The new Chief Operating Officer at Nexus, Martin Kearney has gone back to the floor to see what is involved in maintaining the 40-year-old trains of the Tyne & Wear Metro.
He spent 4 hours with the night shift teams at the Metro's Gosforth Depot in Newcastle to see what work is required in getting the trains ready for the morning services at 5 am. A trip to the Metro's Control Centre was also included where he met Metro drivers and control room staff.
The trains were introduced in the mid-70s and are becoming harder to maintain. The existing trains are due to be replaced soon with new trains from Stadler. A new maintenance depot will also be created. You can read more about the new trains here.
Martin Kearney said:
“What struck me is the team work, camaraderie and hard work that everyone is putting in. I've been really impressed.
“It was good to see is the improvements that the staff are making. We are working in challenging times with a train fleet that is 40 year-old, but the staff are doing a great job.”
He added:
“Every single member of staff at our depot is working flat out to ensure the best possible Metro service goes out each and every day.
“You can see when you look around our current depot that it isn't a new facility and the trains are very old. The maintenance teams do have a challenging job.
“But they are absolutely focused to get the best possible service out while we wait for Stadler to build and supply our new rolling stock.”
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