Funds to upgrade Tyne and Wear Metro signal system confirmed
The existing signalling system, which dates from the network's construction in the 1970s and 80s, has become "increasingly difficult to maintain" due to the difficulty in finding parts and those with the engineering skills to carry out repairs, Nexus has previously said. Ms Massarella said: "We are working with analogue technology in a digital era."Without signals we can't run the trains."The announcement follows Nexus submitting a business case to the DfT last year which sought about £400m for a signalling system upgrade.It is unclear how much money the DfT has so far committed to project.The government did however confirm that this money was separate to the £1.85bn slated for transport infrastructure which the government promised to the region earlier this year.A large amount of those funds will pay for the expansion of the Metro to Washington. It is also unclear when these signalling upgrade works will begin. The DfT and the North East Combined Authority have been approached for comment.
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Romesh Ranganathan hosts a variety of programmes for the BBC, including a weekend Radio 2 show, The Weakest Link and his Misinvestigations series, but is unlisted. The huge number of high-profile actors who appear in BBC dramas and comedies are missing, include Sherwood (starring Lesley Manville and David Morrissey) Mr Loverman (Lennie James), Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light (Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis), Ludwig (Mitchell and Anna Maxwell Martin), and The Responder (Martin Freeman).Other popular BBC dramas and comedies not eligible to appear on the list include The Gold, Rebus, This City Is Ours, Blue Lights, Mrs Brown's Boys, and the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special, written by and starring James Corden and Ruth who appear in continuing dramas such as Death in Paradise, Waterloo Road, Casualty, EastEnders and Call The Midwife also do not Morning Live presenters Michelle Ackerley and Gethin Jones are absent, as are the stars of Homes Under The Hammer, Bargain Hunt, The Repair Shop and Saturday Kitchen. There are some other stars who fall into a middle category - those who do appear on the list, but only for some of their BBC work. 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He is effectively the corporation's equivalent of ITV's Ant & Dec, hired to front Saturday night shows throughout the year such as The Wheel and his Big Bradley Walsh would likely feature for anchoring Gladiators and Blankety Blank, while Graham Norton would appear for commentating on Eurovision and his BBC One chat Winkleman is another of the corporation's biggest names, as the host of Strictly Come Dancing and The Traitors, arguably the BBC's biggest new hit of recent years. She also filled in for Norton on his chat show this year. 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