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(29 Oct 2023, 8:13 am)citaro5284 wrote I see a local Councillor in Holywell thinks Metro is too slow and is advising residents not to use it!!
Tyne and Wear Metro bosses dismiss call to run 'express' services to popular destinations
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...s-27999086
(29 Oct 2023, 9:32 am)Aaron21 wrote How would an express variation of the metro even work. Its not like the east coast main line or any network for that matter where the metro could just overtake it. Its like here's a scenario
Your at Sunderland and you have a T&W Day Rover or explore. You decide you want to go to Newcastle and you have two choices
The metro or the northern. Your mind says Northern cause it quicker but in reality its the metro for the fact is the metro is in front of the northern and the northern is just gonna get stopped by the metro. Its happened to me where I've boarded the northern cause I've just missed the metro and the northern has been held up.
An express variation of the metro wouldn't work as what would you call express. Say Airport to South Hylton. What's your stops gonna be like. In reality here's what it would probably be
Airport, Regent Centre, South Gosforth, Haymarket, Monument, Central, Gateshead, Heworth, Pelaw, Stadium of light (match days only) Sunderland, Park Lane, South Hylton. That's what I'd class as a express metro
Regent Centre, Haymarket, Monument, Central, Gateshead, Heworth, Sunderland, Park Lane for bus connections
Pelaw & South Gosforth for train changes and Heworth, Central & Sunderland for Northern & Mainline trains
St James to South Shields would be
St James, Monument, Wallsend, North Shields, Tynemouth, Cullercoats, Whitley Bay, Northumberland Park, Four Lane Ends, South Gosforth, Haymarket, Monument, Central, Gateshead, Heworth, Pelaw, Jarrow, South Shields
Same reason above for Wallsend, Haymarket, Four Lane Ends, North Shields, Haymarket, Monument, Gateshead, Pelaw, Heworth, Jarrow for buses and local rail connections
Northumberland Park for when the Northern line opens
Tynemouth Cullercoats & Whitley Bay for the Coast
Sorry this is such a long read
(29 Oct 2023, 8:13 am)citaro5284 wrote I see a local Councillor in Holywell thinks Metro is too slow and is advising residents not to use it!!
Tyne and Wear Metro bosses dismiss call to run 'express' services to popular destinations
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...s-27999086
(29 Oct 2023, 1:43 pm)mb134 wrote Not strictly Metro based, but I find the following bit quite funny: "The return of passenger trains to the reopened Northumberland Line next year will see communities in South East Northumberland given a new link to the Metro network, as trains will stop at an interchange at Northumberland Park station.".
Apart from fact that the site of every single station is currently served by a bus service which already links to the Metro network...
(29 Oct 2023, 9:14 pm)Aaron21 wrote All of them may be connected but remember. Ashington to Whitley Bay has the 57/57A being the only bus route to serve station other than Regent Centre
(29 Oct 2023, 8:13 am)citaro5284 wrote I see a local Councillor in Holywell thinks Metro is too slow and is advising residents not to use it!!
Tyne and Wear Metro bosses dismiss call to run 'express' services to popular destinations
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...s-27999086
(29 Oct 2023, 1:43 pm)mb134 wrote Not strictly Metro based, but I find the following bit quite funny: "The return of passenger trains to the reopened Northumberland Line next year will see communities in South East Northumberland given a new link to the Metro network, as trains will stop at an interchange at Northumberland Park station.".
Apart from fact that the site of every single station is currently served by a bus service which already links to the Metro network...
(29 Oct 2023, 10:14 pm)mb134 wrote They also serve South Gosforth (X7/8) and Haymarket (all relevant services), both of which are arguably better stations to serve than Northumberland Park which requires an additional change of Metro train if you're wanting to get to the airport for example. Regardless, they're trying to paint a Metro connection as a new thing when it has literally existed with bus services for years.
Come to think of it, I don't really understand the selling point of the change to the Metro at Northumberland Park because for lots of people it's borderline useless. If you're wanting to go south, then you'll stay on the train until Central where you have both Metro lines to choose from. If you're wanting the coast, then majority of places already have bus services which in a few cases will be quicker and cheaper than getting a train and Metro? For example from Seaton Delaval, there's a 57/A every 30 minutes which takes about 20 minutes, will the train/Metro combination be quicker than that when including the waiting time? Same with Blyth depending on where you are.
(17 Dec 2023, 4:27 pm)Rob44 wrote https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp4erxkk9ddo
60 different tickets on nexus web site?
(17 Dec 2023, 7:03 pm)Unber43 wrote Thats why I only use the metro when i buy the £3 tickets, its a absolute joke working out metro pricing its cheaper to get on the bus for 1 stop get the £3 ticket and use the metro both ways much less hassle or even buy it on the GNE app without using a GNE bus
(23 Dec 2023, 1:01 pm)XQ Zero wrote Another two of the new Metro units, 555013 and 555015, arrived in the early hours of Saturday 16 December 2023.
(26 Jan 2024, 12:20 am)The busmanT wrote Introduction of new trains further delayed (summer now rumoured)
https://www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/intro...ect-update
(29 Oct 2023, 10:28 am)Storx wrote The general idea is you'd have the 'express' service running 2 minutes in front of the slow stopper service.
Personally on paper I don't think it's a bad idea at peak times in a way.
You could have the 'express service' at say 8:18 in the morning from Monkseaton running
Monkseaton -> West Monkseaton -> Shiremoor -> Northumberland Park -> NON STOP -> South Gosforth -> NON STOP -> West Jesmond -> Jesmond -> All stops to Pelaw
Then you'd have the slow service running at 8:20 immediately after it stopping at everywhere. That express service would then catch up the 8.08 service by the time it gets to the West Jesmond area and run normally and save a good 8 minutes or so. The peak time Monkseaton service used to be slammed by the time it go to Northumberland Park anyway so would benefit everyone rather than massive dwell times while everyone is fighting to get on the train at places like Benton and a second train queueing immediately behind half empty.
The Metropolitan Line does it in London between Baker Street and the further routes. It's arguably better than having 2 services running 3 minutes apart duplicating each other..
(30 Jan 2024, 8:53 am)Economic505 wrote Delayed to end of 2024 according to Chronicle today (30/01). Is the manufacturer the same one that are having issues with Mersey Rail?
(30 Jan 2024, 9:04 am)54APhotography wrote According to Nexus with the new trains (whenever that is likely to be), timetable enhancement would make it impossible for 'express' or limited stop services because of the signalling headway. The only possible way of changing that is cab signalling, which even then would reduce headways only by at best two minutes during the rush hour, given the intermediate Manors to Pelaw crush services. The cost of cab signalling is excessive to Nexus, and Network Rail won't install that on the Durham Coast. The structure of the timetabling is adequate.
Focus on support for extensions, the most plausible being Pelaw to South Hylton via Washington, which operated as up and down loop trains. That is within the fleet capability, more trains would be needed for any adventure into Dunston, which would need immense funding, well beyond anything available regardless of who is in power.
(30 Jan 2024, 2:51 pm)Storx wrote Long bump there, but don't see why they couldn't run the peak extras, non stop a few stations. As long as it doesn't catch up the train in front there's always 10 mins or so it could effectively 'catch' up the train in front. It was more about distributing the loads, more so than anything, than having the current problem where the peak train 2 minutes in front is slammed and the normal train is delayed sitting behind the peak train.Washington is the only feasible route, Penshaw, Washington South and Wardley are very good opportunities to grow. Heavy Rail would serve nowhere bar Ferryhill after Washington South, Stillington is not worth the expense of a station. If there was demand between Stockton and Ferryhill, Arriva would run something.
Mind I still, and always will, think the South Hylton to Pelaw via fields and the outskirts of Washington is a monumental waste of money and time. I'd rather focus on getting a national rail service all the way through to Ferryhill instead personally. There's no sensible journeys, no-one from Sunderland wants to be on the outskirts of Washington and by the time most people travel to the outskirts of Washington on a bus, they might aswell stay on the same bus to Sunderland since the Metro goes around the world.
Rail in the North East is a complete foreign idea to the Tyne and Wear councils though.
(30 Jan 2024, 3:02 pm)54APhotography wrote Washington is the only feasible route, Penshaw, Washington South and Wardley are very good opportunities to grow. Heavy Rail would serve nowhere bar Ferryhill after Washington South, Stillington is not worth the expense of a station. If there was demand between Stockton and Ferryhill, Arriva would run something.
The region has been reliant on buses and personal transport largely since the early to mod sixties. My generation and the next had only arterial rail access. It is too late to try and develop South Durham for rail. The South Tyneside & Wearside loop makes sense for many reasons, one being greater utilisation of trains, and Wardley is a major player now, Metros each way would be ideal for Amazon workers.
(30 Jan 2024, 3:48 pm)Storx wrote It's not about the line itself though, it's about moving traffic off the East Coast Mainline to open new paths on there, you could even open paths for a local service on there so the likes of Chester Le Street, Saltwell, Birtley, Newton Hall etc. had a rail service which is more than the fields around South Hylton.
For the Leamside Line itself, there's much more to the South of there aswell, such as Houghton Le Spring, Penshaw, Shiney Row etc which is being ignored.
If you were really clever, you could also use the railway line as a catalyst for new development. We're desperate for new housing, if you built a station where that Rainton Meadows is then you could use those fields for new housing, they already have excellent road links being near the A1(M) and A690. Now you just need the transport side and it's sorted. It's a change from the usual where we build houses and then try to force some buses through.
Also, if you were really innovative, you could create a new Sunderland Parkway station, extend the green line from Sunderland through to there and get some intercity trains stopping, ie one Cross Country and maybe a TPE service so people travelling to Sunderland have intercity trains without doubling back via Newcastle.
There's so much more to the Leamside Line than the dead curve from Washington to Sunderland. Metro trains should be no-where near clogging those tracks up, going 50 mph - the only sensible more would be a short spur from Pelaw to Follingsby Park and extend the Pelaw peaks through (or run them all day).
(30 Jan 2024, 4:04 pm)54APhotography wrote I agree with any reopening and cohesive plan between local and national government, developers and investors. Problem is there is no cohesive thinking, local politics is all about infighting and corruption. National politics much the same but with added ignorance of the North East.
In theory there is another way of getting to Durham, via Wardley and Washington South, Hence houses and off the Leamside to Brasside and Newton Hall. How the metro would get to Durham Station is another matter.
The other major issue is the Leamside would need massive re-engineering to be a real alternative, that means full electrification and 125mph linespeed.
And even if that were possible, the bottleneck is still Darlington. You can't rebuild Northallerton to Ferryhill without monumental cost. Yarm viaduct is unlikely to be able to electrified without structural problems.
If there were any serious commitment a completely new line needs building, then downgrade the ECML, would work out cheaper.
Realistically very little is going to happen heavy rail wise up here. A new Government will be so hamstrung by the mess the Toriea have caused that one term will pass without anything good happening......
(30 Jan 2024, 4:31 pm)Storx wrote I totally agreed, to be fair. Mind I think some of the slower trains wouldn't care as long as it's not too slow, if they're terminating at Newcastle anyway.
It's a shame really like, personally I genuinely think there's more benefit to the line South of Washington rather than East to Sunderland. I still don't think they'll ever get that bit anyway and it'll end at Washington anyway, bridge too expensive or something as the excuse.
One thing that would help though is if they let us control our trains, I know Burnham is trying to take control of the local services in Manchester and it would massively help, get the Tyne Valley, Northumberland Line, Durham Coast and imo Leamside Line in it's own little sub rail network.
Btw when you said there's nothing South of Ferryhill, one thing I'd love to see is to cut the corner off at Newton Aycliffe and open Bishop Auckland / Shildon to Newcastle services.
I'm surprised it's never been mentioned ever before, when we have stuff like Consett lines flying around which let's be honest, is as bonkers as they get. Bit beyond this thread though. Seems a cheap enough job, it's just what trains tbh.
(30 Jan 2024, 4:36 pm)54APhotography wrote Your red line is almost exactly the route of the Shildon to Newport line which crossed the ECML at Ricknall and joined the Stillington line at Redmarshall. Was a freight route and even electrified under the the NER.
