Metrocar updates and withdrawals - Tyne & Wear Metro

[Trainz6013]

No such Class of Train

The 4-PEP unit would like to disagree

 

[Paul_10]

It will be interesting if a metrocar set does make a surprise appearance after today's date, could be one of those where we go a few weeks without seeing one and then one unexpectedly appears.

Will also be interesting which units if any do get kept on for the RHTT.

 

[Jamesrob637]

It will be interesting if a metrocar set does make a surprise appearance after today's date, could be one of those where we go a few weeks without seeing one and then one unexpectedly appears.

Will also be interesting which units if any do get kept on for the RHTT.

I'd personally withdraw them all after today* and give Metro an ultimatum. The heatwave ends this weekend so there is no excuse for hot weather after Sunday latest, when services are reduced anyway. Today was billed as the last day thereof, and that should stick.

*RHTT sets notwithstanding.

 

[Paul_10]

I'd personally withdraw them all after today* and give Metro an ultimatum. The heatwave ends this weekend so there is no excuse for hot weather after Sunday latest, when services are reduced anyway. Today was billed as the last day thereof, and that should stick.

*RHTT sets notwithstanding.

They did put a clause in there to cover their backs but with some of the postings from metro themselves I will be surprised if we see them in passenger service after today.

 

[bramling]

I'd personally withdraw them all after today* and give Metro an ultimatum. The heatwave ends this weekend so there is no excuse for hot weather after Sunday latest, when services are reduced anyway. Today was billed as the last day thereof, and that should stick.

*RHTT sets notwithstanding.

I doubt they will appear again, simply because there’s a silly regional mayor trying to score political points off the back of it.

I’m less sure of the average user really cares though. The new trains have had a mixed reception locally by all accounts, and I suspect most people would prefer to have an old train than no train at all, if the alternative is cancellations.

 

[jh64]

I only lasted a couple of stops in the heat (and the smell!). I will miss them, but they've certainly had their day. The air cooling in the 555s makes such a huge difference.

 

[390Trains]

only ones preserved are 4001 and 4020

4019 isn't officially in preservation as it's with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service in Washington. However, I think it's unlikely to be making a one way trip to Denhams for some time.

Could be a little entertaining

Well, erm, about that...

tells me exactly who it is as well

Unfortunately, she's so well known for bothering people that even the CSAs knew who it was when I complained. I also have a formal complaint in with Nexus about how it was handled.

What actually happened, if you don’t mind me asking?

As for what happened, a few of us ended up getting into an argument with the CSAs and their subcontracted security staff (who are presumably more used to working in environments where photography is banned, such as warehouses). They basically said that we weren't allowed to use "professional cameras" and could only take pictures using our phones (even though nobody, as far as I could tell, had a telephoto lens, tripod or anything else similarly bulky). Most people ignored that and thankfully none of them could be bothered to stop the hoard of spotters with cameras.

Oh, and then I had a debate with them as they tried to accuse me of going past the yellow line, which I categorically hadn't done.

All of this whole fiasco was because some people were pushing it earlier on in the week, climbing on the wall, going along the ramp, etc. Obviously they shouldn't have done this, but I felt the Nexus staff and their subcontracted security were a bit overly authoritarian. It's like they'd never done anything to entertain the spotters before, as the 555s entered service with a lot less fanfare. I don't think they realised that announcing the last Metrocar services so far in advance meant that people would end up travelling from all across the country to get one last ride on them.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==

such a huge difference

The Class 555 air conditioning is great when the drivers set it to the correct settings. When they do, it's lovely and cool. When they don't, it's hell due to not having any openable windows.

 

[Segedunum]

And there we have it. Picked up the last run in Whitley Bay, down to South Shields, then Airport and finishing up at Regent Centre. Busy, boisterous at times and certainly very warm but all in good spirits from my observations.

Staff on arrival at Regent Centre were pretty hands off and allowed proceedings to unfold with very little intervention, accompanied well by a live announcement from control marking the occasion.

 

[Paul_10]

4019 isn't officially in preservation as it's with the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service in Washington. However, I think it's unlikely to be making a one way trip to Denhams for some time.

Well, erm, about that...

Unfortunately, she's so well known for bothering people that even the CSAs knew who it was when I complained. I also have a formal complaint in with Nexus about how it was handled.

As for what happened, a few of us ended up getting into an argument with the CSAs and their subcontracted security staff (who are presumably more used to working in environments where photography is banned, such as warehouses). They basically said that we weren't allowed to use "professional cameras" and could only take pictures using our phones (even though nobody, as far as I could tell, had a telephoto lens, tripod or anything else similarly bulky). Most people ignored that and thankfully none of them could be bothered to stop the hoard of spotters with cameras.

Oh, and then I had a debate with them as they tried to accuse me of going past the yellow line, which I categorically hadn't done.

All of this whole fiasco was because some people were pushing it earlier on in the week, climbing on the wall, going along the ramp, etc. Obviously they shouldn't have done this, but I felt the Nexus staff and their subcontracted security were a bit overly authoritarian. It's like they'd never done anything to entertain the spotters before, as the 555s entered service with a lot less fanfare. I don't think they realised that announcing the last Metrocar services so far in advance meant that people would end up travelling from all across the country to get one last ride on them.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 26 Jun 2026 ==


The Class 555 air conditioning is great when the drivers set it to the correct settings. When they do, it's lovely and cool. When they don't, it's hell due to not having any openable windows.

Whilst your experience is not a good one at least as others have alluded too that Nexus has significantly relaxed it's stance on photography it would seem and the days of someone daring to have a camera in their hand and getting blasted over the PA are long gone.

And there we have it. Picked up the last run in Whitley Bay, down to South Shields, then Airport and finishing up at Regent Centre. Busy, boisterous at times and certainly very warm but all in good spirits from my observations.

Staff on arrival at Regent Centre were pretty hands off and allowed proceedings to unfold with very little intervention, accompanied well by a live announcement from control marking the occasion.

Apparently someone pushed the emergency brake at one point, do you know what the reaction from the driver in particular was to that, anything said on the PA?

It would seem from the videos quite a few at the front in particular were keen to make themselves heard, I wonder if the driver expected it to be so boisterous? Can't say it would be my cup of tea personally but if it was mostly in good spirits and the driver didn't mind then fair enough.

 

[railwork]

Apparently someone pushed the emergency brake at one point, do you know what the reaction from the driver in particular was to that, anything said on the PA?

I was at the front of 4050 when this happened, the driver seemed to be in good fettle and just wanted to make sure there wasn't an actual emergency. He was even quite enjoying the festivities at the front of the final service despite how loud it was, a good day had by all!

 

[Segedunum]

It would seem from the videos quite a few at the front in particular were keen to make themselves heard, I wonder if the driver expected it to be so boisterous? Can't say it would be my cup of tea personally but if it was mostly in good spirits and the driver didn't mind then fair enough.

Considering this was an additional turn that he will have volunteered for, he will have known what to expect and seemed to be very much enjoying himself.

It was indeed loud but everyone was in good spirits. I genuinely had pretty low expectations and thought there'd be some pratting about but the last run was a good mix of locals and enthusiasts saying their farewells.

 

[Paul_10]

I was at the front of 4050 when this happened, the driver seemed to be in good fettle and just wanted to make sure there wasn't an actual emergency. He was even quite enjoying the festivities at the front of the final service despite how loud it was, a good day had by all!

Fair enough and I was pleased too see they didn't pull the plug of the service as that would of been a great shame if one person did spoiled it.

Fair play to Nexus for arranging this aswell, it's something you could not imagine they would of done in the Mike Parker/Bernard Garner days I would of thought and it felt quite fitting too see some unusual movements yesterday because of the bridge strike disruption. Having the units turning around at North Shields and the train terminating at Pelaw on platform 2 and coming out of the sidings onto platform 1 to form another service to get the train back to timetable.

 

[390Trains]

And there we have it

Until the Metrocars are seen in service again...

getting blasted over the PA are long gone

Yeah, I've never had any bother over the PA. I mostly film at unstaffed stations rather than underground in the core, such as at St Peter's, Felling and Ilford Road. I'm sure they've probably seen me on their CCTV a few times but I've never had any grief.

It was good that how they conducted themselves on Wednesday was an anomaly. I was a bit concerned that they'd taken one step forward and ten steps back when it comes to enthusiasts.

too see some unusual movements

I wasn't there for the bridge strike disruption as I was elsewhere taking lineside shots, but it was nice to have some uniqueness to the "tour". For example, on Monday, we went non-stop through Haymarket as some youths set the fire alarm off. It's highly unlikely that anything like that will ever happen again on the Metrocars, even if they're seen in service again.

 

[JJ Henry]

Anyone know the numbers of the units in South Godforth depot?

 

[D1537]

Anyone know the numbers of the units in South Godforth depot?

4020 - Withdrawn, last day of service 09/01/2026
4024 - last in service 26/06/2026
4029 - last in service 22/05/2026
4041 - last in service 24/06/2026
4050 - last in service 26/06/2026
4068 - Last in service 24/06/2026
4078 - Last in service 24/06/2026
4079 - Last in service 28/03/2026
4081 - Last in service 23/06/2026

4020 may be leaving on Monday for the museum.

 

[RyanT15]

Anyone know the numbers of the units in South Godforth depot?

555001 to 555046
4020
4024
4029
4041
4050
4068
4078
4079
4081

 

[JJ Henry]

Thanks

 

[NorthEastern]

Sounds like an interesting trip. Are the videos on YouTube?

 

[dan4291]

Sorry if this has already been answered but a while back there was a farewell tour for the old Metrocars on the cards advertised by the Branch Line Society. Does anyone know if a trip like this will happen?

 

[bramling]

Sorry if this has already been answered but a while back there was a farewell tour for the old Metrocars on the cards advertised by the Branch Line Society. Does anyone know if a trip like this will happen?

Seems highly unlikely now.

A few years back Video 125 were hoping to do one of their drivers eye views of the Metro system. Needless to say Nexus weren’t having it, which is a shame as it would have made a really good record of the old fleet.

 

[hopperelec]

Sorry if this has already been answered but a while back there was a farewell tour for the old Metrocars on the cards advertised by the Branch Line Society. Does anyone know if a trip like this will happen?

That farewell tour was booked for a date that ended up being during the major line closure due to concerns about the Gateshead flyover, which is why it didn't go ahead. I've heard rumours about there being other reasons Nexus no longer want to facilitate a BLS tour, too. Whenever someone asks Metro on Facebook about a farewell tour, the official BLS account replies with something implying they're still interested in running one (below is a recent example of this). I really hope there is one, but I wouldn't get your hopes up.

 

[JJ Henry]

Sorry everyone, thought I was putting it in the search bar

 

[MPR]

Train 121 Cars 74 & 28 today.

 

[D1537]

Train 121 Cars 74 & 28 today.

Not quite, but ...

T121 - 4024+4078

So that went well then

 

[BusBoy4045]

Been withdrawn now due to a fault. Hopefully replaced by other metrocars later on

 

[D1537]

Been withdrawn now due to a fault. Hopefully replaced by other metrocars later on

It may well be that the only other working pair are busy taking 4020 for its trip to the museum.

 

[DGH 1]

Been withdrawn now due to a fault. Hopefully replaced by other metrocars later on

Fingers crossed

 

[mansonlo49]

Not quite, but ...

T121 - 4024+4078

So that went well then

yes they refuse to leave the system

 

[D1537]

T121 - 4050+68

 

[RyanT15]

T121 - now 4050+4068

They also completed earlier for a taxi service for 4020.