The station, designed by architect William Bell, was originally opened by the
North Eastern Railway on 7 July 1882. Following a significant decline in the number of passengers using the
North Eastern Railway's services in
North Tyneside during the early 1900s, the line was electrified as part of the
Tyneside Electrics network, using a 600
VDC third-rail system. Owing to falling passenger numbers during the 1960s, as well as rising costs, and the need to renew life expired infrastructure and rolling stock, the Tyneside Electrics network was de-electrified and converted to
diesel multiple unit operation in 1967. It was designated a
Grade II* listed building on 2 November 1978. The station has remained in constant use since opening, with
British Rail continuing to use the station's former
bay platforms for services from
Newcastle via
Wallsend until the day before the first section of the
Tyne and Wear Metro opened. Tynemouth joined the Tyne and Wear Metro network on 11 August 1980, with the opening of the first phase of the network between
Haymarket and Tynemouth via
Four Lane Ends. Prior to the introduction of through services to
St James via Wallsend on 14 November 1982, all trains used the present platform 2. ==Regeneration==