Thanks Alex. On the way out, after a beer or two in the city centre, we might walk over the millennium bridge then along what appears to be a riverside path along the south bank. I expect it is about a 40 min walk, is that a pleasant enough walk or is it best avoided?
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ModernRailways
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If you are catching a train at 17:25 you will be pushing it to have a walk along the river.
I'd probably advise you to go from Gateshead Stadium straight back to Central Station and then have a quick pint at the pub there.
If I'm right - not too good with Football - doesn't the match end at around 1640? If that is the case it would probably be best to get straight to the station.
If you are talking about on your way to the match then a walk would be possible if you have enough time. From Central Station walking to Gateshead Stadium I would probably say it would take around 45 minutes via the river.
Here's a route I've done on Google Maps that you could use.
Just as a slight thought, anyone think that Nexus/DB are breaking the law saying that if you haven't touched in and you are checked on the train, even though you have a valid ticket to travel that you will be charged a penalty fare etc. ?
Nexus_Comms
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Huw Lewis of Nexus writes:
"The gatelines and validators which underpin smart travel are being phased in gradually to allow passengers to adapt. Some questions and confusion is inevitable which is why we and our train operator are moving slowly, rather than going for a 'big bang'.
People will see plenty of information sources over the coming weeks in the form of staff, posters, leaflets and announcements as we build up the use of gates."
ModernRailways
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The Validators have been changed. New pads have been put in place which are smooth and have no grip whatsoever. I've seen a few people drop their cards because they don't have a card wallet and they haven't had hold of it properly. Why put new ones on when the other ones were fine? More money wasted on doing something which doesn't benefit anyone? They still say most cards are unreadable.
Also, I noticed one of the barriers screens had a small Microsoft mouse pointer on it today. I know they are being run by computers but I didn't realise a mouse would be on the screen.
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Thanks for the response Huw!
Any idea when/if we can pick up leaflets from Travelshops etc.? When they were handing them out the other day they seemed to be missing most people even though they were standing across the gateline. It seemed to be they were aiming for the tourists/people with suitcases than the commuter types.
Also, I noticed one of the barriers screens had a small Microsoft mouse pointer on it today. I know they are being run by computers but I didn't realise a mouse would be on the screen.
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Thanks for the response Huw!
Any idea when/if we can pick up leaflets from Travelshops etc.? When they were handing them out the other day they seemed to be missing most people even though they were standing across the gateline. It seemed to be they were aiming for the tourists/people with suitcases than the commuter types.
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Also, I noticed one of the barriers screens had a small Microsoft mouse pointer on it today. I know they are being run by computers but I didn't realise a mouse would be on the screen.
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Yup the system will no doubt be built on a version of XP which isn't going to be supported from mid next year by Microsoft. More money for an update perhaps?
No, the signage has been changed so it can be enforced.
Benton North West Curve
The ABT line joins the East Coast Main Line via the Benton South East Curve.
Infilling and development of the Benton South West Curve was blocked and subsequently purchased by Newcastle Airport as a Metro ECML freight link.
Currently, the Benton North West Curve is under threat as Nexus have removed the siding. The adjacent Benton Triangle, which Nexus own, has been included in the North Tyneside Local Plan Consultation Draft as a site for residential development.
Future generations will have no chance of creating an ABT / Morpeth / Benton circuit using integrated technology if this development takes place.
See Map 14 on page 16 of the Potential Sites Background Paper of the Draft Plan.
All comments need to be submitted to North Tyneside Council by 6th Jan 2014.
The ABT line joins the East Coast Main Line via the Benton South East Curve.
Infilling and development of the Benton South West Curve was blocked and subsequently purchased by Newcastle Airport as a Metro ECML freight link.
Currently, the Benton North West Curve is under threat as Nexus have removed the siding. The adjacent Benton Triangle, which Nexus own, has been included in the North Tyneside Local Plan Consultation Draft as a site for residential development.
Future generations will have no chance of creating an ABT / Morpeth / Benton circuit using integrated technology if this development takes place.
See Map 14 on page 16 of the Potential Sites Background Paper of the Draft Plan.
All comments need to be submitted to North Tyneside Council by 6th Jan 2014.
A highly questionable position, assuming that there is a valid travelcard loaded on the pop card...
swt_passenger
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TfL's published rules have always required Oyster travel card season holders to touch in and out, however there is no penalty applied if it isn't done.
ModernRailways
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The problem with TfL is most stations are gated so it's a lot harder to forget and even they have applied common sense! Metro, well they clearly have not.
AFAIAA valid ticket covers validated smartcard. Most of the signage was changed a while back, so no doubt the legal side has also been looked at.
blue sabre
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Metro have announced today that a passenger has been fined for holding the doors open: http://www.nexus.org.uk/news/item/passenger-who-obstructed-metro-train-doors-fined
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
Interesting that they mention RAIB, yet they don't really mention the fact RAIB slated DB Regio for the defective doors and for their driver who didn't check the station mirror before setting off.
Anyone would think they're trying to blame other people for their actions. "It isn't us prosecuting people, RAIB made us!"
Anyone would think they're trying to blame other people for their actions. "It isn't us prosecuting people, RAIB made us!"
Kryten2340
Member
Well to be fair they're hardly going to put something on their own website that paints them in a negative light and they have said
Although they could have gone one better by saying they got it wrong and have put steps in place to ensure it doesn't happen again.
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
I guess I'm just tickled that DB Regio have fined someone for holding a door open, whereas DB Regio have faced no penalty whatsoever for one of their drivers dragging a woman along a platform.
How much would it cost to retrofit these doors with a new mechanism to not fully open when obstructed (similar to the tube and every other metro system I know of), in order to discourage people from sticking limbs in and solving the whole problem?
Nym
Established Member
If you're refering to Sensitive Edge then it doesn't at all discourage passengers from doing stupid things, if anything it encourages it; remember that selective re-open kicks in after two attempts to close, and passengers know this
It would also be incredibally expensive; the door system on the Metro isn't that bad even though they don't appear to have pushback or a perticularly sensitive position interlock, and passengers shouldn't try blocking the doors, then they wouldn't be dragged...
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DBR have operated as they do over the last many years, clear instruction is given to stand clear of the doors.
Would you fine a knife manufacturer after stabbing yourself with it, even with a large warning label and automatic voice saying, "Do not stab yourself."?
Taking chutzpah to a whole new level...
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That is a poor comparison, given that it is up to the driver (or guard where appropriate) to ensure that it is safe to move off and this is unilateral on the operator's part. As an incident on the Merseyrail Electrics has shown, this is no excuse for traincrew negligence should it come to court.
I was under the impression the selective re-open would only re-open so far, such that people are unlikely to be able to squeeze in?
Either that, or the older style stock with the spring back functionality, so it would resist only enough to stop you fully reopening the door but not too hard so you can get trapped objects out.
Nym
Established Member
Sensitive Edge Activation is different to Selective Re-Open, the latter fully re-opens any door undergoing a sensitive edge activation.
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When passengers are crowding round a door and will not move then, would you sit there with a stationary train until they stepped behind the yellow line for you to move?
Or would you trust your pilot light and start moving off rather than take the hit for delay minutes?
Tetchytyke
Veteran Member
There are many reasons why somebody could become trapped in a door, and not all of them are down to the negligence of the passenger.
I'd expect the driver to check the doors are free of obstruction, using the platform mirrors or monitors as appropriate, before setting off.
If passengers will not stop crowding around a door, a PA announcement that if they don't move the train will go out of service usually gets the right reaction. It certainly does on the Northern Line, where I've seen commuters on the train give obstructing passengers a shove to assist them away from the door.
The driver is extremely lucky, as are DB Regio, that a) this woman didn't get hurt and b) this woman ran away without making herself known. There's a Merseyrail guard in prison for not checking a train for obstructions before setting off.
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TfL seem to manage to persuade people to keep back on the tube with platform staff, which Nexus and DB-UK are (between them) too tight to employ...
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Besides, there is only limited potential for "delay minutes" given that Metro is mostly isolated (apart from the Sunderland section). Even then, there isn't too much to delay.
ModernRailways
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Platform staff would be a great idea in the peaks so 7:00-9:30 and then 16:00-18:00/18:30.
In the PM peak you are more likely to need them as people tend to wait around on the platforms until there train shows. For example, if they want a train to Fellgate they will wait until the South Hylton train.
During the peaks you could have 2 CSAs on platform duties at the key stations and then after the peaks are over, all the platform CSAs will meet somewhere and then do revenue control/blockade. You would have a group of around 8 since you have 4 platforms at Monument, 2 at Central, 2 at Haymarket, and 2 at Gateshead.
I didn't know drivers had a PA system. Well, he certainly didn't today... Standing at Pelaw junction to head towards Hebburn and we were stopped for 5 minutes at least and there wasn't a single peep from the driver.
I still don't understand why Metro can't have a rule similar to London Underground (LU) whereby after 30 seconds an announcement must be made. Most LU drivers tend to make an announcement straight away, people don't care then, but when there is no announcement people do wonder what the hell is going on.
Also, back to the barriers, I do hope that when the barriers are in operation (like today at Central) the inspectors don't stand right next to the barriers actually blocking you from touching out. They need to stand further forward so you still have to walk two or three paces to reach the barrier. The problem with the barriers is they have them too close to the escalators and this is already becoming a problem. Someone pushed the emergency stop button today on the escalator because they couldn't get off because the concourse was full. That however didn't stop the barriers being left closed in potentially dangerous circumstances.
If you're reading this Nexus (or Huw) could you respond to everything I've mentioned in this post? Also, what would be the chances of a public meet the managers session like previously in a conference room in Newcastle at around 6pm before Christmas?
In the PM peak you are more likely to need them as people tend to wait around on the platforms until there train shows. For example, if they want a train to Fellgate they will wait until the South Hylton train.
During the peaks you could have 2 CSAs on platform duties at the key stations and then after the peaks are over, all the platform CSAs will meet somewhere and then do revenue control/blockade. You would have a group of around 8 since you have 4 platforms at Monument, 2 at Central, 2 at Haymarket, and 2 at Gateshead.
I didn't know drivers had a PA system. Well, he certainly didn't today... Standing at Pelaw junction to head towards Hebburn and we were stopped for 5 minutes at least and there wasn't a single peep from the driver.
I still don't understand why Metro can't have a rule similar to London Underground (LU) whereby after 30 seconds an announcement must be made. Most LU drivers tend to make an announcement straight away, people don't care then, but when there is no announcement people do wonder what the hell is going on.
Also, back to the barriers, I do hope that when the barriers are in operation (like today at Central) the inspectors don't stand right next to the barriers actually blocking you from touching out. They need to stand further forward so you still have to walk two or three paces to reach the barrier. The problem with the barriers is they have them too close to the escalators and this is already becoming a problem. Someone pushed the emergency stop button today on the escalator because they couldn't get off because the concourse was full. That however didn't stop the barriers being left closed in potentially dangerous circumstances.
If you're reading this Nexus (or Huw) could you respond to everything I've mentioned in this post? Also, what would be the chances of a public meet the managers session like previously in a conference room in Newcastle at around 6pm before Christmas?
Platform staff are normally used at the busiest of times such as for football matches, but if you were going to have staff on barriers, roving inspections and staff on platforms then you would need a lot more staff. In the end if passengers attempt to board when the door tones sound or the doors close, then it is their own fault if they get trapped.
One of the key issues at the minute across the industry is trapping people in doors, and drivers are only too aware of what can happen if they don't follow the correct procedure for closing the doors and dispatching the train.
One of the key issues at the minute across the industry is trapping people in doors, and drivers are only too aware of what can happen if they don't follow the correct procedure for closing the doors and dispatching the train.
ModernRailways
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During the peaks I have never had a ticket inspection on a train, probably because it is too busy. When the barriers are in operation you won't need as many blockades at city centre stations freeing up those staff, so that once the peaks are over they go straight onto revenue protection.
You may need 2 or 3 more staff but that is it and I highly doubt you would need that.
It may be there own fault, however Metro drivers should also be checking the platform. If they can't see the full platform then an announcement is made telling people to stand back otherwise the train will not move.
Platform staff would also be useful at getting train dwell times down. At Central Station at the end of college the end/back of the trains towards Pelaw are always absolutely rammed because they can't be bothered to move up the platform.
I must agree, platform staff aren't necessary but they would certainly help. Although, in all honesty I'd probably say if Metro drivers learnt to communicate then I'm sure it would be better too.
Metro control could also make an announcement, maybe have someone who watches over the three city centre stations and makes an announcement telling people to move along the platform etc.? Have it so the person can see what is happening and makes instant announcements, it would be a lot better in my opinion.
Nym
Established Member
So basically the same as platform duties for LUL COO staff?
AutoKratz
Member
Good news on the Metrocar reliability issue...
Nexus have stepped in and are to overhaul all the pneumatic-actuator passenger doors across the entire fleet. The reliability of the saloon doors has been a significant causal factor of Metrocars being withdrawn from service and therefore contributed to the recent drop in reliability.
Work will begin immediately and carried out by DB at South Gosforth.
Nexus have stepped in and are to overhaul all the pneumatic-actuator passenger doors across the entire fleet. The reliability of the saloon doors has been a significant causal factor of Metrocars being withdrawn from service and therefore contributed to the recent drop in reliability.
Work will begin immediately and carried out by DB at South Gosforth.
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