The second chance for members of the public to a take a close look at one of the new Midland Metro Urbos 3 trams took place on Saturday 14th June when 20 was displayed at Wolverhampton St George’s.
20 arrived at St George’s shortly before 0845 after much cleaning and checking of the points leading into the non-preferred platform (closest to the road). Members of staff from Midland Metro and Centro were on hand as the public took a look around the impressive new trams before 20 returned to the depot at around 1500. 20 was also the tram displayed at Birmingham Snow Hill back on 5th April.
In the week leading up to the display, work was undertaken on the points leading to the stop at Wolverhampton St George’s to make sure that everything was fine on the day. The non-preferred platform here had not been used for around six months before 14th June.
Meanwhile there are now eight Urbos 3’s in Birmingham with 24 the latest to be delivered to the Wednesbury Depot arriving there on 3rd June.
We reported a few weeks ago about T69 14 which had not been seen in service for a few weeks and it now appears that it has run its last journeys on Midland Metro. The tram has been rebuilt using spare parts from other vehicles but it is now expected to be the first of the T69s to leave Birmingham with Long Marston its expected destination. It has long been expected that the T69s would be moved to Long Marston for storage but the reasons for 14 being rebuilt and able to operate being moved at this stage is not known considering there are three withdrawn non-operational trams still at Wednesbury.
In the lead up to the display attention was paid to the points at Wolverhampton St George's as seen here as 16 departs with a service for Birmingham Snow Hill.
20 arrives at Wolverhampton St George's.
07 allows a comparison to be made between the liveries on the two classes of tram.
A view of 20 from across the road.
The display of 20 at St George's was far better for photography than the cramped dark conditions at Snow Hill in April.
09 now joins 20.
And we conclude this selection of photos with 12 joining 20 at St George's. (All Photos: Andy Walters)
Is it true that National Express are getting David Soul to drive the first public service Urbos 3 trip whilst he sings “Silver lady” – probably more applicable to the new trams than a white bus?