Metrocar
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The Metrocar is the original rolling stock for the Tyne and Wear Metro, purpose-built by Metro-Cammell between 1978 and 1981. They are numbered 4001-4090 which has been speculated to be based on a TOPS class number of 994, but all official sources refer to them as class 599s[1][2]. 86 metrocars (4003-4090, excluding 4040 and 4083) were refurbished by Wabtec Rail between 2010 and 2015[3]. The metrocars are currently being phased out and replaced by 46 of the new Class 555s[4].
| Number | Ex Works | In Service | Withdrawn | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4001 | 1975 | By 1988 | 18 April 2021 | Withdrawn, to be preserved at Stephenson Railway Museum in Wallsend |
| 4002 | 1975 | By 1988 | 9 August 2022 | Scrapped |
| 4003 | 23 August 1978 | 3 March 1980 | 15 April 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4004 | 5 October 1978 | 3 March 1980 | ||
| 4005 | 10 October 1978 | 3 March 1980 | ||
| 4006 | 31 October 1978 | 3 March 1980 | ||
| 4007 | 24 August 1979 | 3 October 1980 | 31 May 2024 | Scrapped |
| 4008 | 27 June 1979 | 13 August 1981 | ||
| 4009 | 18 December 1978 | 28 March 1980 | ||
| 4010 | 23 March 1979 | 2 June 1980 | 18 May 2022 | Scrapped |
| 4011 | 19 July 1979 | 27 October 1980 | ||
| 4012 | 26 March 1979 | 2 June 1980 | ||
| 4013 | 18 April 1979 | 21 May 1980 | 2 May 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4014 | 21 September 1979 | 20 May 1981 | ||
| 4015 | 9 November 1979 | 29 October 1981 | ||
| 4016 | 9 November 1979 | 8 October 1981 | 17 March 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4017 | 15 October 1979 | 21 May 1980 | ||
| 4018 | 29 November 1979 | 2 November 1982 | 5 May 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4019 | 15 October 1979 | 22 June 1981 | ||
| 4020 | 21 September 1979 | 3 April 1981 | In service, but earmarked for preservation at Beamish | |
| 4021 | 25 October 1979 | 14 May 1981 | 18 May 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4022 | 25 October 1979 | 4 August 1981 | 31 March 2017 | Scrapped |
| 4023 | 9 November 1979 | 24 July 1981 | ||
| 4024 | 10 December 1979 | 13 November 1981 | ||
| 4025 | 5 March 1979 | 28 May 1980 | 23 May 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4026 | 5 July 1979 | 2 June 1980 | ||
| 4027 | 8 February 1979 | 28 May 1980 | ||
| 4028 | 18 December 1979 | 6 January 1982 | ||
| 4029 | 29 January 1979 | 3 March 1980 | ||
| 4030 | 30 November 1981 | 1 April 1982 | ||
| 4031 | 8 April 1980 | 20 September 1982 | 25 November 2024 | Scrapped |
| 4032 | 18 December 1978 | 3 March 1980 | ||
| 4033 | 19 July 1979 | 10 October 1980 | 11 June 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4034 | 9 November 1978 | 3 March 1980 | ||
| 4035 | 14 May 1979 | 22 May 1980 | ||
| 4036 | 22 February 1980 | 2 September 1982 | 29 June 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4037 | 29 February 1980 | 4 October 1982 | 1 September 2023 | Scrapped |
| 4038 | 8 April 1980 | 14 May 1982 | ||
| 4039 | 14 May 1979 | 22 May 1980 | ||
| 4040 | 26 February 1979 | 3 June 1980 | 6 August 2023 | Scrapped |
| 4041 | 19 July 1979 | 27 October 1980 | ||
| 4042 | 3 September 1980 | 19 November 1980 | ||
| 4043 | 26 February 1979 | 28 May 1980 | ||
| 4044 | 26 February 1979 | 21 May 1980 | ||
| 4045 | 8 February 1979 | 17 March 1980 | ||
| 4046 | 24 January 1980 | 4 Feb 1982 | ||
| 4047 | 28 July 1980 | 26 November 1980 | ||
| 4048 | 8 April 1980 | 30 November 1982 | July 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4049 | 29 January 1979 | 17 March 1980 | ||
| 4050 | 18 December 1978 | 17 March 1980 | ||
| 4051 | 29 November 1979 | 29 October 1981 | ||
| 4052 | 8 February 1979 | 2 June 1980 | 18 April 2024 | Scrapped |
| 4053 | 29 January 1979 | 2 June 1980 | ||
| 4054 | 3 September 1980 | 8 December 1980 | 10 November 2024 | Scrapped |
| 4055 | 28 July 1980 | 26 November 1980 | 19 August 2020 | Scrapped |
| 4056 | 20 May 1980 | 3 October 1980 | ||
| 4057 | 20 May 1980 | 2 October 1980 | 16 March 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4058 | 25 April 1980 | 10 December 1982 | ||
| 4059 | 22 October 1980 | 8 July 1981 | ||
| 4060 | 3 September 1980 | 14 April 1981 | ||
| 4061 | 19 August 1981 | 13 November 1981 | ||
| 4062 | 23 September 1980 | 9 March 1981 | 22 September 2020 | Scrapped |
| 4063 | 18 June 1979 | 2 July 1980 | June 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4064 | 28 July 1980 | 2 December 1980 | 24 February 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4065 | 19 May 1981 | 12 August 1981 | ||
| 4066 | 31 March 1981 | 12 August 1981 | ||
| 4067 | 22 October 1980 | 14 April 1981 | ||
| 4068 | 18 December 1979 | 10 February 1982 | ||
| 4069 | 15 February 1980 | 14 May 1982 | ||
| 4070 | 25 March 1980 | 2 September 1982 | 12 May 2023 | Scrapped |
| 4071 | 20 May 1980 | 17 October 1980 | ||
| 4072 | 23 September 1980 | 13 March 1981 | May 2025 | Scrapped |
| 4073 | 24 January 1980 | 31 March 1982 | ||
| 4074 | 8 January 1980 | 28 September 1982 | ||
| 4075 | 13 July 1981 | 8 October 1981 | ||
| 4076 | 26 March 1979 | 28 May 1980 | 1 November 2022 | Scrapped |
| 4077 | 21 May 1979 | 19 May 1980 | 10 February 2023 | Scrapped |
| 4078 | 25 November 1980 | 16 April 1981 | ||
| 4079 | 18 April 1979 | 28 May 1980 | ||
| 4080 | 22 October 1980 | 13 March 1981 | ||
| 4081 | 7 October 1981 | 20 April 1982 | ||
| 4082 | 18 December 1979 | 11 December 1981 | 26 November 2024 | Scrapped |
| 4083 | 26 February 1981 | 20 May 1981 | 29 July 2023 | Scrapped |
| 4084 | 18 April 1979 | 28 May 1980 | 26 November 2024 | Scrapped |
| 4085 | 18 June 1979 | 22 May 1980 | ||
| 4086 | 25 November 1980 | 1 April 1981 | ||
| 4087 | 29 December 1980 | 6 July 1981 | ||
| 4088 | 29 December 1980 | 13 March 1981 | 29 June 2023 | Scrapped |
| 4089 | 26 February 1981 | 22 June 1981 | ||
| 4090 | 31 March 1981 | 21 May 1981 |
History
Originally in the cream and yellow livery of the Tyne and Wear PTE, the Metrocar usually ran on their own but in peak times they would couple together and run as a multiple-unit.
They received a half-life refurbishment in the 1990s at Gosforth Depot, bringing the red, green and blue liveries to the trains. It also brought an interior refurbishment with new seating. This also marked the end of single unit running for passengers. Some trains were used as advertisement trains during this time, having their own unique liveries to promote a brand.
Then they got another three-quarter life refurbishment in the early 2010s at Wabtec, Doncaster, which brought the iconic yellow and black livery we know today.
Sources
- ↑ Network Rail (September 2025), "London North Eastern (NCS) Sectional Appendix)"
- ↑ Department for Transport (April 2017), "Rail vehicle Accessibility: Exception application, Tyne and Wear Metro"
- ↑ Nexus (26 February 2014), "The £30m refurbishment of Metro's train fleet reaches the halfway mark"
- ↑ Nexus (14 August 2025). "Metro’s old trains deliver recycling boost on their final journeys"
