This film, produced by the Tyne & Wear Passenger Executive with commentary provided by BBC Look North reporter Tony Baker, takes a look at the operation and experiences learned since the opening of the integrated Tyne & Wear Metro rapid transit sytem opened nine years previously. and how de-regulation of buses has affected the system. The opening view shows cars parked in a wet cobbled street at night lit by street lamps. General views follow of terraced streets nearby. Title: The...

This film, produced by the Tyne & Wear Passenger Executive with commentary provided by BBC Look North reporter Tony Baker, takes a look at the operation and experiences learned since the opening of the integrated Tyne & Wear Metro rapid transit sytem opened nine years previously. and how de-regulation of buses has affected the system. The opening view shows cars parked in a wet cobbled street at night lit by street lamps. General views follow of terraced streets nearby. Title: The Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive Presents Title: Clocking Up The Kilometres The film shows the sheds where Metro cars are housed before they start the working day. A commentary describes the early start for Metro driver Norman Lasley who is seen clocking on for his shift at 4.45am. Norman briefly describes his working day which starts at home at 3.00am. Norman enters the cab of his Metro car and does safety checks. He drives the car out of the shed as the commentary outlines the work that other maintenance crews have been doing overnight. The film goes on to show staff at work in the control room at South Gosforth. Controllers have access to banks of closed circuit TV’s which monitor each station on the network. Operators are also able to contact inspectors, drivers and stations. A computer system looks after escalators and lifts and can report on faults. Large panels cover most of the walls with a detailed plan of the network giving location information on Metro traffic. Ken Scott is a controller at South Gosforth, off camera he talks about his work. The film shows an early morning Metro train leave a station into darkness. On board a man reads his newspaper as Norman Lasley drives the train. Views follow of an early and busy fish quay at North Shields, a postman delivers letters and general views show Metro trains travelling through early morning mist and rain. A British rail passenger train is shown as the commentary outlines the links to the national network at the central station and Heworth. The commentary outlines the other transport services managed by the transport executive. One being the ferry service across the River Tyne between South Shields and North Shields. The film shows the operator in the wheelhouse on board guiding the vessel as well as external views of the ferry on the river. At South Gosforth revenue control officers are signing in to begin their work. They work on board Metro trains checking for fare evasion and providing customer care. The film shows members of this group checking tickets. The film then shows passengers getting off the train during rush hour and making their way out using escalators. Since the Metro does not go direct to Newcastle airport, a minibus carries passengers from Bank Foot station to the airport. The film shows the integration of the road and rail transport, with buses stopping at Metro stations. General views of traffic on the Tyne Bridge are followed by the commentary giving more information about the history of the Metro project, which goes back to the 1960’s. The film shows a man consulting an earlier study, which he puts down on his desk revealing the title of a document outlining the preferred option chosen in 1971 of building a light rapid transit system. The title shown is ‘Tyneside Rapid Transit Analysis – Technical Report’, Conducted for Tyneside Passenger Transport Executive’. This is followed by the first ground being broken by excavator three years later marking the beginning of the building of the Metro. The commentary talks of finding 14th century mine workings that had to be filled in before tunnelling could begin. A diagram shows how the tunnel from Gateshead Metro station will give way to a new bridge across the Tyne. The film shows the building of Gateshead station which was built on the site of an old quarry, and it also shows tunnelling machinery going through boulder clay showing areas where concrete or cast iron is used to line the tunnels. Views follow of the deep excavations around Grey’s monument which had to be underpinned. General views show other excavation work to divert telephone and electricity cables. Diagrams show the underground plan of Monument station, the deepest station on the network. Work is shown at the Victorian portico at Central Station which had to be partly dismantled and foundations strengthened and rebuilt. The film shows the Angel of Mercy landmark being temporarily moved from nearby the Haymarket station, the film then shows the reinstated landmark monuments back in position. Travelling views follow along the Byker viaduct showing works using special materials to allow faster construction. The film shows the Queen Elizabeth the Second bridge, a new bridge for the Metro and one of the largest single span bridges built in the last century. The film goes on to show the first Metro train to complete the new route from Haymarket to Tynemouth on the 7th of August 1980. The Queen gets out from her limousine in 1981 to officially open the Newcastle to Gateshead route. In 1984 the final phase of the Metro was opened from Heworth to South Shields. A Metro train crosses a finishing line at South Shields station. A plaque is unveiled which reads ‘To Commemorate the opening of the Heworth to South Shields section of the Metro and the completion of the initial system on Friday 23 March 1984 by Councillor Michael Campbell Leader of Tyne and Wear County Council.’ A view follows of a Metro train travelling along the Byker viaduct as the commentary outlines that three more stations have now been added at Kingston Park, Palmersville and Pelaw. A train pulls into a station and a view follows of two members of an Australian delegation looking at the operation of the metro systems. An interview follows with Peter Field a representative from the Railway Industry Council of Australia talking about their impression and experiences on the Metro. A description follows of the Metro cars which were built in the Midlands by Metro Cammell. A train is shown completing an emergency stop. A demonstration follows showing how the Metro cars are accessible to those passengers with mobility difficulties. The film shows how stations are also adapted for these passengers, including making lifts with controls within easy access for wheelchair users. A view of a busy Eldon Square includes wheelchairs users as they have easy access to the shopping mall from the Metro station. Other who have difficulty accessing public transport can use the dial-a-ride scheme. The film shows a minibus which is part of this scheme. The commentary goes on to describe ease of maintenance at each of the 44 stations. At Haymarket station the film shows the vitreous enamelled panels which line the walls public areas on the Metro for easy cleaning. Some other stations display public art works, views show a variety of sculptures including one of a horse pulling a carriage and is made of scrap metal. Other arts including poetry which appears on advertising boards on some car interiors. Views follow on customer service points on the Metro. Including services for information, ticket sales and lost property. Inspectors are shown boarding a Metro car, in the first 12 months of the inspector’s work, they dealt with 70,000 cases of passengers travelling without tickets. The film moves on to a room where a group of mainly men are listening to a man in uniform addressing them. He is the Metro liason officer from Northumbrian police, a chief inspector who gives lectures to staff in order to help them deal with fare evasion, vandalism and crime. Stuart McGivern a revenue control inspector talks about his experience with this arrangement, which he finds useful. Off camera the chief inspector Louis Warrow talks about the significance of his work. The Passenger Transport Executive has also produced a video designed for use in schools to educate pupils about how the system works and to prevent crime. The programme shows a presentation of the video to a group of school children. The school liaison officer talking to the children is Sally Porteous. Off camera Sally talks about the work she does with the children, which involves talks from an ex-driver and a policeman. The film moves on to safety on the Metro network. The film shows workmen working on the track. The film shows a meeting of the Tyne and Wear Transport Authority in the Civic centre in Newcastle. Those attending are councillors from the regional authorities served by the Metro. They will set out the policies which will be implemented by the transport executive and the 1000 or so employees. They will also support schemes to aid travel on the Metro which includes a concessionary fares scheme. The transport authority chairman is Roy Burgess. Off camera he describes the work of the PTA. The concept of a truly integrated transport system despite recent changes with respect to the bus operators, is still a high priority for the authority and executive. View of buses travelling through the city at night follow, as the commentary describes a number of newly introduced fare schemes. The commentary continues with details of bus services operating in the Metro region. A view follows of passenger waiting for a train at a Metro station. The train pulls into the station as the commentary describes the frequency of the train services. The commentary mentions future developments including an extension to Newcastle Airport and possibly to Wearside, and to set up a Metro police sub-division. Title: The producers wish to thank The Young Adult Group, Shieldfield Day Centre, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Staff and pupils of Marden High School, North Shields. End title: A Storyline Production © 1989