Further Metro fare rises appear to be on the way

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjw9pexj8y8o

Hi all idk whether this is the correct forum channel or not but id like to ask who are going to be operating the metro replacement 901 between Newcastle airport and regent centre this Wednesday-Sunday as im just curious to see who will operate it.

(22 Nov 2025, 8:07 pm)BusEnthusiast.com wrote Hi all idk whether this is the correct forum channel or not but id like to ask who are going to be operating the metro replacement 901 between Newcastle airport and regent centre this Wednesday-Sunday as im just curious to see who will operate it.

Go North East

Correct as of: 28th February 2026

Thought i'd provide a list of old units and a list of new units

CLASS 599/994

4001- Saved (left for preservation 10/09/2025)
4002- Scrapped
4003- Scrapped 
4004- Scrapped
4005- Scrapped
4006- Scrapped
4007- Scrapped 
4008- Scrapped
4009- Scrapped
4010- Scrapped 
4011- Scrapped
4012- Scrapped
4013- Scrapped 
4014- Scrapped
4015- Stored
4016- Scrapped 
4017- Scrapped
4018- Scrapped 
4019- Saved (moved to the Fire and Rescue training facility 15/09/2025
4020- Withdrawn 
4021- Scrapped 
4022- Scrapped
4023- Scrapped
4024- Active
4025- Scrapped 
4026- Scrapped
4027- Active 
4028- Scrapped
4029- Stored
4030- Scrapped
4031- Scrapped 
4032- Active
4033- Scrapped 
4034- Scrapped
4035- Active
4036- Scrapped 
4037- Scrapped
4038- Scrapped
4039- Scrapped
4040- Scrapped 
4041- Active
4042- Scrapped
4043- Scrapped
4044- Scrapped 
4045- Scrapped
4046- Scrapped
4047- Scrapped
4048- Scrapped 
4049- Scrapped
4050- Stored
4051- Scrapped
4052- Scrapped
4053- Scrapped
4054- Scrapped 
4055- Scrapped
4056- Scrapped
4057- Scrapped 
4058- Scrapped
4059- Scrapped
4060- Stored
4061- Stored
4062- Scrapped
4063- Scrapped
4064- Scrapped
4065- Active
4066- Scrapped
4067- Scrapped
4068- Active
4069- Stored
4070- Scrapped
4071- Active
4072- Scrapped 
4073- Scrapped
4074- Scrapped
4075- Scrapped
4076- Scrapped
4077- Scrapped
4078- Active
4079- Active
4080- Scrapped
4081- Active
4082- Scrapped 
4083- Scrapped
4084- Scrapped 
4085- Active
4086- Scrapped
4087- Scrapped 
4088- Scrapped
4089- Scrapped
4090- Scrapped

Key
Green= Active
Blue= Stored
Red= Scrapped
Light Blue= Preserved
Black= Withdrawn
Misc= Magenta
Burgundy= Non passenger use

Number Active= 12
Number Scrapped= 69
Number Stored= 6
Number Withdrawn= 1
Number Saved= 1 (4020 earmarked for Beamish when Active Service ends)
Misc= 1
Non passenger use= 0

CLASS 555's

555001- In Service
555002- In Service 
555003- In Service 
555004- In Service 
555005- In Service 
555006- In Service 
555007- In Service 
555008- In Service 
555009- In Service 
555010- In Service
555011- In Service 
555012- In Service
555013- In Service
555014- In Service
555015- In Service 
555016- In Service
555017- In Service
555018- In Service
555019- Delivered (undergoing testing)
555020- In Service 
555021- In Service 
555022- Delivered awaiting testing
555023- Delivered awaiting testing
555024- Delivered awaiting testing
555025- Delivered awaiting testing
555026- Delivered awaiting testing
555027- In Service 
555028- In Service 
555029- Delivered awaiting testing
555030- Delivered awaiting testing
555031- In Service
555032- Delivered (undergoing testing)
555033- Delivered (undergoing testing)
555034- In Service
555035- In Service
555036- Delivered (undergoing testing)
555037- In Service
555038- In Service 
555039- Delivered awaiting testing
555040- In Service
555041- In Service
555042- Delivered awaiting testing
555043- Delivered awaiting testing
555044- Delivered awaiting testing 
555045- Delivered awaiting testing
555046- Delivered awaiting testing

Key

Purple= In service
Orange= Delivered awaiting testing
Yellow= Delivered (undergoing testing)



Number In Service= 29
Number Delivered awaiting testing= 13
Number Delivered (undergoing testing)= 4



Updated: 28/02/2026

If you see any mistakes or have any updates, contact me and I will amend accordingly

Thank you for the update.

555041 has entered service

Along with 555040 also

It's getting to the point now that whenever I get the metro it's a new one, and will only see one or two old metrocars knocking about en route.

(27 Dec 2025, 1:16 pm)deanmachine wrote It's getting to the point now that whenever I get the metro it's a new one, and will only see one or two old metrocars knocking about en route.

Got my first one the other day. 

Glad it was only a short trip.

Im not the biggest bloke in the world, but those sideways seats weren't designed for sitting between two big blokes. 

Dear me. 
Not very pleasant at all.

(27 Dec 2025, 6:27 pm)Andreos1 wrote Got my first one the other day. 

Glad it was only a short trip.

Im not the biggest bloke in the world, but those sideways seats weren't designed for sitting between two big blokes. 

Dear me. 
Not very pleasant at all.

Yeah I felt bad sitting next to a lass the other day like I was taking up some of her space, even with my 7 year old on the other side of me.

Major 5 day line closure

St James to Shiremoor Monday 16th February to Friday 20th February

https://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/majorlineclosure-Feb2026

Does anyone know who is operating the Metro replacements next week between St James' and Shiremoor? I'm guessing JH Coaches. Just if anyone knows, I would appreciate it.

(12 Feb 2026, 1:35 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Does anyone know who is operating the Metro replacements next week between St James' and Shiremoor? I'm guessing JH Coaches. Just if anyone knows, I would appreciate it.

Believe its split between Jh & GNE though I could be wrong. Think the reason is cause only Newcastle & North Tyneside schools are off for that week so no 1 company could run it but I could be wrong

(12 Feb 2026, 2:43 pm)Nerd4321 wrote Believe its split between Jh & GNE though I could be wrong. Think the reason is cause only Newcastle & North Tyneside schools are off for that week so no 1 company could run it but I could be wrong

Thanks for your reply. Be good if JH & GNE are running it. Hopefully some nice different buses on. Sometimes Northstar & City Transport cover some of the workings. GNE allocations could be interesting, depending which depot is doing them.

Oh cool, JH coaches, love to get a Scania Omnicity. I can't believe I missed them on the Boxing Day service they ran on the 308. I know The Omnicity doesn't meet the CAZ but they've used them before on metro replacement and they used them on boxing day so they must just factor that cost in. Unless they do manage with all euro 6, but even so their old tridents are pretty cool.

Have all of the old Metros been scrapped now? If not, does anyone know if specific trains can be tracked or what running boards they are usually on?

(21 Feb 2026, 1:36 pm)OrangeArrow49 wrote Have all of the old Metros been scrapped now? If not, does anyone know if specific trains can be tracked or what running boards they are usually on?

No, there are still a few old sets around. They can't be tracked officially, but there is a Discord Group you can join called Tyne and Wear Transport Community where people post sightings each day. People also sometimes post on Facebook Tyne and Wear Metro Photography Group or on the RailUK forums. 

They don't seem to be regular running boards either. It changes daily. The number of sets running also changes daily, sometimes as low as zero (but I think that has only happened during engineering work), other times 5 or 6 sets out.

(21 Feb 2026, 7:28 pm)Arriva7446 wrote No, there are still a few old sets around. They can't be tracked officially, but there is a Discord Group you can join called Tyne and Wear Transport Community where people post sightings each day. People also sometimes post on Facebook Tyne and Wear Metro Photography Group or on the RailUK forums. 

They don't seem to be regular running boards either. It changes daily. The number of sets running also changes daily, sometimes as low as zero (but I think that has only happened during engineering work), other times 5 or 6 sets out.

Thanks. It's disappointing they can't be tracked. Sad in way to see them all scrapped after so many years of service. Noticed the new ones don't have the running numbers displayed.

Nexus confirmed today I believe that all 46 Class 555's from Stadler have now been delivered with last arriving last Friday.

2 more away for scrapping, old fleet getting thinner and thinner now

For anybody interested, the remaining Metrocars include:
4009
4015 - In storage
4024
4027
4029 - In storage
4035
4041
4050 - In storage
4060 - In storage
4061 - In storage
4065
4068
4069 - In storage
4071
4078
4079
4081
4085

4026/4042 both went for scrap this week.
4020/4087 also in storage, but are presumed withdrawn pending scrap.

Two sets are on the Green Line, which presumably is now the only line they seem to be allocated to now.

(27 Feb 2026, 10:02 am)S830OFT wrote For anybody interested, the remaining Metrocars include:
4009
4015 - In storage
4024
4027
4029 - In storage
4035
4041
4050 - In storage
4060 - In storage
4061 - In storage
4065
4068
4069 - In storage
4071
4078
4079
4081
4085

4026/4042 both went for scrap this week.
4020/4087 also in storage, but are presumed withdrawn pending scrap.

Two sets are on the Green Line, which presumably is now the only line they seem to be allocated to now.

Unless something has changed, very recently, 4020 is going to Beamish.

I have travelled aboard the new Class 555 Metro's several times now, and unfortunately no matter what I can simply not adjust to them, with them being very much what I feel to be enclosed, anxiety provoking & providing an increasingly stressful journey.

The seating is just too close together, and with the sideways seating forces people to directly face each other. This ends up creating very much awkward situations, where many people simply do not know where to look as trying to look out of the window involves facing the direction of the people facing you.

Standing seems to be more of a better alternative for a larger proportion of journeys, albeit providing the service not being majorly overcrowded. However, the lack of grab rails simply makes that slightly harder when the service gets busier.

It also isn't helpful that Anti Social Behaviour continues to be a big issue, alongside the rise of other unhealthy habits that a proportion of passengers think is acceptable, such as drinking alcohol, then leaving their waste on-board amongst other things, alike vaping & the smell of drugs, which unfortunately tends to be a daily occurring thing now, not just on the Metro either.

The fact that Metro services are increasingly busier, although the peak services still have not returned, delays continue frequently, and the free car parking at all Metro car parks comes to an end on April 1st. Nexus really know how to improve the passenger experience, NOT!

For anybody with sensory issues, hidden disability or social anxiety, these trains are an absolute nightmare. I'm sure I won't be the only one looking for alternatives, such as bus or train where possible, even if it means slightly longer journeys...