One year after the first new Tyne and Wear Metro train entered service, Nexus has achieved its ambitious target: half of the new fleet is now in operation. This marks a significant step forward in the £362m transformation project that is reshaping the Metro for both passengers and the workforce behind it.
With 23 new trains now available for customer service, Nexus is halfway to its goal of replacing the entire fleet of 46 trains ordered from Swiss manufacturer Stadler. The operator aims to have all new trains running by the end of 2026, bringing the Metro closer to delivering a consistent weekday service of 28 trains. For customers, this means the chances of boarding a new train are higher than ever.
North East Mayor Kim McGuinness welcomed the progress:
“I know Metro passengers want every train they catch to be a new one, and so do I. I want Metro to provide local people with a world-class service once again, and we’re investing millions to make that happen. Today is another step forward.
The teams at Nexus and Stadler are pulling out all the stops to make this a reality but I have asked them to accelerate this programme so that by this summer you won’t see old trains at your station.”
For Nexus, this milestone reflects years of planning and execution. Cathy Massarella, Managing Director at Nexus, said:
“I’m pleased to say that we have met our target of having half the new Metro train fleet available for customer service before the end of this year.
This is another significant milestone for the project, which is the biggest and most complex in Metro’s history.
We put the first Stadler Metro train into service in the same week in December last year, and now, one year on, we have delivered on our aim of reaching 23 out of the 46 new trains on our order available for service.
A huge amount of work has gone into the roll out programme. That hard work will continue from here so that we can get all the new trains in service next year.
The new fleet is transformative for our customers, and also for our own teams who work on the system every day to keep it running. It provides a bright future for Metro, ensuring that the service will be around to serve our region for many years to come.
My thanks go to all of the team at Nexus and at Stadler for helping us to deliver this latest milestone, which comes just a few days after we confirmed the completion of our driver training programme on the new fleet.”
Stadler, the manufacturer behind the new trains, is equally proud of the achievement. Lucius Gerig, Head of Division Switzerland at Stadler, commented:
“We’re proud that half of the fleet is in service and that we’re right on schedule. So far, 40 trains have been delivered to the UK. Production of the final train was completed in December, and by spring next year, the entire fleet will be in North East England. This achievement reflects the dedication of our team and partners to delivering a modern, reliable Metro system.”
Currently, Nexus has received 40 of the 46 trains, with the remainder due early next year. Each train undergoes rigorous testing before entering service, ensuring reliability and safety for passengers. Meanwhile, the operator is halfway through decommissioning its 45-year-old fleet, gradually phasing out the trains that have served the region for decades.
Image credits: Nexus
