And so it continues – West Midlands Metro trams going for a ride on the back of a low loader. The latest tram to be moved is 28 which has become the latest to head off to Worksop for temporary storage with the move taking place on Sunday 18th February 2024.
As with all recent moves Reid Freight were contracted to conduct the move and after loading the tram they headed off to Nottinghamshire shortly after 1100. The move of 28 is the eighth tram to go to Worksop (although 17 has since returned and is back at Wednesbury Depot).
28 was the only of the Urbos3 trams which received repairs at Wolverton Works (instead of either Dudley, at the depot or away in Spain when receiving other attention) with it being away from May-July 2022. Its another one which has been used in service fairly recently but will now be stored off site for a period of time.
As a reminder its currently necessary for some of the trams to be stored away from the depot because of ongoing expansion works which are needed to allow the full fleet of 42 trams to be housed at Wednesbury. Once these works are completed its expected all trams will be returned. So far, 17 has come back from Worksop to allow it to receive attention ahead of a return to the operational fleet.
28 is backed out of the depot on its way to Worksop. (Photograph by Andy Walters, 19th February 2024)