RMweb Premium melmerby Posted June 21, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted June 21, 2018 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 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TheSignalEngineer Posted July 17, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 17, 2018 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. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 17, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 17, 2018 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 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 26, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 26, 2018 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): Meanwhile the new order in West Midlands transport is starting to get it's presence felt Couple of views of tramstop signage: On the trams themselves the new designation: 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 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 16, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2018 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: Another view showing the battery pack on the end car: The third shot shows the two blue colours nicely with the "house" merging pattern: I hated the Pink & Grey and think the new livery looks much classier Keith 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 16, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted August 16, 2018 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 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted September 17, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted September 17, 2018 Hi all Having only recently signed up to YouTube I can now post a video I made when the testing for the Birmingham extension had started, it's a bit old now!: Keith 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted October 1, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 1, 2018 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: As usual in the no cycling zone: Looking up Stepehenson St: The OHLE is earthed for safety: Meanwhile Paradise circus is being dismembered in preparation for the tram: And in Broad St where the tram will run: Keith 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted October 2, 2018 Share Posted October 2, 2018 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! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 7, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted February 7, 2019 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: Paradise Street with most of the troughing now complete: The piece of track that was ceremoniously laid today: One of the trams (No.36) that has received it's batteries in a new advertising livery: 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: A length of the existing track has been removed. Close up of one of the sleepers: 12 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted April 11, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2019 (edited) Time for another update showing latest state of tramworks Pinfold Street has now got some track: A closer view: Paradise street with Town hall on right: Further along Paradise Street. The track is now extending out across Paradise Circus: Close up of block laying: Close up of track laying: 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 April 11, 2019 by melmerby 8 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted May 5, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted May 5, 2019 (edited) A few more pictures updating the progress up to last Thursday Extending the track in Stephenson Street: Close up of "sleeper": A week later the new track extensions are covered with tarmac: Pinfold street now has track all the way down: A closer view: Meanwhile the work gang were joining the track in Stephenson Street to Pinfold Street: Meanwhile in Paradise Street the work advances: Now heading out across the former Paradise Circus: 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 May 5, 2019 by melmerby 7 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 21, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 21, 2019 (edited) 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: Alongside the Town Hall: A couple of views across Paradise Circus showing the different light phases: Broad Street approaching the scissors crossing: A couple of shots of Tram 35 at the ICC Tram Stop (note pan down as it's on batteries): Stephenson Street Stop with test Tram 35 (right) waiting to go to Bull Street and service Tram 34 (Left) about to depart for Wolverhampton: 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 November 21, 2019 by melmerby 9 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJGraphics Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 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 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted November 22, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2019 Any ideas as to when the extension is due to open? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 22, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2019 (edited) 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 November 22, 2019 by melmerby 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Harrison Posted November 22, 2019 Share Posted November 22, 2019 It was a bit of a treat Monday lunchtime seeing the tram coming up Pinfold Street and clipping the corner of Victoria Square. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted November 22, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 22, 2019 Looks like I will be able to get the tram for my next gig at the NIA or Symphony Hall next year. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted November 30, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted November 30, 2019 A you tube video of testing to the ICC (with some stills): https://youtu.be/-yFmP4mu8ng 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icknieldrobin Posted December 1, 2019 Share Posted December 1, 2019 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. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted December 1, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 1, 2019 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 ! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 1, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 1, 2019 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: The road surface had already been removed by then. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 5, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 5, 2019 Trams are now running a fully timetabled service to the ICC but passengers are not allowed beyond Grand Central. Another short video showing trams in Pinfold Street & at the Town Hall stop: https://youtu.be/wiSa898DRls 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted December 6, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 6, 2019 No overhead, I assume they are on battery power. Will the lines be wired in future? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJGraphics Posted December 6, 2019 Share Posted December 6, 2019 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 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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