There must be a renewed confidence at Nexus that the new Stadler trains have settled into service on the Tyne and Wear Metro as the past few days have seen three of the last Metrocars head off for scrap – which leaves just five, although that will soon be four!
It has now been two months since the last official use of a Metrocar in service (when they ran farewell week of special services) and a month since the last recorded use of a Metrocar (26th July seems to be the last time any of the trains carried passengers) and so the week starting 24th August has seen the scrap moves resume.
The three trains to have left the Metro for the last time are 4068 on Monday 24th August, 4078 on Tuesday 25th August and 4079 on Wednesday 26th August.
As has been the case since the scrap moves first started the unit leaving has been hauled into between two of its sisters from Gosforth Depot to Howdon. From there it is collected by lorry and taken to be scrapped at J Denham Metals, Bishop Auckland.
The removal of these three leaves the following on the network: 4024, 4029, 4041, 4050 and 4081. And its expected one of these will also head for scrap soon.
The others will be retained (for a short period) to be used on the Railhead Treatment Trains (RHTT) where two are used to top and tail the specialist wagon.