First of new £362million 46-strong Metro fleet arrives in North East for testing and driver training

The Stadler Class 555 Metro train, the first of 46 Nexus has on order, arrived today, Tuesday 28 February, from Stadler’s factory in Switzerland and will undergo a period of testing and driver training before entering customer service in the autumn.

Stadler delivered the new train to the Gosforth Metro Depot in the early hours of this morning after a locomotive had towed it across mainland Europe and into the UK via the Channel Tunnel.

‘A moment of history’

Nexus Managing Director Martin Kearney, said: “It was a proud moment for us to welcome the first new Stadler train to North East England today. The programme is now entering a significant phase.

“To see that train arriving was a moment of history. 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 our workforce.

“The new trains will be arriving over the next couple of years, and they will be phased into service on the network.”

North East Joint Transport Committee chair Coun Martin Gannon said he was delighted to see the first train arrive and added: “This is a monumental achievement and great news for public transport in the North East.

“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.

"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.

‘A massive milestone’

Adrian Wetter, project manager at Stadler, added: “The arrival of the first train 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.

The Class 555 Stadler train is a bespoke design for Metro. In the months ahead it will undergo rigorous testing to ensure that it interfaces correctly with signalling systems and other Metro infrastructure.

Drivers will also start a process of training at the controls of the new train.

The new trains, which replace Metro current 43-year-old rolling stock up to 2025, have modern features including linear seating, charging points, and air conditioning and will deliver a major change in accessibility, with an automatic sliding step at every door making travel easier for Metro’s 50,000 wheelchair passengers as well as people with children’s buggies, luggage or bicycles.