• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

New South Shields Station

Status
Not open for further replies.

Scott M

Member
Joined
14 Aug 2014
Messages
395
New South Shields station is looking nice. Metro allowed a photographer inside, and their photos have now been published here: https://www.facebook.com/southshields360com

On a more negative note, noticing beggars approaching people at ticket machines trying to sell used tickets is becoming a lot more prevalent, especially at the core stations. A lot of them are quite pushy too and will not take no for an answer. I wonder if Nexus know this is becoming a problem.
 
Last edited:
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

jkkne

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2012
Messages
386
Said tramps being on the trains is even more of a problem of late (often accompanied by a can of Fosters)

£21m doesn't even seem to buy you a roof over the platform for your passengers, it's a good job Shields has such a balmy climate!
 

Paul_10

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2011
Messages
736
Said tramps being on the trains is even more of a problem of late (often accompanied by a can of Fosters)

£21m doesn't even seem to buy you a roof over the platform for your passengers, it's a good job Shields has such a balmy climate!

Yep I actually don't think the platform area is all that much of an improvement at all really although no doubt the esculators are a welcome addition.

The bus station looks a huge improvement though and hopefully should be a better environment to be in on those cold wet and windy nights.
 

jkkne

Member
Joined
13 Aug 2012
Messages
386
Finally made the trip along at the weekend to see what Nexus are calling the best station in the land...

It’s very very white and somewhat clinical. There’s a lot of wasted space at the top of the escalators and a lack of seating, lots of those horrible metro metal benches.

There’s no toilets at all which is a surprise, even stations like Four Lane Ends have the 20p toilets.

There’s no management of the barriers when a train arrives meaning you’ve no hope getting through until all passengers have tapped out.

There’s a new Greggs opening soon...the 352nd in South Shields.

The Metro timetable boards don’t work.

It’s certainly a huge improvement for bus passengers- unless you want to walk to the market with limited mobility- not sure for metro users. The lack of platform roof astounds me.
 

trainophile

Established Member
Joined
28 Oct 2010
Messages
6,182
Location
Wherever I lay my hat
I was there this morning, and there were three or four staff around the barriers, so I don't think beggars would have much of a chance. Yesterday evening I popped in too, (hoping to buy today's ticket but was told I could only do so on the day of travel, which also seems a bit absurd). There were two official looking staff members in the concourse then too.

Seems crazy to build a big new complex like that without any toilets. There's none on the Metro trains obviously, so it's a sprint to Morrisons or Asda if you're in need before or after travelling, which is not recommended with luggage.

Only three ticket machines, must be a bit chaotic at peak times.
 

Kryten2340

Member
Joined
3 Apr 2011
Messages
334
Location
Gateshead
Did anyone find themselves down Shields yesterday and if so how do you think a the new station copes with the GNR crowd. I was there myself as a runner and was in a queue for almost 2 hours. One can’t help but feel managing the crowd and getting people across Keppel street is a drawback of the new station. When I ran in 2012 I felt the old station fared better as people could access the station from the old main entrance and the Mile End Road entrance.

Was yesterday a one off and further development planned (I.e. pedestrianisation around the interchange) or is this the way it’s going to be every year? Appreciate however no matter which way it’s done it’s a difficult task of managing crowds such as this and despite what I’m saying above I felt Nexus did do a good job. At least it was warm.
 

trainophile

Established Member
Joined
28 Oct 2010
Messages
6,182
Location
Wherever I lay my hat
Blimey, queueing for two hours and then maybe another hour on the train, all with no toilet facilities o_O . Can't see how they can inflict that on people, even if it is only once a year.
 

MetroCar4058

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2014
Messages
578
There were enhanced passenger loadings due to an RTC on one of the key routes out of Shields. Naturally delays will occur whilst we settle into this new station. Deemed a success this year with these factors considered and there will be improvements made next year.

I believe it would be nice if they could improve toilet facilities in the future (there is plenty of room!).
 

Paul_10

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2011
Messages
736
Blimey, queueing for two hours and then maybe another hour on the train, all with no toilet facilities o_O . Can't see how they can inflict that on people, even if it is only once a year.

But it has always been like that though and in fairness what is the alternative if you need to use the metro? The only one I can think of is getting a taxi from Shields upto Seaburn as that is the nearest station and even then its quite a few miles down the coast to get there.

Real test will come next year when the buses should be allowed again in the interchange so even more people to control.
 

Tetchytyke

Veteran Member
Joined
12 Sep 2013
Messages
13,305
Location
Isle of Man
I believe it would be nice if they could improve toilet facilities in the future (there is plenty of room!).

You'd probably have to keep them closed during GNR day even if some were installed in the interchange, otherwise they'd be overrun.

My view- and it has been for a very long time- is that Nova Marketing should be paying for toilet facilities for the queues. Heaven knows they make enough profit out of the GNR- about £2m profit last time I looked. I don't understand why it's left to Nexus to deal with the fallout of it all, Nova should be paying for it. Brendan's not short of a bob or two, he can fund a portaloo.
 

MetroCar4058

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2014
Messages
578
You'd probably have to keep them closed during GNR day even if some were installed in the interchange, otherwise they'd be overrun.

My view- and it has been for a very long time- is that Nova Marketing should be paying for toilet facilities for the queues. Heaven knows they make enough profit out of the GNR- about £2m profit last time I looked.


I totally agree with you. Sorry I didn’t make it clear, I meant portaloos along the queue. The interchange should not have toilets.
 

Scott M

Member
Joined
14 Aug 2014
Messages
395
TSR of 30kmh starting after Chichester which drops to a TSR of 10kmh prior to the junction and extends until the end of the platform. Considering 10kmh = 6mph and the downward gradient coming into the station meaning they have to effectively drive slower than 6mph to account for increasing speed, drivers pretty much stop the train and it really crawls in to the point where pax wonder aloud why the train has stopped too soon (takes nearly a full minute to go the length of the platform). Wonder why this is the case, maybe broken rail or incorrect track geometry?
 

142094

Established Member
Joined
7 Nov 2009
Messages
8,789
Location
Newcastle
Speed magnets that protect the fixed red at the end of the line. All terminating stations have them now, they were introduced after the Moorgate crash.
 

Paul_10

Member
Joined
24 Feb 2011
Messages
736
What's the limit into St James? It really doesn't feel that slow into the airport either.

I think its around 20kmh I Believe although the fixed red signal is further away than other terminus station. Airport seems
around the same despite the fixed red being quite close.

South Hylton is also very slow from my limited experience, I think like South Shields it could be because of the track merges into one and the fixed red is right at the end of the platform. Either way, no significant time is lost for the passengers but it gives the driver less dwell time which may not be ideal if they need the toilet etc.
 

MetroCar4058

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2014
Messages
578
Speed magnets that protect the fixed red at the end of the line. All terminating stations have them now, they were introduced after the Moorgate crash.

Wouldn't South Shields be a bit different as there is over run into the sidings or learning centre.
 

ModernRailways

Established Member
Joined
21 Apr 2011
Messages
2,046
Wouldn't South Shields be a bit different as there is over run into the sidings or learning centre.

Theyre currently closed due to the works so there is I believe, no overrun.

There is a TSR of 10kmh going into South Shields.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top