With Wednesday 8th March being International Women’s Day, West Midlands Metro took the opportunity to celebrate by naming Urbos100 40 Theresa Stewart. A special ceremony took place at Town Hall (in the snow!) to unveil the name on the tram – the second Urbos100 naming in the past week.
The name Theresa Stewart is no stranger to a tram on the West Midlands Metro as it was previously adorned to T69 11 from 2003 until its withdrawal in 2015. Mrs Stewart was the first – and to date only – woman to lead Birmingham City Council, the UK’s largest local authority. She was leader of the Council from 1993 to 1999 and the Lord Mayor in 2000-2001. Theresa Stewart was also a member of the Passenger Transport Authority and played a crucial role in lobbying Government for funding for the West Midlands Metro during the 1990s.
As with all other Urbos names, it is carried on a simple vinyl by the front doors. 31’s name for Cyrille Regis MBE 1958-2018 is the only difference as it also has additional side vinyls.
With Theresa having passed away in 2020, the naming ceremony was attended by her proud daughters Selina and Lindsey along with their husbands Philip Hunt and James Wells along with their children and grandchildren.
Selina said: “We are delighted that Transport for West Midlands is naming a tram for Mum. This honours the commitment she always had to public transport as a politician and also as an individual. She used public transport all of her life as neither she nor our Dad had a car and she appreciated how important buses, tram and trains are for people in general but particularly for women and children.”
Cllr Ian Ward, Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority portfolio lead for transport, said: “Theresa Stewart left behind a wonderful legacy in Birmingham, having dedicated her life to public service. I am delighted that Birmingham will now have a tram bearing her name, and that her legacy will continue in this unique way. To be announcing this on International Women’s Day is fitting, as Theresa was a trailblazer who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of women in Birmingham.”
40 is now the second Urbos100 to carry a name following quickly on from 39 receiving the Roy and Don Richardson name last week. Its planned there will be more names in the future with the people of the West Midlands to be given the chance to help the next person to be given the honour.
Theresa Stewart is not the first person to have their name on more than one tram on the network, but is the first one on both a T69 and Urbos tram. The honour of being the first on two trams was Sir Frank Whittle with both 01 and 04 carry his name (with 01 being an early withdrawal).
40 at Town Hall just after its name. Sabrina Stewart, Cllr Ian Ward, Lindsey Stewart, Sophie Allison (West Midlands Metro), Cllr Mary Locke (vice chair WMCA Transport Delivery Committee) and Anne Shaw (Transport for West Midlands) pose alongside.
Pre naming 40 is seen at Town Hall with the name on this side and end still covered by a vinyl. (Both Photographs by Andy Walters, 8th March 2023)