The Yellow Line

Continuing my getting back on track (ho ho unintentional pun) here my yellow line in google earth format with a quick writeup.

The Current Yellow Line: http://www.multiupload.com/KL9YGHMVCH
The New Yellow Line: http://www.multiupload.com/UQP63Q2M4A




My proposed yellow line extension in many ways seems to be the shortest and easiest, it requiring the smallest extra lines to be drawn on a map. In reality however it would be the most difficult, almost entirely involving tunnelling through quite hilly and built up terrain.
I have tried to minimise this as much as possible in my design, cut and cover up the West Road, though highly disruptive in the short term, would reduce costs and difficulty in constructing the line. Nonetheless this task is not one to be taken lightly, if done however it would truly contribute into turning the Tyne and Wear metro into more of a proper metro, serving the entirety of Newcastle.
The new yellow line would largely be the same as the old yellow line, that is, until St.James…

Science Park- The first new station I would place at the far corner of the new Science Park development from St.James. Sadly, I believe time might be running out for this plan, the science park development is nearly complete and this easy extension wasn’t done. I have heard mutterings however that the science park was built in such a way that a metro extension beneath it could be done without much difficulty in the future.

General Hospital- The next station, and quite a must do for any extension to the west end, is at the General Hospital.
Though where to build the rails in extensions up this way seems quite logical to me- under the road, station placement is quite hard, there will need to be rather a lot of taking over land and perhaps some knocking down buildings to get something built- even if we keep the surface impact of the station to a minimum. For this station at least however we do seem to have a convenient lawn that can be built over.

Benwell- Or should this station be called Westgate? The question of what to name stations on this extension is rather difficult due to the West Road often forming a border and names tending to be confused anyway.
I would place this station right by the Westgate Sports Centre

Slatyford- Yet another mysterious and probably bad station name. I’ve never lived in the west end so sorry for not being entirely sure what’s what up there.
The Slatyford station would be further up the west road, right about at the entrance to the crematorium.

Denton- After Slatyford the line follows the West Road a bit more before veering off southwards after the round about. The difficult part is over now with the ground the line is being built under/perhaps on being fields. The line goes south westerly through the parkland then after crossing another road we have the next station. Perhaps it should better be called Denton Burn…?

Scotswood- The line continues onwards, through the allotments, the edge of the woods and yet more parkland, cutting to the left of Scotswood sports/social centre, generally curving with the road. The new station will be on the opposite side of Denton Road to the new Scotswood housing development (assuming it ever gets done…I have hope it will…eventually).

Lemington- After Scotswood the line then turns sharply and heads west and slightly north. The next station will be at Lemington.
This might well be the last station on the westward expansion. The placement of the station highly depends on whether it is or not.
I am assuming here that it is the second to last station and place it fairly centrally amidst the buildings to the east and west of the forest, this place is not somewhere I’m committed to as a good idea however, a bit further west to be near the community centre and all those businesses on the south side of the town might be better.

Knop Law- The end of the line is a bit of a strange one and highly depends on further construction. The line continues after Lemington, largely following the route of the old North Walbottle Waggonway, it terminating only after it has crossed Hospital Lane.
This may seem a strange place for a station, being largely surrounded by fields, however, I would propose a new major housing development in this area to provide affordable housing with good links to the city centre. Only if this is done would this final station be worthwhile, if not, then we better end at Lemmington with a central community centre based station.