The final stabling areas for all 46 new Metro trains is in the final stages of completion with all tracks successfully installed as part of the £70 million rebuild of Gosforth Depot.
The old Metro depot buildings were demolished over the summer to make way for the new sidings, which will provide the required space to stable the new Stalder trains when they are not being used for service.
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said the completion of this latest phase of the depot construction work was another important step towards the Gosforth Dept construction project being completed.
A total of 17 new sidings for train stabling have been created over the entire area of the Gosforth depot site – which has been home to the Tyne and Wear Metro for 43 years.
The final eight new sidings, which are areas of newly installed track, located where the depot’s old maintenance sheds once stood, were completed this week. The installation of new overhead lines, signalling equipment, walkways and lighting is in progress, in preparation for a line closure in January where the contact wire will be installed and energised so the sidings can be entered into service.
Head of Fleet and Depot Replacement at Nexus, Michael Richardson, said: “I’m pleased to say that all of the new sidings are in place at the new £70m Gosforth depot.
“These areas will be vital for stabling all 46 of the new Metro trains when more of the new units start arriving from the Stadler assembly line in Switzerland.
“The new Metro depot is nearing completion. The new train wash is in place and by February the project is planned to be completed.”
Clinton Smith, Project Manager at VolkerFitzpatrick commented: “We’re proud to be completing the development of a world-class depot. The complexities of this type of project were many and varied, not least as a result of the need for the works to be programmed around the planned day-to-day operations of the depot, providing servicing and stabling facilities for the Metro system, while the construction works were taking place.
“The success of this project relied not only upon careful coordination, planning and management of all the multidisciplined subcontract delivery team, but also the commitment, capabilities, expertise and collaboration provided by those subcontractors in working as a group to ensure the success of this large-scale project, alongside both Stadler and Nexus.”
The new Gosforth depot has been designed to ensure maximum availability and reliability of the Metro fleet for decades to come.
It will vastly improve the working environment and become home to a wide range of activities, including preventative and corrective maintenance, overhauls and train presentation. There will be storage for spare parts and material supplies and office space for training and support functions.
The building will promote sustainability, providing an attractive environment for employees. It will make best use of natural light, and all work spaces will have windows.
The new Gosforth Metro depot has been constructed on behalf of Stadler by VolkerFitzPatrick.
Photo and video credit: Nexus
