skip to content
stan runge

#6033

British Rail Class 555

🇨🇭 Switzerland ·built by Stadler Rail· from 2024· electric multiple unit used on the Tyne and Wear Metro

🚇 metro electric ✓ in service
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. 555028 at Callerton Parkway on The Tyne and Wear Metro 010725 (54627082543): Foulger Rail Photos from Basingstoke, UK· CC BY-SA 4.0
  2. 2. BR Class 555 St. Margrethen: Kecko· CC BY 2.0
  3. 3. Br class555 002 arth-goldau XAM-E1 (cropped): LigioWiki· CC BY 4.0
  4. 4. Br class555 002 arth-goldau XAM-E1: LigioWiki (with cropping, alignment, and exposure adjustments by XAM2175 )· CC BY 4.0
  5. 5. Br class555 002 arth-goldau: LigioWiki· CC BY 4.0
  6. 6. Class 555 METRO EMU - 54784336223: Samson Ng . D201@EAL· CC BY-SA 4.0
  7. 7. Rigibahn 4: Chris.urs-o· CC BY-SA 4.0
  8. 8. 555003 at Benton taken from Metrocar 4043 on The Tyne and Wear Metro 010725 (54626002242): Foulger Rail Photos from Basingstoke, UK· CC BY-SA 4.0
  9. 9. 555004 at Airport on The Tyne and Wear Metro 010725 (54626871171) (crop): Foulger Rail Photos from Basingstoke, UK· CC BY-SA 4.0
  10. 10. 555004 at Airport on The Tyne and Wear Metro 010725 (54626871171): Foulger Rail Photos from Basingstoke, UK· CC BY-SA 4.0
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
British Rail Class 555, photo 1 of 10
1/10 Foulger Rail Photos from Basingstoke, UK· CC BY-SA 4.0

what is it?

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.

who runs it

Tyne and Wear Metro

base stats

  • speed 80 km/htop speed
  • seats 496passengers
  • built 46made in total

Bars compare against all trains: 600 km/h (maglev), 1,700 seats; power, weight and number built on a log scale up to 20 MW, 1,000 t and 20,000 built.

fun facts

  • First built 2 years ago, in 2024.
  • Seats 496: 10 full city buses (~50 seats each).

metro: Urban rapid transit: frequent, high-capacity trains, often underground.

spec sheet

built
2024
in service from
2024
status
in service
number built
46
kind
metro
traction
electric
origin
🇨🇭 Switzerland
builders
Stadler Rail
operators
Tyne and Wear Metro
top speed
80 km/h
power
—
formation
5 cars per unit
capacity
496 passengers

From the Wikipedia infobox and Wikidata. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q107210897, Wikipedia: British Rail Class 555 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-25.

stan runge e33afe5 source