East Boldon is a station on the Tyne and Wear Metro, serving The Boldons in South Tyneside. The station joined the network in March 2002, following the opening of the extension from Pelaw to South Hylton. The station originally opened in June 1839 as Cleadon Lane, under the Brandling Junction Railway, being renamed East Boldon in October 1898. As well as Seaburn, Brockley Whins and Heworth, East Boldon was formerly served by rail services operating along the Durham Coast Line between Sunderland and Newcastle. Following the introduction of Tyne and Wear Metro services to Wearside in March 2002, Heworth is now the only remaining intermediate station served by rail services operating between Sunderland and Newcastle. 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 319,224 passengers in 2017–18, making it the sixth-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 platforms at East Boldon. The station is also 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 a free car park available, with 58 parking spaces, plus 4 accessible spaces, as well as a taxi rank. There is also the provision for cycle parking, with 9 cycle lockers and 5 cycle pods available for use.
Service and frequency
East Boldon is served by the, which operates between South Hylton and Airport, with an end-to-end journey time of 64 minutes. The station is also bypassed by Northern Trains services operating along the Durham Coast Line between Newcastle and Middlesbrough. Services from platform 1 operate towards South Hylton, with the first train departing at 05:37. Services from platform 2 operate towards Airport, with the first train departing at 05:59. 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 East Boldon are:
