Scrapping of the redundant 40+ year old original Metrocars is continuing at a pace with another threehaving been transported to J Denham Metals for their final journey since our last update. And as they have gone that way two Metro drivers have been for a visit to see the trains being scrapped.
The latest two departees have been 4006 (7th October 2025), 4058 (2nd October 2025) and 4080 (6th October 2025). This makes 38 trains as having gone for scrap (the quotes below for the press release were obviously before these latest two trains departed!) plus one (4001) for preservation and one (4019) for the local fire service.
Retired Metro driver Lesley Williams and current driver Jon Doughty were invited to J Denham Metals to see the dramatic work taking place, The visually striking breaking process was both an emotional and a captivating experience for Lesley and Jon.
They were left in awe as hydraulic grabbers undertook the breakage process. The machines started on the bodywork, before windows and seats were removed. Then the snipper machine gradually works its way through the carriage until all that remained were the chassis and wheels.
Lesley, 67 from Heworth in Gateshead, was a Metro driver for 23 years before retiring in 2015, said: “It was emotional to see the old train going on its final journey. The process was such a visually striking thing to watch up close. I worked on these old Metro trains for so many years. I have many memories of them. They have served the region well but they are really starting to look old now. They will undoubtedly be missed, but I am sure the drivers are also really looking forward to driving the new and much more modern trains. I am hugely grateful to the team at Denham Metals for allowing us to visit their yard and see a train undergo breakage. It’s quite incredible how they use the machinery to break them apart.”
Jon, 59 from Wallsend, has been a Metro driver for 22 years: “It was bittersweet to see the breakage process. On the one hand it shows how we are moving towards the future, but I am going to miss these old Metro trains. They had character. They are part of our region’s DNA.
“I’ve worked on the Metros for twenty years. I look at the old trains and see all the memories I have of them, and while I am looking forward to making more memories on the new fleet, it’s sad to see the old ones going.
“It was actually quite upsetting to see the breakage process up close, seeing them reduced to nothing in less than an hour was hard. It was very emotional. I’m not sure I would want to watch the process again.
“It’s a bit sad when you think about all the hundreds of thousands of hours we’ve spent driving these trains and now they are going.
“It’s like chalk and cheese when you compare the new Metro trains to the old ones. The new ones are warmer, more comfortable, and better for customers. They are just a much better train.
“But I will still miss the old ones as they have been part of my working life for such a long time.”
Paul Welford, Major Projects Director at Nexus, said: “It’s a shame to see the old Metro fleet going but it’s absolutely vital so that we can pave the way for the new trains, which are transformative for our customers and our workforce.
“We recognise the role the old carriages have played in the story of our region as we phase them out.
“I know Jon and Lesley were really keen to come along and see the breakage process. It was emotional for them but it was also a nod to Metro’s bright future with the new fleet.
“We’ve decommissioned 35 carriages so far and more are set to follow suit. A lot of The metals are harvested during this breakage process and they are repurposed to support other industries, usually manufacturing and construction.
“Two old trains are being retained for heritage and one of them has already been handed over to the Stephenson Steam Railway in North Tyneside.”