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Dunston railway station

Coordinates: 54°57′00″N 1°38′29″W / 54.9499976°N 1.6414408°W / 54.9499976; -1.6414408
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Dunston
National Rail
General information
LocationDunston, Gateshead
England
Coordinates54°57′00″N 1°38′29″W / 54.9499976°N 1.6414408°W / 54.9499976; -1.6414408
Grid referenceNZ230617
Owned byNetwork Rail
Managed byNorthern Trains
Transit authorityTyne and Wear PTE
Platforms2
Tracks2
Other information
Station codeDOT
ClassificationDfT category F2
History
Original companyNorth Eastern Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
1 January 1909Opened as Dunston-on-Tyne
1 May 1918Closed
1 October 1919Reopened
4 May 1926Closed
1 October 1984Reopened as Dunston
Passengers
2019/20Increase 19,698
2020/21Decrease 6,936
2021/22Increase 17,938
2022/23Increase 24,538
2023/24Increase 46,762
Location
Dunston is located in Tyne and Wear
Dunston
Dunston
Location in Tyne and Wear, England
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Dunston is a railway station on the Tyne Valley Line, which runs between Newcastle and Carlisle via Hexham. The station, situated 2 miles 23 chains (2.29 mi; 3.68 km) west of Newcastle, serves the suburb of Dunston, Gateshead in Tyne and Wear, England. It is owned by Network Rail and managed by Northern Trains.

History

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The station opened in January 1909,[1] on a section of line built by the North Eastern Railway between 1893 and 1909. It linked the lines over the newly commissioned King Edward VII Bridge with the original Newcastle and Carlisle Railway freight route to Redheugh and Dunston Coal Staiths, dating back to 1837.[2]

The station was originally known as Dunston-on-Tyne, and served as the terminus of a shuttle service from Newcastle. As a result of the General Strike of 1926, the service ended and the station was closed in May 1926, briefly being brought back into use for special evacuation trains during World War II.

Following the closure of Scotswood Bridge in October 1982, trains were re-routed across the King Edward VII Bridge and through Dunston.[3] The station was re-opened as Dunston by British Rail in October 1984. Initially, most services on the Tyne Valley Line called at the station. However, services were later reduced due to low passenger numbers, particularly following the opening of MetroCentre in August 1987. The timetable has though been improved by the current operator (since 2013) and is now comparable to many other stations on the line.

Facilities

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The station has a single island platform, which has a ticket machine (which accepts card or contactless payment only), seating, waiting shelter, next train audio display and an emergency help point. There is step-free access to the platform, which is accessed by ramp. There is cycle storage at the station.[4]

Dunston is part of the Northern Trains penalty fare network, meaning that a valid ticket or promise to pay notice is required prior to boarding the train.[5]

Services

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As of the December 2023 timetable change, there is an hourly service between Newcastle and Hexham, with additional trains at peak times. On Sunday, there is an hourly service between Newcastle and MetroCentre. Most trains extend to Nunthorpe via Hartlepool, with services to/from Morpeth on Sundays. All services are operated by Northern Trains.[6]

Rolling stock used: Class 156 Super Sprinter and Class 158 Express Sprinter

References

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  1. ^ Quick, Michael (2009). Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain: A Chronology. Railway and Canal Historical Society. p. 155. ISBN 978-0901461575.
  2. ^ Marsden, Richard. "The North Eastern Railway: Bridges around Newcastle". LNER Encyclopedia. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  3. ^ Body, G: Railways of the Eastern Region Volume 2, 1988, Patrick Stephens Ltd, Wellingborough, ISBN 1-85260-072-1, p.133
  4. ^ "Dunston Station Train Tickets, Departures and Timetables". Northern Trains. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  5. ^ "Penalty Fares Map". Northern Trains. Retrieved 20 October 2020.
  6. ^ Table 42 National Rail timetable, December 2023
[edit]
Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Newcastle
towards Newcastle
  Northern Trains
Tyne Valley Line
  MetroCentre
towards Carlisle