Taken in 1981 of a Tyne & Wear Metro service crossing the sinuous Byker Viaduct that carries the line across the Ouseburn. Although constructed of concrete this is an elegant structure, which as well as winding across the valley is also a gradient for Eastbound trains, as can be seen here. This could not be taken today, due to the growth of scrub. Notice the scaffolding on the railway viaduct behind, which carries the ECML. My main reason for being in the vicinity was actually to photograph a Deltic hauled train on the mainline.
Tags: Tyne & Wear Metro
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A Tyne & Wear Metro service crosses Willington Viaduct with a service on the South Shields to St James route, 7th August 2012.
Tags: Tyne & Wear Metro Willington Viaduct
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One of the two prototype Tyne & Wear Metro cars heading a South Shields to St James service pauses at the restored Tynemouth Station on a wet miserable April 2nd 2016. 4001 always carried the original yellow and white Tyne & Wear PTE scheme and was one of the few not refurbished in the scheme to upgrade the fleet. I understand it has now been repainted into the current rather dull scheme. Addition-this car has now been repainted into a scheme with Metro liveries over the years, one end carries the original colours, the centre the scheme from the time when the trains were painted red or blue and the other end the current livery, the green carried by a small number of units in the red or blue era is not represented (June 2020).
Tags: Tyne & Wear Metro Tynemouth Station
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After the Tyne & Wear Metro service commenced to Bank Foot BR operated local trip workings over the Metro lines, a curve left the ECML at Benton to join the Metro line. There were usually two trips on weekdays, which served ICI Callerton and Rowntrees factory at Fawdon. The train to Rowntrees brought raw materials such as sugar and cereals in and took finished chocolate bars, such as Lion Bars out. This was taken on the 30th January 1987 and was the final trip, the traffic moving to road. The ICI traffic had ceased some time previously. The final trip was hauled by 31173, this was generally in the hands of a Class 31, although others did on occasions appear. The reporting code for this working was 6P11
Tags: Class 31 Freight Train
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The Class 143 Pacers had quite a short career in the North East of England, being replaced by the somewhat inferior 142s, the 143s went to the Western region. Some sets were sponsored by Tyne & Wear PTE and as such were painted in their livery. One such was the first numerically, 143020, seen here when brand new, returning to Newcastle after a handover event at Heworth on 21st February 1986. This was the sight at Felling as it passes a Tyne & Wear Metro service bound for South Shields, with car 4084 leading.
Tags: Class 143 Tyne & Wear Metro Durham Coast Line
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