British Rail Class 555

British Rail Class 555
*Metro*
British Rail Class 555; Metro
	Class 555 being tested at Arth-Goldau, Switzerland, prior to delivery
In service	TBA
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail
Assembly	Stadler Rheintal AG
Built at	St. Margrethen, Switzerland
Family name	Metro
Replaced	Tyne and Wear Metrocar
Constructed	2021–present
Number under construction	23
Number built	23 (as of June 2024)
Formation	5 cars per unit
Capacity	600 (104 seated, 496 standing)
Operators	Tyne & Wear Metro
Depots	South Gosforth; Howdon;
Lines served	Green (Airport – South Hylton); Yellow (St James – South Shields);
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium
Train length	59.900 m (196 ft 6.3 in)
Width	2.650 m (8 ft 8.3 in)
Height	3.445 m (11 ft 3.6 in)
Floor height	940 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Doors	Double-leaf sliding plug, each 1.400 m (4 ft 7.1 in) wide (8 per side)
Wheel diameter	720 to 645 mm (28.35 to 25.39 in) (new–worn)
Wheelbase	Motor bogies: 2.200 m (7 ft 2.6 in); Trailing bogies: 2.000 m (6 ft 6.7 in);
Maximum speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Weight	Unladen: 98 tonnes (96 long tons; 108 short tons); At crush load: 141 tonnes (139 long tons; 155 short tons);
Axle load	12.5 tonnes (12.3 long tons; 13.8 short tons) max.
Traction system	IGBT-VVVF
Traction motors	8 × TSA TMF 41-17-4,; each of 120 kW (160 hp)
Power output	At wheels:; Max.: 1,320 kW (1,770 hp); Cont.: 942 kW (1,263 hp);
Tractive effort	Starting: 140 kN (31,000 lbf)
Acceleration	Starting: 1.35 m/s2 (4.4 ft/s2)
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC overhead
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
UIC classification	2′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′2′
Braking system(s)	Electro-pneumatic (disc) and regenerative, plus magnetic
Safety system(s)	Indusi; (plus provision for ETCS);
Multiple working	Within class
Seating	Longitudinal
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
	Sourced from except where otherwise noted.

The British Rail Class 555 Metro is a class of electric multiple unit, manufactured by Swiss company Stadler Rail for a total cost of £362 million, that will enter into service in 2024 on the Tyne and Wear Metro. It will replace the original Tyne and Wear Metrocar rolling stock, which have been in use since 1980. To facilitate operation of the Class 555, a new Metro Fleet Depot in Gosforth has been built, and 40 of the 60 stations are having platform heights modified. Metro operator Nexus has consulted with both drivers and passengers on the fine details of cab and carriage interior design.

^ Cite error: The named reference RE334 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference startsassemb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ "Halfway point for Tyne & Wear Metro's Class 555s". Network News. Rail Magazine. No. 1011. 12 June 2024. p. 15.
^ ^a ^b "Metro Futures Webinars Q&A" (PDF). Nexus. Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
^ "Stadler Rail Metro for Tyne and Wear, Newcastle". Wiener Neudorf: Traktionssysteme Austria. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
^ Metro EMU - Nexus, Tyne and Wear, UK (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

[RE334-1] Cite error: The named reference RE334 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[startsassemb-2] Cite error: The named reference startsassemb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[Rail1011-3] "Halfway point for Tyne & Wear Metro's Class 555s". Network News. Rail Magazine. No. 1011. 12 June 2024. p. 15.

[metrofuturesfaq-4] "Metro Futures Webinars Q&A" (PDF). Nexus. Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 1 July 2021.

[5] "Stadler Rail Metro for Tyne and Wear, Newcastle". Wiener Neudorf: Traktionssysteme Austria. Retrieved 28 January 2023.

[spec-6] Metro EMU - Nexus, Tyne and Wear, UK (PDF). Bussnang: Stadler Rail Group. 21 September 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2021.

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British Rail Class 555 Metro
Class 555 being tested at Arth-Goldau, Switzerland, prior to delivery
In service	TBA^[1]
Manufacturer	Stadler Rail
Assembly	Stadler Rheintal AG^[2]
Built at	St. Margrethen, Switzerland
Family name	Metro
Replaced	Tyne and Wear Metrocar
Constructed	2021–present
Number under construction	23
Number built	23 (as of June 2024)^[3]
Formation	5 cars per unit
Capacity	600 (104 seated, 496 standing)^[4]
Operators	Tyne & Wear Metro
Depots	South Gosforth Howdon
Lines served	Green (Airport – South Hylton) Yellow (St James – South Shields)
Specifications
Car body construction	Aluminium
Train length	59.900 m (196 ft 6.3 in)
Width	2.650 m (8 ft 8.3 in)
Height	3.445 m (11 ft 3.6 in)
Floor height	940 mm (3 ft 1 in)
Doors	Double-leaf sliding plug, each 1.400 m (4 ft 7.1 in) wide (8 per side)
Wheel diameter	720 to 645 mm (28.35 to 25.39 in) (new–worn)
Wheelbase	Motor bogies: 2.200 m (7 ft 2.6 in) Trailing bogies: 2.000 m (6 ft 6.7 in)
Maximum speed	50 mph (80 km/h)
Weight	Unladen: 98 tonnes (96 long tons; 108 short tons) At crush load: 141 tonnes (139 long tons; 155 short tons)
Axle load	12.5 tonnes (12.3 long tons; 13.8 short tons) max.
Traction system	IGBT-VVVF
Traction motors	8 × TSA TMF 41-17-4, each of 120 kW (160 hp)^[5]
Power output	At wheels: Max.: 1,320 kW (1,770 hp) Cont.: 942 kW (1,263 hp)
Tractive effort	Starting: 140 kN (31,000 lb_f)
Acceleration	Starting: 1.35 m/s² (4.4 ft/s²)
Electric system(s)	1,500 V DC overhead
Current collector(s)	Pantograph
UIC classification	2′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′2′
Braking system(s)	Electro-pneumatic (disc) and regenerative, plus magnetic
Safety system(s)	Indusi (plus provision for ETCS)^[4]
Multiple working	Within class
Seating	Longitudinal
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Notes/references
Sourced from ^[6] except where otherwise noted.