BCIMO has failed

See Dave's email to me, below.

This is a major financial and transport scandal and a wicked waste of many tens of millions of pounds.  Quite apart from wrecking the London to Edinburgh mainline railway through the heart of the Black Country.  All because of their foolish obsession with trams on railway lines and taking over or duplicating bus routes!

I suggested, in 2014, that they built their VLR Innovation Centre at the former steel site at Moor Street, Brierley Hill.  They could then have used the 3 Kms track up to Pensnett High Street.  But they knew best and ignored me!!

"Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, who operate the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley, has fallen into administration."

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: david parsons <dave0861@outlook.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2025 at 16:06
Subject: My prediction has come true.
To: Tim Weller <timweller1@gmail.com>

Hi Tim.

I thought that would inform you that, the VLR centre at Dudley which was built on the Former BR Freightliner depot and blocking the former South staffs trackbed  from ever being used as a through Rail route from Stourbridge to Lichfield have gone into receivership.

Once promoted by Dudley council leader P Harley & former mayor A Street at a cost of millions as being the future for innovative light rail technology in Dudley has been a white elephant.

Having finished its one and only main contract of development and testing the VLR vehicle for Coventry town centre has currently closed its doors due to lack of orders.

As I have said in my previous emails this was an exercise in throwing money down a drain, it was never needed, there are already other test sites in Britain like at Long Marston for testing and development of light rail infrastructure and vehicles etc.

Most builders of light rail vehicles such as CAF or Stadler have their own research facilities and the point of an independent company to do the same research makes no sense as there is not enough projects to go round that justifies light rail development.

It will now be interesting to see what happens next to this site, most of its test track is in a 949 yard tunnel under Dudley, not really ideal for examination of a vehicle if something goes amiss.

Of course the next waste of money will soon be the arrival of the Metro in Dudley.

This project persistently runs out of financial funds every few miles it's completed & despite funding in the chancellors last fund review, may still not reach that gem of a place to travel to Cottage St Brierley Hill.

Interestingly last Friday, I chose to walk from New st station, to the figure of Eight pub in Broad Street  Birmingham & left my mate outside the station to catch the tram.

I got to the Figure of Eight pub first.

Enough said I think.