The LNER Encyclopedia

Just read in "Rail" magazine that the owners of the station have secured £3,000,000 of Government and English Heritage funding to repair "the cast iron canopies" - presumably the derelict canopies at the north and south ends.Makes you wonder how much the'd have saved if they hadn't let them rot in the first place?
Happily they have been refused planning permission for a supermarket on part of the site because it was "too large". Win/win situation.

Sadly, the story isn’t so straightforward. At the time of Metro construction back in the 1970s the station, like everything else British Railways owned, was in a pretty run down condition. There was and is no operational requirement for it and in fact the preferred option was to level the site and construct and entirely new station on the south side of the Manor Road bridge. This was of course scuppered by the station being listed, but other than letting out a couple of the more habitable rooms nothing was done to maintain it beyond what was operationally necessary.

Eventually a local pressure group, the Friends of Tynemouth Station, persuaded the Council to put a rescue package together, which to cut a long story short achieved the acquisition of most of the station site and structures, leaving Metro with just the track, main platforms and various rights of access.

A lot of time and money was spent on repairing the buildings, footbridge and the central area canopies, but there wasn’t enough money to complete the restoration and properly maintain the work that had been done, simply because the locals shot themselves in the foot. The master plan for the station area had provision both for a supermarket and for housing on the land outside, but they successfully blocked this at the planning stage and consequently the station has just been limping along ever since. The recently announced grant will help with repairs to the central area and hopefully sort out the problems with the south-east canopies – which go way back into British Railways days - but then maintaining them on the existing income streams, without that supermarket is going to be pretty difficult.

Hi Stuart. I'm well aware of the history of the station and the need for money - they recently turfed out the people who had been running the Fleamarket and hiked up the rates the traders paid. However in my opinion if a building is deemed worthy of Listing the Government should pick up all or most of the tab.After all, York Minster is Listed but I don't think many people would like to see a supermarket or housing erected next to it to pay for repairs would they?

I was at Tynemouth station today and these are the latest pics.

And more.

Was some of the damage to the canopys due to the war or is it just neglect?

Last few.

The parts that were earlier restored are starting to look very tatty in in need of a coat of paint, that's the trouble with grants, they fund the project but there is no provision for after care hence a lot of the good work eventualy just reverts back to square one, alas that's how funding works.

Good to see the tile map in good condition.

The canopies shown here derelict had their glazing replaced by Asbestos during the war.It's amazing to see the terrible condition they have been allowed to degenerate into.

Is it worth spending all that money on Tynemouth? Is it worth preserving?

Since my original 'What were the north bay platforms used for?' question I have been reflecting on the history of Tynemouth station.

Although it is usually said the scale of the station reflects the size of holiday traffic in the early days, I think this might be a mistake.

When Tynemouth was being built Tynemouth 'village' was the only significant population centre on the coast, Whitley (Bay) and Cullercoats being true 'villages'. It was natural for the NER to think that the station at Tynemouth would be the principal one (on what they called the 'Tynemouth Branch'). Furthermore the new station was replacing the termini of the Newcastle and North Shields Railway and the Blyth and Tyne Railway. It is likely the NER also imagined their new station would function as a terminus, and as the 'junction' for the Avenue Branch. In fact, as we all know, it became just one stop on a circle line and Whitley Bay (and even Cullercoats) were more important as 'tripper' destinations. I doubt Tynemouth ever functioned fully in the way the NER envisaged it would. Did we ever identify what the north bays were used for other than a couple of trains in 1911?

It seems to me a bit odd to preserve Tynemouth as a typical 'Victorian station'. The signal boxes have gone and most of the track has been lifted. I don't see much effort to turn the bay trackbeds into gardens or anything. What's the point in preserving a bit of canopy if the rest of the place is always going to be semi-derelict? Sooner or later someone is going to realize that having a huge industrial scar at its heart is not good for Tynemouth's image. I think the money would be better spent on preserving and developing Whitley Bay.

Is it worth restoring?

Personnally a structure like this can only be kept as a complete item.
Not just the bit that is in use. So if you are going to restore / conserve it is all or nothing.

The trouble with stations like this is, that only a portion of the original is in use so the accountants will only funding for their bit.

If the whole structure is allowed to degenerate then the appearance will tend to deter people from travelling leading to a general decline in revenue and less money for maintenance.

So the decision has to be made.
Spend the money or not?

52D wrote:Was some of the damage to the canopys due to the war or is it just neglect?

The problem is the prevailing wind and salt-laced air. All of the canopies have suffered to a greater or lesser extent from neglect during and after the Second World War, but the exposed position of the south east canopies has meant that they are in a lot worse condition than the rest.

As to Redtoon's point, that's exactly why the owners wanted a supermarket and flats on the derelict land adjacent; to provide an income stream that would cover the long-term maintenance.

Only the operational part of the station, ie; the platforms and tracks running through them, are part of the Metro. Everything else belongs to a joint Council/private company, so there's no railway revenue to support it.

I'm sure once its all compleete and in need of a re-paint,I'm sure the local yob's will help out !!!

Mr B ... Arriva's restoring Redcar bus station !!!