These ticket machines are like my children says Metro engineer who's retiring after 40 years service
“I know these ticket machines so well, they’re like my children. I’ve become fond of them and I know all their little quirks.”
The words of retiring Tyne and Wear Metro worker Alex Carr who has spent the last 40 years repairing and maintaining the transport system’s ticket machines.
Alex, 60, of Dipton in County Durham, manages the Nexus Automatic Fare Collection team, whose job it is to keep Metro ticket machines and gate lines in tip top condition.
During this time he has headed up the maintenance of the 225 ticket machines across The Tyne and Wear Metro’s 60 stations.
Alex said: “I’m proud to have looked after these ticket machines over so many years. I’ve been a small but important cog in the wheel to ensure that the Metro keeps running.
“I know these ticket machines so well, they’re like my children. I’ve become fond of them. I know all their little quirks.
“Forty years is a long time to focus just on ticket machines, but I’ve loved it. You know that you’re playing such an important role, not only safeguarding vital ticket revenue but ensuring customers aren’t inconvenienced. Without ticket machines you don’t really have a railway.”
Alex first joined the Metro network team in 1985 - just five years after the system opened - when he joined as an apprentice electrician.
He will retire from his role on December 1, marking the end of a 44 year career in public transport.
Alex said: “It’s an emotional farewell. I’ve been part of the story of Metro, which has been great for the North East and has really revolutionised local public transport when it opened.
“When I started, we had old French-made ticket machines, which were electro-mechanical and only accepted coins. We used to look after all of the change machines too, which was also vital back then as the ticket machines didn’t accept cards or notes. After the new generation of machines came in, it became much more software based, so you often fix them with a laptop instead of with a screwdriver.
“We have seen a good few challenges over the years, not least working through lockdown out on the Metro system, and making sure that we had all the ticket machines ready for the new bank notes with King Charles on.
“I’ve got a great team here who work ever so hard. I’ll miss them and I’ll miss the job, but it’s time to let someone else have a go.”
Over his four decades of service, Alex managed the first generation of analogue Metro ticket machines, before playing a key role in the transition to the current digital ones, along with the new automatic ticket gates, which came into use in 2012.
John Fenwick, Director of Finance and Resources at Nexus, said: “Alex has given us outstanding service over the last four decades.
“Our ticket machines, gate lines and validators across the network process millions of transactions each year and play an integral part in protecting Metro’s revenue.
“Alex’s knowledge of our ticket machines is second to none and he will be a big miss. He’s been a great servant to Nexus and we wish him well for the future.”