We recently reported that an unnamed spokesperson from the Midland Metro Alliance was suggesting that trams could be running to Wolverhampton Railway Station this autumn (which by the time you read this article will have started). After this news our intrepid contributor Andy Walters took a trip into Wolverhampton City Centre expecting to see the work being completed and getting ready for testing to start. As you’ll see the results of this trip didn’t exactly show that…
Its easy to forget how long we have been waiting for the start of tram services to Wolverhampton Railway Station so as part our research into this article we took a look at some of the milestones in the project. It was June 2016 that powers to construct the line were awarded by the Department for Transport with utility diversion works starting in autumn 2017. Full construction started on Pipers Row at Easter 2018 at which point all looked good for an opening on schedule. However, since then things have taken a rather slow turn with deadlines for opening missed and the progress on construction often seeming to stall. Both the pandemic and the need to complete the redevelopment of Wolverhampton Railway Station first have been blamed for the significant delays in the project.
The line will leave the current line to Wolverhampton St George’s shortly before that terminus and travel along Piper’s Row to an intermediate stop adjacent to Wolverhampton Bus Station. It then continues turning into Railway Drive and up to the new terminus. Overhead wires are installed as far as the bus station with the remainder of the route to be operated under battery power.
At least there are workmen at the inbound stop on Piper’s Row. However, the barriers have returned here having previously been removed.
Barriers! There are lots of the pink Midland Metro Alliance barriers around the railway station as work continues. Tracks are down and the final surface has been laid on the approach to the station.
Beyond the station and the scene is different with work still required to finish off the surface surrounding the track.
The very end of the line still to be finished.
An aerial view of the site showing the clear difference between the finished and unfinished. (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 16th September 2022)
The shelter is up at the railway station now! I was there yesterday. In addition, a lot of the work at Pipers Row is all underground at the moment from what i can see.