The last couple of days have seen a major step up in testing on Midland Metro’s Birmingham City Centre extension with the first powered test run taking place on Tuesday 1st December followed by a simulated recovery of broken down tram the next day.
Up until Tuesday 1st December any trams which had been used for testing and commissioning (as well as the visit of the Queen) had been towed there by the unimog as the overhead had not been commissioned but on this day the power had been switched on and 35 was chosen to continue the testing process. The tram made its way gingerly onto the street section and ran a slow speed gauging run with pieces of card used to check clearances as it went through to the temporary terminus of Bull Street. We keep using the word historic but once again this was a historic occasion as this movement meant that 35 was the first tram to run under its own power in Birmingham City Centre for over 62 years.
With this gauging/test run declared a success further testing took place on Wednesday 2nd December with 35 again chosen to perform the some runs. It was later joined by 28 which was used to simulate a rescue following a breakdown with the two trams being coupled together before 28 took 35 back as far as St Paul’s where it the two were split before returning to depot.
After the apparent success of these test runs Midland Metro have confirmed that services will start through to Bull Street from 0800 on Sunday 6th December. The new stop at Snow Hill will not open until 2016 along with the remainder of the line to New Street which will also include a stop on Corporation Street.
Who said December was quiet?!
35 sits at Bull Street in between testing on 2nd December.
28 makes it way towards Bull Street ready to rescue its sister.
28 and 35 are coupled together at Bull Street.
28 tows 35 back to depot.
The connection between the two trams is seen here as they make their way back.
28 and 35 disappear towards St Paul's following a succesful resuce mission. (All Photographs by Andy Walters)
25 had new destination vynals on the inside of the tram
At which end of Bull St stop is the crossover? Essentially, will trams cross over in service or will it be an empty shunt beyond the stop?
Thanks in advance for any gen.
The crossover is at the Snow Hill end so trams will crossover in service.
As well as being the first powered tram on the streets of Birmingham since 1953, 35 is the first standard-gauge tram ever to run on the streets of the city, as the former system was narrow-gauge.
There is a picture of the cross over at Bull Street in Gallery 567. It’s at the Snow Hill end of Bull Street
Thanks very much for the gen, Steve and Kev. Looks like a trip to Birmingham is set for some stage in the next few weeks.