Longbenton: The Metro's Most Poetic Station?

Longbenton is widely considered to be one of the nicest little stations on the entire Tyne and Wear Metro network. A few years ago, it also took on a unique new role as part the Metro. See, it's all got to do with poetry...
Read more about the Poetry on the Metro scheme (and see past winning poems) here: www.nexus.org....

[@JayAmber]

Cool nerdy fact about Longbenton, the boundary between the Newcastle and North Tyneside boroughs runs along the line straight through the station. The city bound platform is in Newcastle and the coast bound platform is in North Tyneside.

[@edificity]

I never knew that, that's cool!

[@TheSnowdrop246]

I love Longbenton specifically for the layers of eras. It reminds me of central Newcastle in that way. The way the 1940s design contrasts with the 1990s refurbishment is delightful to me. I don't know why but I really love that little neo-classical front sat next to that big sweeping concrete footbridge. That and of course the presence of artwork at the station - I think a lot of people don't know about Nexus' commissioned artwork across the network at all! :) This is a lovely video.

[@caramelldansen2204]

I can't help but say I'm jealous of the T&W Metro. As a scouser, I'm certainly not dismissive of Merseyrail, but it really is a metro of several decades ago and hasn't changed to meet demand.

[@edificity]

Yeah, we Geordies don't know how good we have it most of the time. I think Merseyrail is good in different ways, but not being fully separate from Network Rail like the Metro (mostly) is has definitely held it back from evolving. With the new trains arriving and the whole thing transitioning into full public ownership, I hope you start to get the system Merseyside really deserves. Fingers crossed the Baltic Triangle station gets built too 🤞

[@caramelldansen2204]

@@edificity Given how willing they were to rip up the Extension Line (despite it giving incredible access to the under-served, car-dependent suburbs), how they're refusing to implement sensible infrastructure investments (instead, spending it on silly batteries that will need to be replaced often and are terrible for the environment), and how they've pulled back on plans like Skelmersdale, how they've failed to get a rail link to the airport (despite the short branch line being basic and the current rail link station being comical), how they've ripped up stations and shut down local services along the WCML to allow massive express trains to speed through for bloody Londoners... *In short, I don't share your enthusiasm.* Liverpool had a world-class railway system once, and it was torn up to put us all into cars. That damage could be undone and Liverpool could have the environment-saving, city-spanning rail network it deserves, but it always comes down to profit; war, oil and surveillance are much more profitable, and despite the damage to the working class these do, that's where the money is going.

[@shsd4130]

I don't even know where Tyne & Wear is, and will probably never visit. But I'm addicted to this channel!

[@newbris]

As someone who is from, and still lives, on the other side of the world, I highly recommend a visit. It's a great place. I'm going again this year for a month and I can't wait.

[@LordPandaLad]

I always wondered why there were points where offshoots connected to National Rail branches near the northern part of the Metro, now I know.