Driver training on the new Tyne and Wear Metro fleet has been successfully completed – marking another major milestone for the £362m project.
More than 200 members of Metro train crew, including drivers and operations managers, have undertaken the intensive training programme.
Metro operator Nexus confirmed today, Tuesday 16 December, that the final group of drivers had passed the conversion course. It means that the main cohort of Metro drivers are now signed off as fully competent on the new Stadler trains.
Cathy Massarella, Managing Director of Nexus, said: “I’m delighted to confirm that we’ve completed the driver training programme on the new Metro fleet.
“It’s been a fantastic effort to get everyone through this essential training course in just 14 months. More than 200 employees, including drivers and operations managers, are now fully competent on the Stadler trains.
“It’s another big milestone for the Metro fleet project, which is one the biggest and most complex in our history.
“My thanks go to all the drivers for their hard work in passing the course – which has been a critical part of the fleet transition process. A huge amount of work has also been put in by our driver trainers, who have mentored their colleagues on the new trains and helped them to pass all of the required assessments.
“The switch from the old Metro fleet to this one is a big step for our drivers, but they’ve really embraced that change and they can be rightly proud of all their efforts.
“We continue to press on with the roll out of the new Metro trains, which are proving transformative for customers and our own workforce. Whilst a hugely complex project to deliver, they represent a bright future for the Tyne and Wear Metro.”
The driver training programme, which has been implemented on a rolling basis, involved classroom based learning and practical sessions. It was developed in conjunction with the drivers and their trade union colleagues.
This course included the use of a state-of-the-art and fully immersive Metro driving simulator at the Nexus Learning Centre in South Shields, as well as driving the new trains for real on the Metro system under the watchful eye of an instructor.
Each three-week course had an assessment at the end – a railway version of a driving test.
Stadler, the Swiss train manufacturer, is supplying Nexus with 46 new Metro trains.
Almost two thirds of the daily weekday services on Metro are new trains.
The driver training programme has been delivered by a dedicated group of Metro drivers who have been trained to specialise in the new Stadler trains.
The course saw four drivers at a time converted to the new trains. It started with basic familiarisation, which involved learning every single button, pedal and lever.
Areas they have had to cover include train layout and general overview, driver’s cab layout including buttons, functions and display screens, the Train Control Management System (TCMS) – which is the on-board computer -, the interface between the driver and the Stadler trains, and how to operate the cab radio system.
A module on train preparation covered the procedure for preparing the new train for the start of a shift.
There were also modules on the operation of the doors, the automatic sliding steps, customer information systems, automatic train stop, emergency braking and evacuation procedures, customer intercom, the electrical systems, signal sighting, battery operation, fault finding, and how to couple two trains together if required.
Drivers had to complete four and a half hours in the simulator and pass an assessment in it before starting to drive the new trains for real.
They were split into groups of two and were allocated an instructor. They had to undertake six hours of Metro driving under supervision before being eligible to take the final assessment.
Image credit: Nexus
