£5m Coventry depot upgrade to boost fleet maintenance

West Midlands Railway (WMR) has completed £5m upgrade at a Coventry depot, where the region’s newest fleet is maintained.

Work at Coventry North Yard means the new fleet can be maintained and stabled more effectively with trains able to be cleaned simultaneously, maximising turnaround time for maintenance to ensure facilities are clean and operational on board.

The fleet entered service in the West Midlands last year and has already carried millions of passengers.

The upgrades are part of a major £1bn investment in new trains and infrastructure by WMR and its sister company London Northwestern Railway. Separate upgrade work is underway at the Soho depot in Smethwick, the primary base for the Class 730s, and the Tyseley depot in Birmingham, where diesel trains are maintained.

Renovations include new toilet waste extraction technology, enhanced walkways, smart lighting, new CCTV and improved staff rooms.

John Doughty, engineering director at West Midlands Railway, said: “Investing into our depots is a major priority for us so we can improve the quality of service for our passengers across the region. West Midlands Railway is a major employer in the West Midlands and we were delighted to be able to recruit further and improve our efficiency and capacity at Coventry North Yard.”

Cllr Pervez Akhtar, from Coventry City Council, said: “We are very impressed with the work carried out at Coventry North Yard to improve the site and are pleased to see that new jobs have been created as a result. Gaining a position at the depot offers a fantastic opportunity to be part of the railway industry, where workers can expand their skills and enjoy a career for life.”