The Tyne and Wear Metro’s old trains are entering their final weeks in service, as the region gets ready to say an historic farewell to a fleet which transformed the face of local public transport.

Metro operator Nexus is announcing today, Tuesday 2 June, the original trains are close to being phased out, after being part of everyday life for over 46 years.

Only a handful of the 599 trains remain in service with the last ones being removed this summer.

It will mark the end of an era for Metro and for North East England’s proud railway heritage.

Nexus has said that the fleet’s last official week of service will be the week commencing Monday 22 June, with an old train operating on both the Yellow and Green Metro lines from 9.30am to 5.30pm all week, up until the early evening of Friday 26 June. Customers may still see the occasional 599 around the Metro system after this date but this week marks the last guaranteed week to travel on one.

Metro’s original Class 599 trains have carried 1.7 billion customer journeys since entering service in August 1980 and have clocked up half a billion kilometres.

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.”

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

Stadler, the Swiss train manufacturer, has now supplied the full order of 46 new Metro trains.

Nexus remains on course to have all 46 new trains available for service by the end of 2026.

Almost all of the daily services on Metro are new trains.

When the final old train is retired it will mean that the full Metro timetable will be operated by the new fleet. They are already transforming the Metro customer experience since they began entering service at the end of 2024.

Designed by customers following an extensive customer consultation which resulted in over 23,000 responses, the new Metro trains include linear seating, mobile charging points, climate control, 44 CCTV cameras, battery technology, and new accessibility standards, including an automatic sliding step at each set of doors to allow for seamless boarding.

Two of Metro’s old trains have been retained for heritage purposes, while another was donated to the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service to support firefighter training.

The rest are all being sent to a specialist breakers yard in County Durham where they are recycled.