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Gosforth fleet depot

Working with our sister company, VolkerFitzpatrick, we have installed all overhead line (OLE) equipment at the Tyne and Wear Metro’s Gosforth fleet depot.

As part of the depot’s construction, we installed all OLE structures and cable across the siding’s new 14 roads, and within the new depot building. 

The brand new depot, was built by VolkerFitzpatrick, to accommodate the new state-of-the-art trains for Metro.. The works were part of the staged demolition of an existing depot and stabling facility, with the construction of a new depot, stabling sidings and external ancillary buildings. All works were phased to ensure that Stadler are able to stable a minimum of 35no x 60m units within the site boundaries. Stabling capacity on completion will be a minimum of 49no x 60m units.

The new depot was built on a 12-acre site, close to Regent Centre station. As well as being adapted to optimise train movements, to keep noise to a minimum for the benefit of local residents, it was also fully electrified, in readiness for the new fleet of electric trains, built by Stadler. 

Early works

We completed the early OLE stage works, which included installing a number of circular hollow section steel piles and foundations at the East and West ends of the depot.

Second stage works

The team installed the depot’s new OLE booms at the end of October. This was followed by further piling works, and then the main OLE steelwork erection and wire runs, before the redundant equipment was removed in Summer 2022.

Final stage works  

As part of the final stages, we installed the remaining piles and the overhead line equipment, which was completed in 2024.

"VolkerFitzpatrick and VolkerRail have a vast amount of knowledge and experience in building train depots, and I am confident that this knowledge and experience will allow our teams to work seamlessly, whilst the depot becomes electrified."

Marcus Dench Senior project manager - VolkerFitzpatrick