15 miles (24 km) from Durham. In 2011, Census data for the Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council ward of Wardley and Leam Lane recorded a total population of 8,327.
Gateshead railway station served the town of Gateshead, England between 1844 and 1981. It was situated on the northern and western sides of the triangular junction to the south of the High Level Bridge which connects Gateshead with Newcastle upon Tyne. There were two portions to the station on different routes; at times they were known as Gateshead East and Gateshead West.
Penshaw railway station served the village of Penshaw, Tyne and Wear, England from 1840 to 1964 on the Leamside line.
Washington railway station served the town of Washington, Tyne and Wear, England from 1835 to 1963, initially on the Stanhope & Tyne Railway and later the Leamside line.
