A TYNEDALE contractor has been appointed to undertake demolition work at the Tyne and Wear Metro depot.

Thompsons of Prudhoe will take on the task of knocking down the 100 year old depot at Gosforth, in Newcastle, paving the way for a £70m rebuild on the same site.

The new depot will be home to the new Metro train fleet over the coming years, heralding a bright new future for the transport system.

Stadler, the Swiss train builder who will design and build the new Metro trains, has pledged to support the regional economy and involve as many north east-based companies as possible. It is committed to using local suppliers for materials and services for the depot re-build, the manufacturing of the new trains and the 35-year service and maintenance contract.

And several other regional companies have also recently been taken on for this project, including Consultive Solutions, Ryder Architects, CMS Architects and Advance365, following a fair and transparent selection process. All six of these appointments were made by VolkerFitzpatrick, the company commissioned by Stadler to build the new depot.

Nick Shilling, managing director of Thompsons of Prudhoe, added: “We are delighted to be involved in the delivery of this north east project.

“We look forward to providing removal and demolition services in 2021 and 2022.

“The new depot and state-of-the-art trains will be a real benefit to the region, and it is pleasure to be part of it.”