Stadler Completes 46 Class 555 Train Delivery for Tyne Wear Metro

NEWCASTLE, UK – Public transport authority Nexus has confirmed the final delivery of its 46-unit order of new Class 555 metro trains from Swiss builder Stadler on February 21. The delivery completes a key phase of the region’s £362 million network modernization program. The new fleet is scheduled to operate the entire timetable by the summer of this year.

What Is the Full Scope of This Project?

The project encompasses the design, manufacture, and delivery of 46 new five-car articulated metro trains to replace the network’s entire legacy fleet. The program also includes associated depot modifications at Gosforth to accommodate the new rolling stock and its maintenance requirements. The source material does not specify the cost allocation between rolling stock and infrastructure works within the total £362 million budget.

Key Project Data

How Does This Compare to Similar Projects?

The Tyne and Wear Metro project’s procurement of 46 trains for £362 million (~£7.87 million per unit) contrasts with larger national-level fleet renewals. For example, Alstom’s 2025 contract to supply 153 trains to Comboios de Portugal is valued at €1.03 billion (~€6.73 million per unit), representing the largest single train acquisition in that country’s history (Source: Alstom, 2025). While the Newcastle project is a focused metropolitan-level replacement, the Portuguese deal involves a mix of regional and suburban rolling stock for a national network.

Editor’s Analysis

The completion of Stadler’s delivery to Newcastle underscores a trend of targeted, high-value fleet renewals for specific UK urban networks. This project’s focus on a complete fleet replacement aligns with broader European strategies, such as those in Switzerland, that prioritize urban rail investment to enhance mobility and meet environmental targets (Source: Bundesamt für Statistik, 2023). The successful rollout will likely serve as a key case study for other UK metropolitan regions considering similar modernization programs to replace aging rolling stock.

FAQ

Q: What model are the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains?
A: The new trains are Stadler’s Class 555 model, specifically designed for the Tyne and Wear Metro network following an extensive public consultation process that gathered over 23,000 responses.

Q: What will happen to the old Metro trains?
A: The old rolling stock is being progressively withdrawn from service as the new fleet is introduced. Nexus has confirmed the decommissioned trains are being sent for recycling.

Q: When will all the new trains be in passenger service?
A: More than half the fleet is already in commercial service. Nexus estimates the entire timetable will be operated by the new trains by summer, with all 46 units fully operational by the end of the year.