Event Date: Friday, 27 January 2012
Time: 12.00 noon
Venue: Meet East Coast Media Relations Manager John Gelson at Station Management Reception, east end of main concourse, Newcastle Central Station.

Newcastle United football heroes John Beresford and Joe Allon are to sample a very different form of training – at the controls of a 125 mph East Coast express!

The popular duo will try their hand on a high-tech driving simulator at Newcastle Central Station, to kick off a drive to promote a wide variety of further education courses to rail staff in the city.

John and Joe will be available for photographs and interviews on the simulator.

The event follows a successful open day for staff at Newcastle station, organised by East Coast in partnership with rail unions ASLEF, TSSA and RMT, to promote learning and educational opportunities both within and beyond the railway.

East Coast’s Driver Manager at Newcastle, Bob Howes, was an apprentice player with the Magpies in his youth. Bob said: “Both John and Joe enjoy the lifelong affection of United supporters – left-back John for his memorable performances in Kevin Keegan’s ‘Entertainers’ team in the early 1990s, and striker Joe for his great goals across five years with the Toon from 1984 to 1988.

“When I was a young apprentice with Newcastle United, they still made sure I went along to North Tyneside College once a week to continue my education. We’re already planning a second event for rail staff and the support from two legends of St James’ Park is very encouraging.

“It’ll be great to see how John and Joe get on when they swap the training ground for the train on our state-of-the-art driving simulator. Our simulator has the ability to reproduce real-life driving scenarios – right down to producing fog, rain or even snow on the line ahead.”

The event follows a successful open day for staff at Newcastle station, organised by East Coast in partnership with rail unions ASLEF, TSSA and RMT.

The driving simulator is one of four based at East Coast driver depots in Newcastle, Edinburgh, Leeds and London King’s Cross. Each features an exact replica complete with all the controls and gauges of the real thing. The simulator can be adapted in seconds to depict either of East Coast’s two types of motive power – the Class 91 electric locomotive or the Class 43 diesel High Speed Train.

In front of the simulator, a large full colour projector screen shows an accurate reproduction of key sections of the East Coast Main Line – with the Tyneside simulator showing the line between Newcastle and Alnmouth stations, complete with famous landmarks such as the city’s Castle Keep,

Media are invited to join former Newcastle United players John Beresford and Joe Allon at the controls of East Coast’s driving simulator at 12.00 noon on Friday, 27 January 2012.

Please contact East Coast Media Relations Manager John Gelson to register your attendance prior to the event on 0845 059 3988.

ENDS.