What's with Tyneside and the word Metro?

[Comstock]

Very trivial but kind of rail related in a way.

Why does Tyneside have a light rail system called the Metro, a shopping centre called the MetroCentre and a local radio station called Metro FM?

The answer could well be that it's complete coincidence, Metro isn't that unusual a word. But it didn't half confuse me when I lived there and found the Metro didn't go to the MetroCentre.

 

[greyman42]

Very trivial but kind of rail related in a way.

Why does Tyneside have a light rail system called the Metro, a shopping centre called the MetroCentre and a local radio station called Metro FM?

The answer could well be that it's complete coincidence, Metro isn't that unusual a word. But it didn't half confuse me when I lived there and found the Metro didn't go to the MetroCentre.

I would of thought its because the word Metro is a shortened version of Metropolitan. It relates to a large city or a metropolis. It is not rail related.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Metro being a shortened form of metropolitan....

Another use, Go Ahead Northern used to have a fleet of MCW Metrobus double deckers..

 

[Comstock]

Metro being a shortened form of metropolitan....

Sure, and it's quite a common word. So perhaps pure coincidence after all.

 

[transmanche]

Sure, and it's quite a common word. So perhaps pure coincidence after all.

So (in a warped timeline) you could have driven your Metro to a Park and Ride whilst listening to Metro Radio; catch the Metro to Gateshead Interchange, reading the Metro on the way; and then jump on a Metrobus to travel to the Metrocentre; where you might spot one of Metro-Cammell's class 156 trains passing by.

 

[Howardh]

Would the study of this subject be metrology?

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Keeping to time using a metronome....

 

[Tetchytyke]

Keeping to time using a metronome....

Or getting children's entertainment at the MetroCentre from the Metro Gnomes

 

[Cowley]

Or getting children's entertainment at the MetroCentre from the Metro Gnomes

At least catching the metro there stops you having to drive the Mini Metro.

 

[DarloRich]

Why does Tyneside have a light rail system called the Metro, a shopping centre called the MetroCentre and a local radio station called Metro FM?

I suspect one followed the other. The Metro came first and became synonymous with Newcastle. Although Metro Radio has been broadcasting since the 70's I am not sure it was always called Metro. It merged with TFM a few years ago an now covers all of the north east.

At least catching the metro there stops you having to drive the Mini Metro.

buzzzzzz - you have fallen into the trap. One cannot travel by metro to the metro centre

 

[gordonthemoron]

DarloRich is most probably correct

 

[Cowley]

Dammit!

 

[Darandio]

Although Metro Radio has been broadcasting since the 70's I am not sure it was always called Metro. It merged with TFM a few years ago an now covers all of the north east.

I seem to recall it was just called Metro FM before that.

When contracts were handed out in the 70's for new local stations one was given to Metropolitan Broadcasting Limited. As others have outlined, that probably answers the main question of the thread.

 

[transmanche]

The Metro came first and became synonymous with Newcastle. Although Metro Radio has been broadcasting since the 70's I am not sure it was always called Metro.

I seem to recall it was just called Metro FM before that.

The station opened in 1974 as Metro Radio, changed to Metro FM in the late 1980s (when it was fashionable for radios stations to do so) and reverted back to Metro Radio around 2000.

The original company's name was Metropolitan Broadcasting. And prior to going on air, it seems that the name was going to be Metropolitan Radio.

 

[507021]

There's also DMUs built by Metro-Cammell operating in the area.

 

[zuriblue]

There's also DMUs built by Metro-Cammell operating in the area.

The Metrocars were also built by Metro-Cammell although they’re based on the Stadtbahn Wagen Typ-B.

 

[SteveP29]

Metro Radio died for me the day they stopped commentating on the football, Newcastle commentary by Charles Harrison when they were away, some other bloke commentating on sunderland when they were away.

BBC Radio Newcastle don't do it as good as they did, and arguably it's got worse since Mick Lowes retired.

Well into the 90's I still used to listen to Alan 'The Flashing Blade' Robson on Night Owls (Hello Alan, I'm a first time caller and I'm a bit nervous)

I believe the all things Metro came about by Tyne & Wear's creation as a metropolitan borough council

 

[tbtc]

I'm guessing but one other reason could be that using "Metro" is a way of dealing with local sensitivities.

Whilst the urban area around Manchester can be called "Greater Manchester, you'd be asking for trouble if doing something similar as "Greater Newcastle".

Whilst some cities like Glasgow/ London bridge a large river, Gateshead is a large place in its own right but the south bank of the Tyne was traditionally County Durham (Northumberland being the north bank).

Newcastle itself doesn't have particularly large boundaries, hence "Busways" only running fairly local routes and United/ Northern General linking places like Whitley Bay (that outsiders may assume was a suburb of Newcastle).

Similarly, the boundaries with Sunderland and the local pride in places like South Shields being independent towns in their own rights might make it easier to use "Metro" instead of "Newcastle"/ "Tyneside"/ "Tyne And Wear".

Just a guess, but you'll get some people arguing about whether being a Geordie as restricted to people from Newcastle itself (like the Cockneys and the Bow Bells)... why not come up with a vague name that covers the geographic area without people getting into petty local debates about "Newcastle" vs "not Newcastle".

 

[FQTV]

The station opened in 1974 as Metro Radio, changed to Metro FM in the late 1980s (when it was fashionable for radios stations to do so) and reverted back to Metro Radio around 2000.

The original company's name was Metropolitan Broadcasting. And prior to going on air, it seems that the name was going to be Metropolitan Radio.

And it broadcast from Metropolitan House, which is still there today, behind the Marriott, erm, Metro Centre.

 

[DarloRich]

I seem to recall it was just called Metro FM before that.

When contracts were handed out in the 70's for new local stations one was given to Metropolitan Broadcasting Limited. As others have outlined, that probably answers the main question of the thread.

The station opened in 1974 as Metro Radio, changed to Metro FM in the late 1980s (when it was fashionable for radios stations to do so) and reverted back to Metro Radio around 2000.

The original company's name was Metropolitan Broadcasting. And prior to going on air, it seems that the name was going to be Metropolitan Radio.

cheers!

 

[John Griffiths]

People might also remember 'Metro Munch', a snack bar at the corner of Stowell Street and Darn Crook, a couple of minutes' walk from St James metro station. It's now Chinatown Express.

 

[Zamracene749]

There was also Metro taxis. Who also operated buses..... Plus the PTE once ran a sizeable fleet of Scania Metroplolitans, never mind all the Metroriders. upon which you could read a copy of Metro free newspaper....

 

[jonty14]

Maybe "Metro" was one of the in words at the time. Just like "Turbo" was used in the 80's. Advertisers loved the word back then

 

[John Griffiths]

....upon which you could read a copy of Metro free newspaper....

For a while there were two rival Metro free papers, one published by a Swedish run company with a green masthead, and the one we know and love.