Newly-unveiled trains for the Tyne and Wear Metro have been labelled the “best you would see anywhere in the world”.
North East leaders, local businesses and some future passengers were given an exciting glimpse of a brighter future for the Metro on Friday, with a first tours of one of the trains that they hope will radically improve service and put an end to travel misery. The gleaming carriage on show at the Metro’s Gosforth depot showcased a vast array of upgrades compared to the struggling 43-year-old fleet that has carried commuters around the region for decades.
Air conditioning, USB charging ports and high-quality CCTV cameras are among the new features of the Swiss-built trains – which also appear far more spacious thanks to London Tube-style linear seating. Crucially, they should also be 15 times more reliable than the existing Metro stock, which has been a source of frustration for years and of some controversy in the past week.
Read More: Inside the brand new Tyne and Wear trains hailed as 'future of North East transport'
Local transport minister Richard Holden told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the £362m new fleet was “definitely cash well spent” by the Government. Speaking on board one of the two new trains that have now been delivered to the North East, the Tory MP for North West Durham said: “I think it is a hugely positive move for the entire North East. You can see these things – they look like the best you would see anywhere in the world, in any major city.
“For the whole region it is going to be a massive improvement and hopefully make that journey transformational. You can see the clear walk-throughs and it is going to be fantastic for accessibility, whether you are in a wheelchair or pushing kids in a buggy, it is going to make that journey so much easier.”
While guests at train manufacturer Stadler’s depot on Friday were thrilled by the sight of the sparkling new train, it will be some time before one is seen pulling into stations. Metro operator Nexus says it currently hopes to have the first new unit in passenger service by the end of the year, while it had initially been hoped that they would begin entering use in summer 2023.
All 46 new trains due to come from the Stadler factory in Switzerland should arrive by 2025, meaning regular travellers will have to put up with the shortcomings of the current fleet for a little while yet.
Mr Holden added: “Over time what we want to see is this transformation. This is the biggest investment in 40 years in the Metro, it is a massive change and a huge improvement. I appreciate that passengers have been frustrated, but hopefully what they will see with this being rolled out is a far more reliable service and a greener service as well.”
The trains cost £5.5m each and other notable features include an automatic sliding step at every door and colourful murals by local artists adorning the end of each carriage. Nexus’ beaming managing director, Martin Kearney, called the newly-arrived trains a “real gamechanger for our transport here”.
He told the LDRS: “To put it in perspective, the current fleet was probably designed 50 years ago – we only had three TV channels 50 years ago. The anticipation to have it in service is huge, but in reality we have to be patient. We have a substantial amount of testing to do and our drivers have to have a handle on the trains before they come in.”
Nexus has endured a rough week, having come under fire in a row about cuts to the Metro timetable due to a lack of functioning trains. Mr Kearney admitted that the sight of people gazing in wonder at the Metro’s future came as a welcome sight after a “difficult seven days”.
But he also cautioned that the new fleet will not solve all of Nexus’ problems overnight and told passengers to expect “teething problems”. There was criticism from some quarters when Stadler was chosen to build the trains rather than Newton Aycliffe-based Hitachi in 2020, but Mr Kearney was keen to talk up the local input into them – with the trains’ windows coming from Consett, wiring from Washington and drive system from Gateshead.
Michael Steiner, programme director at Stadler, said that the company is “on track” with the remaining 44 trains on order and “will do everything in our power to stick to the programme”. He added: “We have had a bit of a difficult time lately [with current fleet maintenance]. But the new fleet will be more reliable, more comfortable, will give the public a greater experience when they use the Metro.”
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