Nexus Investigates Train Fault After Jesmond Metro Platform Damage

Platform Two at Jesmond Metro Station remains closed as a safety measure after being damaged by a train earlier this week, with passengers advised to use alternative platforms and nearby stations.

The incident occurred on Monday night after a Metro train was withdrawn from service at Pelaw because of a fault with its automatic sliding step. The problem led to services being suspended for more than two hours between Haymarket and South Gosforth. As the empty train was taken out of service and returned to the depot at South Gosforth, its faulty step made contact with the platform edge at Jesmond, causing damage.

No passengers were on board the train at the time and no injuries were reported. However, Nexus closed Platform Two as a precaution while inspections and repair work are carried out. At present, there is no confirmed date for when the platform will reopen.

Nexus said it believes the issue is limited to the individual train involved and has described it as a “teething issue”. The operator stressed that the problem is not expected to affect the wider introduction of the new Metro fleet, unlike an earlier incident in April when all new trains were temporarily withdrawn due to a door fault.

Passengers using Jesmond are being directed to Platform One or to nearby West Jesmond Metro Station until further notice.

Ben Brooks, head of engineering at Nexus, said:

"We have temporarily closed Platform 2 at Jesmond Metro station, after the platform edge was damaged on Monday evening, 29 December. The closure is precautionary to keep everyone safe while we check the damage and carry out repairs as soon as possible. We're sorry for the inconvenience that this has caused to customers using the station. This happened after an issue with the automatic sliding step on one of our trains. We are working closely with Stadler to investigate this. The roll out of the new Metro fleet will continue. The introduction of the new trains is the biggest and most complex project in the history of the Tyne and Wear Metro. The current phase is the most challenging of any fleet transition project. This is why we are taking a careful and phased approach to fleet introduction to ensure we can monitor, amend, and refine any issues as required."

Image: Nexus