Tyne and Wear Metro

[Kryten2340]

Not a good day for technical faults so far today. A points failure at Pelaw knocking out Pelaw to Hebburn. I presume this must have been before/after Pelaw junction as the South Hylton line seemed unaffected but the irony of that is there is now a fault somewhere on the Airport to South Hylton line.

As usual you get the typical Facebook crowd ****ing and moaning so I've put a post on there reminding people about the age of the system and that beyond Pelaw is down to Network Rail.

 

[142094]

If the strikes are going ahead are Northern permitted to use the intermediate stations? A couple of special trains calling at the SOS or St Peters for the Coldplay and Springsteen gigs could be quite useful.

Northern used St. Peter's in the past when Sunderland station was being done up, but I'm not sure if they would be able to now. It might be the case that Northern can only stop off at Heworth and Sunderland on the strike dates, and hopefully they will be able to provide extra capacity on the normal services. We'll see tomorrow with the announcement.

Spoke to a cleaner yesterday, they get free travel to and from work. However they want the same pass that nexus and DB staff get, why should nexus\DB fund there travel when not at work? they should be asking Churchill their employers to pay for it.

It depends on which cleaners. The ones who work at the depot cleaning trains are employed by DB Regio, and would have transferred over from Nexus, and therefore will get the free travel benefits. Cleaners that clean the stations and Metros at terminus stations are employed by Churchill, and do not get the free travel - and as far as I know they do not get free travel to and from work either. I was talking to one last month about it (I'll not say which station they work at for obvious reasons), but they travel a good 45 minutes in each direction and have to pay for the Metro.

Not a good day for technical faults so far today. A points failure at Pelaw knocking out Pelaw to Hebburn. I presume this must have been before/after Pelaw junction as the South Hylton line seemed unaffected but the irony of that is there is now a fault somewhere on the Airport to South Hylton line.

As usual you get the typical Facebook crowd ****ing and moaning so I've put a post on there reminding people about the age of the system and that beyond Pelaw is down to Network Rail.

Not being going well this week, although some on the Facebook group will moan about anything. Very few people realise what is needed to run any sort of transport system.

 

[Kryten2340]

If the strikes are going ahead are Northern permitted to use the intermediate stations? A couple of special trains calling at the SOS or St Peters for the Coldplay and Springsteen gigs could be quite useful.

Northern used St. Peter's in the past when Sunderland station was being done up, but I'm not sure if they would be able to now. It might be the case that Northern can only stop off at Heworth and Sunderland on the strike dates, and hopefully they will be able to provide extra capacity on the normal services. We'll see tomorrow with the announcement.

Spoke to a cleaner yesterday, they get free travel to and from work. However they want the same pass that nexus and DB staff get, why should nexusDB fund there travel when not at work? they should be asking Churchill their employers to pay for it.

It depends on which cleaners. The ones who work at the depot cleaning trains are employed by DB Regio, and would have transferred over from Nexus, and therefore will get the free travel benefits. Cleaners that clean the stations and Metros at terminus stations are employed by Churchill, and do not get the free travel - and as far as I know they do not get free travel to and from work either. I was talking to one last month about it (I'll not say which station they work at for obvious reasons), but they travel a good 45 minutes in each direction and have to pay for the Metro.

Not a good day for technical faults so far today. A points failure at Pelaw knocking out Pelaw to Hebburn. I presume this must have been before/after Pelaw junction as the South Hylton line seemed unaffected but the irony of that is there is now a fault somewhere on the Airport to South Hylton line.

As usual you get the typical Facebook crowd ****ing and moaning so I've put a post on there reminding people about the age of the system and that beyond Pelaw is down to Network Rail.

Not being going well this week, although some on the Facebook group will moan about anything. Very few people realise what is needed to run any sort of transport system.

Well just been kicked off 4046 at South Gosforth as the track brake was activating. Not a good day for faults at all.
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Well just been kicked off 4046 at South Gosforth as the track brake was activating. Not a good day for faults at all.

Does anyone know what the problem wi 4046 was and if it is back in service?

 

[142094]

If it was the track brake activating, it could be a problem with the magnets or the Indusi train stop mechanism.
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The Diamond Jubilee train has been running today from Regent Centre to Byker, and was so popular that they put another one. I had thought it was going via the Manors curve but instead went via the Depot avoiding line, which was unexpected.

 

[Kryten2340]

It's now on the main Nexus website that there will be no trains between Monument and Heworth on Sunday 1st July. This correlates with the date on the ITA document I linked to earlier in this thread so this could mean the date listed in that for the replacement of Gosforth Junction could be the actual date (Oct 25th - Nov 5th) but the doc only states Central to Gateshead Stadium is closed. Is there any reason for the change?

 

[142094]

It is sometimes the case that the work will be done between Central and Gateshead Stadium, but trains will stop at Monument and Heworth for operational reasons. If you were to terminate at Central, you'd have to reverse and run wrong line into Monument, then use the Prudhoe Street crossover. The problem I can see at Gateshead Stadium is having a large amount of passengers having to walk quite a distance for the replacement buses, which IIRC are on Sunderland Road, whereas at Heworth it is easier - this is despite the fact that you can reverse a Metrocar at Gateshead Stadium by using the points to the west of the station.

 

[Kryten2340]

It is sometimes the case that the work will be done between Central and Gateshead Stadium, but trains will stop at Monument and Heworth for operational reasons. If you were to terminate at Central, you'd have to reverse and run wrong line into Monument, then use the Prudhoe Street crossover. The problem I can see at Gateshead Stadium is having a large amount of passengers having to walk quite a distance for the replacement buses, which IIRC are on Sunderland Road, whereas at Heworth it is easier - this is despite the fact that you can reverse a Metrocar at Gateshead Stadium by using the points to the west of the station.

Either way this will involve a driver having to climb down onto the track in order to reverse right? As both crossovers are at the Western end of the stations. Unless I'm mistaken I've never seen a crossover in between Heworth and Pelaw.
Not unless they run single cars only but I can't see it.

If the bus stops are on Sunderland Road it would have been easier to use the crossover at just west of Heworth but still run to Feling. Then the driver can changed ends at ease on the platform.
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Just going off topic to save creating a new thread but this has been bugging me for a while:

On the southbound approach to Jesmond the signal has two route indicators diverging left and right which I have never seen lit. I assume the left route signal is for when trains go down towards Manors but as there is shunt signal underneath it I'm assuming this is never used either. Is this an old signal from BR days?

Speaking about signals who controls the signals at Pelaw Junction? Is it Metro or Network Rail. I would assume that they each would control the signals that direct the trains onto their respective owned tracks.

 

[142094]

At Heworth and Gateshead Stadium the driver would indeed have to get out and swap ends to run back towards Pelaw. I'm not entirely sure why they cannot travel to Felling and reverse, although the facilities and waiting area at Heworth are much better than Felling, which no doubt will be a contributing factor.

I know which signal you mean at Jesmond - it is a strange set up as the main route is to Jesmond Metro, and therefore doesn't have a route indicator. The left indicator will illuminate when going down the Manors curve on the left hand side, and the right route indictor will illuminate when something is being sent into the passing loop, and the shunt signal should allow this movement to the limit of shunt in the passing loop (hard to explain without a diagram). So for going onto the Manors curve, a yellow and left hand route indicator would light, for a move into the passing loop the shunt signal and right hand route indicator should be displayed, and just a normal yellow for trains going to Jesmond (I think this is the basics).

That shunt signal might also be able to be used to allow a permissive working at Jesmond station, if the line towards Haymarket was shut. There is a signal at the north end of Jesmond platform 1 which allows a movement across the points to go back towards West Jesmond.
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Speaking about signals who controls the signals at Pelaw Junction? Is it Metro or Network Rail. I would assume that they each would control the signals that direct the trains onto their respective owned tracks.

At Pelaw I believe the first signal to be controlled by Tyneside IECC/Network Rail is the first four aspect on the curve - there is also a sign which shows Radio X-Over. Should have a marker like T 6xxx or similar.

 

[danielnez1]

On the approach to Jesmond, there used to be an additional set of points to allow Newcastle bound trains to cross over onto the West Jesmond bound track, this might account for the right hand route indicator. If you look, you can see the overhead line cross over where the points used to be.

Edit, if you look at This you can just about see the overhead wire crossing over the location of the crossover in between the gantry with the speed restriction mounded on the left and the next one further south near the point motor.

 

[Frankfurt]

On the approach to Jesmond, there used to be an additional set of points to allow Newcastle bound trains to cross over onto the West Jesmond bound track, this might account for the right hand route indicator. If you look, you can see the overhead line cross over where the points used to be.

Edit, if you look at This you can just about see the overhead wire crossing over the location of the crossover in between the gantry with the speed restriction mounded on the left and the next one further south near the point motor.

Yep, thats right. The right hand junction indicator is now redundant, they just didn't bother replacing signal.

As for the position light/shunt signal below it, it is used now and again. It sends a train down towards curve though only as far as a ground shunt signal which is positioned just before old jesmond platform. Trains are sent down there, driver changes ends and train is positioned behind another ground shunt signal which sends them back through road towards West Jesmond.

 

[142094]

Ah, that makes more sense. Can never remember there being an extra set of points, always thought the right hand indicator must be to send something into the passing loop - I guess that also explains the bit of point work that has been lying between the main running lines and the Manors cuve line, just to the north of Jesmond station?

 

[Kryten2340]

With regards to the signalling at Pelaw junction I'm assuming if the first Tyneside IECC signal is on the curve then the two control systems must be linked to each other to allow safe movement onto each others rails yeah?

 

[valenta]

Is it just me or are these refurbished metrocars extremely illusive at the moment, haven't seen one for over two weeks, another fault perhaps?
Also there doesn't seem to be any movement to it from Doncaster at the moment.

 

[Tramfan]

Is it just me or are these refurbished metrocars extremely illusive at the moment, haven't seen one for over two weeks, another fault perhaps?
Also there doesn't seem to be any movement to it from Doncaster at the moment.

I've hardly seen anything of them either the last couple of weeks, though 4061 and 4072 were on the Airport to South Hylton line yesterday. 4042 coupled to 4082 and 4046 on its own could be seen at the west end of the depot, no sign of 4041.

4074 is now at Doncaster, went about 10 days ago.

 

[Paul_10]

I think 4022 may of went down to Doncaster as apparently that was supposed to go down but was cancelled for whatever reason and I have not seen it since it was coupled to 4040 a month or so ago.

I'm sure I heard somewhere another metrocar may of returned from Doncaster but it seems this idea of 1 returning 1 leaving on the same day has gone out of the window it appears.

 

[Maninblack]

I was on 4071 last Wednesday from South Gosforth to Monument. I was talking to a member of staff who informed me that there are still loads of faults to iron out.
I believe I saw 4073 in the Hylton street sidings waiting to go to Doncaster two weeks ago, but the same said member of staff told me that there has been some subsidence in the yard and they cannot get the low loader in to transport metro units at the moment.
I'm just passing on what I've seen and been told, but I cannot understand why Nexus didn't just invest in new rolling stock!!

 

[markydh]

Because they are not allowed to as per the terms of the funding from Central Government

 

[142094]

Investing in new rolling stock instead of refurbishing the current fleet would have been many more £millions, which I doubt would have been provided. The current fleet is still decent enough for its age, and the work at Donny is at least giving them a few more years and getting rid of some of the problems they have at the minute.

 

[Kryten2340]

Surely things would have been much quicker or they were transported by rail? The sidings at Sunderland would have been ideal for this. Drive down to Sunderland under its own power then have a DMU come out of the sidings to pick it up and then use the Durham Coast line. The return could easily be managed with one of the battery logos waiting in Sunderland station and the other in the sidings. The refurbished train is dropped off at the station. The DMU rain then departs and the battery loco comes out of the siding to collect it. This does give one problem as to how the front battery loco gets out of the way of the DMU but permissive working could get around it using the crossovers at the northern end of the station.

 

[142094]

Although Huw has said on the Nexus discussion group it is due to difficulty with the braking, instead I believe it is more of a fact that when the set comes back from Doncaster, it isn't passed to run on Network Rail metals until it is tested at the depot (which is why to my knowledge any test runs go as far as Pelaw only).

 

[Crimzz]

4057 is back from Doncaster! Came back earlier today (19th). But it seams to have gotton some sort of roof vents on this one.

Picy found on flickr. http://www.flickr.com/photos/55932401@N04/7401948524

 

[142094]

Can't make it out from the picture but Metrocars already have some vents, two lines of small square boxes. Might just be the light making them appear bigger.

 

[Crimzz]

Can't make it out from the picture but Metrocars already have some vents, two lines of small square boxes. Might just be the light making them appear bigger.

Oh yeah, Looking at some pictures now. Never noticed them before.

 

[142094]

The one thing you can't miss is the HVAC unit on the A end.

 

[Kryten2340]

Does anyone know what is up with 4041? It's been stabled outside the TMD (Regent Centre side) in single car formation for a good few days now.

A least I think it's 4041. That's what it looks like from the train when going past towards RC?

 

[Paul_10]

Does anyone know what is up with 4041? It's been stabled outside the TMD (Regent Centre side) in single car formation for a good few days now.

A least I think it's 4041. That's what it looks like from the train when going past towards RC?

Interesting you said that as a few days ago when going past the depot, I'm sure I saw 4041 paired with 4046 as further down the line, I seen 4042 and 4061 together and 4072/82 were on the system together but when coming back, it was in the same position but on its own. Might be a fault with it but you can never know for sure.

I'm not sure if anyone noticed but its been reported in here that the light above the doors don't work. Well I'm around 99% sure its no longer a light but its a "speaker" where we hear that annoying sound from the exterior so it got me thinking when the prototypes will be refurbished, will these things be added as obviously the prototypes have not got them above the doors, it will be interesting to find out.

 

[142094]

I'm not sure if anyone noticed but its been reported in here that the light above the doors don't work. Well I'm around 99% sure its no longer a light but its a "speaker" where we hear that annoying sound from the exterior so it got me thinking when the prototypes will be refurbished, will these things be added as obviously the prototypes have not got them above the doors, it will be interesting to find out.

I too thought they were a speaker but someone else said it was a light. Keep forgetting to check.

Was at St. Peter's last night, interesting to see the set up for the concert. Empty services were running from the depot to Sunderland to reverse, not actually calling at Sunderland so first pick up was St. Peter's. Back carriage was filled at St. Peter's with the front being used for Stadium of Light.

On the Facebook group today it looks as if one of the new refurbished trains will be getting an advertising livery - which is a lot sooner than I expected, and also seems to contradict what I've heard about the whole fleet having a standardised livery for a while. It might be the case that the advert can be removed after it has finished.

 

[Paul_10]

I too thought they were a speaker but someone else said it was a light. Keep forgetting to check.

On the Facebook group today it looks as if one of the new refurbished trains will be getting an advertising livery - which is a lot sooner than I expected, and also seems to contradict what I've heard about the whole fleet having a standardised livery for a while. It might be the case that the advert can be removed after it has finished.

It does not look like a light to me though and it appears to my ears the sound is coming from the speaker thing above the doors, if not, where is it coming from?

I seen that and I was surprised when I did seen that an advert livery may be applied already, be interesting too see which unit it will be and what it looks like.

 

[Tramfan]

Car 4058 has become the 7th refurbished unit to enter service, paired with 4042 on peak extra services this morning.

 

[goldsmithb]

Looks like the metros are having a bit of bother today....