Tyne and Wear boasts a light rail system that would make the Fat Controller, Thomas, and Ringo Starr nervous, with 60 stations from the Airport to Sunderland. However, breakdowns and refurbishments have diminished effectiveness across the network. This month, a points failure at Gosforth depot caused system-wide cancellations.
Despite refurbishments in 2010, Current Class-559's have not been replaced since the Metro began operation in 1980. That’s right, the train you took to Tynemouth last weekend was in service when Thatcher was Prime Minister, and has even outlived her! Metro 1 – Maggie 0.
New Swiss-built Class-555’s will see a rolling introduction starting this year, and ending in 2026. They will be more accessible and environmentally friendly, while also featuring charging ports and information screens throughout a new single-section train. A charging port would have been nice for me a few months ago, when my phone died on the way home from Wednesday-night Soho, but I won’t be petty. With more reliable service expected, students will certainly benefit.
However, the line remains thoroughly imperfect. Replacing outdated trains is all well and good, but what’s the point if they’ll be running on outdated track? A new stretch of track between South Hylton and Pelaw is expected to cost an eye-watering £745m, the equivalent of 57.3 Dan Burns, so God knows how much a full-scale refurbishment will set us back.
Furthermore, Students in the West of Newcastle will not see any benefit whatsoever, with the Metro’s Green Line only running to the airport, leaving areas such as Blakelaw, Benwell and Fenham left behind.
