The new fleet of Class 555 trains on the Tyne and Wear Metro is attracting a new generation of fanatical trainspotters.

Since the new trains entered service last December, scores of young railway enthusiasts have been riding them almost every day, and local groups regularly travel on the trains together.

Many post videos on YouTube and register thousands of views, likes, and shares for their video content.

Spearheading the resurgence of trainspotting is social media megastar Francis Bourgeois whose own channel recorded millions of views, and in the process inspired some of this new generation.

Some of the many young Metro enthusiasts are in a group calling themselves the Metro Bashers. They meet every week to spot and travel on the new trains, such as Cameron Johnston, 18, of Newcastle who has his own YouTube channel. He loves the on-board displays, how quiet the trains are, and that you can walk between both ends.

Tyler Miller, 18, of Walkergate, runs a YouTube channel featuring trains commented that the new Metros are a big refresh on what we have had. They are a completely different design and it’s great to see them pulling into a station with their much brighter lights, and even before they entered service, he tried to see them during testing and driver training.

James Christie, 18, has been out spotting the new Metro trains a fair few times. He likes being able to walk through the full interior of the train, as well as the destination displays and screens which offer much more information than the current ones.

It isn’t only young train enthusiasts who love the new trains, as drivers of the new Class 555 trains have overwhelmingly given them their approval.

“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 They are YouTubers and TikTokers who are specialists in video content, so it’s now far removed from the more outdated stereotypical view of train enthusiasts.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.”

Michael Richardson, Head of Fleet and Depot Replacement at Nexus