The youngest ever driver on the Tyne and Wear Metro has retired from the operator after 46 years of service. Phil Taylor, 65 from Bank Foot in Newcastle, was just 19 when he started his career on the network \u2013 and he remains the youngest to have been a driver to this day.<\/p>\n
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He worked as a driver for the first 14 years before moving into roles training other drivers. He then became a Metro Operations Manager, dealing with incidents on the system, before taking his most recent role based in the Metro control room as a Service Delivery Controller.<\/p>\n
Reminiscing about his career, Phil said: \u201cI\u2019ve always been proud to work for the Tyne and Wear Metro. I was just 19 when I was lucky enough to become a driver. I was the youngest member of the team and that record has stood for all these years, not least because they changed the age limit for the role.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was an exciting time to join the team. The Metro was a new concept for the region and millions of pounds had been spent making it become a reality.<\/p>\n
\u201cI found myself at the age of 19 getting the chance to drive the trains when they were shiny and new. I vividly recall being told each one was worth a million quid.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll of the drivers were proud to be a part of it. It was such a big achievement, and the system was delivering something huge for the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cBack then the technology on board was all cutting edge and seen as the best in the industry. It is sad to see the current fleet being phased out. They have served our customers for close to 46 years. There is great fondness for them, but the time is right for them to go.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new trains are lovely. Really great. Later this year, all the old ones will be gone and it\u2019ll all be new trains. It\u2019s an exciting time for the Metro.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will miss Metro. I\u2019ve always enjoyed the roles I\u2019ve had, and I\u2019ve made some great friends. All my working life has been on the railways, and it\u2019s given me a brilliant career.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kevin Storey, Operations Director at Nexus, said: \u201cPhil has given us excellent service for over 45 years. He\u2019s a been a key member of our team and has helped to mentor so many of the workforce in all different areas of Metro operations through the roles he\u2019s had. We wish him all the best for his retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The youngest ever driver on the Tyne and Wear Metro has retired from the operator after 46 years of service. Phil Taylor, 65 from Bank Foot in Newcastle, was just 19 when he started his career on the network \u2013 … Continue reading