Bank Foot Metro station

Bank Foot is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving Kenton in Newcastle upon Tyne. The station joined the network as a terminus station in May 1981, following the opening of the line between South Gosforth and Bank Foot.

Bank Foot
Tyne and Wear Metro station
LocationKenton, City of Newcastle upon Tyne
England
Coordinates55°00′50″N 1°40′41″W
Grid referenceNZ206688
Transit authorityTyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Parking62 spaces
Bicycle facilities8 cycle pods
Disabled accessStep-free access to platform level
Other information
Station codeBFT
Fare zoneB
History
Original companyTyne and Wear Metro
Key dates
10 May 1981Opened
Passengers
2017/180.11 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Metro Following station
Kingston Park
towards South Hylton
Green Line Callerton Parkway
towards Airport
Location

Following the opening of the 3.5 km (2.2 mi) line between Bank Foot and Airport in November 1991, the station opened to through services.[2] During the construction of the line, a dedicated bus service operated between Bank Foot and Newcastle International Airport.[3]

In October 2012, traffic enforcement cameras were installed at the level crossings at Bank Foot and Kingston Park.[4] Similar cameras were installed at Callerton Parkway in 2008.[5]

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.[6]

The station was used by 109,284 passengers in 2017–18, making it the third-least-used station on the network, after St. Peter's (107,887) and Pallion (92,060).

History

Bank Foot is located on to the site of the former Kenton Bank station, which opened in June 1905, as part of the Ponteland and Darras Hall branch of the Blyth and Tyne Railway. The line closed to passengers in June 1929, with goods services operating from the station until January 1966.[7][8]

Following the opening of the Tyne and Wear Metro station as a terminus in May 1981, the approach to Bank Foot was single track, with one platform on the south side (now used by trains towards Airport). For the first few years of operation, the Tyne and Wear Metro shared the line with freight services running to ICI Callerton, where explosives were transferred from rail to road for onward transport to quarries in Northumberland. This traffic ceased following the closure of ICI Callerton, in March 1989.

There were originally three tracks here. On the south side was the platform line, on the north side a siding for use by the Tyne and Wear Metro, and in the middle the non-electrified through line for freight services. 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.

When the line was extended to Airport, the bridge to the east 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.

Facilities

Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramped access to both platforms at Bank Foot. 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.[9][10] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[11][12]

A pay and display car park is available, with 62 spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with 8 cycle pods available for use.[13]

Service and frequency

Bank Foot is served by the  Green Line , which operates between South Hylton and Airport, with an end-to-end journey time of 64 minutes.

Services from platform 1 operate towards South Hylton, with the first train departing at 05:45 (05:44 on Saturday and 06:31 on Sunday). Services from platform 2 operate towards Airport, with the first train departing at 05:27 (05:29 on Saturday and 06:15 on Sunday). Trains run frequently across the network, at intervals of up to every 12 minutes (Monday to Saturday daytime), and every 15 minutes (evening and Sunday), with the last trains departing at around midnight.[13]

Journey times from Bank Foot are:

See also

References

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