Definite no from me. Spent 20 years commuting on them and can't wait to be rid of them. Preservation yes, service no.
Hi everyone, I am new here. I love the Metrocars and I made a petition to keep two of them in service. Please sign and share it if you can.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
Metrocar updates and withdrawals - Tyne & Wear Metro
- Thread starter DanNCL
- Start date
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
BrunswickGreen
Member
- Joined
- 12 Jun 2015
- Messages
- 77
Bit late in the day for your petition, where have you been since the new units started arriving! Why should Nexus keep a non standard unit, taking depot space apart from the availability of spares. So thats a definite no from me.
Hi everyone, I am new here. I love the Metrocars and I made a petition to keep two of them in service. Please sign and share it if you can.
DGH 1
Member
Welcome to the forum, please don't be too disheartened by people's comments in reply to your very first comment, but as much as I think it would be great in principle, as others have said the sheer logistics of retaining one or two units and the new fleet is never going to happen, no matter how much you and I would like to see it.
Hi everyone, I am new here. I love the Metrocars and I made a petition to keep two of them in service. Please sign and share it if you can.
D1537
Established Member
4078+81 on T106 now incidentally, took over from a 555 earlier.
NorthEastern
Member
I think it’s a good idea too, there are a number of cities worldwide (and Blackpool) which have retained a small number of heritage trams and still
Operate them. And there are preserved and operational EMUs on national rail as well. So, not impossible but maybe a long shot. I’ve signed anyway.
awalker
Member
Is there any old metros out today?
D1537
Established Member
Well, 4024+4050 were on T122 but it appears to have been pulled
hopperelec
Member
No metrocars on those services unfortunately.
T151 - 555013
T152 - 555032
T153 - 555006
T154 - 555001
T155 - 555038
T156 - 555011
T157 - 555032
T158 - 555013
Were these additional services just for yesterday?
They would've been additional services for the Take That concert at Stadium of Light last night
Thanks
I’m sure its somewhere but is there a place I can find allocations for the 555s. Going tomorrow for the day.
hopperelec
Member
There's a couple links at the bottom of the first post to communities where a number of people track allocations posted
Obligatory note though that I am an admin of one of those communities, so take that as you will.
D1537
Established Member
There is (as yet unconfirmed) information of no less than four going next week: 4009, 4027, 4035 and 4085.
This would just leave the two pairs that have been operational this week, plus 4029, 4041, 4068 and 4079 (three of which haven't worked for over a month).
Last edited:
390Trains
Member
@tez thorn I have no doubt that you’ll be delighted to hear the news that 4009 is about to embark on its final journey. The “absolute dog” is destined for the scrapheap.
End of an era hopefully one day 4001 will be restored at the museum, i get the sentiment of it being in the livery its in, but 4001 only ever carried 2 liveries, well 3 if you count it going from PTE to carrying Tyne and Wear Metro with the M logos on the front ends, then the Grey livery
Many thanks for that.There's a couple links at the bottom of the first post to communities where a number of people track allocations posted
mansonlo49
Member
There’s no update yet from the stays update on the first page
D1537
Established Member
The rumours seem to change from day to day - today's is that none are going for scrap next week! We will see, I guess.
Meanwhile, 4024+50 are out again, on T110.
RyanT15
Member
Apologies for disheartening you, but from a (fairly reliable) source that I came across earlier, I interpret that all Metrocars have to be pulled out of service before the next stage of upgrade to the system can happen.
Hi everyone, I am new here. I love the Metrocars and I made a petition to keep two of them in service. Please sign and share it if you can.
In short, the regenerative braking of the new units will make the characteristics of the traction power supply unsuitable for Metrocars. The new units have been operating without regenerative braking, and the plan is that once Metrocars are completely retired, the new units will have their regenerative braking switched on, and that allows for more spare capacity in the traction power network to enable more services, higher acceleration, etc.
It can thus be inferred that, once the next stage of upgrade happens, it would be technically incompatible to operate a Metrocar (at least on its own power) on the network.
Wallsendmag
Established Member
Didn't sound healthy this morning
hopperelec
Member
Nexus has now confirmed to the Local Democracy Reporting Service that a couple metrocars might be retained for the RHTT.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/whats-happening-old-tyne-wear-34107034
To be clear, this isn't confirmation that they will, and I believe negotiations between Nexus and Stadler for it are still ongoing, but it's looking likely.
It's also worth noting that there is ongoing preliminary market engagement in preparation for tendering for the refurbishment of all three battery locos, which is estimated to take until 1 September 2028.
So, even if a few metrocars are retained to run the 2026 and 2027 RHTT, I would imagine they would still only last until early 2028, and the battery locos would take over from then.
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/whats-happening-old-tyne-wear-34107034
To be clear, this isn't confirmation that they will, and I believe negotiations between Nexus and Stadler for it are still ongoing, but it's looking likely.
It's also worth noting that there is ongoing preliminary market engagement in preparation for tendering for the refurbishment of all three battery locos, which is estimated to take until 1 September 2028.
So, even if a few metrocars are retained to run the 2026 and 2027 RHTT, I would imagine they would still only last until early 2028, and the battery locos would take over from then.
317 forever
Established Member
I have seen them mentioned so often on here recently that I have the feeling they will be the final ones in service.
D1537
Established Member
4085 has gone for scrap today.
4041+68 did the honours.
4041+68 did the honours.
390Trains
Member
4085 has left Howdon Satellite Depot and is now on its way towards Denhams in Shildon.
DGH 1
Member
Sad, do you have any idea what route the transport takes once it's left the Tyne tunnel?
hopperelec
Member
These new hauliers don't go via the Tyne Tunnel because apparently their trailer is too long for it. I'm not sure on the exact route, though.