Progress on extensions to the Midland Metro would test the patience of a saint! Work was certainly taking place outside of Wolverhampton station back in November but I’ve no idea when it was paused. I was at the station last Thursday daytime and although the compound had all its lights on, it was closed off and no one was working there.
westmidlandsmetro.com
).
What!?! I wonder what is confidential aout this. What a joke.services suspended again
West Midlands Metro cancels all tram services due to 'operational issues'
Tram services in the Black Country were cancelled on Saturday due to "operational issues".www.expressandstar.com
Something like "Edgbaston via Birmingham" might be best of all, because some people up towards the Wolverhampton end might not know or care where Edgbaston is.
I would imagine that Hagley Road might also be a contender for the destination displays. I also wonder if the through operation from Wolverhampton to Hagley Road will only be until the Deritend extension opens, whereupon the route from Wolverhampton might again finish at Centenary Square with the other route being Deritend - Edgbaston Village. But on top of that I believe I am right in thinking that it is also planned for the Dudley trams to run through to Birmingham so if they terminate in the CIty Centre as well then there may be some expansion of terminus points (extra platform at the Library?) to be done to accommodate the services. We shall see.
That would be good if so. Of course, the original plan was to extend it to Walsall too (and was there a plan for an A34 spur from Walsall -Great Barr - Perry Barr- Newtown-City Centre ?). I seem to recall that.
I had heard about the extension to Walsall which I also think would be a great idea: it is helped by the fact that most, if not all, of the course of the disused line is intact, right up to the place where it joined the Bescot Stadium - Walsall route: that location can be found on Google Maps / Google Earth at WS2 9BY with the route towards Wednesbury running in a roughly southwest direction. Laying a tram route beyond Walsall station and into central Walsall, which would provide very convenient links with Walsall's bus network, might be easier said than done however due to gradients and the road layout.
I doubt that 'Summer' will usually relate to June.That is a good sign, even if they haven't quite finished building the Edgbaston Village terminus. (They are certainly not in any hurry about it)
I do hope that, when the extension opens, the destination on the trams doesn't just say "Birmingham" and that something more meaningful like "Edgbaston Village" is used instead.
On a less positive note, I see that the Midland Metro Alliance page on the extension
says
Does that mean services won't start until June, although in reality I suppose no-one knows the exact date, except that it would have to be well in advance of the Commonwealth Games.
That is a good sign, even if they haven't quite finished building the Edgbaston Village terminus. (They are certainly not in any hurry about it)
I do hope that, when the extension opens, the destination on the trams doesn't just say "Birmingham" and that something more meaningful like "Edgbaston Village" is used instead.
On a less positive note, I see that the Midland Metro Alliance page on the extension
says
Does that mean services won't start until June, although in reality I suppose no-one knows the exact date, except that it would have to be well in advance of the Commonwealth Games.
I think they would want to have the full service, including the extensions, running well in advance of the Commonwealth Games.
Full closure just announced, until further notice, due to repairs being required to all trams. All 21 trams withdrawn from service.
Metro Service Status & Planned Works | West Midlands Metro
See the latest service information and updates from West Midlands Metro, including planned works in the future.