Hexham
General information
Location	Hexham,Northumberland, England
Coordinates	54°58′25″N2°05′41″W / 54.9735335°N 2.0947934°W /54.9735335; -2.0947934
Grid reference	NY940643
Owned by	Network Rail
Managed by	Northern Trains
Platforms	2
Tracks	2
Other information
Station code	HEX
Classification	DfT category D
History
Original company	Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
Pre-grouping	North Eastern Railway
Post-grouping	London and North Eastern Railway, British Rail (North Eastern Region)
Key dates
9 March 1835 (1835-03-09)	Opened
Passengers
2019/20	0.372 million
Interchange	5,350
2020/21	80,300
Interchange	1,459
2021/22	0.287 million
Interchange	4,904
2022/23	0.336 million
Interchange	3,846
2023/24	0.395 million
Interchange	4,884
Listed Building – Grade II
Feature	Station buildings, platforms, canopies and footbridge
Designated	22 February 1988
Reference no.	1370815[1]
Location Hexham Location inNorthumberland, England
Notes Passenger statistics from theOffice of Rail and Road

Hexham is a railway station on theTyne Valley Line, which runs betweenNewcastle andCarlisle. The station serves themarket town ofHexham, inNorthumberland, England; it is situated 22 miles 22 chains (22.3 mi; 35.8 km) west of Newcastle. It is owned byNetwork Rail and managed byNorthern Trains, which also operates all services.

TheNewcastle and Carlisle Railway was formed in 1829, and was opened in stages.^[2] The station opened in March 1835, following the commencement of passenger trains betweenBlaydon and Hexham.^[3][4] The line was extended from Hexham toHaydon Bridge in June 1836.^[5]

After the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway had been absorbed by theNorth Eastern Railway, the station became a junction, with the opening of the first section of theBorder Counties Railway, between Hexham andChollerford in April 1858.^[6] The first section of a second branch, theHexham and Allendale Railway, was opened for goods in August 1867. Initially promoted to servelead mines, the line opened for passengers in March 1869.^[7]

Since the closure of theHexham and Allendale Railway to passengers in 1930 (completely in 1950), as well as theBorder Counties Railway in 1956 (completely in 1958),^[8] the station has diminished in size and importance. Both lines met with theTyne Valley Line to the west of the station.

The neighbouring station atFourstones, located to the west of Hexham,^[9] closed in January 1967.^[10] Most other stations on the line that remained open, escaping theBeeching Axe, were reduced to unstaffed halt status in the same year.

The bay platform used by both the Hexham and Allendale Railway and the Border Counties Railway was located on the southern side of the station, and faced west. It was taken out of use in the early 1970s and the track lifted, with the land now forming a part of the station car park. The track layout has also since been rationalised, with just a running loop and three sidings retained at the east of the station, along with the distinctive elevated signal box.

Dating from around 1835, Hexham is one of the oldest purpose-built railway stations in the world,^[11] and isGrade II listed.^[12] The over-line, elevated signal box, located to the east of the station, is also Grade II listed. Constructed in 1896, and once a popular design for the line, it is now almost unique, with the only other surviving signal box of this design located atWylam.^[13]

Since the mid-2000s, the station has accommodated office space for the Tyne Valley Community Rail Partnership, who opened a kiosk at the station in 2011.

The floral displays at the station have won several awards from theBritain in Bloom scheme.^[14]

In 2013 and 2014, a majorNetwork Rail-managed redevelopment scheme was undertaken – at a cost of £8 million. This saw the regeneration of the former goods yard on the south east side of the station, with the construction of Broadgate Retail Park.^[15]

As well as this, the project also saw the Victorian railway stables relocated toBeamish Museum inCounty Durham,^[16] with the goods shed buildings retained and repurposed. On the north side of the station, a new station entrance and car park were created, creating step-free access to the Newcastle-bound platform, which had previously been accessible only by thepre-grouping metal footbridge.^[15]

On 8 September 1943, ammunition exploded whilst being loaded onto a railway cart at the station. Three men were killed, whilst two others crawled underneath the burning carts, in order to disconnect them and prevent further explosions.^[17]

The station is staffed on a part-time basis. The station has two platforms, each of which has two self-service ticket machines (which accept card orcontactless payment only), seating, waiting room, next train audio and visual displays and an emergency help point. Step-free access is available to both platforms, with platforms also linked by a barrow crossing (with assistance only) and footbridge.

The station also contains retail and dining outlets, toilets and a taxi office. There is a smallpay and display car park and cycle storage at the station.^[18]

Hexham is part of the Northern Trainspenalty fare network, meaning that a valid ticket or promise to pay notice is required prior to boarding the train.^[19]

There is a bus stop and a taxi rank outside the station, with connections also available at the nearby Hexham Bus Station, which is located a short distance from the station at Loosing Hill.

Northern Trains Tyne Valley Line
v t e
Newcastle – Carlisle via Hexham
Newcastle Dunston MetroCentre Blaydon Wylam Prudhoe Stocksfield Riding Mill Corbridge Hexham Haydon Bridge Bardon Mill Haltwhistle Brampton Wetheral Carlisle
Most services extend to/from Morpeth orNunthorpe.

As of the December 2023 timetable change, there are three trains per hour betweenNewcastle and Hexham, two of which extend toCarlisle.

During the evenings and on Sundays, an hourly service operates between Newcastle and Carlisle. Many trains continue toNunthorpe, viaHartlepool (those that start/finish here) orMorpeth. All services are operated byNorthern Trains.^[20]

Rolling stock used:Class 156Super Sprinter andClass 158Express Sprinter

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Corbridge towardsNewcastle		Northern Trains Tyne Valley Line		Haydon Bridge towardsCarlisle
	Historical railways
Terminus		North British Railway Border Counties Railway		Wall
Terminus		North Eastern Railway Hexham and Allendale Railway		Elrington Halt
Corbridge		North Eastern Railway Newcastle and Carlisle Railway		Fourstones

Wikimedia Commons has media related toHexham railway station.

• Train times andstation information for Hexham railway station fromNational Rail

• Video footage and history narration

• Former North Eastern Railway (United Kingdom) stations
• Grade II listed railway stations
• Hexham
• Railway stations in Northumberland
• DfT Category D stations
• Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1835
• Railway stations served by Northern
• 1835 establishments in England

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