Wedoany.com Report-Oct. 30, West Midlands Railway (WMR) in the UK has completed a £70m ($93.1m) redevelopment of the Tyseley Traction Maintenance Depot in Birmingham. The completion was celebrated at an event attended by West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker, along with representatives from the local community and rail industry.

Tyseley depot was modified to accommodate the new Class 196 fleet.

The depot now services and maintains 94 trains and forms a key part of WMR’s £1bn investment in rolling stock and supporting facilities. Parker said: “This investment in cutting-edge equipment and a modern depot means the region’s train fleets will be better looked after and kept in tip-top condition. This will improve reliability, meaning fewer delays and better journeys for everyone in the West Midlands.”

Funding for the three-year project was provided through a partnership with Angel Trains and the Department for Transport. Spencer Rail Engineering, part of Spencer Group, served as the principal contractor. Spencer Group rail managing director Mike Halliday said: “It’s been a pleasure to be involved in this project. From the outset, the focus has been to complete the works on time and within budget, and we’ve done it. Credit must go to West Midlands Railway for allowing us to be involved in the early stages of the project’s development to find an affordable, well thought-through solution, and the results speak for themselves.”

The upgrades at Tyseley accommodate the new Class 196 fleet, which began service in 2022 on routes connecting Birmingham, Hereford, Shrewsbury, Nuneaton, Coventry, and Leamington. The depot also supports maintenance of WMR’s Class 172 trains and CrossCountry’s Class 170 fleet. Capital works included extending the main maintenance shed, increasing capacity from 29 to 38 vehicles, along with updated inspection infrastructure and new train lifting equipment.

Energy supply has been enhanced with the installation of 302 solar panels on the shed roof, expected to generate about 124,000kWh annually and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 58 tonnes each year. WMR engineering director John Doughty said: “These upgrades come as part of a wider £1bn investment into new fleets and infrastructure across our network. The new facilities at Tyseley mean we can efficiently maintain the new and existing train fleets based at the depot, helping to lessen the impact of disruption and improve the reliability of our service.”

Tyseley Depot employs more than 200 staff, including over 130 technicians and a management team of ten. In addition, in February this year, construction began on the £295m ($367.1m) extension of the West Midlands Metro tram network, complementing the region’s ongoing rail development efforts.

The redevelopment of Tyseley Depot reflects WMR’s commitment to modernizing its infrastructure, improving train reliability, and supporting sustainable energy initiatives, contributing to enhanced services for passengers across the West Midlands.