What I would have as 'Stage 1' of my 'If I ran this place' metro extensions.
In this image yellow represents the existing dedicated metro lines, blue the east coast mainline, grey the Durham coast line and green the Newcastle-Carlisle line.
White are existing stations and red new stations which would be constructed.
What I would propose would be a new 'blue' line running from Blaydon to Cramlington.
This gives the Metro Centre extension we so sorely need and the also much-mooted Cramlington connection.
And all without building totally new lines. It all follows the main line. Since the east coast mainline is busy it could be a good idea to build a extra lane or two of track; if not along the entire route (its expensive!) at the least at stations.
For me Cramlington is much less important than the metro (Cramlingtoners would no doubt disagree) but it still seems a wise move lest the Metro blue line would be rather short.
The route is as follows:
Blaydon-
The logical place to start would be Blaydon rather than the metro centre itself. It seems a bit silly to go so near to Blaydon and not actually go all the way to connecting this town of 15,000 to the metro.
It could be proposed along these lines to go further into Ryon and Prudhoe however the line runs too far north in Ryton for much of the population to have good access and Prudhoe lies well to the west; going there would be truly moving into the domain of cross-country trains rather than the metro.
Riverside Park-
This station would be near the ITV buildings.
This isn't the most ideal spot for a station however it is on our route and far enough from the other stations that it seems a good idea.
One way this station could have a good purpose is the giant Asda and other shops across the road, with some pedestrian improvements it could serve these otherwise only road-accessible shops.
Metro Center-
Enough said here really. The metro train station is the reason the system should be extended this way!
Meadow Lane-
West Dunston in other words. Located by the so named street.
It seems that Dunston train station proper is quite some way from the west end of the town and a little station midway between it and the Metro would give much better service to the people living in this town.
Dunston-
The Dunston railway station. This station unlike many small town stations is pretty centrally located amidst a lot of housing.
It'd be silly to pass here without stopping.
Teams-
After Dunston you have a sort of triangle of track, the blue line would of course turn left towards Newcastle and the first stop 'Teams' is located just as you come into Gateshead around Victoria Road.
Bensham-
The naming of this station seems a bit dodgy to me given that the Teams area and the Bensham area seem to be separated only by the railway line. A little cheat to make both names 100% accurate could be to have Teams and Bensham on opposite sides of the railway line (with a little bridge/tunnel for walkers on the other side of course!)
But anyway.
Rather than just being on the Metro route and so a station being here just because we 'might as well' this station is actually in a very good location helping to give the west end of Gateshead a bit better access to Newcastle- where most of its population like to spend their time.
I would place this station before Derwentwater Road, just as the Carlisle line comes onto the east coast main line.
Redheugh-
Redheugh is not such a well inhabited area other than its big nasty tower blocks however metro access in this area could well contribute towards developing the area and putting houses here in demand.
This station would be placed just by the A184 round about.
Central Station-
Right after Redheugh we cross the water into Newcastle.
Here we see that this track is a bit different to the normal metro tracks in that it takes the King Edward VII bridge and comes into the 'proper' train station.
I would envisage these metro cars not being the normal metro cars either but more regular trains pressed into metro service- the carriages though should be built to metro specifications to reflect the more hop on/hop off nature of a metro over a train service.
Manors-
Manors is a strange place.
Most of us know it as the metro station that time forgot, despite being so near the city center it lies there forgotten and unused.
What most of us are unaware of is that there is also a Manors train station located 100 meters south of the metro station. This is to be the first stop after central.
After I have just bashed Manors this may not seem particularly wise however on paper at least it is a good spot and it is just a logical place to stop. For all three people who want to get off there.
Jesmond Vale-
I used to live towards this part of town and it always annoyed me how the metro never came here and Jesmond metro station was pretty much in the city center anyway.
For me of the past I present the Jesmond Vale station. The line runs through here and a lot of people live here so it just seems wise!
I would place it at the bottom of Stratford Road.
Chillingham Road-
Yes, things seem a bit strange now but trust me, the existing line does run this way, its not out of any hatred for Byker that we've skipped that area.
The line we are following hooks close to the Chillingham Road metro station and to extend this would be a very good idea; though these new platforms would be some way from the existing two.
Benfield-
Right as the railway line crosses Benfield Road would seem a wise position for the next station. It saves a lot of people the long walk to Walkergate.
Little Benton-
The vicinity of the bridge over the railway in Little Benton seems the next wise position for a station giving service to more of those people unfortunate enough to live 'between' the metro.
East Longbenton-
Rather near to Benton station but it saves having to cross onto the yellow line and then back onto here to have a new station instead.
Located near Croft Avenue this station seems quite out of the way in short range but for those willing to walk it serves a large area
Forest Hall-
Serving west Forest Hall and Clousden Hill its roughly at the end of Charles Avenue.
West Moor-
Just Great Lime Roadish we have the next station. Serves the town and the industrial estate.
Camperdown-
Not the best placed station in the world being on the far western side of the town unfortunately but its where the line goes and it'd be even worse not to stop here if we're passing by. Just after Killingworth Way or so.
Dudley-
Again a bit western placed but not quite so bad as in Camperdown. These western stations though could well get developments spring up around them if the farmers sell a field or two.
South Cramlington-
Nearly at our destination! It seems wise to me given the size of the town that the south be served as well as the north. I could well see this being used locally as well as for reaching Newcastle. This one would be somewhat near the school.
Cramlington-
Cramlington train station. From here we then turn around and go back the way we came....
There is also talk of extending the train station to Morpeth and Ashington however again these seem a bit too far away being twice as far out of town again. Also Ashington lacks any existing railway line.
