Regent Centre Interchange
History
The interchange is located on the route of the former Gosforth and Ponteland Light Railway, which opened on 1 May 1905. West Gosforth station, which opened three months later with the introduction of passenger services on the line, was situated where the metro station's platforms are today. The line closed to passengers in June 1929, but remained open for freight traffic, including to and from the ICI Callerton explosives depot, situated between Callerton and Ponteland, and Rowntree's Fawdon factory, just west of Fawdon.
In the late 1970s the line through the site was restructured to form the second phase of the Tyne and Wear Metro, between South Gosforth and Bank Foot. The remains of the old West Gosforth station were demolished as part of this work, and the new interchange constructed. The interchange took its name from the adjacent Regent Centre business park that had been constructed in the years leading up to the conversion of the railway line to Metro.
The new metro line opened on 10 May 1981, along with the new station and interchange. Freight traffic to and from Rowntree's factory and ICI Callerton continued to pass through the station until they closed in July 1988 and March 1989 respectively. In 1991 the Metro line was extended from Bank Foot to Newcastle Airport.
Facilities
Regent Centre Interchange consists of a two platform station below street level, covered by the station concourse and bus station. A multi-storey car park is located above the platforms and concourse, with a tall canopy covering the entrance to the station building, extending across the bus station.
Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with two lifts providing step-free access to platforms. As part of the Metro: All Change programme, new lifts and escalators were installed at the station in 2013.
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. The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network. The station houses a newsagent's shop in the ticket hall.
There is a large pay and display car park available at the station, with 183 spaces, plus eight accessible spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with four cycle lockers and five cycle pods available for use. A bus interchange is also available at the station, providing frequent connections in and around Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland.
Services
As of October 2024, the station is served by up to five trains per hour on weekdays and Saturday, and up to four trains per hour during the evening and on Sunday. In the southbound direction, trains run to South Hylton via Newcastle and Sunderland. In the northbound direction, trains run to Newcastle Airport.
Rolling stock used: Class 599 Metrocar
Bus station
The bus station is located above the Tyne and Wear Metro station. It opened in May 1981, and similarly to Heworth and Four Lane Ends, was purpose-built for the Tyne and Wear Metro network.
Regent Centre Interchange is served by Arriva North East and Go North East's local bus services, with frequent routes serving Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland. The bus station has five departure stands (lettered A–E). Each stand is fitted with seating, next bus information displays, and timetable posters.
As of October 2024, the stand allocation is:
Stand | Route | Destination |
---|---|---|
A | 49 | Newcastle Great Park via Brunton Park |
553 | Freeman Hospital via South Gosforth | |
Q3 | Brunton Park | |
Q3X | ||
B | 43 | Morpeth via Wideopen, Seaton Burn, Dudley, Cramlington , Bedlington, Nedderton, Hepscott Park & Stobhill |
44 | Dinnington via Wideopen & Hazlerigg | |
45 | Dinnington via Wideopen & Brunswick Village | |
X9 | Blyth express via Beacon Hill, Cramlington , High Pit, Bebside & Cowpen | |
X10 | Blyth express via Cramlington , Parkside & Newsham | |
X11 | ||
X20 | Alnwick express via North Seaton, Ashington , Wansbeck Hospital, Lynemouth, Ellington, Widdrington , Red Row, Hadston, Amble, Warkworth & Alnmouth | |
X21 | Woodhorn express via Nedderton, Bedlington, Stakeford, North Seaton, Ashington & Wansbeck Hospital | |
X22 | Ashington express via Bedlington, Guide Post, Wansbeck Estate, Stakeford & North Seaton | |
X30 | Bebside express via Newsham, Blyth & Cowpen | |
X46 | Newcastle Great Park express via Brunton Park | |
C | X14 | Thropton express via Morpeth , Longhorsley, Longframlington, Cragside House & Rothbury |
X15 | Berwick-upon-Tweed express via Morpeth , Felton, Shilbottle, Alnwick, Warenford, Belford, Beal, Haggerston, Scremerston & Tweedmouth | |
X16 | Morpeth express via Stannington | |
X18 | Berwick-upon-Tweed express via Morpeth , Pegswood , Widdrington , Red Row, Acklington, Broomhill, Amble, Alnmouth , Alnwick , Longhoughton, Craster, Embleton, Beadnell, Seahouses, Bamburgh, Waren Mill, Belford, Beal, Haggerston, Scremerston & Tweedmouth | |
D | No services operate from this stand
| |
E | ||
49 | Eldon Square via Gosforth | |
Q3 | Wallsend via Gosforth, Jesmond , Newcastle , Quayside, Ouseburn, St Peter's Basin, Walker & Walkergate | |
Q3X | Wallsend express via Gosforth, Newcastle , Quayside, Ouseburn, St Peter's Basin, Walker & Walkergate |
Art
- A large mural features on the external wall of the station building. Created by Anthony Lowe, Metro Morning was commissioned in 1988, and depicts passengers travelling in a representation of a rush-hour train.
- Nic Armstrong's Have You Paid and Displayed? was commissioned in 2001, and features in the stairwell of the multi-storey car park. It depicts the everyday lives of the car park's users and Tyne and Wear Metro passengers, set amongst contrasting landscape images.
- Shepard Fairey's Obey mural features in the stairwell of the metro station. The mural depicts Chinese soldiers, one carrying a rifle with a rose in the barrel and a central white dove signifying peace.
Notes
References
- ^ "Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures". 2017–2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- ^ "Disused Stations: West Gosforth Station". Disused Stations. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ "West Gosforth Station". Northumbrian Railways. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ "West Gosforth" (Map). RailMapOnline. Retrieved 22 October 2024. Use 'Layers' tab to add stations and their labels to the map to see the original station location.
- ^ "Regent Centre". Mayfield Property. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
- ^ "Refurbishment works starts at Walkergate Metro station". Nexus. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Gateshead escalator replacement complete". Nexus. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Out with the old!". Twitter. @My_Metro. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Timetables and stations: Regent Centre". Nexus. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
- ^ "Timetables and stations: Regent Centre". Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
- ^ "Regent Centre bus station". Nexus.
- ^ "'Metro Morning' by Anthony Lowe". Nexus. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
- ^ "'Have you Paid and Displayed' by Nic Armstrong". Nexus. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
External links
- Media related to Regent Centre Interchange at Wikimedia Commons
- Timetable and station information for Regent Centre