West Midlands Railway (WMR) and Transport for Wales (TfW) have completed a substantial £3 million upgrade of Shrewsbury depot, aimed at supporting new rolling stock and enhancing operational efficiency on key regional routes.
The investment supports the ongoing deployment of WMR’s Class 196 units and TfW’s Class 197 trains, which entered passenger service in 2022 and 2023 respectively. The enhanced facility improves maintenance capabilities for these fleets, which operate on the Shrewsbury to Birmingham and Cambrian Line corridors.
Improvements at the depot include the installation of a smart lighting system, new fuelling infrastructure, additional servicing capacity, and clearly defined safe walking routes. Staff facilities have also been upgraded, and WMR has added three full-time positions, contributing to local employment.
WMR’s engineering director, John Doughty, noted that this project forms part of a wider £1 billion investment in trains and infrastructure across the operator’s network and its sister company, London Northwestern Railway. Related upgrade works are also progressing at Tyseley depot in Birmingham, the primary maintenance site for the Class 196 fleet.
Arnaud Dewally, project manager at TfW, emphasised the strategic importance of Shrewsbury within the Wales and Borders network. The investment supports the integration of new trains into regular service as part of a wider £800 million fleet renewal programme under the Welsh Government’s transport investment plan.
The improvements were formally presented to stakeholders from local government and the wider rail industry at an on-site event on 23 May 2025. The Shrewsbury depot now provides expanded capacity to maintain modern rolling stock while supporting future service reliability and passenger comfort across the region.
