Hi-tech Midland Metro tram's journey from Spain to Midlands shown in video

The four-minute clip, posted on You Tube by Centro and Network West Midlands, shows the first tram's journey from Spain.

It also shows the significant logistical operation over land and sea put in place to bring it to the West Midlands.

The journey is played out in the film New Trams for a New Era.

It shows how the tram was loaded in two separate pieces onto low loader trucks at CAF's factory in Zaragoza before being taken under police escort to the Spanish port of Santander.

From there it was taken by ship to Plymouth where the trucks were met by a British police escort for their onward journey to Wednesbury.

Images show the Urbos 3 tram transform from just a steel skeleton at its manufacturing base to the finished product on the line at the tram depot in Potters Lane, Wednesbury.

In the video, workmen can be seen inspecting parts of the tram and then the finished product is shown in its full pink-and-grey glory as it shines in the warehouse.

The tram is then wrapped up to protect it on its lengthy journey, before it is put on a Scania truck.

As the truck makes its way through Europe it boards a Brittany Ferries ship which carried it to the UK. A yellow sign saying 'convoi excepcionnel' adorns the lorry carrying it.

As it arrives in the Midlands it is carefully inspected and unloaded, before it is placed on the tramlines.

The vehicle is one of 20 new vehicles built by CAF which will be delivered to transport authority Centro over the next six months.

After a period of testing, the new trams will replace the current 16-strong fleet of vehicles on the route between Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill Station. They will also be deployed on the mile-long Metro extension through Birmingham city centre which is set to open in 2015.

The new trams are a third bigger than current ones and can carry up to 200 passengers compared to 156.

Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council, took the wraps off the first tram during a ceremony last week. He said: "The delivery of the first tram is a real milestone because Metro has a key role to play in the ongoing development of our transport network so that it can underpin economic growth right across the West Midlands.

"Work is already under way on the city centre extension, but we are now planning to take the Metro on further to Centenary Square as well as extending it through Wolverhampton city centre to the railway station."

Centro chairman Councillor John McNicholas added: "It's fantastic to see the first of these very high quality trams arrive from Spain, not least because they will bring real benefits for passengers.

"Not only will they provide a more comfortable journey but the extra capacity means we will be able to run a six-minute frequency throughout the day, helping to increase the number of people we can carry on the system each year."

The new, bigger trams have also required the Metro's existing maintenance depot in Potters Lane to be remodelled and extend ed.

The project, which is costing nearly £14 million, was carried out by Morgan Sindall and involves a 138ft extension to the east of the existing maintenance shed along with additional maintenance berths, four new stabling sidings and a separate testing and commissioning shed. The introduction of the new Midland Metro fleet will be project managed from CAF's Coventry office while a further 10 jobs are being created at the expanded Wednesbury depot.

Jag Paddam, managing director of Infrastructure at Morgan Sindall, said: "Morgan Sindall is proud to be associated with the new Metro extension.

"This complex project has been undertaken with minimal disruption to the day-to-day running of the tram service thanks to a collaborative approach between our project team and the operations staff at the depot.

"We hope that passengers enjoy the comfort and convenience of travelling in the new trams."