A signalling engineer who has devoted 38 years of his working life to the Tyne and Wear Metro has retired. 66-year-old John Eagle has worked on the signalling since 1987 but has now bid an emotional farewell to his colleagues.
John oversaw a team of unsung heroes who work through all weathers to fix the signals across the 77km network. They look after 420 signals, 500,000km of cable, 133 customer information displays, and 350 junction boxes.
John said: “I’ve loved every minute of the job. I’m proud to have played my part in the success of the Metro system. As a railwayman, signalling maintenance is my passion. It’s in my blood.
“I’ve worked with some fantastic colleagues. I have been privileged to have a great team behind me over the years, and very good managers who have always supported me.
“The public don’t really get to see what the signalling maintenance team do, but it’s vital work. They’re unsung heroes of Metro. The signalling equipment never gets switched off so it needs constant work. The technology is electromechanical. It’s been a great system for many years, but the time has now come for it to be replaced with new technology.
“The signals keep the Metro running and, most importantly, they ensure that it runs safely. They’re vital for the operation of our railway. Safety underpins everything we do.
“I’ve worked shifts all my life fixing those signals. There are hundreds of them on Metro, as well as scores of junction boxes and many miles of cables. We’ve worked through all kinds of weather. People always say the winters must be the worst, but I always found it toughest when it was wet and windy.
“After so many years of doing shifts I’ve decided to retire. I’m sad to leave, but there comes a time when you have to step aside and give the next generation a chance to come through.
“Over the years I have been involved in many incidents in my various roles which have include flooding, two of which were at the airport, and one at Ilford Road, as well as Storm Arwen, and that infamous supercell storm, Thunder Thursday, which happened in June 2012.
“Nexus has been a fantastic company to work for, with some great staff to work alongside, and it must be said that the staff have always gone the extra mile when there have been issues impacting on the service.
“Metro is a local icon. It’s as valuable to our region and our economy as the Underground is in London. I’m looking forward to watching the new trains roll out more, seeing the system extended, and, of course, seeing the new Metro signalling system get installed. I wish everyone at Nexus well for the future.”
Stewart Clarke, Infrastructure Director at Nexus, commented: “John’s given us outstanding service many years and we wish him well for the future. He’s a true stalwart of our signalling team. His breadth of knowledge is second to none. He’s done some amazing work training up the next generation of signalling engineers, ensuring that Metro’s infrastructure is in safe hands for many years to come.”