A life-sized replica of the new Tyne and Wear Metro train has become a teaching aid to support railway safety classes for thousands of local children.<\/p>\n
The Metro cab mock-up has been given a permanent home at SafetyWorks in Newcastle, an interactive education centre providing realistic, hands-on safety training for schools, youth groups, and community organisations.<\/p>\n
Metro operator Nexus said it was delighted to find a use for the replica, which had previously been used to familiarise Metro drivers with their new cab before the real trains started to be delivered. It has now become part of the immersive Metro safety training facility, which includes a Metro station, tracks, ticket machines, platforms, and a level crossing.<\/p>\n
The replica, which was provided to Nexus by the Swiss train builder Stadler in 2021, brings the Metro training area at Safety Works right up to date, replacing a mock-up of the original Metro carriage that was previously there. Safety Works is a multi-agency training facility which is used by the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service, Northumbria Police, Nexus, and the local authorities to conduct safety awareness days for young people. It is visited by 5,000 school children every year.<\/p>\n
Deborah Rodenby, youth liaison officer at Nexus, said: \u201cThe replica of the new Metro train is a vital new tool for engaging young people when they visit SafetyWorks.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to really grab their attention and that will make it easier for us to get the key railway safety messages across.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s fantastic to give the cab mock-up a permanent new home. It looks amazing. It has supported our Metro drivers with adapting to the new trains, and now it\u2019s got a new lease of life as a teaching aid, helping thousands of children learn about the dangers of trespassing on the lines.<\/p>\n
“By stepping onto this realistic station layout, they experience the real-world environment of the new Metro fleet firsthand, learning about the dangers of trespassing and to respect the lethal nature of high-voltage overhead lines. This hands-on training does more than just teach rail safety. It actively deters dangerous trespassing and anti-social behaviour by fostering a genuine respect for the network.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Richardson, head of fleet and depot replacement at Nexus, commented: \u201cThis is a great legacy project within the ongoing roll out of the new Metro train fleet.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe cab mock-up did a great job early on in the project when we used it to familiarise our drivers with the new trains ahead of the real ones arriving.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s heartwarming to see that it\u2019s now getting used to educate young people in railway safety and accident prevention. As a Metro operator we are committed to youth liaison work to ensure children understand the dangers of trespassing on our lines.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Stadler mock-up, which is to scale, was used to help finalise the new fleet during the design process. It was built based on the feedback Metro train crews provided on virtual reality software. Stadler brought it over from Germany, where it was constructed, before being shipped to the UK and assembled on site in a workshop at the Gosforth Metro depot. It boasts the full Metro cab layout, a driver\u2019s seat, and the exterior is exactly what the new trains are like, right down to the yellow livery and running board.<\/p>\n
The focus of SafetyWorks lies in teaching pupils about various forms of health and safety, and there are a number of different day trips that schools can get involved with. It prides itself on creating an interactive, informative day out. The classes are scenario-based, meaning children are immersed in realistic situations throughout their visit to learn about potential problems, how they arise and how to combat them directly.<\/p>\n
All classes are held in a life-sized \u2018safety town\u2019, so the resources that the students interact with are the physical areas around them.<\/p>\n
Image credit: Nexus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A life-sized replica of the new Tyne and Wear Metro train has become a teaching aid to support railway safety classes for thousands of local children. The Metro cab mock-up has been given a permanent home at SafetyWorks in Newcastle, an interactive education centre providing realistic, hands-on safety training for schools, youth groups, and community [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2326,47,180,43,16016,2021,85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-534357","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-metro","category-rail-news","category-rolling-stock","category-safety","category-train-operating-companies","category-training","category-uk"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t