Inside the Swiss factory building the Metro trains of the future
This is the Swiss factory where the first new-look Metro train is just weeks away from completion.
Withinternetconnectivity, chargingpoints,airconditioning – and a back-up battery to help cope with power outages – the new carriages are set to make a huge improvement in passenger travel in Tyne and Wear when they come online in 2023.
A team from Nexus has taken a first look at the Stadler factory in Switzerland where the new fleet of trains is being made.
The 8,500 square metre plant in St Margrethen, built only two years ago, is one of the most state-of-the-art train manufacturingfacilitiesinEurope.
Stadler has already started work on the new Metro fleet, with full assembly of the first new train just 12 weeks away.
The team from Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, got the first chance this week to look aroundtheStadlerfactoryand see the advanced facilities up close.
Metro development director Neil Blagburn said: “It was brilliant to get a first look at Stadler’s latest manufacturing facility,anditsseparatetesting and commissioning facilities over in Switzerland, where the new Metro trains will be getting built and commissioned.
“We got the chance to see all of the assembly stages in action within the plant, with aluminium body shells entering at one side and high quality fully assembled trains of all shapes and sizes leaving at the other for customers around the world. We also visited the testing and commissioning sitesandsawfirst-handtherigorous processes which ensure the trains leave the factory as a fully finished article.
“Being there in person made it easy to visualise the new Metro trains moving through those same production lines less than three months from now.
“ThevisittotheStadlerfactory brought home just how close we are now to the start of the most tangible stage of the fleetreplacementprogramme. The new Metro trains will
transform the Tyne and Wear Metro for customers and secure the network’s long-term future.”
The Nexus delegates were shown around the plant by its chief operating officer Martin Bernhardsgruetter.
The tour took in the vast assembly lines where Stadler builds its trains and the testing
and commissioning facilitywheretrainsareputthrough their paces before being delivered to the various customers.
Those facilities will soon have the first of Metro’s new trains passing through them before heading off to a test track and then being delivered to the North East by rail.
Thefirsttrainissetarrivein the North East next November for testing, and enter passenger service in early 2023.
Stadler is building 46 new Metro trains for Nexus, which will be delivered up to 2024. They will be responsible for servicing and maintaining thesetrainsfor35years,underscoring their commitment to the regional economy.
The new trains will be 15 timesmorereliableandwillcut energy consumption by 30%.
Among 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 children’s buggies, luggage or bicycles.