Nexus, which owns, manages and is modernising Metro, has invested £2.3m in a state-of-the-art new rail maintenance vehicle to ensure Tyne and Wear Metro tracks are kept up to scratch for many decades to come.
The new vehicle has been bought as part of the £389m Metro all change modernisation programme – a Government funded scheme to renew Metro’s infrastructure including tracks, stations and trains.
The vehicle, which is known as an on-track tamping machine, will be primarily used by Nexus to look after Metro’s 77kms of track. It is used to sustain track geometry levels and alignment in accordance with UK rail industry standards.
Director of Rail and Infrastructure for Nexus, Raymond Johnstone, said: “This is a massive investment by Nexus.
“It ensures that we have the best equipment money can buy in order to maintain the Metro tracks for many years to come.
“What we have bought is the very latest and one the very best rail maintenance vehicles on the market. This is a key part of our £389m Metro all change modernisation programme as it goes forward this year.
“The tamping machine replaces our existing maintenance vehicle. It is capable of getting through a lot more work and to a much higher specification. The machine is a UK leader, being the first main line specification machine designed to fit on a metro system. This will have a long term benefit for the 38 million passengers who use Metro every year.”
This new tamper is designed to be much quieter, which means less noise disruption when tracks are being maintained in suburban areas.
The tamping vehicle will largely be used during the night, when Nexus carries out the bulk of its track maintenance work, when Metro trains are not in operation.
With greater levels of automation, it will be able to get through much more work, and to a much higher degree of accuracy and with a much improved working environment for staff.
The new tamping machine is capable of treating sets of tracks points and switches, as well plain sections of Metro line.
Fitted out with its own on-board welfare facilities, including a WC and rest room, it means that staff can remain with the vehicle for much longer periods, given the transient nature of the work.
Head of Maintenance Delivery for Nexus, Phil Kirkland, added: “We’re very much looking forward to getting this new vehicle into use on our very busy Metro maintenance and modernisation programme.
“There are a lot more systems on this new vehicle that make it more accurate, and more cost effective for us in the long term.
“We do the bulk of our major track works at night and with this machine being much smoother and quieter it means we can be better neighbours to the thousands of people who live close to the Metro lines.”
The tamper, which was manufactured in Linz in Austria by a company called Plasser and Theurer, was delivered to the Nexus rail engineering base in South Gosforth, Newcastle, on Monday.
A process of detailed commissioning and staff training will now get underway with a view to putting the new vehicle into use over the next few months, and gradually phasing out the previous model, which Nexus has owned since 1989.
Find out more about rail tamping machines and why track tamping is required.