(22 Jul 2015, 7:02 am)danpick wrote What was its headcode?

0638am from Stadium of Light to Airport - no idea about the headcode..?

(22 Jul 2015, 11:52 am)Dan wrote 0638am from Stadium of Light to Airport - no idea about the headcode..?

The little LED number at the front it should be 101-112.

(22 Jul 2015, 4:48 pm)danpick wrote The little LED number at the front it should be 101-112.

Tommy has confirmed to me in the past that's how you identify a headcode; sadly, when you're travelling to work at half six in the morning, looking at a little LED number in the driver's cab is not at the top of the list of your priorities!

Well after 3 days of going to RVI and back I have to say the metro has been very reliable and cheaper than car parking to!

(22 Jul 2015, 10:39 pm)idiot wrote Well after 3 days of going to RVI and back I have to say the metro has been very reliable and cheaper than car parking to!

Thank you for cursing us. Thank you so much... 

(23 Jul 2015, 3:24 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Thank you for cursing us. Thank you so much... 

He's certainly cursed me my Metro this morning was 8 minutes late!

Your welcome! I took the van today and it made slide so much harder

Does anyone know how Tyne and Wear Metro's Next Stop Announcement system works?

Currently on 4062 and one screen is showing "Next station is East Boldon" then the usual patter which follows it, but another screen is repeatedly flashing "Seaburn", as if it is stuck on the "This is" / "Seaburn" announcement.

I regularly notice problems like this on the Metro, but we never seem to have problems like this on buses (although admittedly there's only one screen).

(24 Jul 2015, 6:19 am)Dan wrote Does anyone know how Tyne and Wear Metro's Next Stop Announcement system works?

Currently on 4062 and one screen is showing "Next station is East Boldon" then the usual patter which follows it, but another screen is repeatedly flashing "Seaburn", as if it is stuck on the "This is" / "Seaburn" announcement.

I regularly notice problems like this on the Metro, but we never seem to have problems like this on buses (although admittedly there's only one screen).

I once had a Metrocar flashing "This is" / "Gateshead" and the other Metrocar flashing "The next station is Central Station"... while I was approaching West Jesmond...

(24 Jul 2015, 6:19 am)Dan wrote Does anyone know how Tyne and Wear Metro's Next Stop Announcement system works?

Currently on 4062 and one screen is showing "Next station is East Boldon" then the usual patter which follows it, but another screen is repeatedly flashing "Seaburn", as if it is stuck on the "This is" / "Seaburn" announcement.

I regularly notice problems like this on the Metro, but we never seem to have problems like this on buses (although admittedly there's only one screen).

There's a sensor underneath the Metrocar and a sensor on the track which when the metro passes over it, Activates the " Next station is " or " This is ****** "
the sensor on the track is also connected to a network of cables underneath the track which will record the trains headcode and destination and then display it on the station moniters and the control centre in South Gosforth.

99% of the time its the refurbished metrocars that are always faulty, think its something to do with a error that happened while Wabtec where rewiring them.

Teen considered gassing Metro passengers, court hears.
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/crime...-1-7376334

(24 Jul 2015, 5:06 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Teen considered gassing Metro passengers, court hears.
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/news/crime...-1-7376334

I've done that once, although the egg sarnies I had from Greggs was my ammunition. Certainly got me a few seats to myself

Looks like some clever person has got out some new crayons... meet 'Metro Character'.
https://www.facebook.com/mymetrotw/photo...55/?type=1

(26 Jul 2015, 5:24 pm)GX03 SVC wrote Looks like some clever person has got out some new crayons... meet 'Metro Character'.
https://www.facebook.com/mymetrotw/photo...55/?type=1

Never stuck for places to go, apart from the western (more than) half of Tyneside!

Even years back, as a student, when the metro was still very new, we had long, slightly drunken discussions about how the metro didn't actually go anywhere near the Metrocentre!

(26 Jul 2015, 9:33 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Never stuck for places to go, apart from the western (more than) half of Tyneside!

Even years back, as a student, when the metro was still very new, we had long, slightly drunken discussions about how the metro didn't actually go anywhere near the Metrocentre!

Despite having a very frequent Northern Rail service, I have actually thought to myself that the Metro should serve the MetroCentre. I imagine it was due to the fact that the Tyne and Wear Metro first opened in 1980, and the MetroCentre in 1986; had it been the other way around, I'm sure the MetroCentre would have been incorporated into the network.

(27 Jul 2015, 2:49 pm)R852 PRG wrote Despite having a very frequent Northern Rail service, I have actually thought to myself that the Metro should serve the MetroCentre. I imagine it was due to the fact that the Tyne and Wear Metro first opened in 1980, and the MetroCentre in 1986; had it been the other way around, I'm sure the MetroCentre would have been incorporated into the network.

Well Nexus does pay for services along that line apparently. So as much as I think a Metro/Northen rail service there would frankly be: a waste of money, if they cut the funding and spend it all on a metro service I can safely see that working. However there would need to be electrification of the line and more trains to cope with it. Plus a fair amount of track would need to be built linking the two places. So as it stands I think it's an awful idea, but in future...maybe it could work.

There are delays systemwide due to signalling problems. Delays of up to 15 mins between Airport and South Hylton Delays of up to 15 mins between St James and South Shields Delays of up to 15 mins between South Gosforth and Pelaw

(29 Jul 2015, 10:24 am)Michael wrote There are delays systemwide due to signalling problems. Delays of up to 15 mins between Airport and South Hylton Delays of up to 15 mins between St James and South Shields Delays of up to 15 mins between South Gosforth and Pelaw

Press release: Report 09/2015: Parting of live overhead wire at Walkergate
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/repor...walkergate

Just been a piece on Look North about Reliability of the Metro, and the need for new trains which will cost £400m.

Metro Refurb Programme completed ahead of Schedule.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...ro-9756009

(30 Jul 2015, 5:43 pm)Malarkey wrote Just been a piece on Look North about Reliability of the Metro, and the need for new trains which will cost £400m.

Well they go for it, if London can have all those Billions to update their transport system, why can't the Tyne and Wear Metro.

(30 Jul 2015, 5:43 pm)Malarkey wrote Just been a piece on Look North about Reliability of the Metro, and the need for new trains which will cost £400m.

Metro Refurb Programme completed ahead of Schedule.
http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...ro-9756009

Look North article which notes Reliability Issues.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-33715544

(30 Jul 2015, 5:46 pm)Michael wrote Well they go for it, if London can have all those Billions to update their transport system, why can't the Tyne and Wear Metro.

Been for years though, but Nexus/DB Regio seem content on wasting Tax Payers Money on this £389m Modernisation of the Network.

(30 Jul 2015, 6:00 pm)Malarkey wrote Been for years though, but Nexus/DB Regio seem content on wasting Tax Payers Money on this £389m Modernisation of the Network.

i dont think they will pay to get new trains as they have refurbished the minority of the trains they have. time will tell but hopefully they will think about the passengers and not about going the cheaper way around the issue.

How can Nexus fine DB? DB operate Nexus metros and its the metros that are causing the delays!

(31 Jul 2015, 6:41 am)idiot wrote How can Nexus fine DB? DB operate Nexus metros and its the metros that are causing the delays!

Because Nexus have outsourced the operations and running of Metro to a private contractor (DB). Their contact will have several performance indicators, with penalties for breaching them, and service credits for exceeding them.

(31 Jul 2015, 6:41 am)idiot wrote How can Nexus fine DB? DB operate Nexus metros and its the metros that are causing the delays!

Nexus also fines bus operators for losing mileage (for whatever reason - regulation due to late running, an accident, etc) on secured services. There's very little incentive for bus operators to regulate secured services due to late running as they'll receive a penalty fine for not operating the service. Funny that the secured services have some of the most difficult timetables to stick to (make of that what you will) - but the operators know what they're signing up for when they tender to operate the service..! I guess a similar story applies here, with DB Regio presumably knowing what they're signing up for with these ancient trains that are past their best.

Speaking of delays and disruption - apparently two trains due from 06:10am onwards didn't turn up until around 06:35am (meaning that the usual train due at that time was carrying two or three loads which led to further delays)...

(24 Jul 2015, 9:48 am)South Tyne Lad wrote There's a sensor underneath the Metrocar and a sensor on the track which when the metro passes over it, Activates the " Next station is " or " This is ****** "
the sensor on the track is also connected to a network of cables underneath the track which will record the trains headcode and destination and then display it on the station moniters and the control centre in South Gosforth.

99% of the time its the refurbished metrocars that are always faulty, think its something to do with a error that happened while Wabtec where rewiring them.

This is incorrect, it works from a GPS system and when the GPS looses signal you get non-stop announcements or they go off altogether.

(31 Jul 2015, 8:27 am)Lm2606 wrote This is incorrect, it works from a GPS system and when the GPS looses signal you get non-stop announcements or they go off altogether.

Had 4055 at Tynemouth yesterday and it did every stop until Ilford Road while flashing "This is / Tynemouth".

(30 Jul 2015, 6:19 pm)buss14 wrote i dont think they will pay to get new trains as they have refurbished the minority of the trains they have. time will tell but hopefully they will think about the passengers and not about going the cheaper way around the issue.

The multi-million pound modernisation of the system is actually preparing the lines, infrastructure etc for the possibility of new units. After all, you don't want old railway lines, cream and yellow stations etc serving new and smoother Metro units with a different colour scheme? 

One of the reasons that they may have refurbished the units is because of the DDA regulations and also the units were becoming tatty and smelly.