Schoolchildren took lessons in safety at Metro test track

A dedicated Metro test facility opened in 1975 and more than 11,000 people visited the site over its five-year lifespan, writes nostalgia editor DAVID MORTON

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It is 50 years since the Tyne and Wear Metro's test track was opened in North Tyneside.

The bespoke facility, which is now home to the Stephenson Steam Railway, was to play a crucial role in the development of the transport system a full five years before the Metro opened to customers in 1980.

Located at Middle Engine Lane, the first two prototype trains were tested there along a 1.5-mile stretch of test track, which had a tunnel section, a two-lane workshop, and even a mock station.