We brought you photos of this last week but the Midland Metro Alliance have now released an update on construction work for the Birmingham Eastside extension which has confirmed that the first sections of track have now been installed on Lower Bull Street in the city centre.
In total 130 metres of double track has been laid on Lower Bull Street and this has followed on from a major concrete pour which took place in December to form the track base. The Midland Metro Alliance team (who construct the extensions on behalf of Transport for West Midlands) have spent more than 330 hours on laying the track which forms part of the delta junction. They won’t be resting on their laurels either as the work will carry on in the coming months.
Michael Anderson, Metro Programme Director at Transport for West Midlands, said: “This latest milestone highlights the progress the team at the MMA are making on the Birmingham Eastside Metro extension – one of the major projects we are delivering to enhance public transport and ensure more people across the West Midlands have an easy connection to the forthcoming HS2 Curzon Street station.”
Maria Ion, Project Director for the Midland Metro Alliance, added: “The installation of track on Lower Bull Street is not only a great achievement but a pivotal moment for the project. A total of 80 metres of track has been installed along the Wolverhampton to Digbeth route, and 50 metres along the Edgbaston to Digbeth line. The team have worked hard to reach this milestone and I am delighted that those visiting the area can start to see significant progress being made. Work will be ongoing in both Lower Bull Street and Digbeth High Street throughout the year and we will continue to work closely with partners to minimise any disruption wherever possible.”
There remains no planned opening date for this extension which consists of 1.7km of double track and will see the network extended to Digbeth; it includes stops for the Curzon Street HS2 station and Birmingham Coach Station.
There was a rumour of 2027 for it to open to digbeth with a delayed opening of the Curzon stop til 2029
Four years, six years? About par for a British tram extension. George Francis Train would turn in his grave.