Amongst the opening of the Birmingham Westside extension, splitting of the Brierley Hill line into two phases and the continuing delays to the Wolverhampton Railway Station extension, there is one other extension being built on the West Midlands Metro – the Birmingham Eastside line. Due to run for 1.7km it will leave the current Birmingham City Centre line at the Bull Street/Corporation Street delta junction (installed last year) and travel to High Street Deritend via the HS2 railway station at Curzon Street.
Work has been ongoing on the project since last year and although some sections have seen work paused during the Commonwealth Games with temporary surfaces put down and barriers removed there is still progress being made elsewhere on the line.
There remains no official opening date for the extension as Midland Metro Alliance continue to work alongside the developers of the HS2 station to ensure a smooth delivery process.
We start off at the far end of the line – High Street Deritend – with a view looking towards the city. New fencing is in place and a new walkway constricted in the middle as new pavements are constructed on the right.
This is Meriden Street where trams will turn onto the main road. Plenty of fencing here with some Commonwealth Games banners affixed.
Lower Bull Street where a temporary surface has been put down to open up the area during the Commonwealth Games.
At the delta junction with the current city centre line seen to the right of Café Nero.
Barriers as far as the eye can see! This is the view coming out of the city along the route. (All Photographs by Ken Jones, 2nd August 2022)