The Tyne and Wear Metro Control Room is set for an £8.8 million upgrade to key systems essential to the day-to-day operation of the system.
Technology which manages key assets, including Metro power supply, fire and intruder alarms, lighting, lifts, escalators, and tunnel drainage pumps, will be renewed to an upgraded digital standard.
The current Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition System (SCADA) was installed in the mid-1990s and is reaching the end of its lifespan. The upgrade will allow for faster and more effective fault finding for facilities across the system, helping to reduce disruptions for Metro customers.
During the upgrade, the current system will remain switched on until the new system is fully up and running. At no point will the Metro be without a backup or power.
Regular day-to-day operations will not be disrupted, other than on the dates listed.
Metro operator Nexus said that to complete the work safely and efficiently, some early morning and late evening system-wide closures are needed for a short period.
To reduce the impact on customers and avoid busy travel times, this work is being planned around upcoming bank holidays.
This means there will be no trains system-wide, on the dates and times below. For the work on May bank holiday, there is a longer closure by Network Rail on their infrastructure from Pelaw to South Hylton.
- Easter Monday, Monday 6 April: 5am until 10am
- Sunday 3 May: From 8.30pm (No trains running between Pelaw – South Hylton all day).
- Early May Bank holiday, Monday 4 May: Until 10.30am (No trains running between Pelaw – South Hylton all day).
Replacement buses will run on these dates and customers are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for journeys. Bus information will be available on the Pop App and also on the Nexus website.
Stuart Clarke, infrastructure director at Nexus, said: “This project is a major investment in new technology for our Metro control room at South Gosforth and is vital for Metro’s long-term future.
“It is a project which has been meticulously planned over the last two years to ensure the least possible amount of disruption to our customers. However, some late and early closures will be required so that we can switch across to the new digital equipment.
“The SCADA system is essential for the safe and effective operation of Metro. It enables us to remotely manage the high and low voltage power supplies and other key things like lighting, lifts, escalators and fire alarms.
“The new system will allow us to resolve infrastructure issues more effectively, which will mean less disruption for our customers.
“Where services are impacted, customers will be provided with replacement buses and I apologise in advance for the disruption. Customers are advised to be aware of the closure dates and allow plenty of extra time for their journeys.”
The project is being carried out on behalf of Nexus by Sella Controls, which is being supported by Nexus teams to ensure work is completed efficiently and to minimise any disruption to the public.
It will be the most significant upgrade to the Metro control room since the installation of a £12 million computerised signalling control system in 2018.
The solution will utilise the very latest SCADA and RTU (remote terminal unit) products that have already been extensively used across the mainline UK rail network.
Image credit: Nexus
