Nexus Training Facility, South Shields, UK

Located on the rail sidings to the north of South Shields Metro station, the new facility incorporates an 80m long double-height clear-span space for the train maintenance with inspection pits, mock station with platform, turnstiles & ticket area to allow for practical customer care and safety training and associated engineering ancillary facilities.

The Centre will also provide a wide range of infrastructure and operations training for staff, containing a Driver Training Simulator, lecture and meeting rooms, offices, staff room, canteen and changing facilities. An external 70 metre stretch of dual track for rail infrastructure training will also be built to the west of the building, including track, track points, signalling and overhead line.

Architecturally the single building allows the development to be unified, with the two-storey training centre wrapping around the light maintenance area, balancing the need for “clean” accommodation with practical, hands on engineering facilities.

Within the structure, SGP’s architectural approach has clearly delineated the two activities, with a common form and colour defining the depot area and a contrasting clad accommodation block and feature wall wrapping around and framing the depot.