Pallion is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving the Ford Estate and Pallion in Sunderland. The station joined the network in March 2002, following the opening of the extension from Pelaw to South Hylton. The current station is located about north of the former Pallion station. The station opened in June 1853, as part of the Penshaw branch of the York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway. Following the Beeching Axe, the line was closed, with the station being closed to passengers in May 1964, along with Hylton, and to goods in July 1965. At nearby Millfield, passenger service was withdrawn in May 1955, with goods facilities remaining until the late 1970s. Between Pallion and Millfield, 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. 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. Pallion is the nearest station to the Northern Spire, a bridge over the River Wear, which is located about to the north of the station. The station was used by 92,060 passengers in 2017–18, making Pallion the least used station on the network – closely followed by St. Peter's, Bank Foot and Bede.
Facilities
Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramped access to both platforms at Pallion. 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, notes and coins. The station is also fitted with smartcard validators, which feature at all stations across the network. There is no dedicated car parking available at the station. There is the provision for cycle parking, with 5 cycle pods available for use.
Pallion is served by the, which operates between South Hylton and Airport, with an end-to-end journey time of 64 minutes. Services from platform 1 operate towards South Hylton, with the first train departing at 05:52. Services from platform 2 operate towards Airport, with the first train departing at 06:04. Trains run frequently across the network, at intervals of up to every 12 minutes, and every 15 minutes, with the last trains departing at around midnight. Journey times from Pallion are:
