Tyne and Wear Metro unable to run under closed Gateshead flyover

[esde84]

Moderator note - split from:

Tyne & Wear Metro Fleet Replacement: Awarded to Stadler

Tyne Wear Metro fleet replacement funding confirmed in budget today, at £337 million.

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Full Yellow Line service returning to the depot at 19:28.

Leaves Regent Centre 04:58. Departures from South Shields 05:44, 08:56, 12:08, 15:20, 18:35 (last one terminates South Gosforth) and St James 07:22, 10:34, 13:46, 16:58.

Weekdays only for now.

I’m guessing the planned timetable is going out the window if the section between Monument and Gateshead stadium remains closed due to the deteriorating Gateshead flyover

 

[Megafuss]

It’s not closed is it? Just a speed limit.

NEXUS suspended the service about 90 minutes ago

 

[7522]

Which side of the suspension is the 555 on? Guess they won't want it stuck on Shields side.

 

[Meole]

Specialists have now examined the problem and declared the line unsafe, it seems the council are contemplating the demolition of the flawed flyover.

 

[800001]

NEXUS suspended the service about 90 minutes ago

Wasn’t aware of that, only just seen it on twitter.

 

[nclrailfan]

Which side of the suspension is the 555 on? Guess they won't want it stuck on Shields side.

Yeah it's north of the tyne

 

[7522]

Yeah it's north of the tyne

Well I guess that's one thing they can be positive about, as I know from past engineering works when trains have to spend the night in Pelaw sidings there is often problems with grafitti attacks. Looks like this may be a long term issue though this closure.

 

[DanNCL]

If this closure is prolonged then before long they’ll have to suspend everything south of Monument as the Metrocars south of the river will eventually either fail or run out of miles before an exam.
The whole flyover situation is a scandal, and probably worthy of its own thread in general discussion.

As for the 555s, 555004 is stranded south of the river, 555005 may be either side (it’s been on driver training today), the rest are north of the river.

 

[800001]

If this closure is prolonged then before long they’ll have to suspend everything south of Monument as the Metrocars south of the river will eventually either fail or run out of miles before an exam.
The whole flyover situation is a scandal, and probably worthy of its own thread in general discussion.

As for the 555s, 555004 is stranded south of the river, 555005 may be either side (it’s been on driver training today), the rest are north of the river.

Daft question, is there a way for units to be dragged onto the ‘north side’.

I know for unit deliveries units go to Pelaw.
Is there any access from NWR lines to Metro lines north of river?

 

[MotCO]

I’m guessing the planned timetable is going out the window if the section between Monument and Gateshead stadium remains closed due to the deteriorating Gateshead flyover

Excuse my ignorance, not being from these parts; is it a road flyover or rail flyover which is deteriorating?

 

[rg177]

If this closure is prolonged then before long they’ll have to suspend everything south of Monument as the Metrocars south of the river will eventually either fail or run out of miles before an exam.
The whole flyover situation is a scandal, and probably worthy of its own thread in general discussion.

As for the 555s, 555004 is stranded south of the river, 555005 may be either side (it’s been on driver training today), the rest are north of the river.

A plan is being worked on to address the situation south of the river (and an emergency timetable across the whole network).

555004 has gone to NLC. That's the only one south of the river.

@MotCO Its a road flyover but it sits directly above Metro tunnels.

 

[choo.choo]

Daft question, is there a way for units to be dragged onto the ‘north side’.

I know for unit deliveries units go to Pelaw.
Is there any access from NWR lines to Metro lines north of river?

I can’t think of any route by rail, assuming the Benton curve onto the ECML is long gone.

Does the Northumberland Line have any access onto Metro tracks at Northumberland Park or does it just pass?

 

[kez19]

If this closure is prolonged then before long they’ll have to suspend everything south of Monument as the Metrocars south of the river will eventually either fail or run out of miles before an exam.
The whole flyover situation is a scandal, and probably worthy of its own thread in general discussion.

As for the 555s, 555004 is stranded south of the river, 555005 may be either side (it’s been on driver training today), the rest are north of the river.

I’m only just reading this but the areas affected is a lot bigger as that Sunderland and South Shields cut off, as for the new set on that side would they be able to pass through to return to base?

It’s just a pity that the Metro couldn’t operate as a bio mode and use a diversion rail track (not local here but surprised this could have been an idea)

Edit: forgot you can still get the train to Sunderland however as that uses the other bridge.

 

[Kryten2340]

A plan is being worked on to address the situation south of the river (and an emergency timetable across the whole network).

555004 has gone to NLC. That's the only one south of the river.

@MotCO Its a road flyover but it sits directly above Metro tunnels.

Yep it's a twin deck dual carriageway with two lanes either carriageway on both decks and it carries the A167 from the Gateshead suburbs down to the Tyne Bridge and A167(M) motorway (which itself is twin deck). Was originally designed to be part of a larger road transport network around the Newcastle/Gateshead area with multiple motorways and bridges which ironically got sacked off in the 70's for the Metro.

More info: https://www.ciht.org.uk/media/8065/newcastle_central_motorway.pdf

 

[DanNCL]

Daft question, is there a way for units to be dragged onto the ‘north side’.

I know for unit deliveries units go to Pelaw.
Is there any access from NWR lines to Metro lines north of river?

Not anymore, the link to the ECML at Benton was lifted in the 90s. There’s no link at Heaton either.

If a temporary link were to be installed the easiest place to do it would be Northumberland Park onto the Blyth & Tyne.

It might be possible to rotate units through the closed section overnight at walking speed. If not, they would have no choice but to eventually suspend service south of Monument.

Road access is impossible from any Nexus location south of the Tyne which means that the only way to get a unit back to Gosforth without the tunnel would be to drag the units to Heaton or Tyne Yard for transfer to Howdon by road. If that happened it would be the first time since 1981 that a Metrocar had been anywhere on the national network that isn’t part of the Metro network.

But all speculative at this point, for all we know they could declare it safe to reopen tomorrow.

Excuse my ignorance, not being from these parts; is it a road flyover or rail flyover which is deteriorating?

Road - it carries the A167. The Metro tunnels run directly underneath it between Gateshead and Gateshead Stadium.

A plan is being worked on to address the situation south of the river (and an emergency timetable across the whole network).

555004 has gone to NLC. That's the only one south of the river.

But ultimately it doesn’t matter how much of an emergency plan is in place, you can’t do anything other than the most basic exam south of the river which means eventually the service will have to stop if the tunnel doesn’t reopen soon. 555004 being at NLC doesn’t help as it halves the space available to do emergency Metrocar maintenance there during the closure.

 

[A S Leib]

Does the Northumberland Line have any access onto Metro tracks at Northumberland Park or does it just pass?

Assuming signal.eu.org/osm isn't missing anything, it just passes.

 

[DanNCL]

I can’t think of any route by rail, assuming the Benton curve onto the ECML is long gone.

Does the Northumberland Line have any access onto Metro tracks at Northumberland Park or does it just pass?

Assuming signal.eu.org/osm isn't missing anything, it just passes.

No physical connection but it would be by far the easiest place to provide a temporary one if needed.

 

[kez19]

Asking a question here, that junction A167? Didn’t they not reopen that road a few years back then close again?

I remember I got the bus from either South Shields or Sunderland (for a change than Metro) and I was sure it felt to me it was a shortcut for the buses to use, then as recent on my visit down it was closed and the buses had to go a bit further out to come back in (sorry my geography of these areas aren’t good to me).

 

[comradeDaisy]

Asking a question here, that junction A167? Didn’t they not reopen that road a few years back then close again?

I remember I got the bus from either South Shields or Sunderland (for a change than Metro) and I was sure it felt to me it was a shortcut for the buses to use, then as recent on my visit down it was closed and the buses had to go a bit further out to come back in (sorry my geography of these areas aren’t good to me).

it was closed during covid with a temporary cycle lane running on it instead

 

[kez19]

it was closed during covid with a temporary cycle lane running on it instead

A bit ironic that those signs are still up in the area! (COVID 19 … distance..)

Just to add I notice when you go on Google maps to run on the road, you go so far on the junction to then be brought down to the ground, guessing at the time Google maps was able to cover the junction originally, then later with it closed it brings you off the junction.

 

[SeanG]

How long until the units that are stuck south of the river need to return to the depot for their routine maintenance. Can the South Shields depot support them all?

 

[AndrewP]

Yep it's a twin deck dual carriageway with two lanes either carriageway on both decks and it carries the A167 from the Gateshead suburbs down to the Tyne Bridge and A167(M) motorway (which itself is twin deck). Was originally designed to be part of a larger road transport network around the Newcastle/Gateshead area with multiple motorways and bridges which ironically got sacked off in the 70's for the Metro.

More info: https://www.ciht.org.uk/media/8065/newcastle_central_motorway.pdf

That's the one north of the river and was never planned to link directly with this road - this one is the one to the south that was meant to link to another crossing to the east - the Central Motorway East Bypass - the plans proposed for Tyneside were crazy!

This link from the Pathetic Motorways website explains it all https://www.pathetic.org.uk/features/tyneside/

 

[800001]

Been sent the following picture , can’t find where it came from and can’t copy the text, but it is from the MD of Nexus, saying yeh line is blocked until more thorough controls can be put in place.

If anyone can post the link to the attached picture, be much appreciated.

 

[Megafuss]

Only saving grace is most the schools are out after tomorrow, so they should have no problem getting buses for at least two weeks. Beyond that though....

 

[kez19]

What is likely to happen to the Metro with the closure of that section, would it just run the lines of St James via Tynemouth to Haymarket(line 1) /Haymarket/Airport or terminate as far as Gateshead? (line 2)

 

[choo.choo]

Is it possible to run as far as the southbound platform at Central, before reversing back to Monument and going back onto the "correct" track using the crossover just after there? Or is it not possible to run wrong-line from Central to Monument with passengers onboard? I can't remember if it's signalled in that direction but I doubt it.

 

[rg177]

What is likely to happen to the Metro with the closure of that section, would it just run the lines of St James via Tynemouth to Haymarket(line 1) /Haymarket/Airport or terminate as far as Gateshead? (line 2)

Planned service is St James/Airport to Monument. All trains run in/out of Monument P1 and use the crossover to return north. The logistics of running wrong-line further to/from Central I'm unsure of but you would wreck the frequency as a four-minute turnaround is needed, plus the wrong-line running, plus the time needed to clear before the next train comes in. Monument ensures that a fairly frequent service can be maintained.

On the other side it's South Hylton and South Shields to Heworth.

 

[Liam21301]

A plan is being worked on to address the situation south of the river (and an emergency timetable across the whole network).

555004 has gone to NLC. That's the only one south of the river.

@MotCO Its a road flyover but it sits directly above Metro tunnels.

sorry to ask but what is NLC and where is it?

 

[800001]

What is likely to happen to the Metro with the closure of that section, would it just run the lines of St James via Tynemouth to Haymarket(line 1) /Haymarket/Airport or terminate as far as Gateshead? (line 2)

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Due to a partial service suspension this evening, Metros are currently reversing at Monument, and heading back over the crossover to Haymarket. Video from front of 4060.
Kingston Park crossover would appear to be in use too, following service suspension between there and Airport due to an OLE issue, as would the one at Gateshead Stadium.

 

[rg177]

sorry to ask but what is NLC and where is it?

Nexus Learning Centre in South Shields. It houses some offices/staff and also a small depot, mostly for training but it can be used to outstable and for some light maintenance.