West Midlands Metro Tracklaying in Brum

[Edwin_m]

Not much to report this week, mainly tidying up and paving.

The pedestrian crossings have not had their full complement of lights fitted yet.

 

But going back to last week's posting:

 

Looks like someone had made a boo-boo as this week the two signal heads have been refitted on the same side of the post thus:

 

Tramway Signal 1b.jpg

 

Reading in that direction there is firstly a turnback followed immediately by a light controlled pedestrian crossing

Does that make more sense?

 

Cheers

 

Keith

Aha, as I suspected.  The signal is probably to prevent a tram proceeding onto the points if there is another one signalled to make a conflicting move on the points (which may not be possible until the line is extended).  The points indicator just repeats the points position but doesn't give any authorisation to proceed. 

[melmerby]

Aha, as I suspected.  The signal is probably to prevent a tram proceeding onto the points if there is another one signalled to make a conflicting move on the points (which may not be possible until the line is extended).  The points indicator just repeats the points position but doesn't give any authorisation to proceed. 

There doesn't seem to be any other tramway signals between this position and the pedestrian crossing a little further on.

However in the other direction there is one right on the crossing.

In the sixth picture down in my latest post you can see the pedestrian aspect just below and to the right.

 

Although there are electrically operated point motors the turnbacks have all been set the one way, namely thrown.

Trams entering Bull Street just trail through the points and you can see the indicator light changing as each set of wheels runs through them.

Surely this is bad prcatice and causes excessive wear to the mechanism?

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[Edwin_m]

You probably wouldn't want a tram stopping on the points if pedestrians are crossing the pedestrian crossing, as it were.  So I imagine for this signal to clear, the route would have to be set and the crossing would have to be displaying "red man".  Presumably in the other direction there is a signal on the crossing, but this will also need a route set over the points. 

Edited May 14, 2016 by Edwin_m

[sdw7300]

Popped into Birmingham yesterday. The platform outside New Street/ Grand Central was being pressure washed and a road sweeper was going up and down the tracks. All starting to look very smart.

[melmerby]

Popped into Birmingham yesterday. The platform outside New Street/ Grand Central was being pressure washed and a road sweeper was going up and down the tracks. All starting to look very smart.

Thre was plenty of sweeping going on last Thursday, there were two road sweepers in action but no pressure washing that I could see.

 

Considering that the public service is scheduled to start next Sunday the testing/training with trams must be starting imminently!

 

It will be interesting to see how well the loading/unloading restrictions are policed along the tram route as generally in Birmingham such things aren't, along with all the bus lanes that have parked cars in.

 

The road traffic along the tram route from Stephenson Street is one way towards Bull Street but there appears to be cycling allowed in the other direction. No doubt this is to legitimize what will happen anyway where cyclists have constantly been riding through the "closed" roads during the tram works, that also includes Deliveroo mopeds.

I've also seen plenty of unauthorised motor vehicles in the tram works areas, especially more recently where little of the road is actually obstructed. None of the Civil Enforcement Officers ever seem to do anything about it.

Birmingham must be one of the worst places in Britain when it comes to policing illegal parking, loading, driving  etc.

 

Keith

Edited May 15, 2016 by melmerby

[melmerby]

Opening postponed again!

 

http://centro.org.uk/about-us/news/2016/midland-metro-services-to-new-street-station-hit-delay/

 

Keith

[melmerby]

More on the story above.

 

Apparently the track isn't as level as it should be and to correct the problem they will have to grind the rail head.

It's only in one or two places and only a few millimetres of error need to be corrected although it looks like the opening will be delayed by about a week if all goes to plan.

 

Keith

[melmerby]

Yesterday the only work being done on the track was a guy with a lump hammer and a cold chisel bashing away at the rails outside House of Fraser (outbound track).

 

He would hit the track several times and then move a short distance (including his safety barriers) and do the same again.

 

Keith

[DavidB]

Yesterday the only work being done on the track was a guy with a lump hammer and a cold chisel bashing away at the rails outside House of Fraser (outbound track).

 

He would hit the track several times and then move a short distance (including his safety barriers) and do the same again.

 

Keith

LOL - my Midlands DNA finds it strangely reassuring in an ever-changing and uncertain world that the time-honoured precision engineering of the Brummagem Screwdriver lives on in 2016.

 

David

[melmerby]

LOL - my Midlands DNA finds it strangely reassuring in an ever-changing and uncertain world that the time-honoured precision engineering of the Brummagem Screwdriver lives on in 2016.

 

David

A few times during the construction I've asked the odd question about what's being done.

This time I couldn't pluck up courage to ask what he was doing!

 

Keith

[dcroz]

Keith,

 

Amused to read your description of the intensive engineering resources that have been deployed to fix the track issues as a priority...

 

David

[melmerby]

Keith,

 

Amused to read your description of the intensive engineering resources that have been deployed to fix the track issues as a priority...

 

David

I'm curious to know exactly what he was attempting to achieve.

Unless he was only marking the track for some further work to be done?

 

Keith

[melmerby]

Here's the photos I took last Thursday.

As you will see there isn't much work left to do.

 

Stephenson Street from Grand Central ramp:

 

I'm not sure what they will do about that scaffolding and barriers as they are obstructing the tramway and aren't going anywhere soon.

 

Looking the other way from Ethel Street:

 

(Note that other traffic runs contraflow to the tram track,

but as the track doesn't as yet go anywhere I don't think there will be a problem )

 

The turnback at the station tram stop showing that is now set to normal with the appropriate signal showing:

 

 

A bit of cleaning going on at the Corporation Street set down stop:

 

 

Signal for contraflow cyclists at Corporation Street/Bull Street Southbound where they should turn left:

 

(Most cyclists ignore it anyway and ride straight across the junction)

 

From Bull Street towards Lower Bull Street:

 

(Shows all traffic except trams should turn left,

but again traffic & cyclists are ignoring it and the no entry signs and going South down Corporation Street which is one-way Northbound)

 

I hope there will be some strict policing of the traffic rules along the route once the trams start running else it's going to be total chaos.

 

Keith

Edited May 21, 2016 by melmerby

[dcroz]

 

From Centro press release dated 23rd May 2016:

http://centro.org.uk/about-us/news/2016/ozzy-osborne-to-name-midland-metro-tram/

 

Ozzy Osborne to name Midland Metro tram

Rock icon Ozzy Osborne is to get star billing in his native Birmingham by having a Midland Metro tram named after him. The city's own Prince of Darkness will be in town to meet the tram bearing his name this Thursday May 26. The Aston-born frontman of legendary Birmingham band Black Sabbath will be at the new Corporation Street stop at 11am.

 

Ozzy said: "It's a great honour to have a new tram named after me, I'm proud to be a Brummie and this means so much." On-street driver training between Bull Street and the Stephenson Street stop outside New Street station began today (May 23) following successful work over the weekend to correct minor alignment problems on some sections of the track. Training is scheduled to take seven days and passenger services will begin once this is successfully completed. In further good news for the network the Department for Transport has announced it has given formal approval for the extension from New Street to Centenary Square via Victoria Square. This is scheduled for completion in 2019.

 

The tram-naming ceremony has been organised by Centro, the delivery arm of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA). The extension to New Street is part of a £128 million project that has also seen the purchase of a brand new 21-strong fleet of Urbos 3 trams, a refurbished depot at Wednesbury and a new stop at Snow Hill station. Trams returned to the streets of Birmingham city centre for the first time in more than 60 years last December when the Metro started running to the new stop in Bull Street.The previous month saw Her Majesty the Queen visit the stop and name one of the new trams after former Centro chairman Cllr Angus Adams, who died in 2012 and was a key figure in driving through the extension plans.

 

In April this year test runs began to New Street from Bull Street. Now testing is complete, Midland Metro drivers have begun on-street training having first used the computerised route simulator at the Wednesbury depot. The extension is expected to boost the West Midlands economy by more than £50 million a year and create 1,300 new jobs. 

Edited May 23, 2016 by dcroz

[wombatofludham]

They should have named a T69 after him.  They were noisy and falling apart almost from new.

[melmerby]

The driver training was in full swing today when I was in Birmingham.

Each tram arriving from Wolverhampton unloaded it's passengers in Bull street then proceeded empty down to New Street Station Grand Central stop, stopping at each stop for an appropriate period.

The driver would then take the tram up to the end of the track outside Ian Allan and stop before returning through the crossover to the return stop in Stephenson Street and carry on towards Wolverhampton in a similar fashion.

I noticed some trams had the destination board blank whilst on the "training" section whilst others had the destination as it should be.

 

Some pictures follow (in route sequence but with various trams):

 

Two trams side by side in Bull Street, the RH for Stephenson Street and the LH for Wolverhampton:

 

 

In Bull Street (from inside The Square Peg!):

 

 

Turning into Corporation Street:

 

 

Arriving in Stephenson Street:

 

 

Leaving Grand Central towards Ethel St:

 

Note the tram signal changing back to "stop" after clear aspect

 

At the end of the track it meets this sign:

 

 

Turning back at the end of Stephenson Street:

 

 

Waiting at the return stop at Grand Central:

 

 

Climbing up Corporation Street:

 

 

Passing House of Fraser:

 

 

Turning from Corporation Street into Bull Street:

 

Complete with signals

 

Entering Bull Street (from inside the Square Peg again!):

 

 

Approaching the stop at Bull Street at the end of the "training" section:

 

 

I got the impression that the driver training was more to do with proving the timetable than anything else with the set period stops etc.

The only person on the tram was the driver.

 

Lastly a view of the railhead at the location where the chap was thumping it with a cold chisel last week:

 

It is one of the welded joints and shows definite signs of recent grinding.

 

Whilst in New Street Station the announcements warned of the presence of trams on driver training and that the full public service would start on Bank Holiday Monday 30th May.

 

Keith

Edited May 26, 2016 by melmerby

[melmerby]

Incidentally what does the sign LOS mean?

 

Keith

[Edwin_m]

Limit of Shunt! 

 

Not strictly correct here, as it normally denotes how far a tram (or a train) can go in the wrong direction up a running line without risking a head-on encounter with something coming the other way.  Here, if I understand it correctly, it is indicating the limit of normal operation in the "right" direction before reversing over the trailing crossover.  Track beyond here is presumably still under construction so not to be used by trams. 

[melmerby]

Limit of Shunt! 

 

Not strictly correct here, as it normally denotes how far a tram (or a train) can go in the wrong direction up a running line without risking a head-on encounter with something coming the other way.  Here, if I understand it correctly, it is indicating the limit of normal operation in the "right" direction before reversing over the trailing crossover.  Track beyond here is presumably still under construction so not to be used by trams. 

Thanks for that

 

The track beyond there doesn't exist (as yet), the rails just stop at that sign.

There is enough track for one tram plus a metre or two beyond the crossover. Any further and the tram will be driving on tarmac without any overhead! (The overhead won't be continued here as they will be running on batteries)

On the other line the track only goes far enough to complete the crossover plus a small amount.

 

It looks like the running arrangements, if the training session is anything to go by, is to drop off passengers at Grand Central/New Street inbound tram stop.

Drive on up to that sign.

Turnback to the other track through the crossover and drive to the outbound tram stop to pick up passengers for the Wolverhampton direction.

 

Keith

Edited May 27, 2016 by melmerby

[melmerby]

Metro has started running to Grand Central/New Street Station as promised today.

 

The new stop at Snow Hill will also be in use from today as well.

 

Keith

[dcroz]

 

From Centro Press Release dated 30.05.2016:

 

http://centro.org.uk/about-us/news/2016/grand-opening-for-midland-metro-to-new-street-station/

 

Grand opening for Midland Metro to New Street station

Tram services began running today (Monday May 30) to Birmingham's New Street station as the city centre extension opened for business. The Midland Metro's city centre extension from Bull Street to the station and Grand Central shopping centre began operating at 8am. Centro, the delivery arm of the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (ITA), is responsible for the extension, which sees trams running through the heart of the city centre for the first time since they were withdrawn in 1953.

 

The first tram from Birmingham Grand Central and New Street station goes into service.

 

Coun Richard Worrall, Metro lead member for the ITA's transport delivery committee, which oversees Centro, said "It's wonderful to see the Metro running all the way between Wolverhampton Birmingham New Street. "It's obviously great news for Birmingham - but also for the wider West Midlands. This extension is expected to create more than 1,300 sustainable new jobs and boost the regional economy by more than £50 million a year." James Aspinall, managing director of Centro, said the extension was just the start of a major expansion of the Metro over the next few years thanks to the regional devolution deal struck with the Government. "We will see £1.2 billion invested in public transport over the next 10 years," he said. "This will mean important new Metro links in Wolverhampton as well as Edgbaston and to Brierley Hill. Passengers will be able to get straight to the High Speed 2 rail stations in Birmingham and the NEC/Airport by 2026. This is a marvellous boost for the region."

 

The Midland Metro runs between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, serving locations such as the Jewellery Quarter, West Bromwich, Wednesbury and Bilston.The extension to New Street is part of a £128 million project that has also seen the purchase of a brand new 21-strong fleet of Urbos 3 trams, a refurbished depot at Wednesbury and a new stop at Snow Hill station. It will deliver more than three million people a year directly into the heart of Birmingham's main shopping district and is expected to boost the West Midlands economy by more than £50 million a year and create 1,300 new jobs.

 

The extension was built by construction group Balfour Beatty. Mike Reade, a Balfour Beatty director, said: "We are delighted to join Centro and Birmingham City Council in celebrating the completion of the Birmingham City Centre Extension. "This complex and challenging project has demanded collaborative work across the entire team and is a significant milestone for Birmingham. "We look forward to supporting the continued investment in the infrastructure of the West Midlands to improve connectivity and support economic growth."

 

Peter Coates, managing director of National Express West Midlands which operates the Metro on behalf of Centro, said: "It's excellent that customers can now get the Midland Metro to and from Grand Central and New Street Station. "Since we started running to Bull Street, we've seen 23% more passengers on the trams. Now the extension is open we look forward to passenger numbers continuing to grow."

Work has already begun extending the route from New Street Station to Centenary Square, with services expected to start running in 2019. Funding has also been earmarked to extend the route further along Broad Street, past Five Ways and on to Edgbaston by 2021. The route of the extension through Digbeth has also been chosen, running from Bull Street via Albert Street and on to the forthcoming HS2 high speed rail station at Curzon Street. From there it would go along New Canal Street and Meriden Street into High Street Deritend, stopping at Digbeth Coach Station and the Custard Factory. It is anticipated the line could be open by 2023.

Edited May 31, 2016 by dcroz

[martin_wynne]

stopping at Digbeth Coach Station and the Custard Factory. It is anticipated the line could be open by 2023.

 

For RMwebbers wondering how many passengers will be left on by the time the tram gets to a custard factory, see: http://www.custardfactory.co.uk

 

Martin.

[melmerby]

One problem that arises from any Eastside extension is there isn't a junction at Bull Street/Corporation Street and the line will have to close for the period of construction.

More unwanted delays which could have been avoided if it had been put in whilst the present extension was being constructed.

They knew the Eastside extension was going ahead so why wasn't it done?

Poor forward planning IMHO.

Blackpool did put in a junction whilst their track was being upgraded to allow a planned line to the Railway Station.

 

Keith

[martin_wynne]

National Rail Enquiries Journey Planner web site is still showing a 10 minute walk for connections between Snow Hill and New Street.

 

I doubt it is much quicker by tram unless you are lucky, but there is now no need to walk. Useful information missing for elderly/infirm/disabled/wet weather.

 

Martin.

[jamie92208]

One problem that arises from any Eastside extension is there isn't a junction at Bull Street/Corporation Street and the line will have to close for the period of construction.

More unwanted delays which could have been avoided if it had been put in whilst the present extension was being constructed.

They knew the Eastside extension was going ahead so why wasn't it done?

Poor forward planning IMHO.

Blackpool did put in a junction whilst their track was being upgraded to allow a planned line to the Railway Station.

 

Keith

That extension in Blackpool is now going ahead as far as Blackpool North Station. I'm not sure what the proposed opening date is though.

 

Jamie