First Class 555 EMU In Gosforth

The Class 555 Metro train, the first of 46 that Nexus has on order, will undergo a period of testing and driver training before entering customer service in the autumn. Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said it was a proud moment for the network, its customers, and its workforce. More new trains will arrive in the region later this year. Stadler delivered the new train to the Gosforth Metro Depot in the early hours of 28 February morning after a locomotive had towed it across mainland Europe and into the UK via the Channel Tunnel. 

Adrian Wetter, project manager at Stadler, added: “The arrival of the first train in Newcastle is a massive milestone, bringing the project to manufacture and supply 46 new trains one step closer to fruition. We are pleased to continue working with Nexus on the next stage, which is a comprehensive programme of testing to ensure that the trains meet industry safety standards before they are entered into commercial service.”

The Class 555 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.