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Bank Foot Metro station

Bank Foot
Tyne and Wear Metro station
Bank Foot station, looking east in 2010, after the Airport extension had been built
General information
LocationKenton Bank Foot
Newcastle upon Tyne
England
Coordinates55°00′50″N 1°40′41″W / 55.0139176°N 1.6780732°W / 55.0139176; -1.6780732
Grid referenceNZ206688
Transit authorityTyne and Wear PTE
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Parking62 spaces
Bicycle facilities8 cycle pods
AccessibleStep-free access to platform
Other information
Station codeBFT
Fare zoneB
History
Original companyTyne and Wear Metro
Key dates
10 May 1981Opened as terminus of line
17 November 1991Line extended to Airport
Passengers
2017/180.11 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Tyne and Wear Metro Following station
Kingston Park
towards South Hylton
Green Line Callerton Parkway
towards Airport
Location
Bank Foot is located in Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Bank Foot
Bank Foot
Bank Foot is located in Tyne and Wear
Bank Foot
Bank Foot
Location in Tyne and Wear, England
Bank Foot station, looking east in 1981, before the Airport extension was built

Bank Foot is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving the suburbs of Woolsington and Kenton in the English city of Newcastle upon Tyne. It opened as a single platform terminal station in 1981, with the opening of the second phase of the metro, between South Gosforth and Bank Foot. It was restructured as a two platform through station in 1991, with the opening of the extension to Newcastle Airport.

History

The Metro station is located at the site of the former Kenton Bank station, which opened on 1 June 1905 as part of the Gosforth and Ponteland Light Railway. The line closed to passengers on 17 June 1929, with goods services operating from the station until January 1966. The line through the station however remained open to serve the explosives depot at ICI Callerton, situated between Callerton and Ponteland stations, where explosives were transferred from rail to road for onward transport to quarries in Northumberland.[2][3]

The Metro station opened on 10 May 1981.[2] As opened, the approach from the east was single track opening out into three tracks. On the south side was the platform line, serving the stations single platform (now used by trains towards Airport), On the north side there was a siding used by the Metro, and in the middle a non-electrified through line for freight services to ICI Callerton. The ownership boundary between the Tyne and Wear Metro and British Rail was the level crossing on Station Road, to the west of the station.[citation needed]

In March 1989, ICI Callerton closed, and freight services through the station ceased. The following year, the construction of the extension of the Metro from Bank Foot to Newcastle Airport commenced, after funding had been secured from the European Economic Community (now the European Union). The extension used the alignment of the former freight line to the west of Bank Foot, ownership of which was transferred to the Metro.[2][4]

At the same time, the single-track bridge to the east of the station was re-built as double track, with Bank Foot station re-modelled as a double track station. A second platform was built on the north side (now used for trains towards South Hylton). The level crossing was also re-built in the same style as the other open level crossings on the system. Following the opening of the 3.5 km (2.2 mi) line between Bank Foot and Airport on 17 November 1991, the station opened to through services.[4]

During the construction of the line, a dedicated bus service operated between Bank Foot and Newcastle International Airport.[5]

In October 2012, traffic enforcement cameras were installed at the level crossings at Bank Foot and Kingston Park.[6] Similar cameras were installed at Callerton Parkway in 2008.[7]

The station was used by 0.11 million passengers in 2017–18, making it the third-least-used station on the network, after St Peter's and Pallion.[1]

In 2018, the station, along with others on the Airport branch, were refurbished as part of the Metro: All Change programme. The project saw improvements to accessibility, security and energy efficiency, as well as the re-branding of the station to the new black and white corporate colour scheme.[8]

Facilities

The station has two platforms, with separate step-free ramped access to each platform from the street. A pay and display car park is available, with 62 spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with eight cycle pods available for use.[9]

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.[10][11] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[12][13]

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.[9][14][a]

Rolling stock used: Class 599 Metrocar

Notes

  1. ^ Prior to 12 December 2005, Tyne and Wear Metro services operated between South Shields and Newcastle Airport.

References

  1. ^ a b "Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures". 2017–2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Disused Stations: Kenton Bank Station". Disused Stations. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Ponteland Light Railway & Darras Hall Branch". Northumbrian Railways. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 3 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ^ a b "Metro's airport extension celebrates its 25th year". Nexus. 17 November 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  5. ^ "OK for airport". Commercial Motor. 3 May 1990. p. 25. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  6. ^ "Safety cameras for Metro level crossings". Nexus. 16 October 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Cameras for Metro train crossing". BBC News. 19 April 2008. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
  8. ^ Peskett, Joe (3 October 2017). "£300k scheme to improve access at five Newcastle metro stations". Access and Mobility Professional. Archived from the original on 5 December 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  9. ^ a b "Timetables and stations: Bank Foot". Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Retrieved 15 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  12. ^ "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
  14. ^ "Timetables and stations: Bank Foot". Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Archived from the original on 19 November 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2021.