(29 May 2015, 5:30 pm)aureolin At least he can provide GNE's social media team with the hourly traffic reports throughout the strike action.

(29 May 2015, 6:13 pm)northern156 Got an email earlier today saying I was unsuccessful in gaining a place on the 40th anniversary jolly. Ah well!

Hope you all have a relaxing and chilled weekend.

(29 May 2015, 6:48 pm)Andreos1 Finished with the line
?

(29 May 2015, 7:04 pm)Tommy_1581 No, I'm not having a relaxing and chilled weekend because my Metrocar is probably broken down near Pelaw... 

(31 May 2015, 11:05 am)aureolin http://www.emma-lewell-buck.net/emma-writes-to-transport-secretary-over-metro-delays/

(31 May 2015, 6:06 pm)Andreos1 http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/tyne-wear-metro-celebrates-40th-9363207

Details of the 40th anniversary trip

(31 May 2015, 6:15 pm)Dan A question for anyone who can answer it which isn't relevant to the trip at all: with reference to the photograph in the article - is '4000' some sort of prototype model like 4001/02?

If so, if this Metrocar is still at the Stephenson Railway Museum as per the caption of the photo, why wasn't it retained in the fleet?

(31 May 2015, 6:18 pm)Tommy_1581 4000 is a trailer which can be attached to a motor vehicle of some sort.

(31 May 2015, 6:15 pm)Dan A question for anyone who can answer it which isn't relevant to the trip at all: with reference to the photograph in the article - is '4000' some sort of prototype model like 4001/02?

If so, if this Metrocar is still at the Stephenson Railway Museum as per the caption of the photo, why wasn't it retained in the fleet?

(31 May 2015, 6:22 pm)aureolin Pretty sure 4000 used to go to events and festivals, where kids could jump in the cab and such? I remember it being at the Kite Festival years ago... very early 90s at least. 

I think I asked on here before, and eezypeazy or perhaps Andreos1 knew quite a bit about it.

(31 May 2015, 6:35 pm)Andreos1 You can't be getting eezypeazy and myself mixed up - surely?

There was a mock up that was on display at places like the Garden Festival.
I actually mentioned the mock up at Stephenson Museum a few weeks back, thinking it was the same one, but had maybe been cut down in size.

Tommy said at the time, that the one at Stephenson was on the back of a trailer.
Whereas the one that was kicking about in the early 90's, would need more than a trailer hitched to the back of a car to shift it.

(31 May 2015, 6:46 pm)MurdnunoC There was also one based at the depot in South Gosforth.

I recall going to open days there as a bairn and playing with the controls in the cab. If memory serves it also doubled as pseudo-simulator where the driver encountered various hazards on route. I say 'pseudo-simulator' as in reality it was just a taped video played on loop. Now matter how good your reactions were, you still caused some accident. Most would fall for it first time round, but on either the second or third attempt the illusion was shattered. I was not impressed.

This might have been the one on display at the Garden Festival but I'm not 100% sure.

(31 May 2015, 7:16 pm)Andreos1 Not sure whether the one at the Garden Festival had a simulator.

Spookily enough, it is 25 years since the festival opened.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/gateshead-national-garden-festival-25-9240847

(31 May 2015, 7:53 pm)MurdnunoC What were your overall impressions of the Garden Festival? 

I thought it was quite impressive during the festivities, however, I thought they could've made some attempt at turning the festival (or at least some aspects of the festival) into a permanent tourist attraction. A lot of the site is now housing and some bits have still yet to be developed into anything. It may have brought tourists into Gateshead for 157 days; it may have encouraged more arts throughout Gateshead and the region; but after it ended, a lot of the hard-work went to waste as it essentially lay derelict for years after - the same as it did previously.

(31 May 2015, 8:25 pm)Andreos1 I enjoyed the festival itself.
Went many times and always found something different.

Like you, I was disappointed the land itself wasn't looked after or turned into a permanent attraction.
Housing has been built - all be it quite a while after the initial phase at the top end of the valley (Norwood?), but when private finance was relied on in times of recession - it wasn't going to be an overnight sensation.
I often look in when passing some of the derelict areas of the site. The staithes' falling into disrepair and being left for so long, was disappointing too.

I didn't actually realise how much private money went into the scheme (until reading that Chronicle article).

In principle, a brilliant idea.
In reality, the outcome was slightly different.