Workers at the Tyne and Wear Metro Depot are getting ready to say a final farewell to their old trains.
The maintenance teams at Gosforth have spent decades repairing, improving and tending to the original Metro fleet, helping the trains to remain workhorses of the tracks ever since they came into service in 1980.
But now it is time to say goodbye to an icon of North East England’s public transport network after 46 years.
The last remaining old carriages are close to being phased out completely, marking the end of an era for Metro, and for the whole region.
The depot team, who work for Stadler, have fond memories of the old trains, but recognise it was also time for change with the new fleet transforming how they work.
Known as the Metro Class 599s, and originally marketed as the ‘supertram’, the Metro carriages arrived in the region in 1975 at a test track in North Tyneside.
They started carrying passengers on 11 August 1980 during the phased opening of the Metro system.
The 599 trains have carried 1.7 billion customer journeys since entering service and have clocked up half a billion kilometres. Their last runs in service will be from 22 June to 26 June.
Paul Patrick started his career at the Metro depot in 1995 as an apprentice fitter. Paul, 47, of Gosforth, is now Stadler’s Head of Region for the UK, Ireland and North America.
He said: “The old trains have been great workhorses for so many years. They have been the life blood of our region, taking people to work, to appointments, and on nights out.
“Metro is the beating heart of the North East and not many other UK cities have a railway quite like it. The trains we are about to say goodbye to have pride of place in Metro’s story.
“I worked on them when I became an apprentice aged 16. It’s a bittersweet feeling to see them go. Everyone recognises they are life expired now. They have done their job.
“You do feel an attachment to them. There are many I’ve repaired many times over and they’re now in a breaker’s yard. The new trains are amazing and it’s absolutely right that we have them now. They bring a smile to people’s faces when they see them arrive.
“We must move on to the new technology, and I’m so also proud to be part of the introduction and maintenance of the new fleet.”
Carlene Tindale, 40, of Northumberland, is a Trainer and Assessor who has worked at the depot since 2014.
She said: “They’re iconic trains. I joined when they were getting their three-quarter life refurbishment, so it’s sad to see them go, but we did really need new ones. The old units were actually quite simple to work on.
“There is a sense of emotion and pride they have managed to run for 46 years. Getting as far as they have is down to the expertise and commitment of everyone at the depot. The fact we have kept them going is something to be proud of.”
Production Manager Adam Cairns, 36, of Sunderland, joined the depot team as a trainee in 2005.
“I’ve enjoyed working with these trains,” he said. “The fault finding and the repairs were something I’ve enjoyed. There was always great job satisfaction when we got one fixed.
“They’ve experienced more issues in recent years and parts have become hard to come by. That said, they have been great for the North East, and such a huge part of everyday life for so many years.”
Gemma Bousfield, of Stanley in County Durham, is a Materials Manager at the depot.
She said “I started twelve years ago as a fitter. It was good old fashioned mechanical engineering with them trains. It was like looking after a fleet of really old cars. I’ll miss them, but they’ve definitely had their day.
“Getting parts has been an increasing challenge. Many are obsolete. One time we had to get one part specially made at a foundry just to complete a repair.”
Ben Stafford, 18, of Dinnington, is a Rolling Stock Apprentice who joined Stadler just last year.
“The trains have been around for a long time and they’re all I’ve ever known in my lifetime,” he said. “I’m being trained on the new fleet and haven’t had a chance to work on the old one, but I know that it’s completely different. The tech is miles apart, one is analogue and the other is digital.”
Depot Controller Eldon Tams, 43, of High Heaton in Newcastle, said: “It’s sad to see them go but we have to look to the future with the new trains. The old trains used to be really reliable but less so in recent years due to their age. The new trains are going to be much better for the passengers.
“I used to work in Metro customer services before I joined the depot, so those old trains are all I knew for so many years. They’ll be missed.”
James Hind is a Commissioning and Warranty Support Technician with 22 years of service. He said: “People here have worked on these trains their whole lives. We’re looking to the future with the new trains, but the old ones are iconic and everybody knows them. It’s sad to see them go, however, rolling out new trains is exciting and historic for the Metro.”