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Regent Centre Interchange

Coordinates: 55°00′43″N 1°37′18″W / 55.0119539°N 1.6216284°W / 55.0119539; -1.6216284
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Regent Centre Interchange
Multimodal transport hub including Tyne and Wear Metro station
The interchange showing (from bottom to top) the metro station, bus station and multi-storey car park
General information
LocationGosforth
Newcastle upon Tyne
England
Coordinates55°00′43″N 1°37′18″W / 55.0119539°N 1.6216284°W / 55.0119539; -1.6216284
Grid referenceNZ242686
Transit authorityTyne and Wear PTE
Platforms2
Tracks2
Bus stands5
Construction
Parking183 spaces
Bicycle facilities
  • 4 cycle lockers
  • 5 cycle pods
AccessibleStep-free access to platform
Other information
Station codeRGC
Fare zoneB
History
Original companyTyne and Wear Metro
Key dates
10 May 1981Opened
Passengers
2017/180.71 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Tyne and Wear Metro Following station
South Gosforth
towards South Hylton
Green Line Wansbeck Road
towards Airport
Location
Regent Centre Interchange is located in Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Regent Centre Interchange
Regent Centre Interchange
Regent Centre Interchange is located in Tyne and Wear
Regent Centre Interchange
Regent Centre Interchange
Location in Tyne and Wear

The Regent Centre Interchange is a multimodal transport hub, serving the suburb of Gosforth in the English city of Newcastle upon Tyne. It includes a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, a bus station and a multi-storey car park, and is adjacent to the Regent Centre business park. It was opened in 1981.

History

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The interchange is located on the route of the former Gosforth and Ponteland Light Railway, which opened on 1 May 1905. West Gosforth station, which opened three months later with the introduction of passenger services on the line, was situated where the metro station's platforms are today. The line closed to passengers in June 1929, but remained open for freight traffic, including to and from the ICI Callerton explosives depot, situated between Callerton and Ponteland, and Rowntree's Fawdon factory, just west of Fawdon.[2][3][4]

In the late 1970s the line through the site was restructured to form the second phase of the Tyne and Wear Metro, between South Gosforth and Bank Foot. The remains of the old West Gosforth station were demolished as part of this work, and the new interchange constructed. The interchange took its name from the adjacent Regent Centre business park that had been constructed in the years leading up to the conversion of the railway line to Metro.[2][5]

The new metro line opened on 10 May 1981, along with the new station and interchange. Freight traffic to and from Rowntree's factory and ICI Callerton continued to pass through the station until they closed in July 1988 and March 1989 respectively. In 1991 the Metro line was extended from Bank Foot to Newcastle Airport.[2]

Facilities

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Regent Centre Interchange consists of a two platform station below street level, covered by the station concourse and bus station. A multi-storey car park is located above the platforms and concourse, with a tall canopy covering the entrance to the station building, extending across the bus station.

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with two lifts providing step-free access to platforms. As part of the Metro: All Change programme, new lifts[6] and escalators were installed at the station in 2013.[7][8]

The station is equipped with ticket machines, 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.[9][10] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[11][12] The station houses a newsagent's shop in the ticket hall.

There is a large pay and display car park available at the station, with 183 spaces, plus eight accessible spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with four cycle lockers and five cycle pods available for use. A bus interchange is also available at the station, providing frequent connections in and around Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland.[13]

Services

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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.[14]

Rolling stock used: Class 599 Metrocar

Bus station

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The bus station is located above the Tyne and Wear Metro station. It opened in May 1981, and similarly to Heworth and Four Lane Ends, was purpose-built for the Tyne and Wear Metro network.

Regent Centre Interchange is served by Arriva North East and Go North East's local bus services, with frequent routes serving Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Northumberland. The bus station has five departure stands[15] (lettered A–E). Each stand is fitted with seating, next bus information displays, and timetable posters.

As of October 2024, the stand allocation is:

Stand Route Destination
A 49 Newcastle Great Park
via Brunton Park
553 Freeman Hospital
via South Gosforth Tyne and Wear Metro
Q3 Brunton Park
Q3X
B 43 Morpeth Bus interchange National Rail
via Wideopen, Seaton Burn, Dudley, Cramlington National Rail, Bedlington, Nedderton, Hepscott Park & Stobhill
44 Dinnington
via Wideopen & Hazlerigg
45 Dinnington
via Wideopen & Brunswick Village
X9 Blyth
express via Beacon Hill, Cramlington National Rail, High Pit, Bebside & Cowpen
X10 Blyth
express via Cramlington National Rail, Parkside & Newsham
X11
X20 Alnwick
express via North Seaton, Ashington Bus interchange, Wansbeck Hospital, Lynemouth, Ellington, Widdrington National Rail, Red Row, Hadston, Amble, Warkworth & Alnmouth National Rail
X21 Woodhorn
express via Nedderton, Bedlington, Stakeford, North Seaton, Ashington Bus interchange & Wansbeck Hospital
X22 Ashington
express via Bedlington, Guide Post, Wansbeck Estate, Stakeford & North Seaton
X30 Bebside
express via Newsham, Blyth Bus interchange & Cowpen
X46 Newcastle Great Park
express via Brunton Park
C X14 Thropton
express via Morpeth Bus interchange National Rail, Longhorsley, Longframlington, Cragside House[a] & Rothbury
X15 Berwick-upon-Tweed National Rail
express via Morpeth Bus interchange National Rail, Felton, Shilbottle, Alnwick, Warenford, Belford, Beal, Haggerston, Scremerston & Tweedmouth
X16 Morpeth[b] Bus interchange National Rail
express via Stannington
X18 Berwick-upon-Tweed National Rail
express via Morpeth Bus interchange National Rail, Pegswood National Rail, Widdrington National Rail, Red Row, Acklington, Broomhill, Amble, Alnmouth National Rail, Alnwick Bus interchange, Longhoughton, Craster, Embleton, Beadnell, Seahouses, Bamburgh, Waren Mill, Belford, Beal, Haggerston, Scremerston & Tweedmouth
D
No services operate from this stand
E
All services to Haymarket Bus interchange Tyne and Wear Metro
via Gosforth
49 Eldon Square Bus interchange Tyne and Wear Metro
via Gosforth
Q3 Wallsend Bus interchange Tyne and Wear Metro
via Gosforth, Jesmond Tyne and Wear Metro, Newcastle Bus interchange National Rail Tyne and Wear Metro, Quayside, Ouseburn, St Peter's Basin, Walker & Walkergate Tyne and Wear Metro
Q3X Wallsend Bus interchange Tyne and Wear Metro
express via Gosforth, Newcastle Bus interchange National Rail Tyne and Wear Metro, Quayside, Ouseburn, St Peter's Basin, Walker & Walkergate Tyne and Wear Metro

Art

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  • A large mural features on the external wall of the station building. Created by Anthony Lowe, Metro Morning was commissioned in 1988, and depicts passengers travelling in a representation of a rush-hour train.[16]
  • Nic Armstrong's Have You Paid and Displayed? was commissioned in 2001, and features in the stairwell of the multi-storey car park. It depicts the everyday lives of the car park's users and Tyne and Wear Metro passengers, set amongst contrasting landscape images.[17]
  • Shepard Fairey's Obey mural features in the stairwell of the metro station. The mural depicts Chinese soldiers, one carrying a rifle with a rose in the barrel and a central white dove signifying peace.

Notes

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  1. ^ Some journeys operate via Cragside House.
  2. ^ Some journeys continue to Kelso or Wooler via Longhorsley & Longframlington.

References

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  1. ^ "Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures". 2017–2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  2. ^ a b c "Disused Stations: West Gosforth Station". Disused Stations. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  3. ^ "West Gosforth Station". Northumbrian Railways. Archived from the original on 11 March 2014. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  4. ^ "West Gosforth" (Map). RailMapOnline. Retrieved 22 October 2024. Use 'Layers' tab to add stations and their labels to the map to see the original station location.
  5. ^ "Regent Centre". Mayfield Property. Archived from the original on 10 June 2007. Retrieved 9 October 2008.
  6. ^ "Refurbishment works starts at Walkergate Metro station". Nexus. 5 November 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Gateshead escalator replacement complete". Nexus. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  8. ^ "Out with the old!". Twitter. @My_Metro. 15 February 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  11. ^ "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  12. ^ "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  13. ^ "Timetables and stations: Regent Centre". Nexus. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  14. ^ "Timetables and stations: Regent Centre". Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  15. ^ "Regent Centre bus station". Nexus.
  16. ^ "'Metro Morning' by Anthony Lowe". Nexus. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
  17. ^ "'Have you Paid and Displayed' by Nic Armstrong". Nexus. Retrieved 10 March 2014.
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