We’ve been reporting for some time about the semi-regular Tyne and Wear Metro trains heading off for scrap and now they are starting to get company in the world of UK light rail systems as the Docklands Light Railway have also started to send some of their withdrawn units away to meet the scrapman.
Up on the Tyne and Wear Metro there have been another couple of Metrocars which have gone to Shildon for scrapping. It started off with 4048 being moved on 21st August 2025 and this was then followed by 4063 on 27th August 2025.
As with most of the other departures for scrap the units were sandwiched between sisters to be moved from Gosforth Depot across to Howdon where, after shunting, they were then picked up by road and moved to J Denham Metals where the “recycling” takes place.
This now makes 31 of the original fleet as having gone for scrap, leaving just 59 although not all of these are operational.
Meanwhile, down in London and scrappings have now started from the Docklands Light Railway. 31 and 80 were the first to depart in the first week of August and they have since been followed by 03 and 55. No complicated moves are required for these units as they are picked up directly from Beckton.
As you’ll remember all the B90, B92 and B2K units are due to be replaced, with a new fleet of CAF Inneo units having been ordered as a replacement. The introduction of the new trains has been delayed by technical issues (mainly to do with the signalling system) but it remains the plan of TfL that some will have entered service by the end of 2025. In the meantime a reduced timetable was introduced on the network from 21st July as more of the older trains are removed from service with spare parts becoming more of a concern.
Where are the DLR stock going to for scrap. I assume Kingbury EMR?