The Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley is continuing to be used to complete repairs on some of the CAF Urbos3 fleet of the West Midlands Metro. 24 has been on site since January 2023 and work is continuing on completing its repairs as we seen in this short pictorial article.
We’re sure you don’t need a reminder as to just why it is necessary for there to be repairs on the Urbos3 fleet? But just in case you do in a sentence: bodyside cracks were found on some of the class which saw the entire fleet withdrawn and it was then decided rather than repairing the current panels they would be replaced.
The Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley (which is just a stones throw from where the West Midlands Metro line to Dudley and Brierley Hill will run) has been contracted to complete the repairs on a selection of the trams with 17, 26, 27 and 29 all having been completed so far. 24 will be the fifth to be completed.
Through the large windows of the Innovation Centre building we see work taking place on 24. The panels have been removed with new panels being put in their place.
A closer view of 24 with this showing the second section of the tram. (Both Photographs by Andy Walters, 19th March 2023)