Midland Metro - track relaying

[DavidGrain]

The latest tweet on the West Midlands Metro twitter says good service between Wolverhampton and Bull Street but it could be that they have not updated their template. Their Website showing service status does not seem to have been updated for over a week which just says that trams may be running 'not in service' to Library for drivers to familiarise themselves with the route. The German Market opens today so expect the city centre to be crowded when you come.

 

[edwin_m]

As of yesterday they were terminating at Bull Street but at least one tram was running through to Grand Central with the destination indicator showing that it was for training. No sign of anything going beyond while I was there (about 1230).

 

[duncanp]

I was at the German Market yesterday, and trams were running on the section past Victoria Square all the way to the terminus at Library.

The trams on this section were out of service, so presumably they are still doing the "additional test and checks" that they mention on their website.

Goodness knows what these "tests and checks" are, and how long they are going to take, as they don't seem to be in too much of a hurry to restore services to Library.

It doesn't bode well for the extension to Edgbaston Village opening before the end of this year, as was originally planned.

 

[crosscity]

.... Goodness knows what these "tests and checks" are, and how long they are going to take, as they don't seem to be in too much of a hurry to restore services to Library....

In the same paragraph as "tests and checks" the website says "and that our drivers are able to familiarise themselves with any changes to the previous layout.". Perhaps that means each driver needs to do the route 'not in service' at least once.

 

[DavidGrain]

The only new layout is the Bull Street junction which would be signalled so they would have to learn the new signals. Would it not be sufficient to take them half a dozen at a time to walk the route which could have been done in the later construction rather to actually drive the route presumably with an instructor.

 

[The_Van]

Bull St only today

 

[Spirit555]

Quoted on news today.

Tram services in the West Midlands have been suspended again after more cracks were discovered on vehicles.

Temporary repairs were carried out in June but the operator, West Midlands Metro, said inspections found the cracks to be more extensive.

It said permanent repairs are now required and all services would be suspended from 13 November.

It has not said when services would resume, but estimated at least four weeks.

Mark

 

[city dweller]

Metrogogo took pictures showing a before and after.

Metrogogo

Explore Metrogogo’s 36,836 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

 

[edwin_m]

Metrogogo took pictures showing a before and after.

View attachment 105534

View attachment 105535

Metrogogo

Explore Metrogogo’s 36,836 photos on Flickr!

www.flickr.com

Is this the original track being laid and the latest track being laid? Different barrier arrangements and changes to some of the background buildings suggest it is not the same set of works, and the first photo looks more like construction than removal. There are clearly many more "sleepers" in the second one, but the first may perhaps have had more inserted after the photo was taken, and/or been set in concrete to provide the restraint that the extra sleepers would.

 

[city dweller]

Is this the original track being laid and the latest track being laid?

The first pic is 2015 from the extension to New Street and the second is September 2021