The future of the Tyne and Wear Metro is on public display for the first time after a full sized replica of a cab of one of the new trains was transferred to the Stephenson Steam Railway in North Tyneside for display.
The detailed cab mock-up – which had previously been planned to tour the region but this had to be cancelled because of Covid restrictions – includes the full cab layout, the driver’s seat, a dashboard and an exterior with the iconic yellow Metro livery and destination displays.
Michael Richardson, Head of Fleet and Depot Replacement Programme, said: “We are delighted to say that the replica of our new train has gone on public display for the first time. The Stephenson Steam Railway is the perfect location for this exhibit, and it will make for a great day out while the schools are off. We hope that visitors will really enjoy seeing this life-sized mock-up as we countdown to the first real train arriving at the end of the year. It gives a fascinating snapshot of what the new Metro trains are going to look like. We certainly think younger visitors will really enjoy seeing inside the driver’s cab and it will help to capture their imagination and inspire them. The mock-up is exactly to the scale. It has the same layout as the trains which are being built by Stadler. You interact with the control panels and get a sense scale, and how vastly different the new fleet is going to be compared to the current one.”
The Metro cab mock-up was built after feedback from train crew provided using virtual reality technology. After its construction it was visited by more than 150 Metro drivers to make sure the train is designed to the highest standards of comfort and usability.
Michael Steiner, Programme Director for Stadler, said: “We are pleased that the cab mock-up of our state-of-the-art new trains set to serve the Tyne and Wear Metro will go on public display at the Stephenson Steam Railway. This single piece of kit is an illustration of our core values, including innovation, precision, efficiency, craftsmanship and comfort. It’s fantastic that the general public will be given the opportunity to get a flavour of the new trains, ahead of their introduction into service next year.”