WABTEC RAIL LIMITED SIGNS CONTRACT WITH DB REGIO TYNE & WEAR LIMITED

Wabtec Rail Limited has been awarded the contract by DB Regio Tyne & Wear Ltd. (DBTW) for the Refurbishment of the Tyne & Wear Metrocars. DBTW operates stations and trains on the Tyne and Wear Metro on behalf of Nexus. The Metrocars are owned by Nexus and operate on the Tyne and Wear Metro system serving the cities of Sunderland, Newcastle and
surrounding communities.

There are 90 articulated Metrocars in total. The first unit is due on works in June 2010 and the last unit will be completed by December 2015.

The refurbishment of the Metrocars will be carried out in Wabtec Rail’s Heavy shop and will be Project Managed by Mark Kynman.

The total value of the refurbishment project is expected to be circa £24.9 million. Nexus, the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive, owns and manages Metro and is funding the refurbishment as part of its modernisation of the whole system – an investment worth almost
£400 million.

The primary objectives of the refurbishment are;

• To extend the life of the Metrocars in order that they can safely and reliably continue in service operation until 2025, the date when fleet replacement is expected to be complete.
• To give users the perception of a new train and a better travelling environment. It is important to Nexus that the refurbishment provides a substantial improvement to the customer environment and in turn the passengers perception of travel on Metro.
• To improve the drivers working
  area substantially.

This is a very exciting project which Wabtec Railare delighted to be a part of.