Tyne and Wear’s new £362m train fleet will have defibrillators on board

The Tyne and Wear Metro’s new train fleet is to have life-saving defibrillators in every driver’s cab.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said that all 46 of its new Stadler trains would have two defibrillators on board. A Total of 92 new defibrillators.

Having such life-saving equipment on board is just one of the many advancements that the new Metro trains are going to deliver.

The devices, known as a defibs, will be stored inside each driver’s cab. Defibrillators deliver an electric shock to the chest to restore a person’s heart to a normal rhythm after they have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Major Projects Director at Nexus, Cathy Massarella, said: “Defibrillators are a fantastic and life-saving addition to our new Stadler train fleet.

“We are getting 46 new trains and every single one will have two defibrillators on board for use in the event of a medical emergency. These devices save lives when someone suffers a cardiac arrest. I am sure our customers will be pleased to hear that all of our trains are going to have them.

“The new Metro fleet is going to be transformational for Metro and this is one of the many wonderful, modern new features of this £362m project.”

Adrian Wetter, project manager for Stadler, said: “Stadler trains are built with the passenger in mind. All of the features in the saloon are to make the travel experience safe, reliable, comfortable and convenient, relying on the best technology available. We are pleased that, working with Nexus, we are able to install defibrillators in each train, promoting the health and wellbeing of passengers and potentially, saving lives.”

Defibrillators are intended for use by anyone in public places.  They are found in schools, airports, leisure centres, hospitals, clinics and ambulances.

Nexus has previously installed defibrillators at three of its busiest stations, Monument, Haymarket and Heworth.

But it has never previously had defibs located on board its trains.

Customers will get to travel on the first new train when it enters service at the end of the year.

The new Metro fleet will offer a comfortable, new, air conditioned, open plan layout, sleekly modelled interior, transforming the customer experience, while setting new standards for accessibility and energy efficiency.

Stadler, the Swiss train manufacturer, are building a total of 46 new Metro trains on behalf of Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro.

Stadler has delivered two new trains to North East England so far, and more are set to arrive later this year.

The Class 555 Stadler train is a bespoke design for Metro. In the months ahead it will undergo rigorous testing to ensure that it interfaces correctly with signalling systems and other Metro infrastructure.

Metro drivers will also start a process of training at the controls of the new train.

The new trains, which replace Metro current 43-year-old rolling stock up to 2025, will have modern features including linear seating, charging points, air conditioning and will deliver a step-change in accessibility.

Among the new features will be an automatic sliding step at every door to enable seamless boarding, making travel easier for Metro’s 50,000 wheelchair passengers as well as people with children’s buggies, luggage or bicycles.

Photo credit: Tyne and Wear Metro

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