New photos have revealed a first look inside the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains.
A long-awaited £362m fleet of new carriages is currently being built in Switzerland and should start arriving in the North East later this year. Latest images from manufacturer Stadler’s factory have now offered passengers an initial glimpse inside the modern trains, which will act as a much-needed replacement for the ageing stock that has served the Metro since it opened in the 1980s.
While the new trains remain under construction and are clearly far from the finished product, the photos give an indication of how its London Underground-style ‘linear’ seating running down either side of the carriage will look. It is hoped that the change in layout will allow more space for luggage and make the Metro less crowded at busy times than the current trains can be.
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There are also fresh looks at new handrails and grab poles being fitted by Stadler engineers and the trains’ doors. Other new features that commuters are set to enjoy include air conditioning and heated floors, mobile phone charging points, wifi, information screens, and a retractable step at every door.
The trains, which will be one long carriage rather than two connected together like the current fleet, are meant to be 15 times more reliable and 30% more energy efficient.
While the first of the new trains should arrive in the North East this November, it will not be in service until 2023 as they must undergo testing and drivers must be trained up on them. The entirety of the new fleet should be in passenger service in 2024.
The Metro’s traditional yellow colour was chosen for the new trains, ahead of alternative designs that could have seen them painted white or dark grey.
A Nexus spokesperson said: “We remain on track to see the first new Metro train arriving in North East England near the end of this year. The first unit is nearing completion at the Stadler factory in Switzerland, and we are starting to see the carriage interior being fitted, including the seats, handrails and grab poles.
“When the first train arrives it will enter a phase of testing and driver training ahead of entering passenger service in 2023.
“The new Metro trains, which will be 15 times more reliable and will cut energy consumption by 30 per cent, will have modern features including charging points, air conditioning and a step-change in accessibility. Among the new features will be an automatic sliding step at every door of the new trains, making travel easier for Metro’s 50,000 wheelchair passengers as well as people with push-chairs, luggage or bicycles.”
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