36 – the penultimately delivered Urbos 3 – has now started testing across the Midland Metro network leaving just two further examples of the 21 strong class of trams to start the commissioning process on the mainline. The tram was first seen out on Monday 28th September and has since made regular forays out of the depot at Wednesbury.
If previous experience is anything to go by the extensive commissioning and training process (which seems to take a lot longer than that enjoyed by the M5000s on Manchester Metrolink) will now continue over the next few months before the tram can join the operational fleet.
The only two Urbos 3s which haven’t yet turned a wheel on the mainline are the first and last of the class – 17 and 37. Of note recently has been that 17 has actually been moved under its own power around the depot confines although from observations it seems that part of its interior has been removed for unknown reasons which would obviously have to be sorted out before it could enter service.
Elsewhere with the fleet 34 continues to be undergoing its testing and commissioning whilst 19 – which has been out of service for a while since it was involved in a RTC with a van – has recently been moved into the workshops for repairs so hopefully a return to service may beckon for that tram as well.
Meanwhile there has been no movement of the remaining T69s stored at Wednesbury Depot and a Railgrinder has recently been delivered to the depot for future maintenance needs.
36 stands at Wolverhampton St George's on 6th October.
Another view on 6th October shows 36 on Bilston Road undergoing testing. (Both Photographs by Andy Walters)