Its not just first generation tramway structures that we can feature in this series as there are also some old modern tram system survivors including the original Birmingham City Centre terminus of the then Midland Metro route at Snow Hill.
Opened on 31st May 1999 with the rest of the first phase of the Midland Metro route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton, the terminus at Snow Hill was a rather cramped affair with an island platform provided adjacent to the national rail lines to the railway station of the same name. Occupying the former platform 4 at the station it was reached a section of single-track from just after the St Paul’s stop and was a constraint to services on both the Metro as well as the railway. With Network Rail having their eyes on reopening platform 4 for through services and with the Metro being extended further into Birmingham City Centre the stop was closed om 24th October 2015 – the first stop on the line to close permanently. Despite Network Rail’s want for the alignment to provide another through track no work has been undertaken since except for the track being disconnected from the Metro route which now runs on a new route with a stop provided close-by at St Chad’s.
Nearly 6 years after the last service tram called at Snow Hill and whilst the overhead has been removed and nature has started to takeover little else has changed. This view looks from the railway station platform towards the once main entrance to the stop with its steps and escalators seen.
Where once you could get between the tramstop and railway station the way is now blocked.
Taken from the railway station and with the old tram tracks to Snow Hill seen just beyond the barrier we also see the new alignment of the Metro beyond with one of the Urbos3 trams running past. (All Photographs by Ken Jones, 27th September 2021)