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Tyne and Wear Metro

RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(30 Mar 2023, 8:16 pm)Michael wrote I don't really know where all the sidings etc are on the metro/Network Rail but I hope they don't park some in South Hylton, they'll be gone in the morning although they can't get far haha.


Sunderland station could be a place to store them?

There's some sidings in the bit between Sunderland Station and Park Lane.
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Tyne and Wear Metro
(30 Mar 2023, 7:50 pm)Unber43 wrote The Metro is currently closed between Brockley Wins and Jarrow, and they said there will be trains between Brockley Wins and South Hylton, but are they just the trains which are currently stuck on that line and can't go to the depot. Also what about driver change overs how do they do that?

God hope that none break down in the coming 5 days


The driver changeovers will be done using taxis.


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RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
Newcastle's playing Sunday......

Really, 26/9 should be deckers

But There is no hope that there is enough deckers for the entirety of the 9/5/26/24 circuit, plus on a Sunday they interwork with everything and on an evenign with the 60, unless there was active bus replacement from park Lane.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(31 Mar 2023, 9:15 am)Unber43 wrote Newcastle's playing Sunday......

Really, 26/9 should be deckers

But There is no hope that there is enough deckers for the entirety of the 9/5/26/24 circuit, plus on a Sunday they interwork with everything and on an evenign with the 60, unless there was active bus replacement from park Lane.

Not sure why the 9 and 26 need to be Decker's. Once your beyond Fellgate the numbers heading towards Newcastle isn't big. Most people support Sunderland.

The 27 is the bigger problem especially if they don't do a bus replacement.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(31 Mar 2023, 5:56 pm)Storx wrote The 27 is the bigger problem especially if they don't do a bus replacement.

There seems to have been a 900/901 through random parts of the day, but only 1-3 buses on each. 

But yeah I agree, there are cancellations tomorrow (just 2 trips). There should be active bus replacement similar to my suggestions for the 56, except driver would just start and finsih at Newcastle. If they're finished they run dead to Gateshead. 

They should do smth like this with the X21 permanently
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(31 Mar 2023, 9:15 am)Unber43 wrote Newcastle's playing Sunday......

Really, 26/9 should be deckers

But There is no hope that there is enough deckers for the entirety of the 9/5/26/24 circuit, plus on a Sunday they interwork with everything and on an evenign with the 60, unless there was active bus replacement from park Lane.

I've done a few 26s the past couple of days, I haven't had a single person use a metro ticket.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
GNE put out a tweet for delays on the 27/9/56 over the coming days but failed to put on that these delays would have a knock on affect from the 35A/61A/24/5/26/60/20
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
At Kingston Park, on the departure board it was showing at around half 2 on 1/4/23 that there was a train due for South Hylton. My guess is a problem with the data. Also 4040 and 4083 are out again.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
Post on the Tyne & Wear Metro Photo group has shown 4055 has left Howdon on the back of a truck. I wonder if this is the start of the old stock leaving
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Tyne and Wear Metro
(28 Jun 2023, 4:13 pm)Busu284 wrote Post on the Tyne & Wear Metro Photo group has shown 4055 has left Howdon on the back of a truck. I wonder if this is the start of the old stock leaving


There was a suggestion on this post that it was the second to be scrapped - what was the first?


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RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(28 Jun 2023, 5:06 pm)Dan wrote There was a suggestion on this post that it was the second to be scrapped - what was the first?


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I'm not sure what the first one was. 4055 was at South Shields learning centre so possibly the other LC one has gone
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(28 Jun 2023, 5:06 pm)Dan wrote There was a suggestion on this post that it was the second to be scrapped - what was the first?


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There was a damaged one scrapped the other year. after it had journeyed south for an assessment but deemed too expensive to repair.  Think the cabs came back up to South Gosforth for use as spares.  Mr Wiki says it was 4022 and was scrapped in 2019.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(28 Jun 2023, 4:13 pm)Busu284 wrote Post on the Tyne & Wear Metro Photo group has shown 4055 has left Howdon on the back of a truck. I wonder if this is the start of the old stock leaving

There's a few down for scrap as they're being used for christmas trees.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/met...590/page-5 - Good thread if you want to track Metro availability / scrap etc. 

It's ridiculous the number of trains off now hence the cancellations everywhere. The Metro needs dropped to every 15 minutes asap but they're burying their heads in the sand and pretending everything is alright which is just typical Nexus and blaming Stadler ofc since it's never Nexus' fault.
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Tyne and Wear Metro
(28 Jun 2023, 8:59 pm)Storx wrote There's a few down for scrap as they're being used for christmas trees.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/met...590/page-5 - Good thread if you want to track Metro availability / scrap etc. 

It's ridiculous the number of trains off now hence the cancellations everywhere. The Metro needs dropped to every 15 minutes asap but they're burying their heads in the sand and pretending everything is alright which is just typical Nexus and blaming Stadler ofc since it's never Nexus' fault.


I don’t profess to know how many have been withdrawn already, but it is quite easy to work out how many trains they actually require to run the service, and already they have an absolutely crazy number of spare trains.

They must be having some real bad issues (or have withdrawn a lot of trains already) if they struggle to meet service every day, especially since the peak time trains were cancelled.


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RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(29 Jun 2023, 4:20 am)Dan wrote I don’t profess to know how many have been withdrawn already, but it is quite easy to work out how many trains they actually require to run the service, and already they have an absolutely crazy number of spare trains.

They must be having some real bad issues (or have withdrawn a lot of trains already) if they struggle to meet service every day, especially since the peak time trains were cancelled.


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56 or so isn't it I believe. According to RailUK they're down to 71 operational units - there was 90, well ones that can actually move, so not much leverage left considering they're not reliable as an understatement. Believe dropping it down to 15 minutes, got it down to 46 units or so which ironically is what they've got today since there's 4 cancelled boards.

Be interesting to see what happens in winter as cold weather and leaves bring a whole load new lot of issues for them.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(28 Jun 2023, 8:59 pm)Storx wrote There's a few down for scrap as they're being used for christmas trees.

https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/met...590/page-5 - Good thread if you want to track Metro availability / scrap etc. 

It's ridiculous the number of trains off now hence the cancellations everywhere. The Metro needs dropped to every 15 minutes asap but they're burying their heads in the sand and pretending everything is alright which is just typical Nexus and blaming Stadler ofc since it's never Nexus' fault.

It’s not that simple. They can’t just change the frequency due to the fact that the slots on the shared line between Pelaw and Sunderland would have a knock-on effect on Northern and freight trains. That’s why any emergency timetable would see Sunderland line switch to an every 24 minute service under any emergency timetable.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(30 Jun 2023, 4:46 pm)markydh wrote It’s not that simple. They can’t just change the frequency due to the fact that the slots on the shared line between Pelaw and Sunderland would have a knock-on effect on Northern and freight trains. That’s why any emergency timetable would see Sunderland line switch to an every 24 minute service under any emergency timetable.

I'm not sure it is that much of an issue, they done it back in 2020 with issues of driver's back then. As long as they gave some notice and kept it in for a long period - it needs to stay until the new fleet is in, not a short term botch then it would've went through. You have to remember there's the timetable recasts in May aswell which has just gone.

They've known about this for months, it's not just started overnight.

2020 reduction - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-54961455
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
One of the new class 555 units (believed to be 555003) has ventured to South Hylton this morning. I understand this is the first time one of these units has operated on Network Rail lines under its own power. 
The following timetable was to apply.
00:59 South Gosforth to South Hylton arr 01:48,
01:53 South Hylton to Brockley Whins arr 02:15,
02:20 Brockley Whins to South Hylton arr 02:48,
02:48 South Hylton to Brockley Whins arr 03:10,
03:15 Brockley Whins to South Hylton arr 03:38 and
03:42 South Hylton to South Gosforth arr 04:32.

It has run as 2I81 on Network Rail infrastructure. There should be test trains, all running as 2I81, on 8th, 15th and 22nd July running to the above times. The first journey was late and did not arrive at South Hylton until about 02:25. Anyone looking at the www.realtimetrains.co.uk will find the schedules but not the actual times. The schedules have not been activated so actual times can not be picked up.

EDIT: 03:54. The second arrival at South Hylton was at about 03:30. The unit then ran straight back to South Gosforth thus one of the short return trips between South Hylton and Brockley Whins did not run.
RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(01 Jul 2023, 2:10 am)XQ Zero wrote One of the new class 555 units (believed to be 555003) has ventured to South Hylton this morning. I understand this is the first time one of these units has operated on Network Rail lines under its own power. 
The following timetable was to apply.
00:59 South Gosforth to South Hylton arr 01:48,
01:53 South Hylton to Brockley Whins arr 02:15,
02:20 Brockley Whins to South Hylton arr 02:48,
02:48 South Hylton to Brockley Whins arr 03:10,
03:15 Brockley Whins to South Hylton arr 03:38 and
03:42 South Hylton to South Gosforth arr 04:32.

It has run as 2I81 on Network Rail infrastructure. There should be test trains, all running as 2I81, on 8th, 15th and 22nd July running to the above times. The first journey was late and did not arrive at South Hylton until about 02:25. Anyone looking at the www.realtimetrains.co.uk will find the schedules but not the actual times. The schedules have not been activated so actual times can not be picked up.

EDIT: 03:54. The second arrival at South Hylton was at about 03:30. The unit then ran straight back to South Gosforth thus one of the short return trips between South Hylton and Brockley Whins did not run.

Glad to see them finally come this way!


When are more due to arrive?, it seems to of gone very quiet.
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RE: Tyne and Wear Metro
(01 Jul 2023, 9:19 am)Michael wrote Glad to see them finally come this way!


When are more due to arrive?, it seems to of gone very quiet.

The Nexus news release re the first train to South Hylton under its own power states that the next two units will arrive later this month. Apart from that I have not seen any delivery schedules.
New Metro train completes its first test run on the Sunderland line

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Home» News» News» New Metro train completes its first test run on the Sunderland line

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3 July 2023
The new Stadler Metro train has completed its first test run along the Sunderland line.  
Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said the test had been successful and was part of the ongoing and detailed preparations to get the new fleet ready for customer service.
The first test through Sunderland took place in the early hours of Saturday, 1 July. 
It was the first time that the new train has been on the track between Pelaw and South Hylton, and the first time it has crossed the iconic Monkwearmouth railway bridge in the centre of the city. 
The testing was carried in conjunction with Network Rail, who own and manage the line beyond Pelaw. 
This the latest phase of the £362m new Metro fleet programme is currently taking place during the early hours of the morning when the Metro network is closed. 
The Stadler Class 555 Metro trains are undergoing a period of testing and driver training before entering service for customers. Two more new trains are set to be delivered late this month. 
The new Metro fleet will offer a comfortable, new, air conditioned, open plan layout, sleekly modelled interior, transforming the customer experience, while setting new standards for accessibility.
Major Projects Director at Nexus, Cathy Massarella, said: “I’m delighted to say that the new Metro train has completed its first test run on the Sunderland line. 
“This was the first time the new train had been taken on a run through Sunderland, and the first time it had gone across the Monkwearmouth bridge across the River Wear. 
“The testing of the new trains is going well, and we are working closely with our colleagues at Stadler so that we can get first new trains into service for our customers. 
“This is a very detailed and vital process of testing ahead of drivers starting their training on the new Class 555 Metro. 
“These trains will have to go through a phase of rigorous testing on our network, and all our drivers will need to undertake a period of train handling experience during the implementation phase of the project.
“Once the trains are in service they are going to be transformative for our customers and our workforce in terms of comfort, quality and reliability.
“Our customers, employees, specialist user groups and trade unions helped to design the new trains as part of a far-reaching consultation exercise that received 23,000 responses. We are getting a bespoke design from Stadler, with a sleek modern appearance, inside and out.”
Councillor Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “This is fantastic news. The new Metro trains are a huge step forward in public transport, not just for our city but for the region. I’m delighted the first test run went so well and I am sure I speak for us all when I say that I can’t wait to see the new trains enter service.”
Stadler, the Swiss train manufacturer, are building a total of 46 new Metro trains on behalf of Nexus.
The fleet will enter service in phases and the aim is to have all of the new trains in service by 2025. 
Stadler has delivered three new trains to North East England so far, and more are set to arrive later this year.
The Class 555 Stadler train is a unique design for Metro and in the months ahead will undergo rigorous testing to ensure that it interfaces correctly with signalling systems and other Metro infrastructure. 
Metro drivers will also start a process of training at the controls of the new train.
The new trains have been designed and shaped by customers, and in response to vast consultation will include modern features such as linear seating, charging points, air conditioning and will deliver a step-change in accessibility.
Among the new features will be an automatic sliding step at every door to enable seamless boarding, making travel easier for Metro’s 50,000 wheelchair passengers as well as people with children’s buggies, luggage or bicycles.

New Metro train completes its first test run on the Sunderland line | nexus.org.uk
Tyne and Wear Metro
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nor...y-27713846

Fresh delay as Tyne and Wear Metro's new trains won't enter service until 'early 2024' as bosses announce hold-up


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