Every new Tyne and Wear Metro train removed from service due to fault

In a bitter blow for passengers and the beleaguered rail network, it has emerged that each of the Swiss-built carriages currently in use on the Metro system have been temporarily withdrawn from the timetable due to a fault that has been uncovered.

There are currently five active trains that are now out of service, of a total 46 that are on order from manufacturing giant Stadler and are due to be rolled out gradually by the end of 2026.

The problem is understood to be a software issue relating to the doors on the new fleet, though the exact nature of the error has not been disclosed.

North East mayor Kim McGuinness, who has previously demanded that the Metro reach “world-class levels of performance” by the time of the next mayoral election in 2028, said on Thursday that Stadler and Metro operator Nexus needed to provide a full explanation for a setback that is “extremely frustrating” for long-suffering passengers who have endured years of travel frustration.

While bosses have warned previously that the introduction of the £362 million fleet would inevitably experience some teething problems, having to pull the new trains out of service entirely just a few months after the rollout finally began will come as a severe disappointment for both customers and transport chiefs alike.

The first train in the new fleet made its maiden voyage last December, following a series of delays that had seen its introduction delayed from an original target date of summer 2023.

Ms McGuinness said: “I’ve had to reluctantly accept that the roll-out of the new Metro trains needs to be temporarily halted, to deal with an issue that is affecting the doors. I know this will be extremely frustrating for passengers and I share their disappointment – like them I’ve been truly excited to see the new trains finally running.

“While new fleet will inevitably face teething issues, I’ve asked Nexus and Stadler for a full explanation. They are working on a solution right now, and I will be asking for daily progress updates until the problem has been fixed.

“I’m determined to give passengers in the North East the world-class service they deserve and will be working around the clock to ensure Nexus and Stadler deliver.”

A total of 17 new trains have been delivered to the Metro’s Gosforth depot so far, though most of those are not yet in service.

The rollout of the new fleet has long been hailed as a historic moment for the Metro and something that it is hoped will transform the quality and reliability of Tyne and Wear’s public transport system.

Its existing trains have been running since the network opened in 1980 and have become increasingly failure-prone, uncomfortable, and difficult to maintain.

As well as being 15 times more reliable than their predecessors, the new trains have modern features like phone charging points, climate control, and a sliding step at every door.

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Cathy Massarella, Managing Director of Nexus, said: “We have recently identified an operational issue with the new Metro trains which is affecting the dispatch process with the doors. We have therefore decided to temporarily pause the new fleet’s entry into customer service while we investigate this further.

“The introduction of a new fleet of trains is very complex and we would expect to see minor technical and operational issues crop up as part of this process.

“The roll out is a mix of continued technical performance monitoring, tweaking operational practices, and understanding how customers are interacting with the range of new features of the train.

“We will continue to work closely with Stadler to review and address any issues, and continually learn from them. This is why we have taken a careful phased approach to fleet introduction.

“Thankfully these trains benefit from a really sophisticated diagnostic system so when anything unexpected does arise, it is usually identified quickly. This minimises disruption to services and gives us valuable learning to address future reliability.

“We are aiming to continue with the roll out of the new fleet as soon as possible. We will keep customers updated and I’d like to thank them in advance for their patience.”

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