British Rail Class 555

Background and procurement

Tyne and Wear Metrocars have been in use since the Tyne and Wear Metro opened in 1980, and had last been refurbished in the early 2010s.^[6] In 2016, Nexus announced a consultation to determine the views of its customers in the design of its planned new fleet of trains.^[7] At the time, the operator had completed a life-extending refurbishment on its existing fleet that was intended to take it up to its planned life-expiry date, which was estimated for the early to mid 2020s.

In 2018, Nexus began the procurement process to purchase a new fleet of trains, with its initial proposal for a total of 42 units, each of five cars, to replace the 89 existing sets, with an option to order another four units to cope with passenger demand. The successful bidder would design, build and maintain the trains over a period of 35 years.^[8] In June 2019, three bidders were shortlisted by Nexus – Stadler Rail, Hitachi Rail and Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles (CAF).^[9]

In January 2020, Nexus selected Stadler Rail's Metro platform as the basis for its new trains.^[10] Two months later, Nexus received funding for an additional four units, taking the total up to 46.^[11]

Construction and commissioning

Construction of the first Class 555 units began in 2021, with delivery of the first unit on the Metro network occurring in early 2023 for testing and commissioning. Two units were extensively tested at a test track, based in Velim in the Czech Republic.^[12]

In September 2020, Nexus undertook a second public consultation to ask for opinions on how the interior of the new trains should be designed, related to the seating, grab poles and space for bike racks. At the same time, Nexus' drivers were consulted on the design of their cabs using virtual reality software, and in March 2021, took delivery of a physical cab mock-up built by ROBUR Prototyping in Chemnitz, Germany and shipped to the Gosforth Depot. A cab consultation period was carried out between March and April 2021 with over 200 operational staff taking part. Unlike the previous fleet, which had only a half-width driver's cab at each end, with the other half occupied by passenger seating, the new units will have a full-width driving position.

The new trains will be five cars long in fixed formations, with a Jacobs bogie between the inner cars. One centre car will be fitted with a Brecknell Willis pantograph to draw the power from the 1,500 V DC overhead lines. They will also be fitted with regenerative braking technology for greater energy efficiency, and a battery energy storage system that will allow the trains to remain powered and reach the nearest station if the overhead lines fail.

The trains will feature specially designed retractable steps at the doors, which are designed to bridge the gap between the train and the platform. They will have an overall capacity of 600 passengers, with 104 seats,^[13] specially designed easy access areas and have CCTV, a new passenger information system, USB charging points and air conditioning throughout the saloon.

In December 2021, Nexus revealed that the Metro fleet had entered the final assembly phase at Stadler's factory in Switzerland and that the manufacturer is in the process of fitting the main interior components of the first of the new trains. The works include the installation of wheels, seats, equipment cases, piping, wiring, flooring, windows and other internal furnishings.^[2]

In February 2023, eight Metro drivers attended initial training on the new units on the 4-kilometre (2.5-mile) Velim test track.^[14] The first of the 46 units, costing £362 million, arrived in Tyneside on 28 February 2023, and will undergo compatibility testing across the network before entering into service in the Autumn.^[15] Originally due to enter service in 2023, Nexus revised the date to introduce the units to early 2024,^[16] and in January 2024 the date was again revised to the end of the year.^[17]

Introduction into service

In May 2023, the first of the new Metro fleet entered the network for the first time for testing.^[18] Cathy Massarella, Nexus's major projects director said to the BBC: "[The] train has completed its first test run out on the network and performed really well". The train was pictured at Four Lane Ends during the test service from South Gosforth to Monkseaton in the early hours 10 May. ^[18]

In March 2024, it was announced that there is no confirmed date for the trains to enter service.^[19] However, in May 2024, daytime testing of the new trains began. As the trains were running in between regular passenger services they were equipped with netting across the doors and notices advising customers not to board.^[20][21]

By August 2024, three of the first nine units delivered had completed their daytime testing and the focus was moving to driver training.^[22]

The first unit entered revenue service on the Yellow Line on 18 December 2024, initially operating on weekdays only.^[1][23] The first unit entered service on the Green Line two months later, on 18 February 2025.^[24] By the end of 2025, half of the new fleet had entered service, with training of drivers completed.^[25][26]

In February 2026, the last unit was delivered by Stadler, with Nexus expecting that the last of the older trains "will be taken out of service in late spring to early summer [2026]".^[27]