A new multi-million pound signalling control suite has opened at the Tyne and Wear Metro’s Gosforth Depot as the countdown to the entry into service of the new train fleet continues. This new facility will be used to manage Metro train movements between the depot and the mainline and replaces an ageing control room which had technology dating back to the 1980s.
The newly built control room has been strategically positioned to offer a panoramic view of the depot site and provides a big technological leap forward for the network. The very latest digital rail signalling systems have been installed and computers allow controllers to signal trains at the few clicks of a mouse.
Cathy Massarella, Major Project Director at Nexus, said: “It’s fantastic to see the team at Gosforth depot move into this modern new control suite, which is another step forward on our journey towards bringing the first new Metro trains into service. The digital systems are a big leap forward in how train movements in and out of Gosforth depot are managed. The quality of the facilities for the staff is vastly better than our old depot building, so will undoubtedly transform people’s jobs.
“This move paves the way for the final phase of demolition work at the old depot. The depot controllers are the last ones to be moved out of the old building, but when you see the facility that they are going into then it really does look like it has been well worth the wait.
“The new Metro depot has been a £70m investment which ensures that we have a modern home for the new Stadler train fleet, and we really can’t wait to see the first ones in full service once testing and driver training has been completed.”
The new facility will be transformative for employees as it provides them with a cleaner and more modern working environment.
The move to the new control room was completed during a planned Metro closure on 24th and 25th June.