Owner of Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre collapses into administration

The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation (BCIMO), the not-for-profit company behind the Dudley based Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre, has collapsed into administration.

BCIMO specialised in rail innovations, in addition to VLR development, and operated from a purpose-built research and development centre on the site of what was Dudley railway station.

While BCIMO had succeeded in rail and transport innovation, it failed to secure the long-term core funding that was originally envisaged, as part of the original business case.

Accounts filed with Companies House in 2024 showed a £1.7million deficit.

The document also suggested that much of the centre’s funding was provided in the form of loans from Dudley Borough Council.

The centre has been involved in a variety of different rail innovations through the government’s ‘Clean Futures’ programme. It was also responsible for much of the trial facilities for the Coventry VLR concept.

BCIMO took the lead in the testing of a prototype vehicle and trialled its revolutionary ‘slab track’ concept.

The site in Dudley centre features a 2.2km test track, which includes the old Dudley Tunnel. In addition, a £32m building houses an engineering hall, offices, meeting rooms and large exhibition space.

In recent months research and development specialist WMG at Warwick University had been looking to developing a partnership with BCIMO.

In a statement WMG said: “Part of that activity has been around identifying the required funding routes, but unfortunately BCIMO has had to enter administration before funding had been secured.”

Deviesh Raikundalia and Tyrone Courtman, of RSM UK Restructuring Advisory, have been appointed joint administrators, with the BCIMO business and assets being sold by Lambert Smith Hampton.