With services having finally returned to Library on 12th February attentions will now start to turn towards when trams may start running on the second phase of the Birmingham Westside extension via Broad Street to Edgbaston Village. Early 2022 has seen good progress made on construction work at the far end of the line and in this pictorial article we take a walk along the line to see how things are looking. Andy Walters with the photos.
Originally due to open by the end of 2021, phase two of the Birmingham Westside extension sees the West Midlands Metro run for 1.35km to Hagley Road in Edgbaston. Running along Broad Street there are stops at Brindleyplace and then Five Ways before trams head under the Five Ways underpass and onto Hagley Road where the new terminus is located, to be known as Edgbaston Village. The route is mainly overhead free although the section into the terminus is fitted with overhead wires.
There is no official opening date for the line yet with initial testing still to come. Presumably the situation with how many trams are available for service will also have an impact on when a passenger service along the complete route is able to commence.
Shelters are in place and platform seem complete at Broad Street with just information panels needing to be added ahead of a start in services.
The second stop is at Five Ways which is in a similar position to that at Broad Street.
Looking down to the Five Ways underpass. Track is laid on both sides with the final surface also completed.
The other side of the underpass and work is continuing here but we do now have track and top surface completed.
The approach to Edgbaston Village terminus. The crossover is in the foreground and work continues on the general street scene.
The terminus with grassed track. There remains some work to be done surrounding the stop to finish things off but in comparison to what this scene looked like in December there has been much progress. Note the overhead wires in place.
From beyond the end of the line we look back at the stop. This wider angled view shows the work still needing to be completed.
Another look at Edgbaston Village stop. (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 10th February 2022)