halfmemory

This image (and the previous few) were taken at the Metro Test Track near Backworth. The road in the foreground is Middle Engine Lane. The Test Track tunnel can be seen in the background. This looks like it must be the delivery of the one the prototypes from Birmingham, with the unit being in two parts over the road.

This is Middle Engine Lane between Wallsend and North Shields, not Birmingham.

This is not Birmingham - this is Middle Engine Lane near Shiremoor on North Tyneside. It's now the site of The Stephenson Railway Museum.

It's amazing to see the different shape of the tunnels here, as opposed to those under Newcastle city centre, which were the proper round shape. No doubt this unusual shape was partly due to the ground conditions, with old mineworkings.

Gateshead Station was a difficult one. Old coal mine workings hindered progress and at one point a pour of concrete was lost as it dropped into a passage below! As Robert says - the tunnel will be to suit the ground conditions at that location.

Something odd to the top right of the photo? Can you explain - cheers - Paul

Odd is an understatement! The figure is very static (see left hand) but very translucent, standing between steps, and entirely at the wrong angle (ie, leaning backwards about 30 degrees.) If this were a 'genuine' person moving about in the image they would be blurred, but translucence without movement is impossible and thie effect shown can only be achieved by a double exposure. (I'm a press photographer of 40 years experience).

I've just downloaded this image and magnified it, and things get even stranger. Above the person's head tucked to the right of the escalator is an fuzzy 'phallic' object that doesn't have the same focus qualities of its surrounding objects, so doesn't belong in this image either. A private joke of some sort?