Newcastle-based documentary photographer Sasha Mallo Tardiveau has created Terminus, a digital photo exhibit capturing everyday moments on the Tyne and Wear Metro's old fleet between 2024 and 2026. The project documents the final two years of the original trains in service, described as a "vivid exploration of the Metro system."
Focus on Metro customers
Sasha focused on what Nexus says is the most important aspect of the system: the customers. She spent hours travelling on the Metro, meeting people, and photographing them for the exhibition. Her inspiration came from the work of photographers Bruce Davidson and Mike Goldwater, both acclaimed for their transport system photography.
The images feature daily commutes, travel to football matches, and couples embracing, culminating in the last old Metro train making its final journey.
Photographer's perspective
Sasha said: "I just wanted to show moments of real life through the lens of my camera, it’s been two years of work. I hope I’ve captured some candid moments, recording normal life on the Metro system. The focus was always daily life. Things that seem mundane, but when you see the photo of that moment it tells a story. Every single photo tells its own story. The people are at the heart of this project, along with our iconic and wonderful Metro system."
She added: "I wanted to document the last two years as the old train fleet was being phased out, so my photos show life during the end of an era for our region and for the Tyne and Wear Metro. Metro has been a part of my life almost daily, and these last two years of work have been like capturing a chapter in our region’s history."
Nexus praise for the project
Lynne Dickinson, Station Delivery Manager at Nexus, said: "Sasha’s photographs are iconic. She’s framed normal life on our Metro system, where people rely on the services that we deliver to travel around. We commend her for the project, which is the culmination of two years of dedicated work."
Dickinson added: "Projects like this underline just how important Metro is and how it’s become a vital part of the communities it has served for the last 46 years. The exhibit has helped to capture the end of an era for Metro, focusing on the last two years that our original trains were in service. But the real stars of this project are the customers."
The exhibit is available to view online and on Sasha's Instagram page.
