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Metrocar updates and withdrawals - Tyne & Wear Metro

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43094

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Some photos of 4035 + 4068 (T110) and 4029 + 4078 (T127) today.
 

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D1537

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No Metrocars out today, although on the app it is saying a train has been withdrawn which looking at the live map appears to be T106, so we will see what replaces that.
 

390Trains

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T106 was replaced with another 555. I’ve been reliably informed that Metrocars won’t be making an appearance today unless quite a few 555s fail, which is unlikely. They should be back in service tomorrow.
 

RyanT15

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T106 was replaced with another 555. I’ve been reliably informed that Metrocars won’t be making an appearance today unless quite a few 555s fail, which is unlikely. They should be back in service tomorrow.
78+29 should be on a howdon starters tommorow
010 replaced 033 on T106
At the moment nothing else looks to have failed
 

Tramfan

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Are the Howdon starters all Yellow line, or are there any Green (I have T111 in my head for some reason)?
107, 128, 130, and 133 are the weekday Howdon starters

111 used to be prior to the last timetable change
 

390Trains

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Metrocar update - 11th May 2026

According to @My_Metro (the Tyne and Wear Metro's Twitter account), there's just the one Metrocar set out today.

  • T133 (Yellow) - 4029 + 4078

I'll update this post if anything changes during the day.
 

DGH 1

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Metrocar update - 11th May 2026

According to @My_Metro (the Tyne and Wear Metro's Twitter account), there's just the one Metrocar set out today.

  • T133 (Yellow) - 4029 + 4078

I'll update this post if anything changes during the day.
Brilliant,thank you!
 

390Trains

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Metrocar update - 12th May 2026

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m back with another Metrocar update. There’s two Metrocar pairs out on the network today:

  • T107 (Green) - 4068 + 4035
  • T136 (Yellow) - 4050 + 4024
 

DGH 1

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Metrocar update - 12th May 2026

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m back with another Metrocar update. There’s two Metrocar pairs out on the network today:

  • T107 (Green) - 4068 + 4035
  • T136 (Yellow) - 4050 + 4024
Thanks again for these updates, they're very much appreciated.
 

D1537

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Metrocar update - 12th May 2026

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m back with another Metrocar update. There’s two Metrocar pairs out on the network today:

  • T107 (Green) - 4068 + 4035
  • T136 (Yellow) - 4050 + 4024
T107 was pulled later after failing (not sure which unit). This is after 4029 went bang on T133 yesterday.
 

390Trains

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Metrocar update - 13th May 2026

Just the one pair out today.

  • T108 (Green) - 4050 + 4024

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

not sure which unit
4035 developed a fault and got pulled at South Gosforth. Not sure what the issue was. T107 was actually reinstated a little while later, so I'd assume they managed to fix the issue.
 

Class91Joe

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Metrocar update - 13th May 2026

Just the one pair out today.

  • T108 (Green) - 4050 + 4024

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==


4035 developed a fault and got pulled at South Gosforth. Not sure what the issue was. T107 was actually reinstated a little while later, so I'd assume they managed to fix the issue.
4068 was the car which failed on Tuesday. 4035 was still powered and pushed 68 by itself from where it failed (between RGC and SGF), into Stoneyhurst Road Sidings before 35 lead the set back to the depot.
 

D1537

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I know the end is near for our old friends, but that's sad news for a weekday.
And it was of course on the first day for a couple of weeks that I had a few hours free in Newcastle! Oh well, all three of the 555s I needed were out, so I knocked them off and now need to wait for some of the last eleven to enter service...
 

DGH 1

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And it was of course on the first day for a couple of weeks that I had a few hours free in Newcastle! Oh well, all three of the 555s I needed were out, so I knocked them off and now need to wait for some of the last eleven to enter service...
That's a pity, but that's the snakes and ladders of our hobby unfortunately.
 

Barnsley

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Hope there’s some out tomorrow, just booked a last minute night in spoons, on annual leave so thought I’d try to have another last trip
 

DGH 1

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Do we think the end may now be finally approaching? They don’t seem to be in too much of a hurry to get rid of the last ones.
Yes, definitely, but you never know. I think an earlier comment said the transport company that takes them away for scrap had gone into administration so maybe they're trying to sort a new one out.
 

390Trains

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trying to sort a new one out
This is correct. GCS Johnson went bust, so they need to find a new firm.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Do we think the end may now be finally approaching?
The end is definitely nigh. They have enough 555s to run the full service now, and we're not far off another two sets (043 and 044) entering passenger service after completing their kilometre accumulation. Another couple of units have also recently completed their kilometre accumulation, but it usually takes a couple of months for them to enter service after doing their kilometre accumulation. Every set that finishes kilometre accumulation means that one fewer Metrocar pair is needed. I'm going to make a sad prediction and say that it's unlikely that any Metrocars will be in regular timetabled passenger service by the end of June.

They will, however, be retaining a couple of Metrocars for the RHTT for the time being.
They won't be in passenger service, but you'll at least be able to spot them.

They don’t seem to be in too much of a hurry
Yeah, they definitely held onto them for a lot longer than I thought they were going to. At one point, Metrocars were being scrapped so quickly that I thought it was unlikely that any would be in passenger service by March, yet here we are in May. I'm not sure why Nexus/Stadler held onto the Metrocars for so long, but I have a feeling it was probably due to the reliability issues that have plagued the 555 fleet. We're fast reaching the point where they have enough 555s to run the full service (28 trains) and can also draft in spare 555s to replace any failed trains (and have a couple out of service undergoing maintenance).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Metrocar update - 15th May 2026

Unfortunately, it’s a second consecutive weekday without any Metrocars. :(

@Barnsley
 
Last edited:

DGH 1

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This is correct. GCS Johnson went bust, so they need to find a new firm.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==


The end is definitely nigh. They have enough 555s to run the full service now, and we're not far off another two sets (043 and 044) entering passenger service after completing their kilometre accumulation. Another couple of units have also recently completed their kilometre accumulation, but it usually takes a couple of months for them to enter service after doing their kilometre accumulation. Every set that finishes kilometre accumulation means that one fewer Metrocar pair is needed. I'm going to make a sad prediction and say that it's unlikely that any Metrocars will be in regular timetabled passenger service by the end of June.

They will, however, be retaining a couple of Metrocars for the RHTT for the time being.
They won't be in passenger service, but you'll at least be able to spot them.


Yeah, they definitely held onto them for a lot longer than I thought they were going to. At one point, Metrocars were being scrapped so quickly that I thought it was unlikely that any would be in passenger service by March, yet here we are in May. I'm not sure why Nexus/Stadler held onto the Metrocars for so long, but I have a feeling it was probably due to the reliability issues that have plagued the 555 fleet. We're fast reaching the point where they have enough 555s to run the full service (28 trains) and can also draft in spare 555s to replace any failed trains (and have a couple out of service undergoing maintenance).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Metrocar update - 15th May 2026

Unfortunately, it’s a second consecutive weekday without any Metrocars. :(

@Barnsley
Are the 555s unable to work the rhtt trains because of their length?
 

hopperelec

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Are the 555s unable to work the rhtt trains because of their length?
I don't see why length would be the issue. Metro have successfully operated 4x 555s coupled together out on the network for a delivery, and 3x 555s coupled together for a rescue during service hours, so 2x 555s plus the RHTT wagon (MA06) should theoretically be fine.

There is also an adapter for coupling a 555 to a metrocar, used for the first couple 555 deliveries, so I don't see why they couldn't use that for between a 555 and MA06. However, if they would need a 555 on either side, I'm not sure if they have two of these adapters, so that could be a problem.
 

Barnsley

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334
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This is correct. GCS Johnson went bust, so they need to find a new firm.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==


The end is definitely nigh. They have enough 555s to run the full service now, and we're not far off another two sets (043 and 044) entering passenger service after completing their kilometre accumulation. Another couple of units have also recently completed their kilometre accumulation, but it usually takes a couple of months for them to enter service after doing their kilometre accumulation. Every set that finishes kilometre accumulation means that one fewer Metrocar pair is needed. I'm going to make a sad prediction and say that it's unlikely that any Metrocars will be in regular timetabled passenger service by the end of June.

They will, however, be retaining a couple of Metrocars for the RHTT for the time being.
They won't be in passenger service, but you'll at least be able to spot them.


Yeah, they definitely held onto them for a lot longer than I thought they were going to. At one point, Metrocars were being scrapped so quickly that I thought it was unlikely that any would be in passenger service by March, yet here we are in May. I'm not sure why Nexus/Stadler held onto the Metrocars for so long, but I have a feeling it was probably due to the reliability issues that have plagued the 555 fleet. We're fast reaching the point where they have enough 555s to run the full service (28 trains) and can also draft in spare 555s to replace any failed trains (and have a couple out of service undergoing maintenance).

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==

Metrocar update - 15th May 2026

Unfortunately, it’s a second consecutive weekday without any Metrocars. :(

@Barnsley
Might do Chathill then, unless any come out later!
 

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