The new main building of the redeveloped depot at Gosforth on the Tyne and Wear Metro has been completed as the project starts to come to an end. The completion of this section of the depot comes just a few weeks ahead of the first of the new Stadler built trains arriving in the northeast with it set to be delivered from Switzerland during December.
The redevelopment of the depot – like the construction of the trains – is being led by Stadler and is seeing the long-term facility at Gosforth being completely redeveloped to make it ready for the new state of the trains. The depot complex covers 12 acres and has been designed to ensure maximum availability and reliability of the fleet for decades to come.
The working environment will be vastly improved and become home to a wide range of activities, including preventative and corrective maintenance and train presentation. There will be inspection pits, a separate wheel lathe building and a wash plant to clean train exteriors. In addition storage for spare parts will be provided and office space for training and support functions will also be available.
Michael Steiner, Programme Director at Stadler, said: “The depot is really starting to take shape now, and we’re delighted to have completed the main building, which is a significant milestone in the project. It’s fantastic to be using this new facility already, and our employees are delighted with the new office space. The quality and specification of the new facility are second to none, and it’s been tailormade for the new trains, set to enter passenger service next year.”
The building offers excellent environmental credentials including premium installation, minimum energy requirements and solar panels on the roof. It makes the best possible use of natural light, providing an attractive environment for employees. Water will be recycled on site and rainwater will be harvested and used for train washing facilities and toilets. Charging bays for electric cars will be available and there will be a dedicated secure area for bikes.
Michael Richardson, Nexus’ Head of Fleet and Depot Replacement, said: ““I’m pleased to say that Stadler has the new £70m Metro depot ready to welcome the new Metro train fleet, and they are now transferring their workforce over to the modern new facilities. They have created a world class Metro maintenance depot that will transform how our trains are looked after for many decades to come. The current Gosforth depot is more than 100 years old and the remaining buildings will be demolished in the new year. The depot workforce are moving into brighter, cleaner and vastly improved facilities, which really will be transformational for them and for Metro.”
Other features of the new look facility include a component drop to enhance maintenance efficiency, monorail cranes on both light maintenance roads and an overhead crane on the heavy maintenance roads for lifting roof components. A room dedicated to managing train movements digitally has been strategically positioned to have a bird’s eye view of the depot.
A view inside the new building. (Photograph courtesy of Stadler)