The Tyne and Wear Metro trains, long-standing icons of the network, are being retired and recycled, just as the system celebrates its 45th anniversary. Nexus, the operator, is bidding farewell to these trusty "workhorses" as a brand-new fleet is ushered in. Nexus is the Passenger Transport Executive for Tyne and Wear, responsible for planning, delivering, and promoting public transport across North East England.
At a specialist site near Bishop Auckland, the ageing carriages are dismantled, stripped open to recover valuable metals. Aluminium, in particular, takes centre stage here; it’s lightweight, endlessly recyclable, and key to creating more sustainable transport systems. Alongside copper and steel, the salvaged aluminium will be exported through regional hubs to destinations including Spain, Turkey, India, and across Asia, feeding into new cycles of manufacturing and reuse.
So far, 29 trains, nearly a third of the current fleet, have been recycled, with the process unfolding in stages as new trains are introduced. J Denham Metals is handling the recycling work.
Paul Welford, from Nexus, said, "These trains have been real workhorses over the last four decades, they helped to transform public transport in our region. It's good to see that a lot of the used parts are being sent away for recycling. Overall, this reduces the energy and carbon consumed if such metals were manufactured from scratch."
More insights on the aluminium recycled market - World Recycled ALuminium Market Analysis Industry forecast to 2032
Meanwhile, Nexus is investing £362m in 46 Swiss-built trains, though the rollout has not been without challenges. It’s a fitting evolution for the UK’s first urban light rail network, which began service in August 1980 and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II the following year.
When it first launched, the Metro only ran between Newcastle's Haymarket and Tynemouth in North Tyneside. Over time, it grew, expanding around the coastal loop, and by 1991, it reached Newcastle Airport. Sunderland joined the network in 2002, and now, there are exciting plans to extend the Metro to Washington by 2033, taking its reach even further.
Nexus is keeping two of the old Metro carriages for heritage purposes, with plans to donate them to the Stephenson Steam Railway in North Tyneside and Beamish Museum in County Durham. The first of the new Metro trains began service on December 18, and the goal is to have all 46 in operation by the end of 2026, with half of them expected to be in use by the close of this year.
Also Read: Steady growth signals confidence in recycled aluminium’s long-term potential
Responses
