As part of the detailed preparations to get the Tyne and Wear Metro's new trains ready for entering service at the end of this year, one of the trains has successfully completed its first test run on the network.
The testing is the latest phase of the £362m new Metro fleet programme and took place during the early hours of the morning on a section of line between South Gosforth and Monkseaton. Nexus, the public body that owns and manages the Tyne and Wear Metro, has reported that the new train had performed well.
46 of the new Stadler Class 555 Metro trains are on order, and before entering customer service they are undergoing a period of testing and driver training. They feature a comfortable, air-conditioned, open-plan layout, with a sleekly modelled interior, that sets new standards for accessibility.
The new trains were designed following customer consultation, and include modern features such as charging points and an automatic sliding step at every door that make travel easier for Metro's 50,000 wheelchair passengers, as well as people with children's buggies, luggage or bicycles.
WATCH: Video from the tes from Four Lane Ends of the new Metro's first test run.
Major Projects Director at Nexus, Cathy Massarella, said: “We're really pleased to say that our new Metro train has completed its first test run out on the network and performed really well.
“This a considerable period of detailed testing to get the trains ready for our customers. Further test runs will be taking place over the coming weeks and months.
“It was a proud moment for us to see the train leave the depot at Gosforth and join the mainline. There were no glitches to report.
“The first test was from South Gosforth to Monkseaton and then back again. Other test runs will be taking place on different parts of the network.
“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.
“These trains will have to go through a phase of rigorous testing on our network, and all our drivers will need to undertake a period of train handling experience during the implementation phase of the project.
“Once the trains are in service they are going to be transformative for our customers and our workforce in terms of comfort, quality and reliability.”
Claudius Oblasser, project manager for Stadler, commented: “The runs taking place last night mark the beginning of a rigorous programme of testing to interrogate the safety and performance of the entire fleet. Scores of tests will be carried out over the coming month to make sure it's ready for passengers. They will cover every aspect of the train's design, from the power supply and braking systems to digital passenger information boards and CCTV cameras. We're pleased to have got to this point in the production process, which brings the fleet one step closer to entry into service.”
The Class 555 Tyne and Wear Metro rolling stocks do look really nice and futuristic.