Jarrow Metro station explained

Jarrow
Style:Tyne and Wear Metro
Type:Tyne and Wear Metro station
Address:Jarrow, South Tyneside
Country:England
Coordinates:54.9796°N -1.4936°W
Map Type:United Kingdom Tyne and Wear
Grid Name:Grid reference
Bus Stands:5
Transit Authority:Tyne and Wear PTE
Platform:2
Tracks:2
Zone:B
Parking:23 spaces
Accessible:Step-free access to platform
Original:North Eastern Railway
Pregroup:North Eastern Railway
Years:1 March 1872
Events:Opened
Years1:1 June 1981
Events1:Closed for conversion
Years2:24 March 1984
Events2:Reopened
Passengers:0.44 million[1]
Pass Year:2017/18
Code:JAR

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 and .

History

The station was opened by the North Eastern Railway on 1 March 1872.

In 1935, the London North Eastern Railway unveiled plans to electrify the South Shields branch, with the branch joining the Tyneside Electrics network of services in 1938.[2]

Owing to falling passenger numbers during the 1960s, as well as rising costs, and the need to renew life expired infrastructure and rolling stock, the Tyneside Electrics network was de-electrified and converted to diesel multiple unit operation in 1963.

During the early 1970s, the poor local transport system was identified as one of the main factors holding back the region's economy, and in 1971 a study was commissioned by the recently created Tyneside Passenger Transport Authority into how the transport system could be improved. By 1984, the final cost of the project was £265million.[3]

Following closure for conversion to the Tyne and Wear Metro on 1 June 1981, the station was subsequently demolished and rebuilt.

Jarrow was formerly situated on a single line section of track, with the station situated on a long passing loop for Tyne and Wear Metro services, and therefore two platforms. On the north side of the station there was a single-track line used by freight trains. However, since the completion of the Metro Flow project in late 2022, freight trains now share Metro tracks.

Metro Flow

During the 2020 Budget, the UK Government announced an investment of £95million towards the £103million Metro Flow project, which was developed to increase capacity on the network by up to 30,000 passenger journeys per day, as well as improve reliability on the branch between and South Shields. Furthermore, the project included the acquisition of four additional Stadler units, complementing the fleet of 42 units already on order.[4] [5]

Between September 2022 and December 2022, a full closure of the branch between Pelaw and South Shields took place. The project saw three sections of single line converted to dual line, between Pelaw and Hebburn (800abbr=onNaNabbr=on), Hebburn and (1.4abbr=onNaNabbr=on) and Jarrow and, as well as the electrification and redesign of a previously freight-only line to operate using a similar system to the existing shared National Rail line between Pelaw and .[6] [7] [8]

Facilities

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with tactile paving installed on both platforms.[9] [10] The station is equipped with ticket machines, waiting shelter, 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.[11] [12] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[13] [14] There is a free car park at the station, with 80 spaces, plus four accessible spaces, as well as a taxi rank. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with five cycle pods available for use.[15]

Services

Bus

The bus station, which is located adjacent to the Metro station, is served by local bus operators Go North East and Stagecoach North East. It has five departure stands (lettered A–E), each of which has a waiting shelter, seating, next bus information displays, and timetable posters. Routes serve South Tyneside, as well as neighbouring Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland. Between November 2014 and March 2015, work was undertaken as part of a £120,000 refurbishment project – improving waiting areas, lighting and security.[16] [17]

Tyne and Wear Metro

, 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. Services operate between and via .[18]

Rolling stock: Class 599 Metrocar

Art

Vince Rea's Jarrow March (1984) art installation commemorates the 207 people who, in October 1936, walked from Tyneside to London to protest about the lack of jobs in the area. The work is made from steel recycled from a scrapped ship.[19]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 6 November 2018. Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures 2017–2018. 21 August 2019. WhatDoTheyKnow.
  2. Book: Young . Alan . Suburban Railways of Tyneside . Martin Bairstow . 1999 . 978-1871944204 . 20.
  3. Book: Young, Alan . Suburban Railways of Tyneside . Martin Bairstow . 1999 . 9781871944204 . 90–94.
  4. Web site: 11 March 2020 . Rail in the 2020 budget . 17 March 2020 . . en.
  5. Web site: 2021-09-08 . Nexus to receive four additional Metro trains from Stadler . 2022-01-09 . Railway Technology . en-US.
  6. Web site: 11 March 2020 . Our £100m project to boost frequency and reliability on Metro . 17 March 2020 . . en.
  7. Web site: Smith . Kev . 2020-03-11 . Midlands Rail Hub and Tyne & Wear Metro secure government funding . 2022-01-09 . . en.
  8. Web site: Holden . Michael . 2020-03-12 . More trains on the Tyne and Wear Metro thanks to Government funded £100m project . 2022-01-09 . RailAdvent . en-GB.
  9. Web site: 17 June 2022 . Metro installs tactile paving on every station platform . 25 April 2024 . Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive.
  10. Web site: 17 June 2022 . Tactile paving now at all Tyne & Wear Metro stations . 25 April 2024 . . en.
  11. Web site: 13 January 2014 . Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment . 27 May 2020 . . en.
  12. News: 2011-12-11 . Revamp for Metro ticket machines . 27 May 2020 . . en-GB.
  13. Web site: 22 October 2012 . City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates . 27 May 2020 . . en.
  14. Web site: 21 March 2013 . Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces . 27 May 2020 . . en.
  15. Web site: Timetables and stations: Hebburn . 25 April 2024 . . en.
  16. Web site: 26 November 2014. Jarrow bus station refurbished in £120,000 programme. 2020-05-27. Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. en.
  17. Web site: 5 March 2015. Jarrow bus station refurbishment completed. 2022-01-11. Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. en.
  18. Web site: Timetables and stations: Hebburn . 25 April 2024 . . en.
  19. Web site: 'Jarrow March' by Vince Rea . 2020-03-21 . . en.