Metro Yellow Line Closes Through Heaton for Nine Days Over October Half-Term

If you rely on the Metro from Chillingham Road, Byker or Walkergate, plan ahead for the October half-term. Nexus is closing the Yellow line in both directions between St James and Monkseaton for nine days, from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November 2026, and every one of Heaton's nearest stations sits on the closed stretch.

Trains are due back on the morning of Monday 2 November. The closure was announced on 30 September, as reported by Nexus.

Replacement buses

Buses will replace trains for the whole closure, calling at or close to all of the affected Metro stations. Nexus has deliberately timed the work for the school half-term week (26 to 30 October in Newcastle), when there are fewer commuters and quieter roads, so it expects replacement bus journeys to be quicker than they would be in term time.

Allow extra time all the same, particularly if you are heading into town or out to the coast with luggage, a pushchair or a connection to make. Nexus publishes travel updates on its website.

What the work involves

The closure lets engineers tackle several jobs at once rather than shutting the line repeatedly. Close to home, around 1,500 metres of new rail will be laid between Walkergate and Wallsend, and a track junction in east Newcastle is being renewed. Elsewhere, timber sleepers are being replaced, and overhead line and switching equipment in North Tyneside is being renewed.

Crews will also use the time for station improvements, structural inspections and lineside maintenance. Nexus calls this approach Fixed Area Planning: concentrating work in one area so it causes less disruption over the following months.

Paul Welford, Major Projects Director at Nexus, acknowledged the inconvenience, saying "there is no good time to close a line".

For other ways to get around, our guide to getting to and around the Ouseburn covers local buses and walking routes.

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