Thieves bring Metro services to a halt

May 10 2008 by Dan Warburton, The Journal

THIEVES risked their lives and caused commuter chaos when they stripped huge lengths of copper cable from the side of a Tyneside Metro station yesterday.

Thousands of pounds of signal cabling, which had 15,000 volts of electricity still pulsing though, was stolen from the track on Station Road, between Percy Main and Howdon Metro stations in Wallsend, North Tyneside.

The theft happened between 12.30am and 12.50am yesterday, when more than 450m of copper was plundered from the track.

Services were initially halved and then completely suspended during the afternoon between North Shields and Chillingham Road.

Thousands of commuters where hit with massive delays and had their lives put in danger as Metro operators Nexus put flag-waving signallers on the lines to control the trains.

Jane Hall, features editor at The Journal, was one of those travelling to work caught up in the chaos. She said: “There was a lot of confusion this morning as I tried to get to work. All the trains were running late and mine was packed when it pulled into Tynemouth.

“It wasn't until the train came to a standstill between North Shields and Meadow Well, however, that the driver announced thieves had stolen the signal cabling overnight and he was having to travel through the red lights.

“At Howdon, the crossing signal for cars had obviously been knocked out and police were there directing traffic while a Metro official with red and green flags was waving trains through.

“My anger isn’t directed at Nexus, but at the thieves who did this.

“These people are not only putting themselves in danger by physically being in or near the railway line, but also the safety of passengers.

“I’m horrified that railway lines and equipment has been interfered with in this way.”

By mid-morning yesterday repair work began on the line to replace the 480m of missing cable, and the line was closed completely.

Passengers were ferried into Newcastle by bus, and police said that after initial investigations, they recovered a stash of copper cable at the scene.

A Nexus spokesman said: “It’s so dangerous to go down to the lines, especially at night because there is still electricity running through them.”

It is the second time that copper has been stripped from that stretch of the Metro line in the past six months.

On November 21 2007, copper cable was taken from Howdon Metro Station, North Tyneside.

It was not known last night when Metro services would return to normal.