Today, Tuesday, 28th February, is a landmark for the Tyne and Wear Metro as the first of its new Class 555 Metro trains has been successfully delivered by Stadler from its factory in Switzerland.
Nexus has ordered 46 of the new trains, but before entering customer service in the autumn they will go through a period of rigorous testing and driver training to ensure that they interface correctly with signalling systems and other Metro infrastructure. The new trains provide a comfortable, air-conditioned, open-plan layout with a sleekly modelled interior, linear seating, charging points, air conditioning, and improved standards for accessibility and energy efficiency.
Each door has an automatic sliding step to enable seamless boarding, making travel easier for Metro's 50,000 wheelchair passengers and people with children's buggies, luggage, or bicycles. Clearly marked priority seating is located opposite real-time digital information screens, which complement clear modern audio systems and next-stop displays throughout the train, whilst assistance buttons are clearly marked.
The new trains were designed through extensive consultation with Metro staff. They have built-in rail sanding to cope with the toughest autumn and winter conditions, whilst the driving console features adaptive traction control and monitors that allow drivers to view cameras throughout the train and speak directly with customers should the need arise.
Before entering service, Metro drivers will undergo a period of training at the controls of the new trains. Each time a train returns to Gosforth depot, diagnostic reports will be downloaded automatically which technicians will analyse, allowing instant fault-finding instant and revolutionising preventative maintenance.
Managing Director of Nexus, Martin Kearney, said: “It was a proud moment for us to welcome the first new Stadler train to North East England today. The £362m programme is now entering a significant phase.
“To see that train arriving at our Gosforth depot was a moment of history for the Tyne and Wear Metro. Everyone is excited to get the testing and driver training process underway so that we can put the new train into service on the network.
“The Stadler trains have all the latest modern technology. They're a world away from our current fleet, and they promise to be transformative for customers and for our workforce.
“Our customers, employees, specialist user groups and trade unions helped to design the new trains as part of a far-reaching consultation exercise that received 23,000 responses. We are getting a bespoke design from Stadler, with a sleek modern appearance inside and out.
“This is the first of 46 new trains we have ordered from Stadler. The new trains will be arriving over the next couple of years, and they will be phased into service on the network.”
Chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, Cllr Martin Gannon, said: “I'm delighted to see the first train of our new modern Metro fleet arrive in the region – this is a monumental achievement and great news for public transport in the North East.
“The arrival of the first new train will be welcome news for passengers, many of whom played a key role in the consultation process, helping to design the very trains that will take the Metro forward into the future.
“In line with our region's Transport Plan, the new trains will encourage even more people to make use of our Metro network for all types of journeys, including travel to work and education or for leisure purposes. I'm pleased to say this investment will hugely boost the accessibility of the network, with a sliding step at every door on the new trains which will help to make everyday travel so much easier for thousands of people with enhanced mobility needs and young families.
“Nexus is a public body working on behalf of local councils, and this project is another great example of how we successfully deliver major transport investment programmes in our region, to grow our economy and deliver on our carbon reduction targets. The North East can achieve great things when we work together.
“This is just the start of this exciting programme and I look forward to seeing further trains rolling into the North East in the coming months.”
Adrian Wetter, project manager at Stadler, added: “The arrival of the first train in Newcastle is a massive milestone, bringing the project to manufacture and supply 46 new trains one step closer to fruition. These trains are technologically sophisticated, designed for passenger comfort and will dramatically improve the travel experience. “We are pleased to continue working with Nexus on the next stage, which is a comprehensive programme of testing to ensure that the trains meet industry safety standards before they are entered into commercial service.”
The Tyne and Wear Metro Class 555 will improve better services for Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland. And I can’t wait to see them coming into service very soon.