A long-serving transport worker is retiring after a 43 year career at Metro, three decades of which were spent looking after ticket machines.
Steve Griffin has diligently kept Metro ticket machines in tip top condition since 1990, working across all 60 stations.
Steve, 64, of Whickham, will bring the curtain down on a 43-year career at Metro when he leaves at the end of June, having started work there in 1980 as an electrician.
His work has been absolutely vital for the smooth running of the Metro system over so many years, said Metro’s operator, Nexus.
In that time he has undertaken thousands of ticket machine repairs, and has had a key role working on Metro’s new ticket and gating system which arrived ten years ago.
He met Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth when she opened Metro in 1981, and more recently he chatted with King Charles when he visited in 2021, as Prince of Wales, to mark Metro’s 40th anniversary.
Steve spent his first ten years working at Gosforth Metro depot, looking after the train fleet. He was part of a team who had to undertake acceptance testing on the trains when the Metro first opened.
But it’s in ticket machine maintenance where Steve has really become a Metro stalwart.
He said: “It’s hard to believe I’ve been fixing the Metro ticket machines for so long, but I’ve enjoyed doing it.
“People often think it’s just a box of coins, but there’s a bit more to it than that. A lot of work goes into keeping them running.
“I’m going to miss the job. The team I work with are like a family. What I won’t miss are the 6am starts, and being out there working in all weathers.”
Steve’s ingenuity over the years has actually helped prevent a lot of Metro ticket machine fraud.
He explained: “When the Metro system opened in 1980 it was a great time as everything was lovely and new.
“The first generation of ticket machines were made in France and they only accepted coins. Vandalism did become a problem in some areas.
“We came up with ways to prevent people from getting the money out of the machines. It worked.
“Some were trying to use fake pound coins that were made from lead, but we managed to put a stop to that with a modification to the coin readers.
“Kids would often try and block the old ticket machines with tissue paper, so they could come back later for all the loose change, but we had another modification done which stopped that little trick too.
“One of my most vivid memories was going out to repair ticket machines in the aftermath of the riot at Meadow Well in 1991. It’s something I’ll never forget.”
He added: “The old ticket machines had an analogue set up. They were amazing technology at the time, but the game changer was the new generation of ticket machines, which started going into place in 2012, accepting notes and cards.
“They’ve been great for Metro customers, and we had to almost relearn our jobs so that we could maintain them, and also the new generation of ticket gates you see on some Metro stations.”
During his time at Nexus, Steve was lucky enough to take part in two Royal visits.
He said: “I got to meet the Queen in 1981 when she officially opened the Metro. I was in a line-up of staff at Gateshead who were introduced to her. I recall she asked me what my role was. Prince Phillip seemed really interested by the fact that I was an electrician, and he asked me how I found the job.
“Forty years later I had the huge honour to be chosen as one of the Nexus staff to meet Prince Charles when he visited. He travelled on a Metro train with us, and we had a really interesting chat. He was interested in how we repair all of the equipment ourselves.”
In his retirement Steve plans to devote more time to his passion for restoring classic cars and buses. He already owns five London taxis, ranging from 1957 to 2002, and a 1966 London Routemaster bus.
“I’ve loved working on classic cars for many years,” said Steve. “I like to work with my hands, and that’s what I love about it. I’ll have more time for that now that I’m not needed to fix Metro ticket machines!”
He also plans to spend more time with his family, and volunteer at Beamish Museum repairing the trams and trolley buses.