South Hylton Metro station explained

South Hylton
Style:Tyne and Wear Metro
Type:Tyne and Wear Metro station
Address:South Hylton, City of Sunderland
Country:England
Coordinates:54.9043°N -1.4478°W
Map Type:United Kingdom Sunderland#Tyne and Wear
Grid Name:Grid reference
Transit Authority:Tyne and Wear PTE
Platform:1
Tracks:1
Zone:C
Parking:24 spaces
Bicycle:5 cycle pods
Accessible:Step-free access to platform
Original:York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway
Pregroup:North Eastern Railway
Postgroup:
Years:1 June 1853
Events:Opened as Hylton
Years1:4 May 1964
Events1:Closed
Years2:31 March 2002
Events2:Resited and reopened as South Hylton
Passengers:0.26 million[1]
Pass Year:2017/18
Code:SHL

South Hylton is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburbs of Pennywell and South Hylton, City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, North East England. It joined the network as a terminus station on 31 March 2002, following the opening of the extension from Pelaw to South Hylton.

Original station

South Hylton stands to the east of the site of the former Hylton station, which was located west of Hylton Bank. The station opened on 1 June 1853, as part of the Penshaw branch of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway. Passenger services along the Penshaw Branch were recommended for withdrawal in the Beeching Report, and the station duly closed on 4 May 1964.[2]

Prior to the opening of the Tyne and Wear Metro station, the area was served by the Jolly Bus service, operated by W.H. Jolly. The service ran from Claxheugh Road and Evesham in South Hylton to Sunderland, using vehicles branded in a cream and brown livery. The service was withdrawn in July 1995.[3]

Metro era

The new South Hylton station opened in 2002 and has the longest platform on the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with a length of 122abbr=onNaNabbr=on. Because of this, the single platform is officially recognised as two platforms, and can accommodate two trains.[4]

Along with other stations on the line between Fellgate and South Hylton, the station is fitted with vitreous enamel panels designed by artist, Morag Morrison. Each station uses a different arrangement of colours, with strong colours used in platform shelters and ticketing areas, and a more neutral palate for external elements.[5]

The station was used by 256,819 passengers in 2017–18, making it the eighth-most-used station on the Wearside extension.

Facilities

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramped access to the platform at South Hylton. The station is equipped with ticket machines, waiting shelter, seating, next train information displays, timetable posters, and an emergency help point. Ticket machines are able to accept payment with credit and debit card (including contactless payment), notes and coins.[6] [7] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[8] [9]

A small, free car park is available, with 24 parking spaces, plus two accessible spaces, as well as a taxi rank. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with five cycle pods available for use.[10]

Services

, 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.[11]

Rolling stock used: Class 599 Metrocar

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures . . 2017–2018 . 21 August 2019 .
  2. Book: Quick, Michael E.. Railway passenger stations in Great Britain: a chronology. Railway and Canal Historical Society. 2009. 9780901461575. 4th. Oxford. 237 and 394. 612226077.
  3. Web site: Transport: Jolly Buses. South Hylton Local History Society. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20080709035642/http://www.shlhs.com/page184.html. 2008-07-09. 2020-05-19.
  4. Web site: Hope. Richard. 1 July 2001. Tyne & Wear Metro shares tracks to Sunderland. 2020-05-19. Railway Gazette International. en.
  5. Web site: 'Station Colours' by Morag Morrison. Nexus. 19 May 2020.
  6. Web site: Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment. 13 January 2014. Nexus. en. 19 May 2020.
  7. News: 2011-12-11. Revamp for Metro ticket machines. en-GB. BBC News. 19 May 2020.
  8. Web site: City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates. 22 October 2012. Nexus. en. 19 May 2020.
  9. Web site: Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces. 21 March 2013. Nexus. en. 19 May 2020.
  10. Web site: Timetables and stations: South Hylton. Nexus. en. 19 May 2020.
  11. Web site: Timetables and stations: South Hylton. 30 March 2021. Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. en.