The Tyne and Wear Metro’s new train fleet is just the ticket for a new generation of fanatical trainspotters.
There has been a rise in the number of rail enthusiasts travelling on the new Metro trains since they began entering service in December of last year.
Legions of young railway superfans are riding the new Metro trains almost every day, and local groups regularly meet up to travel around on them together.
They are part of a new breed of younger, cooler trainspotters. Many of them are YouTubers, who clock up thousands of views, likes and shares for their carefully curated video content.
Social media megastar Francis Bourgeois has spearheaded the recent resurgence of trainspotting, scoring millions of views on his own channels, and he has inspired some of this new generation.
But what’s it really like to be a trainspotter?
A few of the many young Metro enthusiasts have lifted the lid on their hobby, and explained just how much they have been enjoying the new trains. One local group, who call themselves ‘the Metro Bashers’ meet up every week to spot the new Metros and then travel on them.
Cameron Johnston, 18, of Newcastle said: “Since the new Metro trains came into service I’ve been really excited to travel on them. I’ve been out spotting them every chance I get.
“I love the on-board displays and how quiet the trains are. I like the fact you can walk between both ends and that there is more standing room. There is so much to like about them.
“Being a train enthusiast integrates well with my other hobbies. I have my own YouTube channel and I am able to record and publish content on there. It’s exciting that these new trains will be around for many years to come.”
Tyler Miller, 18, of Walkergate, runs a YouTube channel featuring trains. He said: “The new Metros are a big refresh on what we have had for the last 45 years. It’s a completely different design. There is so much more on them and they look beautiful.
“It’s great to see them pulling into a station with their much brighter lights, and when you get on board you see a completely different style of train.
“Even before the new Metro trains entered service I’ve tried my best to get out and see where they were during testing and driver training. Then since December it’s been fun to see where they are running. I’ve been on them way too many times, to the point where I’ve lost count, and I still absolutely love them.”
Henry Santangelo, 16, said: “Every day is different on the railways and that’s why we enjoy it so much. We all enjoy the experience of seeing new things on the networks, which includes Metro and its new trains. There is a big group of us now who share the same interest, some of us just for the Metro, some for the wider railway network.”
James Christie, 18, said: “I’ve been out spotting the new Metro a fair few times. They’re more modern and sleek, but one of the best things about them is you now have the ability to walk through the full interior of the train.
“I love the design of them along with the destinations displays and the screens, which offer much more information than the current ones.”
Thomas Turnbull, 17, said: “I love filming all kinds of train, including the Metro. It’s been a passion of mine for a while. I’ve got hours and hours of footage. The new Metro is like a new lease of life for the north east, which I love. It’s new tech and a new way for people to get around easier. It’s more comfortable for people.
“My favourite feature is the air conditioning. It’s going to be so nice in the summer to get on board a nice cool carriage.”
Owen Drury, 18, said: “I’ve been a railway enthusiast since I was little. My dad took me to see trains when I was just four or five years old. The new Metros look a lot nicer from the outside compared to the old ones, and they definitely feel a lot nicer to ride on.”
Adam Gray, 17, said: “From when I was really young I used to go out and ride around on the Metro with my parents for hours on end, and I’m still doing that 15 years later. We meet up as a group each week and find out where the new Metro trains are so that we can travel on them and enjoy the ride. The new trains seem faster and there is more space on them, and it seems like you can fit more people on board. The cab also looks much more comfortable for the drivers.”
Billy Bestford, 19, said: “I’ve been a Metro enthusiast for the past 15 years. I have been interested in the service ever since I first travelled on it in 2008. I very much have a huge passion for the Metro. I am always travelling on it. It’s almost every single day.”
Michael Richardson, Head of Fleet and Depot Replacement at Nexus, said: “We’re delighted to see that customers are enjoying the new Metro fleet.
“They have inspired the railway enthusiasts. We regularly see them travelling on board, getting their video content and taking photographs.
“The new trains are amazing and it’s fantastic that we can now share them with the wider community. Trainspotting has gone through a real renaissance in recent years and we are seeing a younger generation.
“They are YouTubers and TikTokers who are specialists in video content, so it’s now far removed from the more outdated stereotypical view of train enthusiasts.
“This surge in interest in the new fleet from the enthusiasts is something that we expected would happen. The content they produce often gets many thousands of views online, so it’s a great way to showcase the new Metro trains and the many new features on board them.”
Jon Doughty, who works as a Metro driver, added: "It's absolutely great when they come here, they're really nice lads.They always come and say hello, they're polite. These are the sort of people we want on our trains."
Trainspotting, also known as ferroequinology, is a popular pastime across the world.
It has undergone a rebirth in recent years with younger TikTok stars and YouTubers posting slick video content and reels.