Although none have yet to enter service, the number of new trains delivered to the Tyne and Wear Metro continues to gradually increase with another pair arriving in the early hours of Friday 13th September. 555 006 and 555 007 are the two latest arrivals.
Nexus ordered 46 trains from Stadler which are due to replace the original Metrocars which have now been in service for over 40 years and reliability had continued to be an issue with many having been withdrawn and some sent for scrapping which has led to peak time extras being removed from the timetable.
The introduction of the new trains has been delayed and there is currently no date given for when they may start to operate in public service (except the vague this year). Some have now started daytime testing but a full programme of driver training is required before they can start to carry their first passengers.
Back to 555 006 and 555 007 and like all previous deliveries they arrived in the northeast by rail. The long journey started off in Switzerland and went through the Channel Tunnel from where they were gradually tripped up the country, making in the final journey to the Metro/Network Rail boundary at Pelaw overnight on 12th/13th September 2024.
11 of the trains are now on the Metro (555 001–555 007, 555 013, 555 015 and 555 020–555 021) and over half of the fleet have been built.