The Tyne and Wear Metro’s first new train in more than four decades has arrived in the North East.
In what is a major milestone for the delivery of the network’s long-awaited £362m new fleet, the train is about to make the final leg of what has been a long long journey across Europe. It is currently waiting at the Tyne Yard in Gateshead, before being taken to the Metro’s depot in Gosforth.
While the first of the new fleet is here at last, with its delivery having already been delayed a couple of times this winter, passengers will still have to wait a while before they can set foot onboard. The train is not due to enter passenger service until the autumn, once it has been tested locally and Metro drivers trained on it.
Read More: Metro scraps plans for Wi-Fi on trains – with hope for 'seamless' 4G and 5G signal instead
A total of 46 new, Swiss-built trains should be arriving by 2025 to replace the current stock, which has been used since the Metro opened more than 40 years ago. They will boast a number of key upgrades, including air conditioning and much-improved reliability.
Unfortunately, the first train arrived with some graffiti spray-painted on the side of the carriage.
A spokesperson for Metro operator Nexus said: “The first new Stadler Metro train is currently at Tyne Yard sidings in Gateshead ahead of its delivery into Gosforth depot, in what will be a landmark moment for Metro. The train has been hauled nearly 2,000 miles across Europe from the Stadler factory in Switzerland. This is the first of 46 new trains we have an order.
“The train has had a series of rail pathways booked to get it here. The key move was getting it a slot to come through the channel tunnel. It was then parked up near London before being brought to North East England. It is really exciting to see the new train here and we will be sharing more photos and videos of it arriving in the next few days.
“Once here the train goes into a testing phase. Driver training will also commence. Once completed then it will go into service for customers.”
Eagle-eyed observers may also have noticed that a number of the train’s windows are boarded up – but Nexus confirmed that they had not been damaged. A spokesperson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the windows would be fitted upon the train’s delivery to Gosforth and were deliberately not in place yet.
The new train’s arrival has been a source of excitement for rail enthusiasts, who have watched its progress closely. Footage last week showed it arriving in the UK for the first time, before gradually making its way north via Wembley and Doncaster.
It was seen being towed through Durham station and then arrived at the Tyne Yard, located between Birtley and the Team Valley, on Saturday morning. It is due to be taken onto the Metro tracks in the early hours of Tuesday and will be towed from Pelaw to Gosforth by one of the current Metro fleet.
It was announced last week that the new trains will not have Wi-Fi, as had been originally planned. Nexus said that it would be investing instead in improved 4G and 5G signal around its tracks.
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