Crack-affected West Midlands Metro service to restart by ‘end of May’

WEST Midlands Metro operator Midland Metro Ltd (MML) says it expects to be in a position to resume passenger services by the end of May, writes Graeme

Pickering. MML is working closely with manufacturer CAF as work continues to replace cracked body panels on its fleet of trams. The cracks were found on a number of ‘Urbos 3’ vehicles, leading to the suspension of services on March 19 for the third time in nine months. A detailed assessment of the fleet has been completed and a schedule of replacement work is underway which “will enable trams to return to service as quickly as possible”. It follows what was described by Anne Shaw, executive director of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), as a “really productive” meeting with CAF at the end of March, after which she said that the Spanish manufacturer had accepted the issue was a “design fault”. Engineers with the skills to carry out such a specialist task, from across the UK and overseas, have been brought-in. With efforts said to be “well underway” at Wednesbury depot, options are being investigated for speeding-up progress, including potentially moving trams off-site for work to be undertaken.

It is understood the completion of 12-15 trams would provide the basis for a reasonable service.

Bogie boxes

Cracking to the bogie boxes on ‘Urbos 3’ trams led to the system being completely closed to the public twice last year. Services were initially suspended for four days from June 11, 2021 when the entire fleet was withdrawn for examinations following the discovery of the cracks during maintenance inspections. Repairs were carried out to vehicles where the problem was identified, but on November 13, operations were halted again. A report presented to West Midlands Combined Authority’s Transport Delivery Committee says that although a programme of repairs was ongoing, by this date the rate of crack propagation meant it was impossible to continue services. Following more extensive and permanent remedial attention, public operations were restored between Wolverhampton and Bull Street on December 15 and to Library on February 12 using a combination of repaired ‘Urbos 3s’ and newly-commissioned ‘Urbos 100s’ (21 of which are being delivered to augment services as the network is extended). WCMA’s Transport Scrutiny Sub-Committee is expected to receive information in due course on financial losses incurred.