The redeveloped Gosforth Depot – home to the trains of the Tyne and Wear Metro since opening in the 1980s and before that a railway depot – has been officially finished by Stadler. Described as a state of the art depot the new facility boosts enviable green credentials and a range of innovative features which will help to ensure maximum availability and reliability of the fleet for decades to come.
The original depot was still the structure built 100 years ago and needed redevelopment to allow the new fleet of trains being built by Stadler and set to be introduced from this year to be maintained allowing the Metro network to run a more reliable service than they have of late.
The old structure was demolished and crushed on site and material was reused for tracks and the foundations of the new one. This provides another boost to the green credentials as it helped to maintain air quality and keep lorries off the roads.
The purpose-built new facility features inspection roads and pits, a separate wheel lathe building and a wash-plant to clean the exterior of the trains. There is also a storage area for spare parts and materials, as well as office space for training and support functions.
The site covers 12 acres and also includes 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.
Paul Patrick, Managing Director for Stadler Rail Service UK, said: “After three years of hard work, the new facility is now an asset to the local area and one that local residents and the wider community can be proud of. It has been built to a very high standard, with quality and precision at its heart, and its technologically sophisticated features will mean that trains can be maintained efficiently and speedily. This promotes an efficient, smooth-running railway for the benefit of passengers, supporting regional jobs and growth and helping the north east to flourish.”
Cathy Massarella, Managing Director of Nexus, added: ““It’s fantastic to see that the new £70m Gosforth Metro depot has been completed on time. Huge thanks go to the teams at Stadler and VolkerFitzpatrick for doing such a superb job as well as our own project team. The new depot will revolutionise Metro train maintenance. It’s transformative for the teams who work there, and provides a state of the art home for the new Metro train fleet. It brings fleet maintenance into the 21st century, ensuing that we have the very best facilities for many years to come.
“A huge amount of work has gone into the project. From the demolition and construction phases through to the creation of all 17 of the new train stabling lanes, overhead lines and signalling systems. It’s been built on exactly the same site as the previous Metro depot, but these new buildings bring a step change in quality. It’s a cleaner and brighter working environment, boasting a range of features to save energy and cut carbon emissions.
“The completion of Gosforth depot is another step on the road to a brighter future for the Tyne and Wear Metro. The work to get the new trains ready for service is continuing and that will be the next big milestone to come.”
This is just part of the modernisation project on the Tyne and Wear Metro. A fleet of 46 new trains is being built by Stadler with these expected to start entering service this year to help alleviate the pressure on the current trains which have reached the end of their effective operating life.
The new facility seen from above at night. (Photography courtesy of Stadler Rail)