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Welcome to Stoopid O'Clock again!
Had I'd known how the day would start I probsbly wouldhsv had an extra 20 minutesin bed. A walk to the station was lovely. At East Croydon I looked up say the 05:40 was platform 2 went through the barrier turned round just to double check and it now showed CANCELLED.
A wait around until the the next one was all I could do.
9S00 East Croydon to St. Pancras International
Thankfully no one blasting out music or videos on the train so it was quite nice until some person decided to walk up the train randomly shouting. Never mind. At St Pancras I puchased my traditional Sausage & Bacon roll with a bottle of water as well. Then over to Kings Cross.
1S05 Kings Cross to Newcastle 801213 winner [268m 31ch]
DOH! I sat in the wrong seat. hHat's not usually like me. The trip was lovely. No trouble and reasonable quiet. Some how we ended up 5 minute slate in to Newcastle. Now the adventure could begin.
I went straight down to the Metro station where I purchased a 'Adult DaySaver' ticket for the princely sum of 6.70 from the machine (with a little help from the member of staff. Well I don't often buy tickets). The ticket allowed me all metros an if I felt wild enough the ferry as well. Then down the esclator to my fist metro of the day.
T105 Central to Airport 4017, 4043 winners [7m 72ch]
A slittle secret here; I have been on he metro on two other occsions when travelling up to Bedlington Terriers FC bsck in the late 1990s. I figured out that the units stik to a diagram all day so the first one was T105.
Had I had longer in the area I may have got off at more stations and even ventured to see if I could see in to Gosforth Depot. Passing it I saw a lot of the new Class 555 trains in the yard but all too far away for me to get numbers. By 10:27 I arrived at Airport Metro stop. The same set of units took me back.
T105 Airport to South Gosforth 4017, 4043 non winners [5m 10ch]
I crossed the bridge and caught a bit of luck. I managed to get the train before the one I planned.
T123 South Gosforth to Whitley Bay 4024, 4049 winner [7m 40ch]
It is a petty route in general but I was getting a little hungary and I wasn't sure when I'd eat again such was my times. Whitley Bay station is ornate with a mosaic in the old ticket hall Sadly the old bridge is in the process of being demolished. A walk down to the town centre and breakfast in The Fire House which is a Wetherspoons. Then back to the station. I would have taken a little walk to the bay but I wanted to try and keep the early luck going and maybe an early finish. HA!
T127 Whitley Bay to Tynemouth 4014, 4015 winners [2m 62ch]
A few years ago the wife had the TV show 'George Gently' on and in one scene they chased a criminal in to Tynemouth station. I was impressed and put it on my list of stations to visit. This was my chance. As the metro pulled in my heart sank a little. Every Saturday there is a craft fayre and market on the station. It was packed with people so it was impossible to get any decent or atmospheric photos. I will have to revisit one day. After a brief look around it (the wife would apprciate it more) I went back on to the platform and waitd for the next metro
T128 Tynemouth to St. James' 4044, 4051 winners [8m 55ch]
I managed to get the -rear seat which was nice to watch the track disappearing behind the metro. It also affords a decent view when it crossed the Willington Dene viaduct. Originally built in 1839 of wood it was replaced by the current wrought iron between 1867 and 1869, it is Grade 2 listed. At St. James' I didn't even get out as it was a short turn around time and it is just an underground styled station.
T128 St. James' to Monument 4051, 4044 non winners [0m 21ch]
Monument is also just one of the undergound stations and I was trying to get my next metro so I didn't have time to look around.
T102 Monument to South Hylton 555027 winner (And first time on one of the new class 555s) [m ch]
I'll give my views on the Metro stock one of these days in a separate article.
As I had already planned this out months ago I had not factored in the football. Sunderland were at home to Brentford so it was really busy on this metro as it went through Sunderland. Once the Mackems were off it was a decent trip.
South Hylton staion is a modern one opening in 2002. It's a sigle platform with little scope to be doubled. Another quick turnaround after a couple of photos to head off to Pelaw.
T102 South Hylton to Pelaw 555027 non winner [11m 72ch]
It was here that things went a little wrong. I arrived at Pelaw and missed the next train to South Shields by 5 seconds! Normally I would not be too annoyed but as it disappeared from sight they announced problems and that there were some problems and there were some gaps in service. Thos gaps were South Shields trains! Three guesses where I was heading? I was at Pelaw or 45 minutes and when the South Shields train arrived it would terminate early at Bede so I decided to alight earlier to avoid a problem.
T131 Pelaw to Jarrow 4075, 4086 winners [3m 19ch]
ALighting at Jarrow was a good idea as I got a seat once I got on the next metro to South Shields.
T132 Jarrow to South Shields 4038, 4085 [4m 6ch]
As this service was also playing catchup it didn't hang around long when it terminate. I only managed to grab a photo or two.
T132 South Shields to Central 4085, 4038 non winners [21m 06ch]