North Tyneside Loop
Encyclopedia
The North Tyneside Loop refers to the railway lines in North Tyneside
from Newcastle upon Tyne
via Wallsend
, North Shields
, Whitley Bay
, Backworth
, Benton
and South Gosforth back to Newcastle. It emerged as two competing railways were built from Newcastle to Tynemouth
, the Newcastle and North Shields Railway (via Wallsend and North Shields) and the Blyth and Tyne Railway (via Benton and Whitley Bay). Initially both had separate stations at both Newcastle and Tynemouth, but later both were extended to start at Newcastle Central Station
and to connect at a new through station in Tynemouth, thus allowing a through service.
The line was electrified (as the Tyneside Electrics
) by the North Eastern Railway
in 1904 to fight competition from the newly built electric tramways, but de-electrified in 1967. In the late 1970s it was converted to form the Tyne and Wear Metro
, which opened in stages beginning in 1980. Both lines were diverted underground on the approach to Newcastle, so that the line via Wallsend no longer serves Central Station; both lines now cross at a new station at Monument
.
North Tyneside
The Metropolitan Borough of North Tyneside is a metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England and is part of the Tyneside conurbation. Its seat is Wallsend Town Hall....
from Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
via Wallsend
Wallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
, North Shields
North Shields
North Shields is a town on the north bank of the River Tyne, in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside, in North East England...
, Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay
Whitley Bay is a town in North Tyneside, in Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the North Sea coast and has a fine stretch of golden sandy beach forming a bay stretching from St. Mary's Island in the north to Cullercoats in the south...
, Backworth
Backworth
Backworth is a village in the metropolitan borough of North Tyneside in the county of Tyne and Wear, England, about west of Whitley Bay on the north east coast. It lies northeast of Newcastle and north northwest of Sunderland...
, Benton
Benton, Newcastle upon Tyne
Benton is a district to the north east of Newcastle upon Tyne. A section of this district is administratively part of the City, but the greater part, which lies inside the Parish of St Bartholomew, Long Benton, is within North Tyneside....
and South Gosforth back to Newcastle. It emerged as two competing railways were built from Newcastle to Tynemouth
Tynemouth
Tynemouth is a town and a historic borough in Tyne and Wear, England, at the mouth of the River Tyne, between North Shields and Cullercoats . It is administered as part of the borough of North Tyneside, but until 1974 was an independent county borough in its own right...
, the Newcastle and North Shields Railway (via Wallsend and North Shields) and the Blyth and Tyne Railway (via Benton and Whitley Bay). Initially both had separate stations at both Newcastle and Tynemouth, but later both were extended to start at Newcastle Central Station
Newcastle Central station
Newcastle railway station , is the mainline station of the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England and is a principal stop on the East Coast Main Line. It opened in 1850 and is a Grade I listed building...
and to connect at a new through station in Tynemouth, thus allowing a through service.
The line was electrified (as the Tyneside Electrics
Tyneside Electrics
The Tyneside Electrics refers to the suburban railways on Tyneside that were electrified by the North Eastern Railway and the London and North Eastern Railway. The North Tyneside loop was electrified from 1904 onwards and formed one of the earliest suburban electric networks, the South Tyneside...
) by the North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway (UK)
The North Eastern Railway , was an English railway company. It was incorporated in 1854, when four existing companies were combined, and was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923...
in 1904 to fight competition from the newly built electric tramways, but de-electrified in 1967. In the late 1970s it was converted to form the Tyne and Wear Metro
Tyne and Wear Metro
The Tyne and Wear Metro, also known as the Metro, is a light rail system in North East England, serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead, South Tyneside, North Tyneside and Sunderland. It opened in 1980 and in 2007–2008 provided 40 million public journeys on its network of nearly...
, which opened in stages beginning in 1980. Both lines were diverted underground on the approach to Newcastle, so that the line via Wallsend no longer serves Central Station; both lines now cross at a new station at Monument
Monument Metro station
Monument is a principal station on the underground section of the Tyne and Wear Metro system and is used by almost 6 million passengers per year. It is named after Grey's Monument, which stands directly above the station...
.