The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation

The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO) was established to oversee the build, launch and operation of the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre (VLRNIC), a unique, purpose-built, rail research and development facility based in Dudley in the West Midlands.

The VLRNIC is being used to help shape and accelerate the development of lower-cost and more environmentally friendly solutions across the whole of the rail industry. These solutions range from traditional heavy rail right through to emerging Very Light Rail (VLR) tram systems, such as the first-of-itskind Coventry VLR system which is being developed by Coventry City Council and its partners and is being tested at the centre.

VLR systems are designed to be much cheaper and easier to install than conventional ‘light rail’ tram systems which are normally only economically viable for large cities. It is hoped that this new, UK-developed, transport system can be used to strengthen public transport connections in rural and suburban locations as well as being an option for smaller cities and large towns that typically cannot afford to install a tram network.

Construction of the VLRNIC was completed in September 2022, thanks to funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership in partnership with the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, the West Midlands Combined Authority, the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership and Coventry City Council.

The centre already has several major clients on site and is running at about 33% of the site’s total capacity. During 2023 further significant activities will include the launch of the centre’s events suite (complete with 130-seat auditorium, large exhibition hall and accompanying breakout spaces). A VLR simulator is due to be added during Q1, with further laboratories being kitted out throughout the year, based on feedback that BCIMO will obtain from a series of sector-specific workshops. The highlight of the year will be the official opening of the VLRNIC.

For more information on BCIMO and the VLRNIC, please register your details on the BCIMO website at https://bcimo.co.uk/contact/.

The new innovation centre is part of a wider regeneration plan for the Black Country region. The facility boasts a number of unique features, including a 2.2km test track, a 15-metre radius loop that can be used to assess the handling of tight turns, an 870m curved tunnel and a bespoke overhead electric charging system, commissioned to recharge the Coventry VLR vehicle in under 4 minutes and which can be used by future VLR systems. The centre’s main building houses a three-storey engineering hall with direct rail access to the track, as well as research laboratories, offices and event facilities.