Howdon depot explained
Howdon Depot is a vehicle cleaning, maintenance and stabling facility used by the Tyne and Wear Metro, in Howdon, North Tyneside in Tyne and Wear, England.
History
The depot was constructed on the site of a former landfill, by Buckingham Group Contracting, as a temporary satellite of South Gosforth depot, ahead of refurbishment work commencing.[1] A groundbreaking ceremony took place in June 2019,[2] with the main construction phase commencing in late 2019.[3] Opening was initially expected in July 2020,[4] [5] [6] but this was delayed, with the depot becoming operational in December 2020,[7] [8] [9]
The depot has the capacity to house 25% of the current Metrocar fleet, which allowed for a continuing service whilst the main depot at South Gosforth was upgraded. Construction of the new 12adj=onNaNadj=on South Gosforth depot completed in January 2024.[10] [11] [12] It is equipped with ten storage roads, and is capable of accepting and assembling the new fleet of Class 555 Metro currently being constructed by Stadler.[13] [14] It also features a maintenance shed with a single road and a pit underneath, as well as one shunt road.
Notes and References
- Sherratt . Philip . Metro set for new fleet transformation . Modern Railways . September 2020 . 77 . 864 . 72–73 . Key Publishing . Stamford . 0026-8356.
- Pickering. Grahame. Managing Metro's metamorphosis . Rail Magazine . 5 May 2021 . 930. 54 . Bauer Media . Peterborough . 0953-4563.
- News: Havery . Gavin . 1 January 2020 . Work started on temporary Metro depot . 30 August 2020 . . en.
- News: Tyne & Wear Metro’s new depot at Howdon almost ready to open . 30 August 2020 . Rail Staff . 20 July 2020.
- News: July 2020 . New Tyne & Wear Metro depot at Howdon . Rail Engineer . 185.
- Pritchard . Robert . Tyne and Wear Metro at 40 . Today's Railways . September 2020 . 223 . 30 . Platform 5 . Sheffield . 1475-9713.
- Harris. Nigel. Satellite depot aids Metro maintenance . Rail Magazine . 21 October 2020 . 916 . 22 . Bauer Media . Peterborough . 0953-4563.
- Sherratt . Philip . Metro set for new fleet transformation . Modern Railways . September 2020 . 77 . 864 . 72 . Key Publishing . Stamford . 0026-8356.
- Web site: 17 December 2020 . Temporary Metro depot becomes operational in North Tyneside . 16 April 2024 . Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive.
- Web site: Button . Jason . 24 January 2024 . Metro’s new £70 million Gosforth Depot successfully completed to house new trains . 15 April 2024 . Shields Gazette.
- Web site: Booth . Janine . 2024-01-25 . New Tyne & Wear Metro Gosforth Depot is completed . 2024-04-15 . RailAdvent . en-GB.
- Web site: Pashby . Tom . 2024-01-29 . New £70M Tyne and Wear Metro depot completed . 2024-04-15 . New Civil Engineer . en.
- Shirres . David . New Tyne and Wear Depot at Howdon . Rail Engineer . November 2019 . 179 . 40 . Rail Media . Coalville . 67701855.
- Beardsley. Ian. Stadler takes over Metro maintenance. Today's Railways. December 2020. 226. Platform 5. Sheffield. 1475-9713. 20.
