Tyne and Wear Metro 2I09 Train from Newcastle (Metro) Central Station to Sunderland

The Tyne and Wear Metro is a light rail rapid transit system serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and the City of Sunderland. While I would get a 34% discount with my 26-30 Railcard if I had taken the faster Northern train from Newcastle to Sunderland, this might be (and it was in the end) my only chance to try out the Tyne and Wear Metro on this Europe trip. As such, I chose to take the Tyne and Wear Metro anyway to tick off another train system that I have tried.

Newcastle (Metro) Central Station

Newcastle (Metro) Central Station is located under Newcastle Central Railway Station.

Heading down the stairs from the exterior part of Newcastle Central Railway Station to Newcastle (Metro) Central Station.

There is also an entrance and exit directly from inside Newcastle Central Railway Station to Newcastle (Metro) Central Station with an up-riding escalator.

Central Station

The ticket concourse of Newcastle (Metro) Central Station for the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Tyne and Wear Metro tickets are sold at ticket machines.

The Tyne and Wear Metro fare structure operates in zones.

As my journey from Newcastle to Sunderland would cross all 3 zones, I need an All Zone ticket for this journey. This costs £3.90.

Maps and timetables are provided at the ticket concourse.

Exact timetables are provided even at a reasonably-high frequency for UK standards at 5 trains per hour at a constant 12-minute frequency at most times of the day.

My All Zone Tyne and Wear Metro ticket indicated as A+B+C.

There are staff on hand manning the automated gate line. Gates will be closed when there is an arriving train, and will be open at other times. If the gate is open, there is no need to insert the ticket – just walk straight through.

Heading down the escalator to the island platform.

Trains to Sunderland depart from Platform 1.

The platform is quite slim but it gets the job done for a light rail system.

The time indicated on the information screen is accurate and my 2.16pm Green Line train arrived and departed on time. This train originated from Newcastle Airport.

The interior of the train is comfortable with facing bays of 4 seats making up the bulk of seats.

The Tyne and Wear Metro network map is available above the train doors.

Heading out of the underground sector after Newcastle (Metro) Central Station.

Heading on the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge across the River Tyne.

Gateshead

Making a brief stop at the underground Gateshead.

Heading out of the tunnel again.

Gateshead Stadium

Making a brief stop at Gateshead Stadium.

Felling

Making a brief stop at Felling.

I’m starting to notice that overground intermediate stations don’t seem to have ticket gates. Maybe that’s why the ticket gate was open at Newcastle Central Station used for ticket inspection as a trap instead.

Passing an opposing Tyne and Wear Metro train.

Heworth

Making a brief stop at Heworth.

Pelaw

Making a brief stop at Pelaw. Pelaw is the last shared station between the Green Line and Yellow Line when heading south of Newcastle Central Station.

There are some stabling sidings east of Pelaw.

Waiting at a danger signal for the tracks to change due to the opposing train ahead.

The signal is given to head on to the branch.

Heading off the junction east of Pelaw.

Heading down to the ground with mainline tracks ahead.

The Tyne and Wear Metro merges on to the National Rail Durham Coast Line sharing traffic with main line trains.

Passing an opposing Tyne and Wear Metro train on the main line.

Fellgate

Making a brief stop at Fellgate.

Passing by an opposing freight train. Not every day you get to pass a freight train on a light rail train.

Unless you live in Tyne and Wear. It’s a bit hard for me to experience that in Singapore.

Brockley Whins

Making a brief stop at Brockley Whins.

Passing by some cows along the way.

Passing by a railway crossing before East Boldon.

East Boldon

Making a brief stop at East Boldon.

Passing by a Northern 156 Super Sprinter DMU on the main line.

Seaburn

Making a brief stop at Seaburn.

Stadium of Light

Making a brief stop at Stadium of Light.

The train was starting to empty out so here’s a daylight shot of the interior from where I was seated.

Passing through the former Monkwearmouth Railway Station, closed in March 1967.

St Peter’s

Making a brief stop at St Peter’s.

Crossing the Monkwearmouth Railway Bridge over the River Wear.

Heading underground on approach to Sunderland.

Sunderland Railway Station

Arriving at Sunderland Railway Station where the Tyne and Wear Metro and National Rail services share the same track and island platform.

Most remaining passengers alighted at Sunderland.

My Tyne and Wear Metro Green Line 2I09 arrived at Sunderland at 2.44pm – 1 minute early.

This train will continue on to South Hylton, where it terminates.

While Sunderland Railway Station has effectively a single island platform, it is further divided into 2 based on train stopping positions.

Sunderland Railway Station was undergoing upgrading works during my visit.

Heading up the stairs to exit Sunderland Railway Station.

There are no ticket gates at Sunderland Railway Station.

The unassuming façade of Sunderland Railway Station.

The hoardings of the main station building works.

The Bridges Shopping Centre is located outside Sunderland Railway Station.

Here, I waited for my connecting Grand Central 1A66 train onwards to London King’s Cross.