Disused Stations: Gateshead East Station

In the early 1960s an unidentified A4 Pacific brings a train off the High Level Bridge. The north-western end of Gateshead East station’s up platform can be seen, with the distinctive Tyne Bridge (opened 1928) in the background. The train has taken the right fork at High Level South Junction which will route it through Gateshead West and along the southern edge of Gateshead shed (52A) to reach the East Coast main line at the southern end of the King Edward Bridge
Photo by Kenneth Gray courtesy of Bruce McCartney

In March 1957 Class A8 4-6-2T No.69853 is heading a Newcastle to Sunderland passenger train through Gateshead East station. Although DMUs replaced steam in November 1955 on Newcastle – Middlesbrough trains, the local services to Sunderland continued to be steam-hauled until August 1958. The third rail for South Shields electrics can be seen. The view is westwards along the down platform. The curved trainshed ends with the up platform, and an awning extends beyond it to shelter the down platform. The locomotive was designed by Raven and built in May 1935 at the LNER Darlington works. Originally carrying the number 2146, it was re-numbered 9853, then 69853 after Nationalisation. In 1948 the loco was stabled at 52C, Blaydon shed. In January 1960 it was withdrawn from 54A, Sunderland South Dock shed and was cut up at Darlington North Road the following month.
Photo by Les Turnbull

Gateshead East station looking south-east along the down platform in 1962. The station buildings can be seen to the left on the up platform. Both platforms are of timber construction. At the far end of the down platform the top of the Hills Street entrance can be seen. Only a screen wall to support the trainshed is on the down platform. The electric lamps which date from late LNER or early BR days are of a style rarely found in north-east England, but similar ones were at Middlesbrough, Sunderland and Manors (East); the station name ‘Gateshead’ (not ‘East’) is printed on the lampshade.
Copyright photo from Stations UK

Gateshead East station looking north-west along the down (Newcastle-bound) platform in 1962. The Hills Street entrance can be seen on the left. The trainshed which covers both platforms is in the background, but the down platform extends much further south-east and has a lengthy pitched awning to provide shelter. In the foreground the LNER running-in board can be seen, and it was probably replaced with a BR(NE) one within a few months. An electric lamp is on the extreme left, mounted on the wall. It is either an LNER or early BR fixture carrying the station name on the shade, complementing those hanging under the trainshed.
Copyright photo from Stations UK

Gateshead East station looking south-east along the down platform in January 1965. Assuming that the clock is correct and the train is running on time the DMU at the up platform - despite its misleading destination blind - will be bound for South Shields. Until 1963 electric trains ran between Newcastle and South Shields through Gateshead East, but the electric third rails have been removed. The station buildings are on the up platform, with only a screen wall to support the trainshed on the down platform. Within two years the roofing would be removed. The BR(NE) ‘Way Out over the Footbridge’ sign - with no indication of alternative exit - suggests that the Hills Street entrance was either demolished or closed by this date.
Photo by Kevin Hudspith

Placed between Gateshead’s East and West stations, and standing directly above the road entrance to the High Level Bridge this NER timber structure served as offices. At the time of this photograph in July 1969 it is shown to be the stationmaster’s office. Three months later Gateshead East station was de-staffed. Gateshead West, at the end of whose up platform the building was situated, had closed to passengers in November 1965
Photo by John Mann

The entrance to Gateshead East station on Wellington Street is seen in this north-east facing view in July 1969. The station was carried on a series of segmental stone arches, and this arch was given a degree of embellishment. The ornate iron barrier is closed across the left doorway, but its neighbour has been rolled aside to allow entry through the opening to the right.
Photo by John Mann

Looking north-west from the down platform of Gateshead East station in July 1969. The station is staffed at this time but would have this luxury for only three more months. A couple of NER ‘coiled serpent’ benches provide seating on the up platform, but would not last much longer, and signs are still in place indicating various waiting rooms.

Photo by John Mann

In May 1971 a Class 101 DMU from either South Shields or Sunderland has just left Gateshead East station, whose wooden platforms are in the foreground, and is crossing the High Level Bridge
en route to Newcastle.
Photo by Alan Brown

Looking south-east from the footbridge towards Gateshead East station in May 1971. The roofing was removed from the station in 1966 revealing the modestly attractive upper storey of the main building on the up (Sunderland-bound) platform. The stairway down to street level can be seen at the far end of the platform. The down platform can be seen stretching far beyond its neighbour. The brutalist waiting shelter has yet to be installed on the up platform, and the Hills Street entrance building is absent.
Photo by Alan Brown

Gateshead East station, looking north-west along the up (Sunderland-bound) platform in May 1971. Although both platforms are of timber construction the central part of the up one has been macadamised. The station buildings on the right are out of use following the withdrawal of station staff in 1969. The opposite platform has no buildings, and even before the station was simplified in 1966 with the removal of the trainshed, it had only a screen wall to support the roofing. To the left, beyond the down platform, a small timber building which stands above the road entrance to the High Level Bridge, was formerly used as station offices. The two platforms of Gateshead West station (closed in 1965) are to the left of this building.
Photo by Alan Brown

Gateshead East station looking south-east from the footbridge in 1972. A4 4-6-2 Pacific ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ is at the up (southbound) platform carrying the ‘Tynesider’ headboard. The locomotive was built at the LNER Doncaster works and entered service on 30 October 1937. In LNER days – as now – the loco carried the number 4498 but was renumbered 60007 by British Railways. On 23 May 1959 the loco set the post-war steam speed record of 112 mph (180 km/h). Withdrawn from service on 1 February 1966 the loco was soon to be acquired for preservation and now resides at Grosmont shed on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway

Photo by Trevor Ermel

Click here for Gateshead East Station
Gallery 2 March 1972 - 19??

[Source: Alan Young and Jonathan Clark]

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Station Name: GATESHEAD EAST