In the 25th anniversary year of the Midland Metro, a look back to 2003 and the first tram naming

21 years ago this month, I was invited to Wednesbury depot to report on the naming of Midland Metro tram 09 “Jeff Astle” – 09 becoming the first Midland Metro tram to carry a name.

The naming was carried out on 12 April 2003 by comedian Frank Skinner and Jeff’s widow, Laraine. Jeff, who was a West Bromwich Albion footballer and also played for England five times, became close friends with Frank, after he joined the comedian on the TV series Fantasy Football League. Frank described the naming as a “unique way of paying tribute to the great man.”

The name was chosen after the residents of Sandwell were asked to nominate someone whose name should be carried on a tram – the network only running between Birmingham Snow Hill and Wolverhampton St George’s at the time.

Tram 09 was delivered to Midland Metro on 1 September 1998. In September 2006 it was involved in a collision with tram 10 at Soho Benson Road – both trams being sent to Crewe Works for repair. In the finality it was decided to combine the two good halves of 09 and 10 to create a new 09, which re-entered service in mid 2007 – becoming the second tram to carry the magenta and silver livery. 09 lasted in service until the spring of 2015.

Pictures of the naming here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/190687851@N02/53653915749/ and https://www.flickr.com/photos/190687851@N02/53654027665/

True uncensored stories of what happens on the Midland Metro network – definitely not PR approved! – along with other rail routes across the Midlands are available in the best selling ‘A Funny Thing happened on the Train to the Midlands’ : https://www.chimewhistle.co.uk/shop/p/afunnythinghappenedonthetraintothemidlands