Stadler completes new depot for new Tyne and Wear Metro fleet

Stadler has finished building a new depot, which will accommodate the fleet of 46 METRO trains being manufactured for the Tyne and Wear Metro. Boasting enviable green credentials and a range of innovative features, the new facility has been designed to a high specification to ensure maximum availability and reliability of the fleet for decades to come. 

Ahead of the entry into service of the new Tyne and Metro trains, Stadler has completed the project to construct a 70 million GBP depot at Gosforth in Newcastle. The purpose-built facility features inspection roads and pits, a separate wheel lathe building and a wash-plant to clean train exteriors. There is a storage areas for spare parts and materials, as well as office space for training and support functions. 

Set to vastly improve the working environment and become home to a wide range of activities, including preventative and corrective maintenance and train presentation, the new depot covers 12 acres just outside Newcastle city-centre. VolkerFitzpatrick was the construction partner that carried out the work. 

The facility also has a component drop to enhance maintenance efficiency, monorail cranes on both light maintenance roads and an overhead crane on the heavy maintenance roads for lifting roof components. A room dedicated to managing train movements digitally has been strategically positioned to have a bird’s eye view of the depot.  There are also 17 of new train stabling lanes.

To minimise carbon emissions, the new depot makes use of premium insulation and has solar panels on the roof. It makes best use of natural light, providing an attractive environment for employees. Water is recycled on site and used for train washing facilities. There is a dedicated, secure area for bikes, and showers for people cycling to and from work. Charging bays for electric cars have been installed. 

The structure of the original facility, built 100 years ago, was crushed in-situ and material was reused for tracks and the foundations of the new one. This helped maintain air quality and keep lorries off the roads, particularly those in the area close to the depot. Landscaping has made the site greener that it has ever been. 

Paul Patrick, Managing Director for Stadler Rail Service UK, commented: “After three years of hard work, the new facility is now an asset to the local area and one that local residents and the wider community can be proud of. It has been built to a very high standard, with quality and precision at its heart, and its technologically sophisticated features will mean that trains can be maintained efficiently and speedily.“