See inside new £70m Gosforth Metro depot as phase one of the project is completed

Описание: The first phase of a £70m project to rebuild Gosforth's Metro depot which will see a state-of-the-art facility house a new Metro train fleet has been completed.

Stadler, the Swiss train manufacturer, which is building the state-of-the-art depot and supplying a fleet of 46 new trains on behalf of Metro operator, Nexus, will now start work on the new depot buildings.

More of the old facilities will also be demolished over the coming months to make way for the new building work.

The project has already seen the partial demolition of the 100-year-old depot along with groundwork and the installation of new train-stabling tracks and overhead lines.

For the second phase, the train stabling sheds to the west of the depot will be taken away with the final two stages of demolition to come in 2022.

The building work has been configured to enable the current Metro fleet to continue operating from the Gosforth depot, while construction work takes place.

Nexus is also using a smaller temporary train depot at Howdon while it transitions to the new facility at Gosforth.

Volker Fitzpatrick is building the new Gosforth depot on behalf of Stadler.

The 12-acre Gosforth site is located close to Regent Centre station in Newcastle and will comprise inspection roads and pits, cranes, jacks, test facilities, automatic train-checking equipment, and a wheel-lathe.

Other features include a wash-plant to clean train exteriors and other dedicated areas for both daily and periodic deep cleaning.

The outside area is being adapted to optimise train movements while keeping noise to a minimum for the benefit of local residents.

The new facility has been designed to ensure maximum availability and reliability of the fleet for decades to come and will vastly improve the working environment.

Stadler has pledged to support the regional economy and involve as many Tyne and Wear-based companies in the project as it can.

It is keen to use local suppliers for materials and services required for the depot re-build, the manufacturing of the new trains, and the ongoing service and maintenance of the trains on the patch.

More than 90% of the suppliers used for the depot build project are based in the UK, with key suppliers from the northeast region, including Thompsons of Prudhoe and A&M Electricals in Washington.

Stadler is building a total of 46 new Metro trains for Nexus, which will be delivered up to 2024.

The new Metro trains, which will be 15 times more reliable and will cut energy consumption by 30%, will have modern features including charging points, air conditioning, and a step-change for 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.

It's hoped to become home to a wide range of activities, including preventative and corrective maintenance, overhauls, and train presentation.

There will also be storage for spare parts and material supplies and office space for training and support functions.

The building will promote sustainability, provide an attractive environment for employees, and will make the best use of natural light with all workspaces having windows.

Energy-efficient lighting will be installed throughout the premises and solar panels on the roof will reduce overall energy consumption.

Water recycled on-site and rainwater will be harvested and used for train washing facilities and toilets.

There will also be a dedicated, secure area for bikes, and showers will be provided for people cycling to and from work with charging bays for electric cars also to be installed.