Place Chester-le-Street Station code CLS Owned by Chester-le-Track Phone +44 808 156 1606 | Grid reference NZ271512 Managed by Northern DfT category F1 Number of platforms 2 Original company North Eastern Railway | |
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Address Station Road, Chester-le-Street DH3 3EE, UK Similar MetroCentre railway station, Wylam railway station, Heworth Interchange, Cramlington railway station, Prudhoe railway station | ||
Chester-le-Street railway station serves the town of Chester-le-Street in County Durham, England. The station is on the East Coast Main Line 8 miles (13 km) south of Newcastle upon Tyne. It is mentioned in the song "Slow Train" by Flanders and Swann.
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History
The Team Valley line of the North Eastern Railway, which connected Newton Hall Junction near Durham with Gateshead, was authorised in 1848 but not opened until 2 March 1868 (the powers having been renewed in 1862). At first only freight trains used the route, but passenger services began on 1 December 1868, and the station at Chester-le-Street opened the same day.
Services
Mondays to Saturdays there is a mostly two-hourly TransPennine Express service from Chester-le-Street, northbound to Newcastle Central and southbound to Durham, Darlington, York, Leeds, Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Lime Street. Most services run to and from Liverpool since the May 2014 timetable change, though certain early morning trains come from Manchester Airport. On Sundays there is also a two-hourly service in each direction.
The station also has a very limited service provided by other operators - CrossCountry have a single service to Southampton Central calling in the evening peak, whilst Northern have three a.m northbound services to Newcastle calling on weekdays & two on Saturdays (from Middlesbrough and Saltburn) and one late night weekday southbound service to Darlington. The latter also runs on a Sunday, running through to Middlesbrough.
Other CrossCountry services as well as all Virgin Trains East Coast and some TransPennine Express services pass through the station but do not stop.
Operator and facilities
Chester-le-Track, an independent private limited company, operates the station as an agent for the local franchised train operating company, which, as of 2011, is Northern. Chester-le-Track began operating the station in 1999, Chester-le-Street having lost its part-time staff some 10 years previously.
The ticket office is staffed six days per week, between 07:30 and 18:00 on weekdays and 07:30 and 13:00 on Saturdays (closed evenings and Sundays). At other times tickets must be bought on the train or prior to travel. There are toilets and a waiting room in the main building, along with standard shelters on each platform. Vending machines are also available for the purchase of snacks and cold drinks. Train running information is offered via timetable posters and telephone. Step-free access is available to both platforms.