An Easy Extension To The Midland Metro?
In between my two sets of pictures of the Midland Metro in Birmingham City Centre, I took a trip out from Bull Street to Wednesbury. This Google Map shows the tram at Wednesbury.
Trams At Wednesbury
The tram route curves across the bottom, with the depot to the south of the route.
Note the dark scar crossing the tram route at right angles to the East of the tram depot. This is the South Staffordshire Line, that has been proposed as conversion into an extension of the Midland Metro from Wednesbury to Merry Hill.
One complication is that Network Rail have plans to convert the disused line into a freight route. But then if the Class 399 tram-train trial in Sheffield goes well, then why not use them here?
In some ways one of the great advantages of this extension, is that it could share the depot at Wednesbury. Also, as all the land for the junction between the two lines is probably owned by Network Rail or the tram, it probably wouldn’t be difficult to build the junction, so that trams on the branch can go to both Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
It is interesting to note, that after a slow start, expansion of the Manchester Metrolink is now moving on apace.
Is the Midland Metro going to do the same?
The Midland Metro Extension Is Nearly There!
The Midland Metro is now running into Birmingham City Centre by bypassing Birmingham Snow Hill station and running initially to a stop at Bull Street. I visited Birmingham today and took these pictures.
Note the following.
- There are two sets of pictures. In the first, I walked to Bull Street and in the second I took the tram there.
- The tram route enters Birmingham City Centre on a viaduct alongside Snow Hill station.
- It would appear that the stop at Birmingham Snow Hill station is being built on the viaduct.
- The stop at Corporation Street is still being built.
- There would appear to be no stop alongside New Street station.
I can’t see the line opening for a few months yet.
The Anonymous Widower 