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West Midlands Metro Tracklaying in Brum


melmerby
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That’s where the Brummagen Colosseum stood until Attila the Baggy knocked it down.

Nice one!

A Roman road (Icknield Street) did run more or less through the middle of where Brum is.

There is also the site of Metchley Fort on it, which is in the grounds of the QE hospital, near University station.

 

Keith

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Nice one!

A Roman road (Icknield Street) did run more or less through the middle of where Brum is.

There is also the site of Metchley Fort on it, which is in the grounds of the QE hospital, near University station.

 

Keith

University station is actually inside the eastern corner of the Roman camp. Until the latest round of hospital expansion was done there was still some evidence of where the perimeter earthworks stood.

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University station is actually inside the eastern corner of the Roman camp. Until the latest round of hospital expansion was done there was still some evidence of where the perimeter earthworks stood.

Shows up nicely on this map:

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17&lat=52.4511&lon=-1.9370&layers=168&right=BingSat

 

Keith

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After many months of digging, moving services and re-filling along the route of the extension some actual construction has started in front of the Town Hall.

 

Some sort of re-inforced structure is appearing (three views):

 

post-6208-0-35602200-1532643666_thumb.jpg

 

post-6208-0-11840400-1532643685_thumb.jpg

 

post-6208-0-37837400-1532643702_thumb.jpg

 

Meanwhile the new order in West Midlands transport is starting to get it's presence felt

 

Couple of views of tramstop signage:

 

post-6208-0-37040300-1532643786_thumb.jpgpost-6208-0-00009500-1532643819_thumb.jpg

 

On the trams themselves the new designation:

 

post-6208-0-27775600-1532643867_thumb.jpg

 

Oddly the colour blue on the end cars is more of a grey-blue shade whereas on the centre car is a much brighter blue.

It's not just one tram that's affected, all the ones I saw were the same.

 

Keith

 

 

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The New Order at the Midland (Now West Midlands) Metro:

 

Tram 31 in the new two tone blue livery and also retrofitted with Li-Ion batteries, like No.18:

 

post-6208-0-04546400-1534438377_thumb.jpg

 

Another view showing the battery pack on the end car:

 

post-6208-0-42352700-1534438483_thumb.jpg

 

The third shot shows the two blue colours nicely with the "house" merging pattern:

 

post-6208-0-19221600-1534438619_thumb.jpg

 

I hated the Pink & Grey and think the new livery looks much classier

 

Keith

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The two different shades of blue for "Metro" which I commented about with respect to a pink & grey tram now shows why.

Darker blue on the light blue end cars, light blue on the darker middle section.

 

Keith

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The work to extend the Metro to Five Ways has now encroached on the present terminus in Stepenson Street where the turnback by Ian Allan has been decommisioned and the OHLE isolated.

Trams now turnback at the previously unused crossover outside Grand Central/New Street Station, the second platform is suspended.

 

Grand Central Stop:

 

post-6208-0-03558100-1538433893_thumb.jpg

 

As usual in the no cycling zone:

 

post-6208-0-54817500-1538434490_thumb.jpg

 

Looking up Stepehenson St:

 

post-6208-0-33861800-1538434527_thumb.jpg

 

The OHLE is earthed for safety:

 

post-6208-0-38608000-1538434568_thumb.jpg

post-6208-0-46706500-1538434582_thumb.jpg

 

Meanwhile Paradise circus is being dismembered in preparation for the tram:

 

post-6208-0-62593500-1538434637_thumb.jpg

 

And in Broad St where the tram will run:

 

post-6208-0-94277900-1538434674_thumb.jpg

 

Keith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Yeah I work in one of those buildings - it’s no fun getting through all this and past the Conservative party conference to be in my office by 8:30 in the morning. Do wish that that on occasion they would just leave it all alone.

 

Aaaand I’ve got this until next summer at the earliest :) yaaay!

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Time for an update, especially as today the first piece of track was laid on the new extension

I have been photgraphing the progress but much of it was just earthworks and preparation.

 

Pinfold Street where the troughs for the track are now complete:

796746641_PinfoldStreet10.jpg.b98dcfdb4bf6911438f9b6a28cfb4aa3.jpg

 

Paradise Street with most of the troughing now complete:

1068848758_ParadiseStreet4.jpg.d06c5304bf41554e6fce701bda08b605.jpg

 

The piece of track that was ceremoniously laid today:

386506508_ParadiseStreet3.jpg.7e6f1693cb5241f3d438f4b9707d2ae2.jpg

 

One of the trams (No.36) that has received it's batteries in a new advertising livery:

918157396_tram19.jpg.80f9401b1a03b020691a02225cf91bed.jpg

I note that it didn't get a full all over blue livery, just the pink painted over.

 

In Stephenson Street preparations for connecting the existing track to the extension:

61216106_StephensonStreet72.jpg.59f316815f429033b651253fc9f78215.jpg

A length of the existing track has been removed.

 

Close up of one of the sleepers:

1714797415_StephensonStreet72a.jpg.8a0faa312caf00d7c7031e0fa8218233.jpg

 

 

 

 

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Time for another update showing latest state of tramworks

 

Pinfold Street has now got some track:

1067894825_pinfoldstreet11.jpg.94bf3c07351288bdd1994cc74b67286e.jpg

 

A closer view:

498904223_pinfoldstreet11a.jpg.8f4c4cd6716a4b7e09d49be320c85d46.jpg

 

Paradise street with Town hall on right:

93421247_ParadiseStreet5.jpg.c3eb7ece7ced4d612724136697b794d3.jpg

 

Further along Paradise Street.

The track is now extending out across Paradise Circus:

439187237_ParadiseStreet6.jpg.7807c19a905ec7b86049ebb78348f440.jpg

 

Close up of block laying:

318241455_ParadiseStreet6a.jpg.8b2a7905a43b399f822168c2550fa4a3.jpg

 

Close up of track laying:

2103355727_ParadiseStreet6b.jpg.fa334ddf5fea552c31c4e0e753d917a3.jpg

 

Between the top of Pinfold Street and the tracks in Paradise street there is a gap where services are still being re-routed (mainly gas by the look of the yellow pipes)

 

Edited by melmerby
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A few more pictures updating the progress up to last Thursday

Extending the track in Stephenson Street:

10819568_StephensonStreet72.jpg.7ce3e6de3ad6099b6d69791506f90dc0.jpg

 

Close up of "sleeper":

648998300_StephensonStreet72a.jpg.d3c91edfbdc8fdd03a0f615749e0bd37.jpg

 

A week later the new track extensions are covered with tarmac:

836952333_StephensonStreet73.jpg.039afcf31b1774c98cc8fe7b68873454.jpg

 

Pinfold street now has track all the way down:

856376526_PinfoldStreet12.jpg.a1cd13f6437762b41aab0efef5ccead8.jpg

 

A closer view:

1694725914_PinfoldStreet12a.jpg.b87b0a5184b57669cfaac4624bce586e.jpg

 

Meanwhile the work gang were joining the track in Stephenson Street to Pinfold Street:

1095892175_StephensonStreet73a.jpg.79b05f98d6ac04d94e1450653b41f47a.jpg

 

Meanwhile in Paradise Street the work advances:

1138245304_ParadiseStreet7.jpg.15b7cced548e3579469aa3da755cd4ad.jpg

 

Now heading out across the former Paradise Circus:

1388387830_ParadiseStreet7b.jpg.fc36533b42766226450cdb459c306b9a.jpg

 

There is only a small area in front of the old Post Office building where services are still being sorted, once that is done track can be laid and will then extend from the former terminus at the end of Stephenson Street to the bridge across Queensway.

Edited by melmerby
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Hi all

It's been a while since I posted here and the current situation is that the tram work to the ICC is complete with just some tidying of the roads and paving.

Testing started a few weeks ago during the night before the infrastructure was complete but daytime testing is now taking place with all the signals etc. now operational.+

 

Looking up Pinfold Street:

407954077_PinfoldSt20.jpg.06f0bb61b775a263e51100fe867ef67b.jpg

 

Alongside the Town Hall:

1239740774_ParadiseStreet20.jpg.f84f5fcefe4875b16e199d4533125438.jpg

 

A couple of views across Paradise Circus showing the different light phases:

1223059227_Paradisecircus10.jpg.b7838980d58f2f09b41b1034672667f2.jpg

 

1396338979_Paradisecircus11.jpg.aa252bdcd67e1cededc8d39710465701.jpg

 

Broad Street approaching the scissors crossing:

1310456309_broadstreet10.jpg.26249c8432edb1cebfc9f3f286e1d5f8.jpg

 

A couple of shots of Tram 35 at the ICC Tram Stop (note pan down as it's on batteries):

 

338083569_ICCstop10.jpg.60fe54581b9536795fa7d18bcf59d33d.jpg1033022963_ICCstop11.jpg.193d799faa2c0a046f537def38cb01d0.jpg

 

Stephenson Street Stop with test Tram 35 (right) waiting to go to Bull Street and service Tram 34 (Left) about to depart for Wolverhampton:1887877356_StephensonSt100.jpg.2258d52417efa368bda1b8d54dec09e0.jpg

 

No 35 was shuttling back and forth between Bull Street (?) and the ICC using overhead power to Stephenson Street and batteries to & from the ICC stop.

 

 

 

Edited by melmerby
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Many thanks for the photo updates. Please keep them coming!

 

This is an area of continuing interest to me (and I suspect a lot of other people, too) which unfortunately I don't have the opportunity to visit very often.

 

John

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1 hour ago, Siberian Snooper said:

Any ideas as to when the extension is due to open?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Before Christmas is the last I heard.

It says "December" on the facebook page.

It will be a couple more years before it's open to the Hagley Road terminus.

Edited by melmerby
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Last Thursday I drove down the slip road at 5 ways onto the Hagley Road going west . I noticed the dual carriageway had been dug up under the tunnel and parked in the debris was an artic  lorry with a load of pot sleepers [I was driving so no pics I'm afraid] So real progress from my last visit a couple of years ago. That said I guess its disruptive if you were a regular user of Broad Street down into town as I used to be!!

 

Doug. 

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Yesterday on the tram the "conductor" was saying two weeks to the start of revenue workings on the tiny little extension bit- all makes for a better network/ line but so slow. My dad would say - good job there is not a war on .

Seen several tram runs so hopefully the good gent on Ozzy Osborne (37) is close to the money. 

 

In previous days a ribbon would be cut but I guess now it will have to bust through a paper banner with a box that has been ticked printed on it ! 

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3 hours ago, Icknieldrobin said:

Last Thursday I drove down the slip road at 5 ways onto the Hagley Road going west . I noticed the dual carriageway had been dug up under the tunnel and parked in the debris was an artic  lorry with a load of pot sleepers [I was driving so no pics I'm afraid] So real progress from my last visit a couple of years ago. That said I guess its disruptive if you were a regular user of Broad Street down into town as I used to be!!

 

Doug. 

They have been working on the underpass at least six months as this picture from June this year shows:

 

1230991737_FiveWays1.jpg.d4b759d6b8a92d59729f3872a4bacf6f.jpg

The road surface had already been removed by then.

 

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6 minutes ago, PhilJ W said:

No overhead, I assume they are on battery power. Will the lines be wired in future?

 

No OHLE in the city centre in the future. The battery-fitted trams are all about having no OHLE to avoid the visual clutter in the centre of a city, especially where there are older buildings of architectural interest. Quite a few cities in other parts of the world already do this for the same reason. There are also a number of cities with battery-fitted trolleybuses which run part of their route off-wire.

 

John

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