As we enter October – the month when the Birmingham City Centre track relaying is due to be completed – further good progress is being made on the work with attention now being turned towards putting the top surface on surrounding the tracks. This should be the final stage of the track relay and hopefully once all this is completed with any luck tram services along Corporation Street and onto Library on the Birmingham Westside extension can resume ahead of the final stage of the extension opening before the end of the year. Mark Cufflin with the latest photos.
As the line curves from Corporation Street into Stephenson Street and to the Grand Central stop the new track is now down and a start has been made on the tarmacking of the top surface.
Looking along Corporation Street in this view just as the tracks descend towards the curve to Stephenson Street. More tarmac is in evidence here although a further layer is likely to be required before the work is completely finished.
The other way towards Grand Central with more sections of tarmac down although further work is required here before the site can be considered completed. (All Photographs by Mark Cufflin, 6th October 2021)
If this is the final appearance, it is very visually intrusive compared with the normal way of setting tramlines in the road surface. Perhaps even confusing for people driving road vehicles along this section.