Millfield Metro station

Millfield
Tyne and Wear Metro station
General information
LocationMillfield, City of Sunderland
England
Coordinates54°54′23″N 1°24′04″W / 54.9064665°N 1.4010132°W / 54.9064665; -1.4010132
Grid referenceNZ385571
Transit authorityTyne and Wear PTE
Platforms2
Tracks2
Construction
Parking12 spaces
Bicycle facilities5 cycle pods
AccessibleStep-free access to platform
Other information
Station codeMLF
Fare zoneC
History
Original companyYork, Newcastle and Berwick Railway
Pre-groupingNorth Eastern Railway
Post-grouping
Key dates
1 June 1853Opened
1890Resited
2 May 1955Closed
31 March 2002Reopened
Passengers
2017/180.20 million[1]
Services
Preceding station Tyne and Wear Metro Following station
Pallion
towards South Hylton
Green Line University
towards Airport
Location
Millfield is located in Sunderland
Millfield
Millfield
Millfield is located in Tyne and Wear
Millfield
Millfield
Location in Tyne and Wear, England

Millfield is a Tyne and Wear Metro station, serving Sunderland Royal Hospital and the suburb of Millfield, in the City of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, England. It joined the network on 31 March 2002, following the opening of the extension from Pelaw to South Hylton.

Original station

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The old station opened in June 1853, before being closed, and re-sited to the north west of Hylton Road in around 1890.[2] The second station closed in May 1955, ahead of the closure of other nearby stations, with Pallion and Hylton closing in May 1964, following the Beeching Axe.[3][4] Goods facilities remained at Millfield until the late 1970s.[5]

Metro era

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Between Millfield and Pallion, it was necessary for the Tyne and Wear Metro route to deviate from the original alignment, owing to the construction of a road. A new trackbed was cut in to a steep slope, and extensively retained with piling, along with the construction of a new road bridge.[6]

Along with other stations on the line between Fellgate and South Hylton, the station is fitted with vitreous enamel panels designed by artist, Morag Morrison. Each station uses a different arrangement of colours, with strong colours used in platform shelters and ticketing areas, and a more neutral palate for external elements.[7]

The station was used by 203,654 passengers in 2017–18, making it the third-least-used station on the Wearside extension, after Pallion (92,060) and St. Peter's (107,887).

Facilities

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Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramped access to both platforms at Millfield. The station is equipped with ticket machines, waiting shelter, seating, next train information displays, timetable posters, and an emergency help point on both platforms. Ticket machines are able to accept payment with credit and debit card (including contactless payment), notes and coins.[8][9] The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network.[10][11]

There is car parking available, with 12 on-street parking bays located off Hylton Road, as well as two accessible parking spaces. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with four cycle pods available for use.[12]

Services

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As of April 2021, the station is served by up to five trains per hour on weekdays and Saturday, and up to four trains per hour during the evening and on Sunday.[13]

Rolling stock used: Class 599 Metrocar

References

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  1. ^ "Tyne & Wear Metro usage figures". 2017–2018. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
  2. ^ "Disused Stations: Millfield Station (1st site)". Disused Stations. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Disused Stations: Pallion Station (1st site)". Disused Stations. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Disused Stations: Hylton Station". Disused Stations. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  5. ^ "Disused Stations: Millfield Station (2nd site)". Disused Stations. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  6. ^ Hope, Richard (1 July 2001). "Tyne & Wear Metro shares tracks to Sunderland". Railway Gazette International. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  7. ^ "'Station Colours' by Morag Morrison". Nexus. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  8. ^ "Metro passengers feel the benefit of contactless payment". Nexus. 13 January 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Revamp for Metro ticket machines". BBC News. 11 December 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  10. ^ "City Metro stations get new smart ticket machines and gates". Nexus. 22 October 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  11. ^ "Pop card validators at Metro stations are put through their paces". Nexus. 21 March 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  12. ^ "Timetables and stations: Millfield". Nexus. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Timetables and stations: Millfield". Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
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