As we’ve reported recently, trams keep on moving on the West Midlands Metro with a number either being stored at Worksop or gone to Dudley for repairs in recent months. But that does also mean that some trams don’t get used in service for some time – when you have a potential fleet of up to 42 trams that is hardly a surprise considering the day-to-day timetable needs fewer than half this number to maintain the frequency. One such tram which had spent some time out of action, but is now back in service is 35.
35 had been used back in January 2025 but more recently had been absent from use but after test runs seen on the network during March 2025. It had retuned to action by Friday 11th April – a day when it turned out to be the only of the Urbos3s in service.
Another tram which has spent a period out of use – and for this one its much longer – is 31. We’ve reported on this tram recently as it was in the workshops during March being re-commissioned and soon after was out on driver training. It remains in use for driver training but has yet to be used in passenger service, although surely it won’t be long.
Meanwhile, two further trams which have spent periods out of use have made a return to action recently. Both 25 and 34 were reported as back in service on Saturday 19th April 2025. For 25 this was less than a month since it returned to Wednesbury from repairs at Dudley (that was 25th March 2025).
35 is seen at Handsworth Booth Street with a service to Edgbaston Village. This tram is named Angus Adams but panel replacement have led the tram to be devoid of the name at this end.
And 31 is seen out on driver training at West Bromwich Central. The tram is heading north towards Wolverhampton in this view. (Both Photographs by Andy Walters, 11th April 2025)