Midland Metro

[edwin_m]

The Metro route uses the South Staffs trackbed from near the former Wednesbury station to about the Round Oak steel terminal, excluding the section through Dudley Tunnel where it goes up the hill to serve Dudley town centre.

When I was last involved in this project 8-9 years ago (time before was 19 years ago!) the plan was to leave space for a single track freight line if ever required, with a passing loop in the tunnel. The Metro would be double track except for the railway overbridge at Dudley Port and maybe a couple of other pinch points where it would have a short single track to leave room for the freight track.

I don't know whether the current proposal is the same.

 

[Chris125]

Some fantastic news there, most especially on the extension to Brierley Hill! That has been proposed for so long I honestly thought it would never happen.

It should be noted that 2017 would only see advance works, construction proper is not expected before 2021.

There's much more detail in the (large pdf) document for the latest meeting of the WMCA's transport delivery committee

See page 85 onwards for the 'Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Extension', and page 95 for a table showing the delivery schedule for the various extensions.

 

[Johnuk123]

http://www.expressandstar.com/news/...n-centre-linking-metro-stop-with-bus-station/

In Wednesbury plans for Parry People Movers to connect the Metro and the bus station.

A multi-million pound Very Light Rail system is being planned for Wednesbury, which council chiefs say will bring more people and money into the town.

 

[Robertj21a]

It should be noted that 2017 would only see advance works, construction proper is not expected before 2021.

There's much more detail in the (large pdf) document for the latest meeting of the WMCA's transport delivery committee

See page 85 onwards for the 'Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Extension', and page 95 for a table showing the delivery schedule for the various extensions.

If they proceed at anything like the speed of the latest Birmingham extension it might well start around 2021 but be only finally completed about 2026......

 

[Heartland]

Simmering out of the headlines is Very Light Rail, and permission has been granted to go ahead for this Warwick University project from Dudley to proceed. So all that talk of a metro from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill might have now been lost. Very Light Rail has possibilities elsewhere like St Erth- St Ives it would seem.

 

[edwin_m]

Simmering out of the headlines is Very Light Rail, and permission has been granted to go ahead for this Warwick University project from Dudley to proceed. So all that talk of a metro from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill might have now been lost. Very Light Rail has possibilities elsewhere like St Erth- St Ives it would seem.

Interesting. The Metro plans certainly at one time included leaving space for a mostly single track heavy rail freight line so maybe the Very Light Rail will use that?

 

[snowball]

It has its own thread in this sub-forum:

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=137099

 

[nottinghamcity]

On Transport for West Midlands' website:

Work to progress the proposed extension of the Midland Metro from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill is due to commence this week.

The Midland Metro Alliance (MMA), working on behalf of West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), will begin to clear vegetation from overgrown areas of the disused former South Staffordshire Railway line in order to carry out comprehensive structural and environmental surveys.

Full Article

 

[TC60054]

the first vehicle, tram 18, has left Wednesbury to be upgraded.
The vehicle was divided into two pieces and hauled on to a low loader ready for its journey. This upgrade will make tram 18 the first battery powered tram on a second generation tramway in ordinary service.

https://www.facebook.com/British.Tr...4220774068893/721884141302553/?type=3&theater

 

[Heartland]

The clearance of vegitation from the former South Staffordshire Railway route is the start of regenerating the line from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill. It includes on off rail section where the trams climb up to and down from Dudley Town Centre and another at Brierley Hill to terminate near Mill Street. The planned route looks similar to that proposed in the early 2000's. It will be nice to see trams on the Parkhead Viaduct, the GWR brick rebuild that replaced a Brunel wooden viaduct.

 

[fgwrich]

The clearance of vegitation from the former South Staffordshire Railway route is the start of regenerating the line from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill. It includes on off rail section where the trams climb up to and down from Dudley Town Centre and another at Brierley Hill to terminate near Mill Street. The planned route looks similar to that proposed in the early 2000's. It will be nice to see trams on the Parkhead Viaduct, the GWR brick rebuild that replaced a Brunel wooden viaduct.

Nice. Are there any plans visible on the internet yet?

Presumably it'll rejoin the trackbed near to the Black Country Museum?

 

[fgwrich]

Scrap that last comment, I've just found this on the Metro Alliance website. I've got to say it looks like an awkward route through the town centre, and looks as if the Bus Station will also have to be remodeled or replaced.

http://www.metroalliance.co.uk/wednesbury-brierley-hill/

 

[edwin_m]

I've got to say it looks like an awkward route through the town centre, and looks as if the Bus Station will also have to be remodeled or replaced.

http://www.metroalliance.co.uk/wednesbury-brierley-hill/

The route is very largely fixed by the maximum gradient the trams are capable of. The alignment in the area was largely decided in the mid-90s and the T68 was apparently specified to be able to climb the hill into Dudley, although I'm not sure what they would have done if they'd built it soon after and found out it couldn't. Very similar issues arose with the Metrolink route from Werneth into Oldham.

 

[Techniquest]

It's difficult to view that thumbnail on a mobile device, but that's quite the extension. I can't comment on the route much as I'm not too familiar with the area, however it looks like it should create a lot of new journey opportunities

 

[Mr Fizz]

Although i'm all for the extension of the Metro and have been calling for it for years i can't see why they would terminate it at Wednesbury. If they were to continue on to Wood Green where the South Staffs line was recently relaid they could serve two high schools/colleges as well as the retail park over the road (Currys, Next, Decathlon etc etc) and the industrial units being built. Seems a little short sighted.

 

[Johnuk123]

Although i'm all for the extension of the Metro and have been calling for it for years i can't see why they would terminate it at Wednesbury. If they were to continue on to Wood Green where the South Staffs line was recently relaid they could serve two high schools/colleges as well as the retail park over the road (Currys, Next, Decathlon etc etc) and the industrial units being built. Seems a little short sighted.

Once at Wood Green they might as well run into Walsall alongside the railway, can't understand why Walsall isn't the terminus.
I have memories of sitting in the classroom at Wednesbury Boys High School watching the string of scrappers often missing coupling rods going up to Cashmores at Great Bridge.
We'd watch them go past and as soon as school was finished we'd be up there to try and see them before they were taken inside the scrap yard and nearly out of sight.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) is to take over the day-to-day running of its Midland Metro trams from October 2018 when the current concession, held by National Express, finishes.

The move will enable TfWM, which is the transport arm of the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), to plough millions of pounds of future profits back into expanding the network.

Existing National Express staff will be transferred over to a new subsidiary company – Midland Metro Ltd – which will be wholly owned by the WMCA.

Source: http://www.birminghamupdates.com/tr...of-its-midland-metro-trams-from-october-2018/

"Thanks National Express for running the service whilst we were building it up... now that it's successful, we'll take it back, thanks."

Ouch.

 

[Simon11]

I would debate whether NX would actually have won the bid anyway, as the network is more extensive plus will be getting even larger, thus led to competition issues with the bus network which is far more profitable.

I'm sure NX would rather it be in the hands of WMCA, than another competitor who later down the line may introduced buses.

 

[DaveHarries]

Scrap that last comment, I've just found this on the Metro Alliance website. I've got to say it looks like an awkward route through the town centre, and looks as if the Bus Station will also have to be remodeled or replaced.

http://www.metroalliance.co.uk/wednesbury-brierley-hill/

Thanks for uploading that map, and thanks for the leaflet link also. My employer sends me up toward Wednesdbury every so often: last time I was up there (16-Mar-2017) I drove long Potters Lane and noted that all the vegetation from Potters lane to at least as far as the rear of the Metro depot had been largely cleared. I agree also that an extension to Walsall would be a very good idea and I am glad to see that the map on that leafelt has an extension to Walsall as a "proposed route".

Photo attached is what I could see of clearence on 16th March: I am not sure how far along the route this has been done.

Dave

 

[nottinghamcity]

Cleared between Dudley Port and Great Bridge.

I've got a couple of photos from New Road Great bridge and Horsley road - but i can't work out how to upload them.

 

[JaJaWa]

Cleared between Dudley Port and Great Bridge.

I've got a couple of photos from New Road Great bridge and Horsley road - but i can't work out how to upload them.

https://goo.gl/photos/MZNe4Hk7yVeXceLD9

 

[TH172341]

Don't think this has been reported on here yet - the Midland Metro shall not be running between Priestfield and Wolverhampton St Georges from Mid-June until approximately early December due to track replacement of the 1.35km between Priestfield and The Royal with corresponding road resurfacing. Absolutely useless this is occuring again - we had the same scenario in place between September 2014 and March 2015 when the track was replaced between St George's and the Royal. Adding insult to injury, there will likely have to be a further closure due to the junction insertion for the Wolverhampton City Centre extension. I do at times wonder whether the line should have been reinstated as heavy rail considering the disruption...

 

[DaveHarries]

Don't think this has been reported on here yet - the Midland Metro shall not be running between Priestfield and Wolverhampton St Georges from Mid-June until approximately early December due to track replacement of the 1.35km between Priestfield and The Royal with corresponding road resurfacing. Absolutely useless this is occuring again - we had the same scenario in place between September 2014 and March 2015 when the track was replaced between St George's and the Royal. Adding insult to injury, there will likely have to be a further closure due to the junction insertion for the Wolverhampton City Centre extension. I do at times wonder whether the line should have been reinstated as heavy rail considering the disruption...

Thanks for the heads-up on that: I end up using the MM quite a bit and some of my colleagues do as well so I will circulate this at work. Can't find anything about it online. As for the junction for the city centre extension, surely they might put in the new junction while the track replacement is being done.

Dave

 

[TH172341]

Thanks for the heads-up on that: I end up using the MM quite a bit and some of my colleagues do as well so I will circulate this at work. Can't find anything about it online. As for the junction for the city centre extension, surely they might put in the new junction while the track replacement is being done.

Dave

You're more than welcome - hopefully they will put the junction in this time round as it would make far more sense and minimise any future disruption. I found about it on the British Trams Online website, and then the Express and Star, but as you say, little has been made of it so far in terms of publicity. I believe they are going to run replacement buses between St George's and Priestfield, but I'm afraid I don't currently know the frequency they will run at.

 

[DaveHarries]

You're more than welcome - hopefully they will put the junction in this time round as it would make far more sense and minimise any future disruption. I found about it on the British Trams Online website, and then the Express and Star, but as you say, little has been made of it so far in terms of publicity. I believe they are going to run replacement buses between St George's and Priestfield, but I'm afraid I don't currently know the frequency they will run at.

No worries: I will keep my eyes open.

On another point I notice that Wolverhampton station has a Platform 6 and also another track paralell to that of Platform 6. Instead of all the remodelling work planned, would it not be more sensible to revise things so that Platform 6, which is currently only used by a couple of trans a day, becomes one of two platforms for terminating trams? The track immediately next to Platform 6, shown as "Yard" on the attachment (although there is no yard) could acquire a platform of its own and be used for the same purpose. There are, AFAIK, sidings to the north of the station (one short, shown on the attachment as CS2, and one long which is marked as CS1) which could be used to store trains if Platform 6 was removed and, in connection with that, it helps matters that the signalling through Wolverhampton station allows trains to run in either direction on any line.

Hope I haven't made it unclear what I suggest above but it is just a thought: it might make things a little less expensive.

Dave

 

[edwin_m]

Part of the reason the future tramline turns right on the approach to Wolverhampton station is because it was initially planned as part of the 5Ws route, which would continue under the railway and join the A454 towards Walsall. That proposal included a one-way loop in the centre of Wolverhampton, but they are now building only part of that (but as double track).

 

[Ships]

Does anyone know if the plans for the adjacent freight line have been shelved?

 

[The Planner]

Depends if unlikely in the next 20 years is shelved.

 

[snowball]

DfT press release

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...-gets-598-million-green-light-from-government

Midland Metro extension gets £59.8 million green light from government

Tram route extension linking Birmingham city centre with Edgbaston and the city’s growing Westside area given go-ahead.

A key metro extension linking Birmingham city centre with Edgbaston and the city’s growing Westside area has been given the go-ahead thanks to a multi-million pound funding pledge from the Department for Transport.

Five new stops will be served by up to 10 trams an hour at peak when the 2 kilometre extension of the Midland Metro, from Grand Central, outside Birmingham New Street station, to Edgbaston opens in March 2021.

The £59.8 million boost from the Department for Transport completes the total £149 million funding for the project, with another £84 million having already been raised locally through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Birmingham City Council, Greater Birmingham & Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership and others.

On a visit to see the route of the new extension yesterday (Thursday 31 August 2017), Transport Minister Paul Maynard also met with Cllr Bob Sleigh OBE, Deputy West Midlands Mayor and Laura Shoaf, Managing Director of Transport for the West Midlands (TfWM), part of the WMCA.

Mr Maynard said:

Midland Metro is already a success story, with passenger journeys up nearly a third this year compared to last year. This new extension will be a further boost to Birmingham businesses, and make travelling to work easier for commuters.

But just as importantly, it will help ease the pressure on the roads as it will provide an alternative for getting in and out of the city centre. This is a vital project and one which we are delighted to be able to support.

Cllr Sleigh said:

We are delighted that government funding is now in place to help get the Midland Metro extension to Edgbaston built. The metro is a real success story for this region and that will continue as new routes are rolled out over the next few years across Birmingham and the Black Country.

It is not just these areas that will benefit though as the Metro is key to the WMCA’s vision for strategic growth and regeneration across the West Midlands, bringing huge benefits to everyone who lives and works here.

The extension will see new stops at the Town Hall, Centenary Square, Brindley Place, and at 2 further stations either side of the Five Ways roundabout in Edgbaston. The new route will also offer a direct metro link to Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, the International Convention Centre and Symphony Hall.

Preliminary groundworks started in the summer but now final funding for the scheme has been secured from central government, major project works could be set to get underway within weeks.

To limit the impact on Birmingham’s historic city centre and iconic buildings, parts of the route will be built without overhead lines. When this happens, hi-tech batteries fitted to the trams will mean they can run on their own power.

 

[Techniquest]

Nice! Now we just want our eastwards extension...