A £362 Million Metro Rebuild Finished Two Months Early

Stadler has handed over the 46th and last new Class 555 train to Nexus, the operator of the Tyne and Wear Metro in north-east England. Reports say the delivery came about two months ahead of schedule, and all of the new trains are now ready to carry passengers after extensive testing.

The final phase of the £362 million project involved 90,000 individual tests and 22,990 miles, about 37,000 kilometers, of on-track running. Nexus also trained 480 staff to work with the new fleet. The scale of that testing helps explain why the new trains could be cleared to join the existing service.

Nexus managing director Cathy Massarella called it the final phase of the biggest project in Metro’s history. The new fleet replaces trains that retired after 46 years of service, a long tenure for a light-rail system that carries commuters, football fans and visitors across Newcastle, Gateshead and Sunderland.

For visitors, the practical takeaway is a more modern ride between Newcastle city center, the airport and the coast. Frequency and timetable changes are decided by the operator, so anyone planning a trip should check Nexus for current service patterns.

Sources: Nexus, Rail Technology Magazine