West Midlands Metro is in the spotlight as part of the latest series of the popular BBC travel show Great British Railway Journeys.
The tram network features in the 16th season, presenter Michael Portillo takes viewers along the tramway between Birmingham New Street and Wednesbury, showcasing the Metro as a key part of the region’s evolving transport story.
Michael stopped at Curzon Street, where he learned about the new interchange under construction to link HS2 with the expanding Metro network. He also explored Birmingham’s historic Jewellery Quarter before boarding a tram bound for Wolverhampton.
In Wednesbury, Michael was given a behind-the-scenes tour of the Metro’s depot and explored the Control Room. He met with Metro’s Managing Director Sophie Allison, Rolling Stock Production Manager Matt Bardsley, and Baljit Singh to learn more about the day-to-day operations of the tramway.
“During his visit, Michael was as enthusiastic as you would expect and took a great interest in all aspects of our operation,” said Sophie.
“He was particularly intrigued by our state-of-the-art tram simulator and even took to the controls himself under the watchful eye of Training & Development Manager Tony Furnival.”
The tram trip and depot visit are featured in episode 14 of the 16th series of Great British Railway Journey on BBC iPlayer, it is also aired on BBC4, where it has become one of the channel’s most popular programmes.
“Featuring on the show provided a fantastic opportunity to showcase the fantastic work being done by the Metro team and the benefits of tram travel, and I would like to thank everyone who played their part on the day of Michael’s visit,” Sophie added.
