Metro trams being auctioned off after reaching the end of the line
For so long a familiar sight on the streets of Birmingham and the Black Country, the mothballed trams which formed part of the old Midland Metro fleet are being auctioned off.
The Ansaldo T69 trams, which were mothballed in 2014, will be the subject of an e-auction in January by Transport for the West Midlands (TfWM), the transport arm of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA).
The trams were used on the Midland Metro line between Birmingham Snow Hill station and Wolverhampton city centre from 1998 to 2014.
They were phased out following the introduction of the new Urbos 3 trams in 2014.
For the past three years, the trams have been in storage at a depot in Long Marston, Warwickshire.
Cllr Roger Lawrence, the WMCA’s lead member for transport, said: “They’ve got more than a few thousand miles on the clock but in their time the T69 trams were excellent servants for the Midland Metro.”
“They are mostly still serviceable so the auction is a good chance for someone to get themselves a bargain.”
There are 15 trams up for auction, each with a capacity of up to 156 passengers.
There is no reserve on the vehicles but bidding will be in increments of £100 and each will be sold as seen. Visits to the storage facility are by appointment only.
The e-auction will take place on Monday January 29, 2018, at 10am and will be hosted by BravoSolution. To take part bidders must be a registered company.
