Landmark moment for new Tyne & Wear Metro fleet

A new fleet for the Tyne & Wear Metro has reached a significant stage in its development, after Stadler revealed the first body shell has been built.

It will be the first of many – 46 trains in all will be delivered to Nexus from late 2022. The new trains will entirely replace the current Metro fleet and are set to enter passenger service from 2023. They are built to be 15 times more reliable, more accessible, and to cut energy consumption by 30 per cent.

They are being built in Switzerland and with the first bodyshell built this means seats and other interior features can be installed.

Making carbodies involves welding with robots, sandblasting and the application of anti-corrosion protection, before being painted. Carbodies are made of aluminium because of its anti-corrosive properties.

Once the carbodies are completed, they will move on to the next stage, known as final assembly. This refers to the fitting of the main components that make up the train, including the bogies, equipment cases, piping, wiring, flooring, windows, seats and other internal fixtures.

Project manager, Adrian Wetter from Stadler, said: “Completing the first bodyshell is a highly symbolic landmark in the manufacturing process, and an outward sign that the vehicles are really beginning to take shape, after a period of design and preparation. With the first now ready and painted in the Tyne and Wear Metro colours, we look forward to seeing this stage in full swing, with lots more produced over the months ahead.”

Stadler has also been building a depot since 2020 for the fleet. It will service and maintain it for 35 years.

Head of fleet and depot replacement programme at Nexus, Michael Richardson, said: “We are at a significant moment in the production of the new Metro train fleet, and it is really exciting to see the first train on the Stadler production line taking shape in its iconic yellow livery.

“This is the first of 46 new Metro trains we have on order. The bodyshell paves the way for the train to be fitted out with the seats, information screens and all of the many other interior items that people fed back on during the extensive public consultation process that we carried out.

“The first train will be delivered by Stadler at the end of 2022 and it will enter passenger service from 2023. We are at the business end of an exciting project that is going to transform the Tyne and Wear Metro for many decades to come.”

Download article