The first look at the £362m fleet of new Metro trains was unveiled on Tuesday morning.
Manufacturing giant will be building the new trains in Switzerland, with the upgraded carriages due to arrive from 2022 onwards.
Here are some key questions answered on just what the new trains will mean for passengers.
Will the new fleet be more reliable than the current trains?
Nexus says that the new trains will be 15 times more reliable than the existing fleet, which has operated since the Metro first opened 40 years ago.
As well as cutting the number of delayed or cancelled services caused by failures, the more open layout of the carriages should also make rush hour boarding quicker and easier.
When will they arrive on our tracks?
The trains will arrive one-by-one from 2022, a few weeks’ apart, and all 42 new trains will be here by 2024.
The least reliable of the current trains will be the first to be replaced.
Are ticket prices going up to pay for the new trains?
No.
This £362m investment in the new fleet future is funded partly through a £337m Government grant, plus money Nexus has already set aside.
What modern features will the new trains have?
Passengers will benefit from wi-fi connectivity, mobile phone USB charging points, air conditioning, heated floors in the winter, CCTV cameras and information screens throughout the trains.
Will the new trains definitely be white?
No.
Although the images released on Tuesday show gleaming white trains, the final colour of the fleet has not been decided.
Nexus says it will gather public feedback in the next few months before choosing a final design.
What is being done to help disabled passengers?
The new Metro trains will have an automatic step that will deploy at every door to close the gap with the platform, making it easier to get on and off.
There will be four dedicated wheelchair spaces, as well as separate space for buggies, bikes, and luggage.
However, mobility scooters will still be banned because their large turning circle makes them unsafe.
Nexus says it will review the ban on mobility scooters once the fleet is delivered.
How much more energy efficient will they be?
It is expected that the trains will cut energy use by 30% compared to the current fleet - that it because they are lighters, have more efficient motors, and can regenerate energy back into the overhead wires.
The energy savings would be enough to power every home in Tynemouth.
Will ‘leaves on the line’ still be a problem?
Nexus says that the new trains won’t be as badly affected by the ‘low rail adhesion’ caused by leaves on the line, which is a regular source of delays - particularly in autumn. The new trains will have “additional measures fitted to cope with this common railway problem”.
Will the new trains have a larger capacity?
Yes. The maximum capacity of each new full-length train will be 600 people compared with the 524 passenger capacity of the existing trains.
Will they improve journey times?
Theoretically, they could - but Nexus says it has no plans to do so because “the short gaps between stations we have means it’s not practical to go faster than we do today”. The main change to journey times should come from the improved reliability of the fleet - so Metro trains are more likely to stick to timetable consistently.
The timetable could change if the Government agrees to fund a £110m twin tracking upgrade between Pelaw and Tyne Dock, which would allow for more frequent services.
Could the new trains help extend the Metro to places like Washington or Newcastle’s West End?
Yes. Although the case for extending the Metro is being made separately to the Government, having a newer and more reliable fleet of trains helps with that. On-board battery technology could allow them to travel for 45 minutes without needing overhead power, making an expansion into new zones easier and more affordable.
What will happen with the old trains?
Most of the 89 smaller Metro trains in service now will be sent for recycling, as they do not have an effective use on other railways around the world. Two will be set aside for heritage interest, with five more earmarked for possible community uses in the North East.
