Longbenton Metro station

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Longbenton Metro station is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro network. It is set amongst the residential streets of the Longbenton area of Newcastle upon Tyne, although is probably more utilised due to its proximity to St Mary's RC Comprehensive School and the Civil Service's Longbenton Complex (which the station was originally built to serve).^[1]

The station itself predates the Metro light rail system; it was opened in July 1947 by the LNER, which operated electric suburban passenger services on the North Tyneside Loop, the predecessor of the Metro's Yellow Line (see Tyneside Electrics).

Longbenton station closed in January 1978 for Metro conversion work. The necessary alterations included shortening of the platforms, construction of a new footbridge with ramps to improve wheelchair access, and installation of new signage and ticket machines. Metro service began in August 1980.

The structure and interior of the station remained largely unchanged until 2001, when extensive refurbishment work took place. GWK Chartered Architects, a Newcastle-based company, provided designs for a new Ticket Hall and the east bound line entrance. The term Ticket Hall harks back to the old station, as Metro's ticketing system is fully automated. The westbound section of the station was upgraded and refurbished.

The station gained some art in June 2001, when Tag-Tile, a specially commissioned work by Rob Belilios and Simon Jones, was unveiled by Eddie Darke, the North Tyneside Councillor for Longbenton at the time. Both artists have local connections, although they are also known on a national level. The artwork was created in collaboration with the local residents, as part of the long term regeneration plan for the area as a whole.