The Very Light Rail Innovation Centre at Dudley is now home to two West Midlands Metro Urbos3 trams with 26 joining 17 in being moved there for repair work to take place. 26 made the move on Friday 28th October, just three days after 17 had been transported, with Allely’s again being contracted to move the tram.
26 departed Wednesbury Depot shortly after 1000 and made the relatively short trip in around 40 minutes. Travelling through Dudley it has beaten the West Midlands Metro extension by a couple of years which is due to open at some point in 2024, based on current estimates.
The trams have been moved to the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre to allow repairs to take place. This is all in connection with the service suspension and complete withdrawal of the Urbso3 trams earlier this year following the discovery of bodyside tracks. There is not the capacity at the depot to repair all the trams in a satisfactory timeframe so the work has been outsourced. 28 had previously gone to Wolverton Works but it now seems that Dudley is the preferred location and two trams can be worked on at the same time.
Both 17 and 26 have not run in service since the tramway resumed in June but hopefully with the work underway this will follow in the coming months and once they’re back more will head to Dudley for the repairs to be completed.
26 is off from Wednesbury in this view.
Close to the Black Country Living Museum – which once provided the only tram interest in Dudley! – as 26 continues on its way to repair.
26 and the Allelys low loader arrive in Dudley.
26 prepares to reverse into the Innovation Centre.
In she goes!
Inside the workshop and no time has been wasted in starting on 17 with panels already stripped. (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 28th October 2022)
Hopefully the innovation centre will send up to Wednesbury the light rail vehicle for Coventry do it can be tested on the street section of either Brum or Wolvo