The first of 46 new trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro have been completed by Stadler with testing set to shortly commence ahead of them being delivered to the northeast. Two of the trains – in their attractive yellow and black livery – have been finished at the Stadler plant in Switzerland with dynamic and static testing the next step before being cleared for service.
Michael Richardson, Nexus’ Head of Fleet and Depot Renewal, said: “I’m delighted to say that the first couple of new Metro trains are complete and are about to roll off the production line over in Switzerland. Stadler will then need to put the trains through a testing phase which will take a few months. Once that is complete the first new Class 555 Metro train will be ready to be brought over to the UK, which will be a historic moment for the Tyne and Wear Metro and for our region. These new trains are going to deliver a step-change in quality for our customers when they start entering full service next summer.”
The trains will firstly go through dynamic and static testing before they are moved to the Czech Republic for further testing. This will also be the first chance for some of the Metro drivers to drive the trains having so far only been able to experience them on the state of the art simulator.
The first trains are due to be delivered to the UK later this year with all 46 scheduled to have arrived by 2024.