Services have resumed on the Tyne and Wear Metro between Park Lane and South Hylton after Network Rail engineers completely rebuilt a damaged electricity substation in Sunderland.
Until last Friday, 13th January, Nexus (which operates the Tyne and Wear Metro) had been unable to run services between Park Lane and South Hylton stations as that stretch of the line depends on the substation for its power. During the line's closure, services were provided by rail-replacement bus services.
The substation at Pallion in Sunderland suffered extensive damage when it was flooded by heavy rainfall in the middle of November 2022. The combination of water and electricity caused a fire which meant that the substation,– which takes energy from the National Grid and transforms it into lower voltage power for the Metro's overhead electric wires, was no longer safe to use.
Since then, Network Rail engineers have been working to completely rebuild the substation. They first remove the damaged equipment, then carried out a major rewiring of the equipment that critically monitors the overhead electric lines, and followed it up with a rigorous programme of testing.
Martin Errington, Infrastructure Maintenance Engineer for Network Rail, who has been leading the repairs said: “This hasn't been an easy task – the water damage was so significant that the team needed to completely rebuild the facility before trains could run normally again. We've been working alongside industry specialists to restore power quickly and safely, and I'm really pleased that passengers can use this section of the Metro line again.
“We're grateful to passengers, businesses, and the community for bearing with us over the last few months. The new substation will help to offer a more reliable Metro service for many years to come so that people can continue to enjoy the great connections it provides.”
Metro Operations Director, John Alexander, said: “We are pleased to resume services on the line between Park Lane and South Hylton and are grateful to our customers for their patience while Network Rail have undertaken the repairs.
“There was significant water damage to the substation at Pallion, which has been completely rebuilt on schedule by Network Rail in what was a complex project.
“The restoration of the power supply at Pallion substation will also enable us to resume a 12-minute Metro service frequency on the entire Sunderland line.”
Overhead electric wires as used on Metro can carry up to 25,000 volts and are always on. Anyone coming into contact with the lines can suffer life-changing or fatal injuries. Information about how to stay safe around the railway can be found online at youvstrain.co.uk.
