South Hylton is a terminus station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving Pennywell and South Hylton in Sunderland. The station joined the network in March 2002, following the opening of the extension from Pelaw to South Hylton. South Hylton stands to the east of the site of the former Hylton station, which was located west of Hylton Bank. 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 nearby Pallion, and to goods in October 1965. Prior to the opening of the Tyne and WearMetro station, the area was served by the Jolly Bus service, operated by W.H. Jolly. The service ran from Claxheugh Road and Evesham in South Hylton to Sunderland, using vehicles branded in a cream and brown livery. The service was withdrawn in July 1995. South Hylton boasts the longest platform on the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with a length of. Because of this, the single platform is officially recognised as two platforms, and can accommodate two trains. 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. The station was used by 256,819 passengers in 2017–18, making it the eighth-most-used station on the Wearside extension.
Facilities
Step-free access is available at all stations across the Tyne and Wear Metro network, with ramped access to the platform at South Hylton. The station is equipped with ticket machines, waiting shelter, seating, next train information displays, timetable posters, and an emergency help point. 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. A small, free car park is available, with 24 parking spaces, plus 2 accessible spaces, as well as a taxi rank. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with 5 cycle pods available for use.
Service and frequency
South Hylton 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 Airport, with the first train departing at 06:01. 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 South Hylton are:
