Airport firefighters get to grips with the new Metro trains

The training was delivered to all four of the Airport’s fire watches, whose job it is to provide 24/7 emergency response cover, helping to keep passengers and airport operations safe.

Metro operator Nexus said the aim was to familiarise the firefighters with all aspects of the new trains in line with the training it provides to other local emergency services on a regular basis.

Key areas included:

• Carriage layout

• Fire detection

• Emergency access points to and from the driver’s cab and the carriage saloon area

• Braking distances, power supply

• Battery locations

• Emergency alarm and intercom systems

• Jacking points

• Location of fire extinguishers and defibrillators.

The new Metro fleet now provides all of the daily train services on the Metro system.

A team of more than 40 highly skilled and experienced firefighters are based at Newcastle Airport.

They are trained to deal with a wide range of emergencies, including aircraft incidents, fires and medical emergencies, and carry out regular training exercises and equipment checks to ensure they are ready to respond at all times.

Paul Taylor, Learning and Development Specialist at Nexus, said: “This is an essential programme of training and familiarisation with the new Metro train fleet that we’ve delivered with all of the fire fighters at Newcastle Airport.

“It’s important that they know the layout, emergency systems and access points on the Stadler train so that they can react effectively in the unlikely event an emergency situation should arise at the airport.

“The new trains are vastly different [to the original fleet], so we built this in this programme of emergency service familiarisation. We’ve already delivered the same course to our colleagues in Northumbria Police and the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service. We plan to update our colleagues at the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS).

“Working with our local blue light services is absolutely critical for us.”

Tony Fatkin, Fire Service Manager at Newcastle Airport’s Rescue and Fire Fighting Service, said: “Safety is always our top priority, which is why continual training and preparation are such an important part of the work we carry out every day.

“It has been fantastic to work alongside Nexus to familiarise our teams with the new trains and gain a detailed understanding of their systems.

“While we hope these skills are never needed, this training ensures our firefighters are fully prepared to respond quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency, helping to keep Airport and Metro passengers, our people and our operations safe.”

The new Metro fleet offers a comfortable, modern and open plan layout, sleek modelled interior, transforming the customer experience, while setting new standards for accessibility.

Stadler, the Swiss train manufacturer, has built 46 new Metro trains on behalf of Nexus – all of which have now been successfully delivered.

The fleet has had a phased introduction since the first trains began carrying customers at the end of 2024. Almost 40 new trains are now available for service.