Metro carriage refurbishment 'completed five months early'

The £30m refurbishment of the Tyne and Wear Metro train fleet has been completed five months ahead of schedule, according to its operator.

A total of 86 carriages were stripped down to their frames and had corroded bodywork replaced.

DB Regio, which runs the system on behalf of Nexus, said the work would extend their service life by 10 years.

It formed part of the £389m government-funded modernisation programme of the network.

Seating has been re-upholstered, new lighting installed and carriage layouts altered to provide greater space for wheelchair users.

Initial work was carried out by an engineering firm in Doncaster and then completed by DB Regio at its South Gosforth depot in Newcastle.

The carriages have been in use for 35 years and have undergone two previous refurbishments.

Meanwhile, a report into an incident which saw passengers flee a train at Walkergate station, external after an overhead power cable snapped and made contact with the carriage was published on Thursday.

It recommended "a more effective arrangement on the exchange of relevant safety information" between Nexus and DB Regio.

The incident, on 11 August 2014, resulted in a shower of sparks and a small fire. No-one was injured, but about 30 passengers on the train used emergency exits to get on to the platform.

Earlier this month Nexus imposed a £271,000 penalty payment against DB Regio, external over concerns about the punctuality of services.

Delays and performance issues also saw Nexus withhold £500,000 from the firm last year.