West Midlands Railway (WMR) has revealed that it has reached a significant milestone in the upgrading of its maintenance capacity.

Together with the Mayor of the West Midlands, Richard Parker, the operator officially announced that it has completed the redevelopment of Tyseley Traction Maintenance Depot (TMD) in Birmingham.

The announcement came at a special event last Friday (24 October), which was attended by local representatives and rail industry experts.

The guests took a tour of the site to view the outcome of the £70 million investment into it. The depot upgrade work forms part of a £1bn investment in new rolling stock and depot upgrades.

The upgrade project took three years and was funded in partnership with Angel Trains and the Department for Transport. Spencer Rail Engineering carried out he building work.

Tyseley has been specifically modified so that it can support WMR’s new Class 196 fleet, its Class 172 fleet and CrossCountry’s Class 170 trains.

The Class 196s entered service in 2022. They operate on the lines from Birmingham to Hereford and Shrewsbury, and between Nuneaton, Coventry and Leamington. The fleet comprises 26 trains, which feature intelligent air conditioning, charging ports at all seats and modern digital information screens.

The Class 196s are 96 metres long, which meant that Tyseley Depot’s main shed had to be extended. It’s indoor capacity has increased from 29 to 38 vehicles, and inspection and train lifting facilities have been improved.

Engineers have installed a solar farm of 302 panels on the shed roof, which is estimated to generate 124,000 kWh and save 58 tonnes of carbon annually.

The facility at Tyseley employs over 200 workers from the local area, which includes 130 technicians and 10 managers. The depot plays a central role in WMR’s engineering apprenticeship programme.

“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.

“This vast site employs hundreds of people in high-quality engineering jobs and I am especially pleased to see the apprenticeship programme still growing with 49 new starters in the last year.”

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands