Tyne & Wear Metro Questions

[bb21]

(1) As you enter Jesmond heading towards city centre, a line branches to the left. Where does it go? Is it a link to Manors?
(2) Similarly as you head towards city centre, a line branches off at Manors, does it link up with the branch described in (1), or does it go elsewhere?

Cheers

 

[142094]

Indeed it is, often referred to as the Manors curve, Manors ECS/Stock curve, Manors Chord or New Bridge Street curve. It follows the historic route which BR services would have taken between old Jesmond station and Manors BR station.

If you do a search on You Tube for Manors ECS, there is a video of a service going from Manors to Jesmond. There are a 2/3 trains per day that go up and down the curve, but it is extremely rare to find it used in passenger service - I've only heard of it being used once due to disruption - by contrast the depot avoiding line has seen more passenger use than the Manors curve.

HTH.

 

[robertclark125]

If you look on Disused Stations and trainspots, there are pictures of the Old Jesmond station (including one on each taken by myself), which was located at the northern end of this branch.

The speed limits aren't that great on the stock curve, obviously, I think 25-30 kmph is the max.

 

[Anon Mouse]

I thought it was not permitted for Metro's to run along that line with passengers onboard...I may be wrong, and hope I am as I would love to have a run along there!

 

[142094]

I thought it was not permitted for Metro's to run along that line with passengers onboard...I may be wrong, and hope I am as I would love to have a run along there!

That is what I believe, but I know one driver who has told me that there was at least one working in service where there was disruption at Monument IIRC.

Apparently the maximum speed around the curve itself is 10 km/h.

 

[robertclark125]

Watched that vid, and the train passes a 35 KMph sign leaving the tunnel.

 

[142094]

That will be the start of the higher speed limit - where that 35 sign is, there is a 10 km/h sign for trains going towards Manors. I can't remember exactly but I'm sure there is a sign on platform 1 at Manors when travelling towards Jesmond.

 

[cdonnigan]

That will be the start of the higher speed limit - where that 35 sign is, there is a 10 km/h sign for trains going towards Manors. I can't remember exactly but I'm sure there is a sign on platform 1 at Manors when travelling towards Jesmond.

not sure if am right but am sure ave seen that speed limit sign on the lights thats control that junction

 

[Kryten2340]

not sure if am right but am sure ave seen that speed limit sign on the lights thats control that junction

Doing a Google image search you can see the speed limit sign at a red signal on platform 1 with the arrow pointing to the right however you can't make the actual speed out. From memory I'm sure it's 10-15 kph

I was fortunate to ride the curve once when I did work experience in 1997 mainly at the control room but did get a ride out one day on a drivers refresher training. Unless its changed its the only part on the system where the turning radius of the Metrocar is put to the full test.

I can vividly remember how much the car bent as it went around the curve.