Wednesday 10th November saw the eighth – and for now final – Urbos100 tram delivered to West Midlands Metro’s Wednesbury Depot with 45 arriving on the back of a low loader at approximately 1120. The tram made the trip from CAF’s plant in Zaragoza, Spain entering the UK at Bristol before making the final leg of its journey via road.
Although there are 21 Urbos100 trams on order from CAF the delivery schedule has always been due to be been split into two with eight due to arrive in 2021 – for the forthcoming extensions to Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton Railway Station – and then the remaining 13 by 2023 (to cater for extensions including that to Brierley Hill).
The trams which have been delivered before 45 arrived (38–44) have yet to enter service although they have started testing and commissioning (mostly out of core operating hours) in preparation for their first use. The first of this batch turned up on 28th April 2021 (39) with deliveries being made regularly over the last six and a bit months – the last arrival (44) was made on 6th October 2021. We are still unaware of the delivery dates for 42 and 43 which snuck in without anyone noticing somewhen between July and September.
45 – although without any external numbers applied – arrives at Wednesbury Depot.
Another shot of 45 has it arrives as its new home following its journey from Spain via Bristol.
A side view of one of the end sections with the tram on the low loader.
Tram and low loader get ready to head into the depot. (Photographs x4 by Andy Walters, 10th November 2021)
In this photo we see 45 arriving at Wednesbury on the back of the low loader.
A close-up of the roof section showing the pantograph lowered but in place.
Gently she goes! 45 backed into the depot. (Photographs x3 by Dan Noon, 10th November 2021)