Alstom, formerly known as GEC Alsthom, closed its 150-year-old Birmingham plant at Washwood Heath in 2005. The site had previously been home to the Metro-Cammell train-building yards. Despite campaigns by workers to keep the factory open, redundancy offers were eventually accepted.
The closure of the Washwood Heath factory effectively brought train manufacturing in Birmingham to an end. Issues relating to train reliability in the UK and safety approval processes contributed to company restructuring and substantial job losses across the West Midlands.
For those interested in railway history, a website dedicated to memories of Metro-Cammell train building can be found at metcam.co.uk.
The British Class 390 “Pendolino” electric multiple units are tilting trains built by Alstom using Fiat tilt systems. Fifty-three nine-car units were constructed for Virgin Trains between 2001 and 2004. These trains were the last to be built at Alstom’s Washwood Heath plant before its closure.
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