£70 million upgrade to WMR depot to keep trains on track

A major step forward in boosting train service reliability across the West Midlands has been achieved with the completion of a £70 million redevelopment of Birmingham’s Tyseley Traction Maintenance Depot. West Midlands Railway (WMR) and Mayor Richard Parker welcomed local representatives and rail industry professionals to tour the upgraded facility, which now services a fleet of 94 trains, at the end of last month.

The transformation of Tyseley Depot is part of a broader £1 billion investment in rolling stock and infrastructure upgrades. The site has been adapted to support WMR’s new Class 196 fleet, while also enhancing maintenance capabilities for the existing Class 172 and CrossCountry’s Class 170 trains. The Class 196s, which entered service in 2022, operate on routes connecting Birmingham with Hereford, Shrewsbury, Nuneaton, Coventry, and Leamington. These 26 trains feature modern amenities including intelligent air conditioning, seat-side charging ports, and digital information screens.

To accommodate the 96m long Class 196 units, Tyseley’s main shed has been extended, increasing indoor capacity from 29 to 38 vehicles. The upgrade includes improved inspection facilities and new train lifting equipment. A solar array of 302 panels has been installed on the shed roof, expected to generate 124,000kWh annually and save 58 tonnes of carbon emissions. The depot plays a vital role in keeping the region’s rail network running smoothly, employing over 200 staff members, including 130 technicians and 10 managers. It also serves as a hub for WMR’s engineering apprenticeship programme, currently hosting 16 apprentices.

Cutting-edge equipment
Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, 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. 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.”

John Doughty, WMR’s engineering director, highlighted the strategic importance of the upgrades. “These upgrades come as part of a wider £1 billion 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. I’m delighted to see this project come to fruition and look forward to seeing the positive impact it will have on our customers’ journeys with us.”

The three-year redevelopment was funded in partnership with Angel Trains and the Department for Transport, with construction carried out by Spencer Rail Engineering, part of Spencer Group.