Unless you travel to or from Wallsend Metro Station each day, you may not have noticed one of the more curious signs on the light rail network.
However, a famous visitor spotted it when he was travelling through the region this weekend. Reverend Richard Coles shared pictures of his trip to Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and Newcastle Quayside on Twitter during his trip to the North East.
But it was a picture he took whilst travelling on the Metro that caught the attention. Captioned " Wallsend! Veni vidi vici!", it showed the station's no smoking order.
Taken from the window of the train, the sign read "Platform 1, no smoking" and then the two phrases translated into Latin underneath: "Suggestus 1, Noli Fumare." However, the translations on the sign are nothing new and have been in place for almost 20 years.
The signs are actually part of a Lottery-funded artwork named Pontis by Michael Pinksy which was installed in 2003. Pontis was inspired by Wallsend's links to Hadrian's Wall and the remains of Segedunum Roman Fort.
Pinksy took a series of digitised photographs around Wallsend, with text on road signs, shops, and posters all translated into Latin by Professor Donald Hill from the Classics Department at Newcastle University. The Jobcentre became the Forum Venalicium (slave market) and Woolworths became Domus Lana Dignorum (the house of those worthy of wool).
These photographs were originally displayed in the station and were complemented by the permanent installation of bilingual signage in English and Latin. As well as Noli Fumare (no smoking), there used to be H Murus (a large map), which shows Hadrian's Wall and the main Roman road network in the north of England in the style of the Tyne and Wear Metro map.
A Nexus spokesperson said: "The Latin signage at Wallsend Metro station celebrates the town’s Roman heritage and it is one of our most iconic art works on the network and has been in place for close to 20 years. The piece, called ’Pontis’ was commissioned in 2003, and saw station signage added in Latin as well as in English. The Latin was retained and renewed during the refurbishment of Wallsend station in 2013."
Reverend Richard, who found fame in the 80s synthpop duo the Communards, now presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Saturday Night Live. He has also appeared on popular panel shows QI, Would I lie to you? and Have I got news for you?
Many of his 508,000 followers enjoyed his journey around North Tyneside and Newcastle, with him also sharing a plaque dedicated to the Italian general Giuseppe Garibaldi in Tynemouth. One follower tweeted: "I'm enjoying your adventure around Tyneside.
"Looks like you're having a fab time. You're making me feel homesick, Richard."
Another added: "I'm impressed with your tour of our area and promoting your visit to the Twitter sphere, bless your heart from a Wallsend boy."
However, not everyone was impressed with Richard's discovery. One reply said: "How could the Romans have had a No Smoking sign? It’s this lax approach to historical accuracy that is bringing this country to its knees."
Have you spotted the Latin signs at Wallsend Metro Station? Let us know!
Read next
-
Five cafes, pubs and bars to visit in North East Metro stations from Whitley Bay to Seaburn
-
Tyne and Wear Metro’s oldest ever driver bids an emotional farewell to the job at 75
-
Take a look inside the first completed trains in the Tyne and Wear Metro's new £362m fleet
-
Metro passengers urged to get ready for three-month shutdown of South Shields line starting soon
-
Government urged to back levelling up bid that will save Shields Ferry from being shut down in 2025
