The Tyne and Wear Metro carriage, number 4020, was used by Queen Elizabeth during her official visit to open the Metro system in 1981.
It has been gifted to the North East Land Sea and Air Museum (NELSAM) in Washington, near Sunderland, where it will now go on public display.
Cathy Massarella, managing director of Nexus, said: “We’re delighted to have donated this old Metro train to the North East Land Sea and Air Museum.
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“It was used for the Queen’s visit in 1981, a huge moment in Metro’s history, when she travelled on board it and then opened the system at a ceremony at Gateshead Interchange.
“That very same carriage was also used during another Royal visit in 2021, when Prince Charles travelled on board from Central to Haymarket to mark our 40th anniversary year.
“We’re over the moon that a museum has been able to take this train and put it on display for the public.
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“It is part of the region’s proud railway heritage.
“We have achieved our commitment to keep two original trains for heritage purposes, meaning they can still be seen by the public for generations to come.”
King Charles, then Prince of Wales, also travelled on carriage 4020 in November 2021 during a visit to Newcastle as part of the Metro’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
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The final old Metro trains were withdrawn from passenger service on June 26, marking the end of an era as the network transitions to a new fleet.
The first ever Metro train, carriage 4001, was previously donated to the Stephenson Steam Railway in North Tyneside in 2025.
Carriage 4001 was the prototype Metro car delivered to the test track in 1975, five years before the system officially launched.
David Charles, chair of trustees at NELSAM, said: “The arrival of the Metro unit at the museum marks the completion of the transition from an aircraft museum to a transport museum.
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“The Royal Metro is a nationally significant rail item and cements the importance of the museum as a regional heritage location.
“The delivery marks the end of a journey that started three years ago to add this significant item to the collection.
“The trustees are honoured to be chosen by Nexus and the Rail Heritage Board to be custodians of the Metro trais.
“It will form the centrepiece of a new Metro experience to keep alive the memory of the first light railway system in the country.”
NELSAM is based on the former RAF Usworth and Sunderland airport site, adjacent to the Nissan factory.
The museum also houses a collection of military vehicles and is home to the North East Electric Traction Trust.
Among its many exhibits is a Cold War-era Avro Vulcan B2 bomber, which flew into the former airport to become the first Vulcan to go into a private collection.
The museum is open to the public and offers insights into the region’s transport history across land, sea, and air.
More information is available at www.neslam.org.uk.
