Metro trams: truncated service set to resume

WEST Midlands Metro services were set to return to the streets of Birmingham city centre on June 9 (after this isue of RAIL went to press), after cracks in the network’s 21-strong fleet of CAF Urbos 3 trams had led to suspension of the Wolverhampton-Birmingham operation on March 19 - for the third time in less than year.

A truncated service, for which a minimum of 12 trams are required, was expected to resume between Wolverhampton St George’s and Birmingham Bull Street until more repaired trams can be returned by Spanish manufacturer CAF.

West Midlands Metro operator Midlands Metro Ltd told RAIL in late May that “we remain very confident” that a full service will be in operation before the start of this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, on July 28.

To accelerate the repairs, the operator said it was working with CAF to recruit more engineers, as well as moving trams away from Wednesbury depot to an unnamed third-party facility.

It also apologised to passengers for missing its intended restart date of “the end of May” (RAIL 958) due to “snagging work”.

A spokesman said: “This return to service has been enabled by the replacement of tram body panels progressing to schedule. We are now looking to get more trams back out on our network as quickly and safely as possible to restore a full service.

“We of course share passengers’ frustrations that the original timescale provided by CAF to restore a service has not been met.

“Despite assurances that enough trams would be available, they informed us that it was not now possible due to further snagging work required before the trams met the quality standards required for acceptance into service.

“So as not to delay the reinstatement of service any further than absolutely necessary, once this essential snagging work has been carried out some