British Rail Class 555
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|---|---|
 Class 555 at Whitley Bay in 2026 | |
 Class 555 interior | |
| In service | 18 December 2024 – present |
| Manufacturer | Stadler Rail |
| Assembly | Stadler Rheintal AG |
| Built at | St. Margrethen, Switzerland |
| Family name | METRO |
| Replaced | Tyne and Wear Metrocar |
| Constructed | 2021–2025 |
| Number built | 46 |
| Number in service | 36 |
| Formation | 5 cars per unit |
| Fleet numbers | 555001–555046 |
| Capacity | 600 (104 seated, 496 standing) |
| Operator | Tyne & Wear Metro |
| Depots | |
| Lines served |
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| Specifications | |
| Car body construction | Aluminium |
| Train length | 59.900 m (196 ft 6.3 in) |
| Width | 2,650 mm (8 ft 8 in) |
| Height | 3,445 mm (11 ft 3.6 in) |
| Floor height | 940 mm (3 ft 1 in) |
| Doors | Double-leaf sliding plug, each 1,400 mm (4 ft 7 in) wide (8 per side) |
| Wheel diameter | 720 to 645 mm (28.35 to 25.39 in) (new–worn) |
| Wheelbase |
|
| Maximum speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
| Weight |
|
| Axle load | 12.5 t (12.3 long tons; 13.8 short tons) max. |
| Traction system | IGBT-VVVF |
| Traction motors |
|
| Power output |
|
| Tractive effort | Starting: 140 kN (31,000 lbf) |
| Acceleration | Starting: 1.35 m/s2 (4.4 ft/s2) |
| Electric systems | Overhead line, 1,500 V DC |
| Current collection | Pantograph |
| UIC classification | 2′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′(Bo)′2′ |
| Braking systems | Electro-pneumatic (disc) and regenerative, plus magnetic |
| Safety systems | |
| Coupling system | Dellner type 12 |
| 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 units, commissioned and built for Nexus (the Tyne and Wear Passenger Transport Executive) by the Swiss company Stadler Rail, at a total cost of £362 million, for use on the Tyne and Wear Metro. For operation on Network Rail controlled tracks between Pelaw Junction and Sunderland, they are designated on TOPS as the Class 555.
Tyne and Wear Metrocars were in use since the system opened in 1980. In 2016, Nexus began work to replace these trains, with Stadler Rail chosen in January 2020, and the order of 46 trains confirmed in March 2020. The Metro Fleet Depot in Gosforth was completely rebuilt to house the new fleet, and 40 of the 60 stations have had platform heights modified. On 18 December 2024, the first unit entered passenger service. By February 2026, all 46 new trains had been delivered, with withdrawal from routine service of the existing trains completed in June 2026.