As work has now finished on the Tyne and Wear Metro depot at Gosforth which has seen the facility upgraded and redeveloped in a £70 million project, Nexus have released a timelapse video on YouTube. This video shows the project from 2020 until January this year and includes the demolition of 100 year old buildings and their replacement with new state of the art facilities.
Michael Richardson, Head of Fleet and Depot Programme at Nexus, said: “This new timelapse film really bring home the scale and complexity of the £70m Metro depot construction project over the last four years. It has been released to mark the completion of the project. It shows the demolition of the old buildings in 2020 and the rebuild on the same site, along with the creation of all 17 of the new train stabling lanes, the overhead lines and new signalling systems.
“The new Gosforth depot will revolutionise Metro train maintenance. It brings fleet maintenance into the 21st century, ensuing that we have the very best facilities for many years to come. This has been a substantial construction project and our thanks go to all our neighbours in Gosforth for their patience during these major works.”
The new depot will eventually be home to a fleet of 46 trains which are currently being built by Stadler in Swizerland. So far, five of these have been delivered with testing underway ahead of their introduction into service.
Paul Patrick, Managing Director for Stadler Rail Service UK, said: “The new timelapse video, which charts the work from start to finish, illustrates the scope and complexity of the project to build a new depot. It’s a powerful depiction of how it has been transformed from a 20th century to a 21st century facility, designed specifically to maximise the availability and reliability of the new trains, promoting efficiency and ensuring a high quality service for Metro customers.
“Stadler Rail Service UK thanks Gosforth residents for the patience they have shown during the project to construct the new state-of-the art, purpose-built facility. Both the depot as well as the new fleet are designed to a high specification, using the latest technology and boasting a range of environmentally-friendly features. They will contribute towards a dramatically improved transport offering in the north east, enhance communities and boost the regional economy.”
- The video can be viewed at https://youtu.be/bTm8weTG3Lc?si=JPvP4Ck_IB3qVJQR