Three possible colour schemes revealed for new Metro fleet - which would you prefer?

It was announced on Tuesday that Swiss firm Stadler had been chosen to build the new Tyne and Wear trains, which should be 15 times more reliable than the current stock.

Although concept images revealed at the announcement showcased a gleaming white look for the modern carriages, that may not be the final design.

Two further options produced by Stadler have now been revealed – a dark grey version with yellow doors, and a yellow and ‘warm’ grey look more reminiscent of the Metro’s traditional branding.

Metro operator Nexus says it will gather public opinion on each design in the coming months before deciding itself on which one is the winner.

Neil Blagburn, Metro’s development director, said: “We need to try and retain some identity and some brand in there. The Metro identity and brand is really, really strong and we don’t want to lose that with pink and light blue trains, for example.

“You cannot rule out a livery from time to time where we have advertising or special one-offs, but ultimately we need to try and keep the consistent branding. That is our identity.”

He added that it would be “challenging” to keep a white train clean, but that Nexus has not made up its mind on which colour would be best.

Mr Blagburn said: “You would imagine that, from a maintenance and cleanliness perspective, a darker colour would be better.

“But we are open-minded at this moment in time. We have not got any preconceived ideas about the final design.”

Here is what Stadler had to say about each design:

Option A – White

“This proposal is based on the strong yet minimalist design guidelines of Tyne and Wear Metro. The logo, stripped to its bare minimum, celebrates Margaret Calvert’s strong typography. The characteristic yellow doors boast the warm corporate yellow. The dot pattern on the doors introduces a bit of playfulness and bridges the black window band on both sides of the door.

“The absolute simplicity applied in this livery is modern, yet timeless. This sleek and fresh proposal is neither noisy nor flashy, but a perfect fit for a light Metro with a strong brand and a proud history.”

Option B – Dark Grey

“This proposal pays homage to the existing Metro carriages in their 2010 livery and takes it to the next level. The main body in dark anthracite provides an ideal canvas for the yellow door areas.

“The slanted shape of this yellow rectangle conveys a sense of movement and challenges the perception of the spectators. A white pinstripe encircles the geometrical contours of the window band and the door areas and adds graphical finesse.”

Option C – Yellow and ‘warm’ grey

“This livery proposal boasts the iconic yellow of the Tyne and Wear brand. The bright yellow front is put into focus while the side of the train is divided into a low key three-colour design. A slim yellow band continues over the whole length of the composition, bridging the two head sections.

“The warm grey section under the black window band gives the side view a touch of modern elegance, while the white doors are immediately visible. The dot pattern on the lower section of the doors ties together all the different elements.”