The delivery of the Tyne and Wear Metro’s first new train has been hailed as a “moment of history” for the North East.
Thrilled transport chiefs watched on as the Class 555 Metro finally entered its new home at the Gosforth depot in the early hours of Tuesday morning, having made its way across Europe. Manufacturing giant Stadler is building 46 new trains for the Metro in a £362m programme to replace the outdated and increasingly unreliable carriages that have served the network since it opened 43 years ago.
While it will still be some months before any new trains are put into passenger service, seeing one arriving on Tyneside nonetheless marks a significant milestone for bosses who have promised a dramatic improvement from the modern fleet. The new trains should be far more reliable and energy efficient, as well as boasting modern features such as air conditioning, charging points, and an automatic sliding step at every door.
