(31 Dec 2015, 6:16 pm)8222 wrote I had a look on the Virgin app last night and it suggested it arrived into P2. It would make sense so that trains to/from Park Lane can use P4/3; thus the VTEC set not blocking the Park Lane pathway.
According to Real Time Trains (http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/b...12/29/0500), the service uses Platform 3, which is the Airport-bound Metro platform. The photograph citaro5284 uploaded above would suggest that it stretches up towards Platform 4, which is the platform Northern Rail services use during the day.
Having used the 0544 Metro previously, I know that this service used to use Platform 3, as it terminated in Park Lane on the platform towards Airport rather than South Hylton. It appears, assuming RTT is correct, that this service now uses Platform 2 (as it does during the day).
Looking closely at Real Time Trains and a quick work out shows just before the Station from the Newcastle direction, The VTEC HST will crossover at the points in the tunnel and straight into platform 3/4 ( Takes up both platforms ) for a quick boarding and turnaround before a simple departure in the Newcastle direction, without blocking the path for 2I10 ( Park Lane Metro ) which will like the rest of the day will use platform 2 and a quick crossover into the Airport bound platform at Park Lane over the points, ready for a quick turnaround back to the Airport.