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Transport in Tyne and Wear

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A Tyne and Wear Metro service heading for South Shields, seen at Kingston Park.

Tyne and Wear is a metropolitan area covering the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland, as well as North and South Tyneside, Gateshead and Washington.

Tyne and Wear is well served by public transport, with the Tyne and Wear Metro, an extensive bus and rail network, the Shields Ferry, and Newcastle International Airport.

Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive, trading as Nexus, are the passenger transport executive (PTE) responsible for overseeing the public transport network within Tyne and Wear, with headquarters at Nexus House in Newcastle upon Tyne.

Rail

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History

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The first transport in Tyne and Wear was wagonways like the Tanfield Wagonway, which moved large mineral deposits across County Durham and Northumberland to estates and river barges. The Dunston wagonway was operating from as early as 1671, and transported coal to the two rivers.[1][2]

1834 plan depicting the Newcastle to North Shields Railway, etched by W. Collard.

Newcastle upon Tyne was an early pioneer in railway development, with the need to move large quantities of materials similar to the wagonways. The Stanhope and Tyne Railway opened in 1834, just nine years after the groundbreaking Stockton and Darlington Railway in nearby Teesside. The region quickly became a hub of intense competition, with numerous railways being constructed. The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway (itself opening in 1834) finished construction of Newcastle Central Station in 1847, with the Newcastle and North Shields Railway connecting its North Shields branch to the station shortly after.[3][4]

Over the following years, a number of new railways and interconnecting networks were built across the area. This created one of the most dense railway networks in the UK, and helped accelerate the growth and urbanisation of the region. These routes included the Ponteland Railway, York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway, Blyth and Tyne Railway, Riverside Branch, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Newcastle, Leamside & Ferryhill Railway, Hylton, Southwick & Monkwearmouth Railway, Brandling Junction Railway, Durham and Sunderland Railway, Bedale and Laybourne Railway, Newcastle and South Shields Railway, as well as a number of branch lines and combined railways. These railways were mostly created to move large amounts of goods to the Tyne Docks and Sunderland Docks to be exported onto the global market, or to transport materials to the numerous shipyards and industry along the river fronts[5][6][7]

Tram No. 10 of the Gateshead and District Tramways Company at the Beamish Museum.

In the late 19th and early 20th centaury, several isolated system of trams were also established, with the Newcastle Corporation Tramways beginning service on 16th of December 1901. The trams connected city centres to quickly sprawling suburbs, and included networks such as the Tyneside Tramways & Tramroads Company, Jarrow & District Electric Tramway, South Shields Corporation Tramways, Tynemouth & District Electric Traction Company, Gateshead & District Tramways Company, Sunderland Corporation Tramways, Sunderland District Electric Tramways, and Gosforth Park Light Railway.[8][9] None of the networks exist today, with them being destroyed in the 1950s as the automobile and motorway creation became increasingly popular with both the general public and local government. However, a number of the cars were bought by Beamish Museum and are run as a heritage service at their site.[10]

Diagram of the Tyneside Electrics network at its maximum extent between 1938–63.

As a result of the competition from the electric tramways, passenger numbers declined heavily on the existing railways. To try and recover, the Victorian rail network was electrified, consolidated, and then restructured under Tyneside Electrics in the 1910s. The consolidation of the East Coast Mainline also meant that new nonstop express services to Edinburgh, London, Durham and Middlesbrough were now available. The improved services and routes meant that passenger numbers rebounded, and created one of the largest electrified commuter networks at the time in the UK.[11][12]

However, the fortunes of the railways were short lived. In the 1960s, Tyneside Electrics became fully integrated into British Rail. The group then de-electrified the network, transitioning its services to diesel-powered trains. This decision was driven by falling passenger demand, rising operational costs, and the urgent need to replace aging infrastructure and rolling stock. The Newcastle–South Shields line lost its electrification in 1963, with the north Tyneside routes following suit in 1967.[12] Furthermore, in the late 1960s and 1970s, a lot of the railways were closed, mainly due to British deindustrialisation, and the Beeching Act paired with central governments dismissive attitude with public transport.[13] However, a lot of these railway closures avoided total destruction and were converted to light rail service. Lines such as the Newcastle and North Shields Railway were saved, with the line closing in 1973 and partially re-opening (east of Heaton to Tynemouth) in November 1982, following the commencement of the Tyne and Wear Metro services between Tynemouth and St. James station. Other historical rail alignments are now served by the Tyne and Wear Metro and include the Stanhope and Tyne Railway, and the Ponteland Railway of the North Eastern Railway, amongst other routes.[14] There is also talk of further restoring former lines such as the Leamside Line to both heavy rail and Metro services.[15] The Metro while mostly utilising former rights of way, did create some new routes, especially in the city centres near Monument and Gateshead.

Tyne and Wear Metro

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Main article: Tyne and Wear Metro
Network diagram of the Tyne and Wear Metro.

The Tyne and Wear Metro is a light rail network linking South Tyneside and Sunderland with Gateshead, Newcastle upon Tyne, North Tyneside and Newcastle Airport. The network opened in stages from 11 August 1980, and now serves 60 stations and 48 miles (77 km) of track.

The Metro is one of only two urban rail networks in the United Kingdom[citation needed] (outside London), with other cities have tram networks such as Edinburgh Trams, Manchester Metrolink and Sheffield Supertram.

In 2017–2018, an estimated 36.4 million passenger-journeys were made on the Metro, making it the third-most-used tram and light-rail network in the United Kingdom, after London's Docklands Light Railway (121.8 million passenger-journeys) and the Manchester Metrolink (43.7 million passenger-journeys).[16]

The Metro network currently consists of two lines:

Both lines run as frequently every 12 minutes during the day (Monday to Saturday), and every 15 minutes in the evenings and on Sundays.

This allows for a combined service of every six minutes (Monday to Saturday), and every seven to eight minutes during the evening and on Sundays between Pelaw Metro station and South Gosforth Metro station.

Additional trains run during the morning and evening peak (Monday to Friday) between Pelaw and Regent Centre or Monkseaton Metro station. This provides a Metro every three minutes between Pelaw and South Gosforth Metro station at peak times.

National Rail

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As of December 2024, there are a total of eight rail stations located within Tyne and Wear: Blaydon, Dunston, Heworth, Manors, MetroCentre, Newcastle, Seaton Delaval and Sunderland. In 2025, a further rail station is due to open at Northumberland Park.

An aerial view of Newcastle Central Station.

Newcastle Central is a key calling point on the East Coast Main Line. The station originally opened in August 1850, as part of the then Newcastle and Carlisle Railway and York, Newcastle and Berwick Railway.

Currently, the station is served by CrossCountry, LNER, Northern, Lumo and TransPennine Express, with trains running to a range of destinations across the country.

CrossCountry run long-distance rail services connecting Scotland and the North East with the Midlands, South East and the South Coast. As of the December 2019 timetable change, service and frequency is as follows:[17]

London North Eastern Railway provide long-distance, high-speed rail services, connecting Scotland and the North East with London. As of the December 2019 timetable change, service and frequency is as follows:[18]

Northern operates local rail services across the North East. As of the December 2019 timetable change, service and frequency is as follows:[19]

TransPennine Express links the North East England|North East with Yorkshire, Manchester and Liverpool. As of the December 2019 timetable change, service and frequency is as follows:[20]

Sunderland station (then Sunderland Central) station opened in August 1879, under the then North Eastern Railway.

Nowadays the station is served by the Metro, with local rail services operated by Northern. The station is also served by less frequent, long-distance rail services, operated by Grand Central and LNER.

Northern provide an hourly service heading south along the Durham Coast Line towards Sunderland, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Nunthorpe (with some trains continuing on to Whitby), and an hourly service heading north to Newcastle, with trains then joining the Tyne Valley Line, continuing on towards Hexham.[21]

In March 2002, following the extension of the Metro from Pelaw to Sunderland and South Hylton rail services between Sunderland and Newcastle were amended, with Heworth Interchange becoming the single intermediate station on the route between the two cities.

Former rail stations at Seaburn, East Boldon and Brockley Whins (as well as new purpose-built stations at St. Peter's, Stadium of Light and Fellgate) are now served by the Metro, with a frequency of up to five trains per hour, and a direct link to Newcastle Airport.[22]

In January 2006, open-access operator Grand Central was granted permission to run four trains per day between Sunderland and London King's Cross via York, with services commencing in December 2007. As of April 2022, Grand Central operate five daily services along the route.

On 14 December 2015, Virgin Train East Coast began a once-daily direct train service between Sunderland and London King's Cross.[23][24][25][a]

Air

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Newcastle International Airport is the eleventh-busiest airport in the United Kingdom, with an estimated 4.81 million passenger-journeys made in 2023. It serves over 80 domestic, European and North African destinations, as well as direct flights to Cancún, Dubai and Orlando Sandford. The nearest similar-sized airports are Leeds Bradford Airport to the south, and the larger Edinburgh and Glasgow airports to the north.

The airport is easily accessible by Metro, with up to five trains per hour serving Newcastle upon Tyne, Gateshead and Sunderland, with connections to North Tyneside and South Tyneside. It is also served by bus services[b] from Newcastle upon Tyne, Woolsington, Ponteland and Darras Hall.

Bus

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Buses in Tyne and Wear: past and present

Tyne and Wear has an extensive bus network, which is overseen by the Tyne and Wear PTE. Bus services in the county are operated predominantly by three companies: Arriva North East, Go North East and Stagecoach North East. Additional services are also ran by a number of local independent operators.

Arriva North East operate from a single depot in the region (Jesmond), with local and regional bus services running from Newcastle upon Tyne to North Tyneside (Killingworth, North Shields, Tynemouth and Whitley Bay) and Northumberland (Alnwick, Ashington, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Blyth, Cramlington and Morpeth). The company also operates a network of services in and around the city of Sunderland, linking with towns and villages across East Durham.

Go North East operate local and regional bus services across the county, with services extending to County Durham (Chester-le-Street, Consett, Durham and Stanley), Northumberland (Corbridge, Hexham, Prudhoe and Ponteland) and Teesside (Middlesbrough and Stockton-on-Tees). The company operate from five depots in the region: Gateshead (Riverside and Saltmeadows Road), Percy Main, Sunderland (Deptford) and Washington.

Stagecoach North East provide mainly local services, with compact networks centring around the cities of Newcastle upon Tyne and Sunderland, as well as the seaside town of South Shields. The company operates from four depots in the region: South Shields, Sunderland, Slatyford and Walkergate.

There are a number of bus stations in the county, including: Gateshead, Eldon Square, Haymarket, Metrocentre and Park Lane. Connections with local bus services are also available at a number of Metro stations, including: Four Lane Ends, Heworth, Jarrow, Regent Centre, South Shields and Wallsend. A number of smaller bus stations are located at: Blaydon, Concord, Hetton-le-Hole, Killingworth, Washington Galleries and Winlaton.

Coach

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A National Express Caetano Levante, seen boarding at Newcastle coach station in September 2013.

Regional and national coach services operated by National Express depart from Newcastle coach station and Park Lane Interchange, with destinations including: Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Harrogate, Hull, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham and London.

Services operated by Flixbus and Megabus also run from John Dobson Street in Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as Park Lane Interchange, with destinations including: Birmingham, Cardiff, Coventry, Cwmbran, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester and Sheffield.

Road

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Many of the road designations in Tyne and Wear are recent. Upon completion of the Western Bypass in the early 1990s, and subsequent designation as the route of the A1, the roads between this route and the former through the Tyne Tunnel were renumbered. This saw many roads in the county change their 6-prefix to their present 1-prefix numbers. Major roads in the area include:

Ferry

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Spirit of the Tyne approaching the North Shields side of the Shields Ferry passenger link across the mouth of the River Tyne (to South Shields).

A dedicated shuttle bus service (route 327), currently operated by Go North East, connects with the ferry, running to and from Newcastle Central Station.

Local ferry

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A half-hourly ferry service connects North Shields to the town of South Shields on the opposite bank of the Tyne.[26] This service is operated by Nexus.[26] The present Shields Ferry was established in 1972. Its first female skipper was appointed in 2016.[27] Shieldsman, a former ferry retired in 2007, has since been moved to Shoreham, West Sussex, and transformed into a houseboat.[28]

From June to October, river trips by ferry operate.

In November 2018, the local council announced plans to consider the feasibility of moving the ferry landing.[29] In July 2021 it was announced that the planned relocation was delayed until 2023.[30]

International ferry

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On the left is one of the DFDS Seaways cruise ships, and on the right, are the Spirit of the Tyne (left) and Pride of the Tyne (right) of the Shield Ferry service.

From the International Ferry Terminal, based at Royal Quays, the Danish company DFDS Seaways operates a daily service to IJmuiden.[31]

The ferry service to Gothenburg, Sweden (run by DFDS Seaways), ceased operation at the end of October 2006.[32] DFDS Seaways' sister company, DFDS Tor Line, continues to run scheduled freight ships between Gothenburg and several English ports, including Newcastle, but these have limited capacity for passengers and do not carry private vehicles.

Former routes from North Shields include Bergen, Haugesund and Stavanger.

Port of Tyne International Passenger Terminal

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The passenger terminal regularly welcomes tourists travelling on cruises that call at North Shields as an access point for Newcastle upon Tyne and the wider North East of England. In 2017, 52 ships docked, bringing 120,000 visitors to the region.[33] A number of "dudes" - red and blue powder coated figures designed by artist Perminder Kaur - can be seen on a grassy mound at the entrance to the terminal.[34]

Ticketing

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Bus

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Following the deregulation of bus services in 1986, bus operators in Tyne and Wear have been able to set their own routes, fares and timetables. However, the current North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, has intentions of brining bus services back under public ownership and allowing for unified ticketing.[35] It was announced in 2024 that Popcards from the Tyne and Wear metro will soon be accepted on local buses.[36]

Rail

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Local rail services in Tyne and Wear are operated by Northern. Tickets must be bought before travel at stations with ticketing facilities, these being Heworth, Newcastle and Sunderland. Passengers boarding at Blaydon, Dunston, Manors and Metrocentre can buy tickets on board the train.

National Rail services on the Northumberland Line also accept Metro Popcards, and fares are integrated into the Tyne and Wear Metro fare system and fare zones. This allows for free transfers to Metro services at Manors, Central Station, and Northumberland Park.[37][38][39]

Tyne and Wear Metro

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Ticket for the Tyne and Wear Metro from 2012.

The Tyne and Wear Metro has a simple fare structure, with the network being split into three zones (A, B and C, with an additional zone D for Northumberland Line services operated on the National Rail network). Tickets are offered as single, day, week, four-weekly and annual.[40][41]

Metro season tickets (weekly, four-weekly and annual) covering zone A are valid on bus services 53 and 54, as well as bus service Q3 between St Peter's Basin and Haymarket.

All Metro tickets (excluding single journey tickets) covering all zones are valid for travel on the Shields Ferry.

Further discounts are available for infrequent travellers with Pop PAYG, for students and young people with Pop & Pop Blue, and concessionary pass holders with a Metro Gold Card. It is also possible to use a smartphone via Popcard app on Android.[42]

Shields Ferry

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The Shields Ferry has a simple fare structure, offering single, day, week and four week tickets, as well as a carnet (10 tickets).[43]

All Metro tickets (excluding single journey tickets) covering all zones are valid for use on the Shields Ferry.

During 2020, up to three children (under 11) can travel on the Shields Ferry for free at weekends, with a fare paying adult.

Multi-operator tickets

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Multi-operator travel tickets are offered by Network One. A Network One travel ticket allows for unlimited travel on most buses, rail, Metro and the Shields Ferry, within the Tyne and Wear area. Tickets are zonal, with the area being split into five numbered zones, and are available as DayRover (one day), week, four week and annual.[44][45]

The TransFare ticket allows for a single journey to be made within Tyne and Wear using different types of transport (e.g. bus then Metro), provided that the final journey is started within 90 minutes of buying the ticket.

The area is divided in to three TransFare zones, the yellow, green and grey zones. The price of TransFare tickets can vary slightly, depending upon the transport operator selling the ticket. For journeys made more frequently using multiple operators, a Network One season ticket represents better value-for-money than the TransFare ticket.[46]

Notes

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  1. ^ Virgin Trains East Coast now operates as London North Eastern Railway.
  2. ^ Bus services X77, X78 and X79 depart from Ponteland Road–Newcastle Airport.

References

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  1. ^ K Hoole, A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain: volume 4: The North East, David and Charles, Dawlish, 1965
  2. ^ M J T Lewis, Early Wooden Railways, Routledge and Kegan Paul, London, 1974, ISBN 0 7100 7818 8
  3. ^ William Weaver Tomlinson, The North Eastern Railway: Its Rise and Development, Andrew Reid and Company, 1915
  4. ^ Allen, Cecil John (1974). The North Eastern Railway. London: Allan. ISBN 978-0-7110-0495-5.
  5. ^ William Weaver Tomlinson, The North Eastern Railway: Its Rise and Development, Andrew Reid and Company, 1915
  6. ^ G Whittle, The Newcastle & Carlisle Railway, David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1979, ISBN 0-7153-7855-4
  7. ^ Cobb, Michael H. (2003). The Railways of Great Britain: A Historical Atlas. Shepperton: Ian Allan Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-3003-0.
  8. ^ Klapper, Charles F. (1961). The Golden Age of Tramways. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul. OCLC 154126028.
  9. ^ Waller, Peter (29 February 2016). Yorkshire and North East of England. Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473869653.
  10. ^ "Newcastle 114". Beamish Transport Online. 27 September 2012. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  11. ^ Cooke, B.W.C., ed. (March 1963). "Tyneside Electrics". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 109, no. 743. Westminster: Tothill Press. p. 182.
  12. ^ a b Hoole, Ken (1987). The North Eastern Electrics. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0 85361 358 3.
  13. ^ Macintyre, D. (1 January 1994). "The 1963 Cabinet Papers / British Rail: Beeching branded 'PR disaster'". The Independent. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  14. ^ Hoole, Ken (1987). The North Eastern Electrics. The Oakwood Press. ISBN 0 85361 358 3.
  15. ^ "Mayor vows to extend Tyne & Wear Metro to Washington after £8m Leamside Line boost". ITV News. 10 July 2024.
  16. ^ "Light rail and tram statistics, England: 2018/19" (PDF). Department for Transport. 19 June 2019. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  17. ^ "Train timetables". CrossCountry Trains. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  18. ^ "Our timetables". www.lner.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  19. ^ "Timetables for Northern Trains". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  20. ^ "Timetables | Download timetables | First TransPennine Express". www.tpexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  21. ^ "Timetables for Northern Trains". www.northernrailway.co.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  22. ^ "Sunderland | nexus.org.uk". www.nexus.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  23. ^ "New Sunderland to London rail service unveiled". ITV News. 25 September 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  24. ^ Marsh, Michael (25 September 2015). "Virgin East Coast announces Sunderland to London King's Cross route". Evening Chronicle. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  25. ^ "Virgin Trains launch Sunderland to London service". BBC News. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  26. ^ a b "Crossing the Tyne by Shields Ferry". Nexus.
  27. ^ "Ferry gets woman skipper after 40 years". 11 May 2016. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  28. ^ "River ferry made into houseboat". BBC News. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  29. ^ Holland, Daniel (24 December 2024). "A revamped Fish Quay and new Metro line part of regen plans". nechronicle. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
  30. ^ "Huge blow for Shields Ferry project as £5.6m funding lost". 9 July 2021. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  31. ^ "Ferry to Holland". DFDS Seaways. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  32. ^ "DFDS scraps Newcastle-Gothenburg line" Archived 28 August 2007 at the Wayback Machine, The Local, 7 September 2006: "Danish shipping company DFDS Seaways is to scrap the only passenger ferry route between Sweden and Britain, with the axing of the Gothenburg-Newcastle route at the end of October."
  33. ^ Whitfield, Graeme (26 June 2018). "Port of Tyne chief executive to leave after announcing recovery in port's performance". nechronicle. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  34. ^ North Tyneside Council, Dudes, accessed 24 December 2024
  35. ^ "North East mayor 'pressing ahead' on control of buses". BBC News. 19 July 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  36. ^ "Smartcards for North East buses to be tested in the next year". BBC News. 17 December 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  37. ^ "Northumberland Line | South-East Northumberland to Newcastle | England". Northumberland Line. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  38. ^ "Tickets". Northumberland Line. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  39. ^ "Pop cards are valid on the new Northumberland Line | nexus.org.uk". www.nexus.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  40. ^ "Fares and ticket guide". Tyne and Wear PTE. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  41. ^ "Metro zone map (including the Northumberland Line)" (PDF). Nexus. 2024. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  42. ^ "Smartphone ticketing arrives on the Tyne and Wear Metro | nexus.org.uk". www.nexus.org.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2024.
  43. ^ "Fares | nexus.org.uk". www.nexus.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  44. ^ "Zone Map | Plan Your Route | Network One Tickets". Network One. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  45. ^ "Anytime Ticket". Network One. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
  46. ^ "Adult Transfare | nexus.org.uk". www.nexus.org.uk. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
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