RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 3, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Some more updates taken in the last couple of weeks: Corporation Street, pouring concrete in the pouring rain! Tarmacing the track in. Stephenson Place (note the bases for the power columns appearing) Extending further up Stephenson Street: The Traingular junction is obviously not going to be laid at this time even though a concrete foundation was made. (IMHO a wasted opportunity as it will cause great disruption when it is eventually built!) Over at Great Charles Street: And by Snow Hill: Work is really moving apace now with rails appearing in several places. Keith Edited March 4, 2015 by melmerby 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan J Kirkman Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I don't think they have any legal powers yet to lay any part of the extension to Curzon St etc.. So it would be ILLEGAL to lay in the junction point work now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 I don't think they have any legal powers yet to lay any part of the extension to Curzon St etc.. So it would be ILLEGAL to lay in the junction point work now. I think it might be OK if within the limits of deviation of the powers they already have. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 29, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2015 (edited) Latest updates from the last few weeks Corner of Corporation Street and Bull Street: and later: Stephenson Street: Snow Hill: Some of the services which have to be dealt with before the trackbed can be progressed: Rusty Electricity Cables Dealing with telecoms Notice how the telecoms manhole above has been completely smashed up! Water and Gas Keith Edited March 29, 2015 by melmerby 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 29, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2015 Anybody notice how close those high voltage cables (red, black and rusty ones) are to the telecoms cables? What a mess! Pity the poor engineers that have to deal with those. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwin_m Posted March 30, 2015 Share Posted March 30, 2015 Bear in mind that the tramway has to pay about 90% of the cost of relocating the utilities, but the work has to be done by the utilities themselves. So there may be scope for them to gold-plate the job at someone else's expense - although that's not how I would describe the mess in those photos! Having each individual utility coming in at different times (so they don't get in each others' way) goes a long way to explaining why it takes so long to build a street tramway. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jamie92208 Posted March 30, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 30, 2015 Bear in mind that the tramway has to pay about 90% of the cost of relocating the utilities, but the work has to be done by the utilities themselves. So there may be scope for them to gold-plate the job at someone else's expense - although that's not how I would describe the mess in those photos! Having each individual utility coming in at different times (so they don't get in each others' way) goes a long way to explaining why it takes so long to build a street tramway. And the fact that utility diversion is one of the major cots for new tramways. And they always disover many more cables than there are supposed to be. Jamie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted May 3, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 3, 2015 (edited) Some updates taken during April over a three week period: Next to the Square Peg: Corporation Street: Stephenson Street: Those services outside Ian Allan now buried again and new footway boxes: Stephenson Place: Notice the vacuum excavation, there has been a lot of this around the services, much better than a JCB! And alongside Snow Hill: Keith Edited May 3, 2015 by melmerby 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted May 25, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 25, 2015 (edited) Another update with pictures up to last Thursday Corner of Bull Street and Corporation St. Excavating corner The finished track towards New St with road open again: Top end of Corporation Street alongside Rackhams (H of F!): Alongside Snow Hill: (Note: Although this is still on a concrete foundation it is convention Light Rail track with Pandrol clips) I was expection the "Light Rail" section to be ballasted etc. like convention track but it seems not to be so! The transition from Tramway to Light Rail Track: Close up of transition betweenTramway Track and Light Rail track showing the angled groove : Stephenson Place: Stephenson Street between "Horntons Corner" and Ian Allan: Keith Edited May 25, 2015 by melmerby 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcroz Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Thanks once again to Keith for taking the time to post these photos, it really is great to see all the progress being made. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted May 27, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 27, 2015 As a postscript to the last set of photos are these three taken where the street track changes to the "light rail" track. I managed to get much closer to show the detail. Where the two types of rail are welded together: Shortly after they join is this splice type expansion joint: A close up of a spare tramway type sleeper block (notice the plastic 'rawlplugs' for the clamps!): It will be noticed that the tramway type sleeper is much lower height than the light rail type behind and it has two tie bars rather than one. A couple of queries for those in the know. Why use track with Pandrol clips? The Pandrol clipped track seems to be at about it's finished height and there is no room for ballast under the sleepers. How is expansion allowed for in the street track? It all appears to be unstressed track, end welded and then set in concrete. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Depot Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Is Platform 4 at Snow hill going to be returned to heavy rail use? Worst thing they ever did taking that out when the Metro first opened. cheers Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted May 27, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 27, 2015 Is Platform 4 at Snow hill going to be returned to heavy rail use? Worst thing they ever did taking that out when the Metro first opened. cheers Keith Yes it is, but apparently NR wont be doing it immediately. They had to use it for the Metro because some numpty removed the bridge over Gt Charles St which has now been replaced during the current works Keith 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan J Kirkman Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I think you'l find the section alongside Snow Hill Station is due to be turned into "grass track" hence why it is laid on solid concrete. That is what has been said from the start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Harvey Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Is the track Standard Gauge as it may be an optical illusion but it looks very wide, maybe because we don't usually get such good quality close up pictures of track? Pete 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 1, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 1, 2015 Is the track Standard Gauge as it may be an optical illusion but it looks very wide, maybe because we don't usually get such good quality close up pictures of track? Pete It is standard gauge, unlike the original West Midlands norm of 3' 6" Keith 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted June 1, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 1, 2015 Is the track Standard Gauge as it may be an optical illusion but it looks very wide, maybe because we don't usually get such good quality close up pictures of track? Pete Thats what happens when your used to 00 track. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan J Kirkman Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 One of the advantages of Modelling trams in 4mm scale on 16.5mm gauge, you are as wrong with either a Standard Gauge Car or a 3ft 6. Bradford and Blackburn/Darwen rule OK the 4ft gauge systems! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 20, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2015 More on the Metro Progress Concrete poured on Wolves bound track, corner Bull St/Corp. St: Meanwhile around the corner alongside the North Western Arcade: More rails down up Stephenson St towards Ethel St: (Horntons Corner to you oldies like me!) Concrete pouring alongside Waterstones: Another view of one of the pair of expansion joints now the track is set in concrete: There is a distinctive incline where the "street" track meets the track in the trough The track here although laid into a previously provided trough is higher than the street track now it has been bed onto it's newly laid concrete. (Why?) I tried to show it in this photo but it's not altogether obvious: Keith 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Reichert Posted June 20, 2015 Share Posted June 20, 2015 More on the Metro Progress Concrete poured on Wolves bound track, corner Bull St/Corp. St: Bull Street 24.jpg Meanwhile around the corner alongside the North Western Arcade: Corp St 27.jpg More rails down up Stephenson St towards Ethel St: (Horntons Corner to you oldies like me!) Stephenson St 27.jpg Concrete pouring alongside Waterstones: Stephenson Place 12.jpg Stephenson Place 13a.jpg Stephenson Place 13b.jpg Stephenson Place 13c.jpg Stephenson Place 13d.jpg Another view of one of the pair of expansion joints now the track is set in concrete: Expansion Joint 1.jpg There is a distinctive incline where the "street" track meets the track in the trough The track here although laid into a previously provided trough is higher than the street track now it has been bed onto it's newly laid concrete. (Why?) I tried to show it in this photo but it's not altogether obvious: Snow Hill 15.jpg Keith Lovely pictures. Can't thank you enough for documenting all the normally hidden track details. Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 20, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 20, 2015 Lovely pictures. Can't thank you enough for documenting all the normally hidden track details. Andy I tried to catch the actual concrete pour in Stephenson Place. They were pumping from the machine at the bottom of the hill. I was there 4 times but each time they had just poured and were dressing the level! Keith 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 10, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 10, 2015 (edited) Latest Update on the progress with some shots taken yesterday Stephenson Place, one track complete, work on second continues: Some shots of the transition area between the "Street" and "Grassed sections" Expansion joint showing method of securing rail at joint:** View showing boxes and formwork to protect Pandrol clips etc: Nearly finished transition between Street and Grassed areas: Looks like some parts for a tram shelter have arrived in Bull street!: Some concreting in of Wolves bound track started at the corner of Bull Street and Corporation Street: Keith ** those white plastic boxes look like general purpose IP55 electrical boxes cut to fit!!! Edited July 10, 2015 by melmerby 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 15, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 15, 2015 (edited) A few p[ictures from yesterday (Tuesday). Track concreted in place at Corporation St/Bull Street stretch: And around into Bull Street: Meanwhile a little further up the shelter is taking shape: Concurrently alongside Snow Hill the gardening has started: Including refreshing the planting in the "Green Wall": Keith Edited July 15, 2015 by melmerby 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcroz Posted August 13, 2015 Share Posted August 13, 2015 (edited) According to a news article in the Express and Star local newspaper, the final operational T69 tram (No. 16) is being withdrawn, with its final service being the 11.10 service from Wolverhampton - Birmingham Snow Hill this Friday (14th August). http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/08/12/end-of-the-line-for-original-metro-trams-2/ The T69 Ansaldo-Breda trams were introduced in 1999, but have gradually been replaced by the arrival of 20 CAF Urbos 3 trams. Best wishes, David Edited August 13, 2015 by dcroz 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 13, 2015 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 13, 2015 According to a news article in the Express and Star local newspaper, the final operational T69 tram (No. 16) is being withdrawn, with its final service being the 11.10 service from Wolverhampton - Birmingham Snow Hill this Friday (14th August). http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2015/08/12/end-of-the-line-for-original-metro-trams-2/ The T69 Ansaldo-Breda trams were introduced in 1999, but have gradually been replaced by the arrival of 20 CAF Urbos 3 trams. Best wishes, David Interesting to hear that. I haven't seen a T69 in Snow Hill for months and assumed they had all gone by now! Not been the best investment according to reports, although the T68s in madchester seem to have had a better press. Keith P.S. Some more of my pictures of the progress in Brum coming soon, it's supposed to be up and running by mid-late September for training/shake down etc. but there is still an awful lot to do including some bits of missing track. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now