Place Blaydon Station code BLO DfT category F2 Number of platforms 2 | Grid reference NZ184635 Managed by Northern 2011/12 4,220 | |
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Address Blaydon-on-Tyne NE21 5BY, United Kingdom Similar Dunston railway station, MetroCentre railway station, Wylam railway station, Riding Mill railway station, Newcastle Airport Metro stat | ||
Blaydon railway station pacers and super sprinters galore
Blaydon railway station is a railway station serving Blaydon in Tyne and Wear, northern England. It is located on the Tyne Valley Line (which runs from Newcastle upon Tyne to Carlisle) 5 1⁄2 miles (8.9 km) east of Newcastle Central and is managed by Northern.
Contents
History
The station was constructed by the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway (N&CR), and opened on 9 March 1835 as the line's initial eastern terminus. Through running to Redheugh (Gateshead) on the south bank of the River Tyne began in 1837 and the line was completed through to Carlisle the following year. A second cross-river line via Scotswood to a temporary terminus near the site of Newcastle Central was opened in 1839 (diverging immediately east of the station), although it wasn't until January 1851 that Central station was accessible via this route. It was enlarged on the opening of the Lanchester Valley Extension line in 1867, with Blaydon Junction opening to its east; this enabled trains to run to Blackhill, Consett and through to Durham. The station was substantially rebuilt in 1912 with new red brick station buildings and glass canopies. Passenger services over the Derwent Valley line ended in 1954 and it closed completely in 1963.
In 1969, Blaydon became an unstaffed station, and the canopies were removed. The station buildings were demolished in 1977 due to neglect and persistent vandalism. Services over the route via the Scotswood Bridge were withdrawn on 4 October 1982 and the line closed (few traces of this now remain, though the position of the station signal box gives a clue as to the old alignment); all services were henceforth diverted over the original 1837 route along the south bank of the Tyne and then onward through Dunston, Bensham Junction and then over the King Edward VII Bridge, a route that had previously only been used by freight traffic.
Facilities
As noted above, the station is unmanned and has no ticketing provision - all tickets must be purchased on the train or prior to travel. There are basic shelters on both platforms, which are linked by footbridge. Train running information is offered by timetable posters and telephone. Step-free access is only possible on the westbound platform, as the footbridge has stairs and this is the only way to reach the eastbound side.
Services
Up until the beginning of December 2013, the service there was infrequent compared to others on the line - three services on Monday to Friday to Hexham and three to Newcastle, whilst on Saturdays there were three to Hexham and two to Newcastle & no service at all on Sundays.
Since the December 2013 timetable change, the station now receives a much improved service with calls every two hours in each direction (by Middlesbrough - Hexham trains) and extra departures at peak times. There is also a Sunday service for the first time since the early 1970s.
The Office of Rail & Road estimates of station usage attributes the sharp rise in passenger numbers as down to the timetabling improvements.