The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) is converting a former Midland Metro tram to battery power as part of its Clean Futures Accelerator programme.

The tram was originally Midland Metro Tram 16, an AnsaldoBreda T-69 Class tram introduced in May 1999, which has now been replaced by CAF Urbos 3 trams.

Tram 16 made the final journey by a T-69 class on Friday, 14th August 2015.

After withdrawal, all 16 T-69 class trams were transferred to the Long Marston Rail Innovation Centre for dismantling, but Tram 16 was purchased by UK Tram for use as a test vehicle to develop innovation.

The Clean Futures programme provided an ideal opportunity for this development and last year UK Tram donated Tram 16 to BCIMO.

Converting Tram 16

Work to enable Tram 16 to be used for development has required a significant amount of work that has been carried out in two specific phases.

• In phase one, the interior was stripped out and deep cleaned before an electrical assessment which showed corrosion of the high-voltage cabinets mounted on the roof. This was repaired as well as insulation and resistance testing utilising the local supply chain including Wolverhampton-based Enpro Group. The exterior was then prepared for a new livery comprising a vinyl wrap with both BCIMO and Clean Futures branding, UK Tram’s donation, and leaving space for future projects and sponsorships.
• Phase two of the tram refresh will start with converting the original grid-based electrical supply to an off-grid battery system providing greater flexibility in its deployment and the drive towards net-zero. A supplier selection process for this phase is currently underway and conversion is expected to be complete by early autumn.

Tram 16 will launch in its new livery at the end of April as the centrepiece of a high-profile Clean Futures event on 30th April where the first cohort of SMEs to complete the programme will demonstrate their innovations to key industry stakeholders.

These include UK Tram, who have supported the programme throughout the year as part of its Challenge Setters Board of industry experts.

Tram 16 will be used at the event to demonstrate three innovations to highlight its potential as both an individual and collaborative test platform for the programme, and sector-based organisations who can utilise the facilities offered at BCIMO’s Rail Development and Test Site (RDTS) going forward.

As well as marking the second year of the Clean Futures programme, the event also opens the window for innovative Black Country and West Midlands SMEs to formally submit applications; those interested in submitting applications should register their interest beforehand via the lead project partner, Connected Places Catapult.

Successful applications will receive:

• £50,000 towards testing and demonstrating their innovations at the next Demonstration Day.
• Access to BCIMO facilities, including the RDTS, collaborative working and meeting space.
• Engineering and commercial packages, and promotional media.
• Workshops and showcase events online and on-site at BCIMO.

Further information on UK Tram can be found by clicking here and more information on BCIMO and the Clean Futures programme can be found at https://bcimo.co.uk.

As the trade body for light rail, we re delighted to see Tram 16 transforming into a test vehicle for tram innovation, and the fantastic way it has been given a new lease of life.

This collaboration ticks more boxes than we could have envisaged, for the Clean Futures programme, the BCIMO s goals, and our vision for the wider light rail sector.

We’re also looking forward to continuing our support for the BCIMO and its light rail innovation activity while playing a key part in the Clean Futures programme moving forward.

James Hammett, Managing Director of UK Tram

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.

Naomi Arblaster, Head of SME Development at BCIMO

As a locally based SME operating in the rail industry, we are very proud to support the team at BCIMO with the restoration of Midland Metro Tram 16. We have taken responsibility for the deep clean, exterior surface preparation, and vinyl wrap, along with all the electrical rewiring and testing.

Like everyone else, we eagerly anticipate seeing Tram 16 in operation on the test track at Dudley (formerly the South Staffordshire Railway Line).

Daniel Cartwright, Commercial Director at EnPro

When I found out via UK Tram that Tram 16 was to be brought back to life as a test vehicle it was very welcome news, as since we at West Midlands Metro bid farewell to the T69 Fleet back in 2016 with me being the last driver to move one under power, no-one at our company expected that we would ever see a T69 Tram alive, ever again!

It has been a pleasure to be able to offer assistance with the project too, as we retained a lot of paper and digital documentation which has been officially passed on to BCIMO to help the team understand the complexities of these vehicles, along with verbal assistance from our very own Technical Support Engineer Gavin Lloyd too.

I look forward to further involvement with this project as it progresses, including driving it once again!

Former T69 driver, Pete Buckingham