As reported earlier this year, former Midland Metro T69 16 is to receive a new lease of life as a testbed for various new technologies and now more details have been released of this after a special Demonstration Day event last month at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre in Dudley.
The tram has been fully refurbished inside and out by the Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), which includes a new livery and adverts thanking those who have been involved in the project so far. 16 will now become a “hub for innovative sustainable transport technology” as part of the Clean Futures programme.
There was a Demonstration Day event held in Dudley at the end of April which aimed to showcase various innovations from the first year of the Clean Futures Accelerator programme.
Several of these innovations were centred on the tram. This included:
- Adelan – clean power source for its auxiliary systems
- BoxTube and Varamis Rail – two different systems for loading freight onto the tram
But 16 is being offered for further opportunities for innovators in future programme cohorts as well as other organisations who need to test technology in a rail environment. It has the potential for technology to be installed and tested or showcased across both its structures and systems.
The BCIMO suggest that the tram could be used for any number of innovations. From providing further power for non-propulsion to sub-carriage engineering such as new construction materials and manufacturing methods. Inside the carriage there is potential for greener composites for fixtures and fittings or even driver control systems which are more effective or ergonomic.
Its also confirmed in the latest press release that 16 will receive a new power source later in the year, with more details of this to come.
This all comes at BCIMO launch cohort 2 of the Clean Futures Accelerator. This will ask regional SMEs to consider three specific challenges facing the rail industry. Particularly clean and efficient vehicle manufacturing and assembly, greener transport infrastructure and future fuels.
Naomi Arblaster, Head of SME Development at BCIMO, said: “With the opening of applications for Cohort 2 of the Clean Futures programme and launch of the new industry challenges for the coming year on 30th April, we are really excited to see the innovations our regional SMEs can bring to rail.
“As such, the potential to showcase these on Tram 16, both honours the history of rail in the Black Country and focuses on its future, as we transition to net-zero as part of the broader West Midlands’ decarbonisation agenda. There is a real opportunity for innovators to work together too – as we have seen in Cohort 1 – to offer collaborative solutions to the challenges the industry faces, and again the tram is an ideal demonstrator, so we are really grateful to UK Tram for donating it to BCIMO.”
Matt Wood, Clean Futures Programme Manager at BCIMO, added: “Exhibiting the ‘live’ innovations at our Demonstration Day event last week was an essential part of the work we do on Clean Futures, in allowing industry stakeholders and potential investors to see the technology and talk to the SMEs. But in a rail-focused environment, having the opportunity to demonstrate directly on rolling stock, to show exactly how solutions can be deployed is a real bonus. So next year – and building on the work we did with the three Cohort 1 SMEs who utilised the tram – the T69 won’t just be a part of the event, it will be that live centrepiece. As such, the engineering team and I really look forward to supporting our new Cohort 2 SMEs as they work towards making this happen over the next few months.”
16 remains stored at the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre at Dudley.