After a gap of nine months, the West Midlands Metro has welcomed another new tram to its network with CAF Urbos100 46 being delivered to Wednesbury Depot on 10th August 2022. This is the ninth of this exact class of tram and is the 30th CAF tram to now have been delivered to the West Midlands.
There are 21 trams on order as part of the batch of Urbos100 trams with the first eight having been delivered in 2021 (as planned) with the remainder then said to be following by 2023. The extra trams are needed for the various extensions being built to add to the network (although with the Brierley Hill line now being built in two phases whether all are now needed remains to be seen).
38–45 were delivered between 9th June and 10th November 2021 and all have now entered service. The timetabled service between Edgbaston Village and Wolverhampton St George’s is now being operated by these eight along with a selection of the repaired Urbos3 trams.
With 46 now having arrived its presumed that regular deliveries of more trams will come over the coming months with the trams being gradually prepared for service to add further capacity to the current line – and maybe a more regular service!
The eastside is currently one phase but the line from Eastside to Solihull will possibly be split into bite size phases.
The city centre/Westside was four phases as they opened to bull st then grand Central before continuing to Library then give ways