Secrets of Newcastle Central Station

Join me as I discover as many oddities and obscure details as possible at Newcastle Central Railway Station, from the pioneering curved roof, to the historic waiting rooms, to the once-gigantic diamond crossing that even had its own popular postcards.
Watch Disaster Breakdown's video about the Great Heck Crash: • The Selby Rail Disaste...
Thank you to David Ford ( www.flickr.com... ) for the kind permission to use his photograph of the old platform 10 and signal box. Thanks to Jamie for showing me so many things I didn't know about. And apologies to Geoff Marshall for shamelessly nicking the format.

[@tdb7992]

I'm Australian and used to live in Newcastle. My parents were from there, so I spent a few years there when I was about 19 getting to know my heritage (in roughly 2004 onwards for a few years). I really loved my time there, and what I wouldn't give for Gregg's to open here in Australia. If you weren't aware, you should have a look at Newcastle in Australia. A lot of areas of the Australian Newcastle are named after areas of the UK Newcastle; it has a Jesmond, a Wallsend, a Gosforth etc. The entire city was clearly developed by some homesick Geordies. The Australian Newcastle is also the world's largest coal exporting port too, taking over from the original Newcastle.

[@Hugo-xc5sg]

Guys it’s worth noting that George Stephensons work shop is still located behind the station by over the road from the water tower. Some of the original rails that carried the freshly made trains across the road and into the station for destinations around the world still exist. This workshop was one of the cornerstones that helped kick start the revolution that built the modern world.

[@AndrewSmith-hi1fe]

What a splendid little video,beautifully narrated.

[@stephenvarty191]

The upper floor of the long building on what used to be platforms 9 and 10 over the first bridge, housed the telephone exchange equipment ( strowger in my days there ), and also the signal box control panel which was huge. The bit that bridged across the tracks was actually the relay room and contained all of the local signalling equipment. My headquarters building was at the top of Forth Banks and is now the police station.

[@chloeerose004]

The station ive been to most, my dad used to take me here as a child and i hung out here so much after school and sixth form, sadly i dont live in the north east but its my first memories of trains along with the tyne and wear metro, and seeing this brought back a lot of them, so thank you, liked and subbed :)

[@holnrew]

I've always preferred it to York station, which seems to get all the glory. Spent many a pleasant afternoon here watching trains.

[@ianwilson8444]

Interesting video, thanks. Nice to see the Lit & Phil on the corner at the beginning. Recently went on the roof and it’s got a great view of the station.

[@edf6607]

0:49 "the first thing you see is..." a Greggs 😂 . That's so Newcastle... But it is a mightily impressive station both inside and out, plus the views over the river on the train south are awesome

[@fmcb269]

If my memory serves me right, that Greggs used to be a Wimpy in the early sixties. A very cool place to eat, in spite of the iniquitous two shilling minimum charge!

[@allangibson4354]

Must say I really enjoyed this well presented and informative video. Newcastle Central Station is real gem of British Railway Architecture. So much could have been lost if developers such as TD Smith and Poulson were allowed free reign, especially those wonderful and unique wall tiles in the Bar. Many thanks for posting.

[@edificity]

Very kind, thanks

[@Jeffybonbon]

I was born n 1958 and up until the 80s my dad and i used the staion we used to catch the TYne Tees Pullman to london first by steam then in later years deisil we used to catch the Coast Local electric trains and at Xmas there was a huge Xmas tree with a model railway underneath I have some lovey memories of the Station It looks good today But seeing steam trains in the staion was special Thanks great video

[@simonbone]

0:21 Speaking of the Wikipedia article, it is sadly not entitled "Newcastle Central Station" (instead, it's "Newcastle railway station") due to some editors' insistence on adhering to an internal naming scheme. This despite the fact that it is massively important as a building and landmark, and indeed as the first "Central Station" anywhere. It's one of WP's oldest naming disputes.

[@edificity]

Yeah that's hilarious if not frustrating. Incentive to get Manors back in the game so people have to differentiate

[@rich_devoto]

Ooh talking of Manors surely worth its own video by your good self? Geoff Marshall's one hardly scratches the surface of what you can still see from track, street and business park. And then the disgrace that is Sunderland Station - a dark and dank hole indeed.

[@edificity]

@@rich_devoto Both of those are on the list :)

[@rich_devoto]

@@edificity marvellous 👍🏽

[@robinlawson7624]

Yes, they are brainless idiots. This debate has gone on for years. They are the same sort of people who would have been the first to sign up to join the Gestapo if the Nazis had invaded!

[@leemack2000]

Thanks for this video. I particularly valued the description of the crossing and old bay suburban platforms. I can remember going to central station as a boy in the 1970s with my dad (to drop off my grandparents, enroute to London) and finding the hustle and bustle scary. I’d always subsequently thought this was just because I was a child, but wonder now whether it was because the station was actually much bigger and busier. I’d also like to visit those toilets! What a wonderful piece of heritage preserved.

[@paulr9572]

One secret you half alluded to was the old ticket office for the trains to the Coast and Sunderland. Its now a bar just to the left of the entrance to the station car park. The old wooden central ticket desk is still there. Used to buy a ticket there every day on my way home from school. 🙂

[@corytrainspots]

One secret you missed is that above the main entrance and along the entire top walls is massive offices and training centers and simulators for drivers etc. This is known by most people who work here or have worked here but not know by 99% of the public.

[@edificity]

That's true, I'd love to have a look at all of that. However, I wanted to keep my list to only publicly accessible areas

[@Del-bm]

What a very informative video, thanks for sharing

[@Mattsoosh]

I can confirm that the tunnels do not go to the royal mail sorting office. They actually go to the office building central square next door which used to be the old MLO for royal mail. Royal mail still maintain this tunnel to the day. I have photos from inside the tunnel if you would like to see them. There are 3 lift shafts which go to different platforms.

[@abigailmurray5897]

I'd love to see any photos you have, wondered about the tunnels for a while. Could you please share a link? Thank you!

[@georgeedwardscott8161]

we all would love to see them.

[@Hugo-xc5sg]

I’ve been in them. They lead to the sorting office not central sq, which I used to work in.

[@Mattsoosh]

@@Hugo-xc5sg Incorrect. Central square used to be the old mlo and which has now been converted to offices. The delivery office next door does not have any entrances to the tunnel.

[@kevlugs]

I surveyed every inch of Newcastle Central Station above and below ground. There is also a tunnel betwen the station and Station Hotel. Inside the station offices is a beautiful library/ gallery with a balcony as access. There is an old strong room with metal bars in the doorway where all the takings were kept. I have also been inside the clock room in the portico. So many interesting areas. I was priveledged to see them all.

[@edificity]

That's so cool! I'd love to be able to see all the inaccessible areas

[@georgeedwardscott8161]

another 'secret' is the old ww pill box built into the high level bridge consisting of a couple of rooms and small corridor with gun sight onto the entrance of the bridge

[@Jeffybonbon]

did not know that Thanks

[@physiocrat7143]

When I first came to Newcastle in 1967 the tiles in the waiting room were just being covered up with a panelling system.

[@jasonw4601]

Amazing video! Regarding secrets of the station, one the public cannot see is the coal bunkers/ catacombs under the offices & waiting rooms along Neville Street

[@edificity]

Yeah I'd love to get to see them one day

[@theotherside8258]

I remember being taken along tunnels under the platforms and tracks as a child by my uncle. Standing on a platform you can see vents under the opposing platforms into which you could theoretically see the tunnels.

[@davidold4650]

Been there alot .Got trains up and down the country. And was a casual working for Royal Mail and used them tunnels to take mail from trains great times. 😊

[@christinehales4222]

The Central Station played s big part in my teenage years & early 20's I studied in Manchester,the train crossed into the station ost of the time my dad would meet me .The most vivid memory was playing carols when I was in the City Brass Band .We froze

[@pauljohnson7171]

Here's a little known fact, 1. Neville Street at the West End of the station was originally a railway carriage shed. It was built for the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at their station near the site of the now police station. When trains moved to the present station the North Eastern Railway moved it stone by stone to it's present location. They converted it into offices for the railways Goods Agent. You can see the original railway carriage entrance when you come in by train from the King Eddie Bridge.

[@corytrainspots]

My dad's been working at this station for 46 years, I asked him, and he confirmed all of these secrets 😅

[@keitheglon]

I used to work at the central station when i first joined british rail in the early 70's .i love it, shame it's changed a lot since then.

[@Lighting_Desk]

Not to mention that at the time the point work was installed for the station, it was the mist intricate ever built thus far. To this day it remains complex and one of the busiest in the country.

[@A4UOSA]

What I like at newcastle is when you stand at the castle end of platform 4 you can still see a forgotten about section of the old city wall

[@davidaarthur]

I think this the nicest station in its size class that I've use, bright and airy and with those easy bridges for crossing to the other platforms rather than stairs and tunnels. I'm glad they've converted the portico; that was the one part I didn't like.

[@brianfretwell3886]

I was really glad of the Centurian Bar when getting off the Metro at Central, having come from Whitley bay where is had been bright sunlight one February and found that in town there was heavy snow!!! After a pint the snow had stopped.Generally I have good weather when I visit Newcastle in early February!!!

[@jamesrickerby2756]

I am a geordie, born on Stanhope St. In 1945, I remember Newcastle Station very well it was and still is the best station in the world, left from it to take my first job in the smoke with a lot of other lads Monday morning plat 10,at 6.30am , slept till York at least then went straight to work for half a day's holiday!

[@davebesag]

Ther station still has remants going west of an old part of the Newcastle to Carlisle line which crossed Scotswood Railway Bridge to reach Blaydon and then Carlisle.

[@FateBoost]

Newcastle was the first covered railway station in the world as well

[@lankytwt]

Very good video, I was there a couple of months back for WWE and didn’t even notice half of these.

[@trevorashworth7307]

Great.You can see the original clock tower On the East end which was visible before the building of the Royal Station Hotel.

[@georgeedwardscott8161]

great vid by the way

[@stevepearce1913]

You missed the fact that the two great clocks on the portico are stuck on 3 o'clock. Seeing there is to be a multi-million pound upgrade of our beautiful station you think that they could get them to work. Also there are some great sculptures of men with luxurious beards and hair each side of it near the roof - I'd like to know more about them.

[@MichaelCampin]

I can remember when there used to be a 3 track for the non stopping through trains or the diesel hauled coal trains when platforms were used by the Inter City trains I think you can see the wide gap between platforms 3 & 4. Pleased to see the upgrade at Sunderland is nearly complete at the south end of the station. But I wish they'd get rid of the a noting dysfunctional moral on the platforms 2 & 4

[@nathanaellewis1242]

Hadn't realized platform 12 was OOU and disconnected for the past month. Will have to go have a look...

[@nathanaellewis1242]

Apparently permanently closed. Newcastle henceforth will only have 11 platforms.....

[@frenchsteam7356]

There used to be cellars under the old portico used for record storage, damp and rat infested. Wonder if they are still there?.

[@gazza1858]

The frontage of the station reminds me of Milan central

[@JangoFett220]

The old water tower can be seen on the inside as Tim Dunn visited it when he did the Newcastle station episode of the Architecture The Railways Built (Series 3 it’s available on UKTV play). You never even realise it’s all there

[@johnjardine1595]

Been through there just a few times to/from Edinburgh !

[@jxp]

The hotel swimming pool in the old local train tricket office!

[@jojokaloney3742]

I am 95% certain the reason platform 12 isn't being used is because of where the modern ticket gates are. Any other reasons are likely warranted but secondary to that main factor.

[@memofromessex]

Sunderland, ha!

[@buseswithharvey9663]

I wanna be John Dobson at 9:30 it says he lived 200 years 🤯

[@neiloflongbeck5705]

You should have gone to Specsavers - the plaque you are referring to is celebrating the John Dobson Bicentenary.

[@robinlawson7624]

This is a great video, apart from the description of the plastic-ceilinged porte-carbuncle. This is criminal vandalism masquerading as progress.

[@sirsamfay99]

I remember as a boy in the early 70s arriving by train from Pegswood to Newcastle on the long gone platforms on the north side of the station now a car park. How ridiculous to glaze the stone port cochere meaning you have to wait for your taxi in the rain! Another stupid decision!

[@david_porthouse]

That’s Central Station as in the centre of the world’s railway system.

[@TC-qd1zw]

Money came first as it always does.

[@andrewnelson4057]

The BIGGEST "Secret" is the complete lack of any identification on the outside of the Station, viewable from any reasonable distance....

[@SouthKoreaRBLX]

Do have to see the toilets 🚻

[@andrewrobinson7641]

In the First "lounge" at NCL, there is a "sculpture of the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle (that) has been hand carved from sand". The text goes on to quote that" Travelling by train produces up to 513% less carbon emmissions than flying." Marketing drivel gone mad, and a poor understanding of mathematics! You cannot have anything in excess of 100% less than anything!

[@colinb8103]

No they didnt

[@mikecawood]

The biggest railway station in the North East is Leeds aka Leeds City.

[@edificity]

Oh I'm definitely not counting West Yorkshire as part of the North East Region. Or any of Yorkshire actually

[@bobtekkas2734]

@@edificity Technically the Tees Valley, i.e. Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, and Stockton, is also part of the North East Region and all those cities are in North Yorkshire. I'd agree with this placement given their relative similarity to Sunderland and Newcastle in history and culture compared with the rest of Yorkshire.

[@FateBoost]

BBC News doesn’t see York as the North East, so nor do I

[@gazza1858]

Leeds is Yorkshire not the North East

[@gazza1858]

@@FateBoostNeither do i