Tyne and Wear Metro's old depot at Gosforth finally closed its doors on the 19th of January as Stadler moved their maintenance crews over to the brand new state-of-the-art £70m depot which is located on the same site.
The facility housed Metro's rolling stock for 43 years and was first built in 1923 and is now set to be demolished.
Metro staff have had the chance to enjoy the nostalgia of the old train sheds and maintenance shop for a final week whilst preparations have been underway for the big move.
The move from the old depot to the new one marks a brand new era for Metro train care as it works towards welcoming the first new Stadler train in just a few weeks. The new depot will take on the care of both the current fleet and the 46 new trains as they begin to arrive.
Head of Fleet and Depot Replacement Programme at Nexus, Michael Richardson, said: “Moving out of the old depot marks the end of an era for Metro and the start of its bright new future as we get ready to take delivery of our first new train from Stadler.
“We have looked after the Metro fleet at Gosforth for 43 years, but the facilities we were using had become dated, so the move to the new depot is long overdue.
“The Stadler team are leaving behind a building that dates back to 1923, and have moved into a new, more modern, state-of-the-art train care facility. It really is transformational for Metro and its workforce.
“There has been a nostalgic goodbye to the old depot all this week, but we are excited to see the new one being brought into use. The new depot will be used to care for the current Metro fleet, and the new trains as they start arriving in northeast England.”
Paul Patrick, Managing Director of Stadler Rail Service UK, said: “Over the last century, the old Gosforth depot has served the rail network in the north east well, but to ensure that it continues to thrive, Stadler has built a fantastic new facility for the new state-of-the-art Stadler trains, which will significantly improve public transport in the region.
“This is a momentous occasion as we transition from the old to the new, and I am confident that the new depot and fleet will enhance the passenger experience, making rail more attractive, promoting modal shift, and contributing to regional and national environmental targets.”
The new Gosforth Metro depot has been built on behalf of Stadler by Volker FitzPatrick.
