European Railroad Discussion > On the Tyne and Wear Metro

I had to go to Newcastle upon Tyne in NE England today on business. I caught the 07:00 from London King's Cross which arrives in Newcastle at 09:51, an average speed of 94 mph. The meeting was on the Cobalt Business Park in the north of the City, to get there I rode the Metro, an LRT system which opened
in 1980. It's a mix of old Railway right of way and a modern underground section, serving the cities of Newcastle and Sunderland and Gateshead. Rolling stock consists of articulated cars built by Metro Cammell for the opening. It's a curious hybrid between light and heavy rail.

After the meeting, and having time to kill before my train home, I rode a bus to the seaside suburb of Whitley Bay. The station built by the North Eastern Railway in 1910 is rather grand, the North Eastern had electrified their North Tyneside suburban network in 1904, building grandiose stations to cater for the increase in passengers electrification generated.

The third rail system on the Tyne was junked n the 1960s when the equipment was life expired, but was revived as part of the Metro in 1980 and has gone from strength to strength.

Newcastle is a great place to visit, the Metro makes it that bit special for railfans.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/16 23:56 by 86235.

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Great stuff again. I did something very similar about five years ago when I had to go to Newcastle for a meeting, but I took the Metro out to South Shields, and then the ferry across the Tyne to North Shields and back to the City centre. Shame that I missed Whitley Bay.

Questions:  do you know if London "Freedom Passes" are usable on the Metro system? and isn't the whole system now 1500V DC overhead?

spflow Wrote:
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> Great stuff again. I did something very similar
> about five years ago when I had to go to Newcastle
> for a meeting, but I took the Metro out to South
> Shields, and then the ferry across the Tyne to
> North Shields and back to the City centre. Shame
> that I missed Whitley Bay.
>
> Questions:  do you know if London "Freedom
> Passes" are usable on the Metro system? and isn't
> the whole system now 1500V DC overhead?

Yes, it's 1500v DC - the only one left in the UK.

When you say London Freedom Pass do you mean the 60+ Oyster Card? If so I can't believe that it would be. I bought a £7 day ticket from a machine at Central which gives you unlimited rides on buses, the Tyne ferry and the Metro. Riding the Metro is such fun, especially if you get the front seat next to the driver's cabin. We even overtook a coal train on the Blyth and Tyne!

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Thanks again, great pic!

Please don't think I'm casting aspersions on your age - it's simply that as a lucky Greater London Freedom Pass holder for a few years now, I know that it is usable on most (if not all) provincial local bus services.  This is great,  because one way walking trips (for example in East Kent where we spend a lot of time) are possible, with a free return by bus. I presume your bus to Whitley Bay could have been done by us for free, and it started me thinking whether any local Metro-style services (eg Manchester ,Nottingham, Birmingham) were also covered.

As I gave up cycling some years ago. I am still planning my London to Newcastle trip by local bus all for free!

Do any US cities have similar deals for their older residents?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/25/16 13:21 by spflow.

spflow Wrote:
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> Thanks again, great pic!
>
> Please don't think I'm casting aspersions on your
> age - it's simply that as a lucky Greater London
> Freedom Pass holder for a few years now,

I only have a 60+ Oyster, I have to wait until 2020 to get a Freedom Pass.

86235 Wrote:
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> spflow Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks again, great pic!
> >
> > Please don't think I'm casting aspersions on
> your
> > age - it's simply that as a lucky Greater
> London
> > Freedom Pass holder for a few years now,
>
> I only have a 60+ Oyster, I have to wait until
> 2020 to get a Freedom Pass.

Ah they've changed the rules again! I didn't appreciate there was a difference, I was given my Freedom Pass six years ago.
(Apologies tp everyone else for the parochial discussion)

Good to see you enjoyed your trip north, Nick. I love Newcastle, and a some trips on the Metro are a must. I've just checked, it's now 36 years old! There are some great stations worth visitng. I try to do the trip via North and South Shields on the ferry, stopping off at The Steamboat pub, just up the road from the South Shields ferry.
chris uk.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/26/16 07:49 by 55002.

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What's that unfinished beer doing on the bar? Someone might pinch it!

Looks great, but perhaps not quite as focussed as the brewery on the platform at Sheffield Midland. It all seems rather too catholic and promiscuous. London Pride is good stuff, but in Newcastle? Really?

Perhaps it's really a whisky pub.

Thanks all the same - I hope I'll drop in soon.

PS I love the bell!
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/27/16 06:24 by spflow.