North East Rail Icon Nears Withdrawal As Old Metro Trains Bow Out

The Tyne and Wear Metro’s original trains are now entering their final weeks in passenger service, bringing one of the region’s most familiar rail fleets close to the end of its working life.

The old Class 599 trains have been part of daily travel in North East England for more than 46 years, but only a small number now remain in use. The final examples are due to be withdrawn this summer as the new Metro fleet takes over the full timetable.

Their last official week of service will begin on Monday 22 June. During that week, one of the old trains will operate on both the Yellow and Green Metro lines between 9.30am and 5.30pm each day, until the early evening of Friday 26 June.

Passengers may still see the occasional Class 599 around the network after that date, but the week commencing 22 June will be the final guaranteed opportunity to travel on one.

The trains entered service in August 1980 and have since carried 1.7 billion passenger journeys. Across their working lives, they have covered half a billion kilometres.

Their withdrawal marks a major moment for the Metro and for the railway heritage of North East England. The fleet helped transform local public transport when it was introduced and remained in service long beyond its original expected lifespan.

The old trains are being replaced by the new £362m Stadler fleet, described as the biggest and most complex project in Metro’s history.

Swiss manufacturer Stadler has now delivered the full order of 46 new trains, with the network remaining on course to have all 46 available for service by the end of 2026.

Almost all daily Metro services are already being operated by the new trains. Once the final Class 599 is retired, the complete Metro timetable will be in the hands of the new fleet.

The replacement trains began entering service at the end of 2024 and have been designed around passenger feedback, following a consultation that received more than 23,000 responses.

Features include linear seating, mobile charging points, climate control, 44 CCTV cameras, battery technology and improved accessibility. Each set of doors also has an automatic sliding step to help provide seamless boarding.

Two of the original trains have been kept for heritage purposes, while another has been donated to Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service for firefighter training. The remaining units are being sent to a specialist breakers yard in County Durham for recycling.

North East Mayor Kim McGuinness said:

“After giving our region 46 years of service, I’m pleased to confirm the original Metro train fleet will soon be phased out completely. I promised that by summer every single journey people made would be on a new train, and that's what we've done. This is a really significant milestone for our region, one that I’ve no doubt will generate a lot of nostalgia and fond memories for many. It’s great that people will have one last chance to travel on them before they go. It’s the end of an era for Metro, but it's time we look ahead. I want a better, cheaper, and more reliable transport network - one that works for everyone and makes it easier for local people to get to work, to school and out to socialise. That's why we'll continue to improve our Metro network, with an extension to Washington, a new signalling system and improvements to even more stations.”

Cathy Massarella, Managing Director of Nexus, said:

“The old Metro trains have given us sterling service over the last 46 years, but we’re now getting ready to say that historic farewell. We’re in the final few weeks where customers are guaranteed a journey on the few that remain running. They have been replaced gradually by the new Metro fleet since the end of 2024. These trains helped to change the face of public transport in our region in 1980, and over the four decades that followed. They have served us well, surpassing their expected life expectancy. They’ve now come to the end of the line. They’re making way for the new generation of trains, which are delivering a bright future for the Tyne and Wear Metro. The coming weeks will be the final time that customers will get the chance to travel on the old carriages on our system. We’ve developed this special timetable for the 599s to run in service throughout the week to ensure those that want one last journey can do so. It’s undoubtedly the case that these familiar Class 599 Metrocars are assured of their place in North East England’s railway heritage. When the last train leaves it’ll be a poignant moment in the storied history of our Metro system.”

Image: Nexus