The Birmingham Eastside West Midlands Metro extension may be several years away from fully opening but despite that there remains some progress to report on the work that can take place. That include the demolition of buildings at Dale End which are in the way of the installation of track.
The Eastside extension is due to eventually be a 1.7km which will run from the Corporation Street/Bull Street delta junction in the centre of Birmingham to Digbeth. Its main purpose is to provide links to the HS2 station at Curzon Street and Birmingham Coach Station from places as far a field as Dudley, Brierley Hill, Wolverhampton and points in between.
Unfortunately, the full line will not be able to start operation until at least 2026. This is down to the fact that they cannot start construction work around the HS2 station until such a time as the HS2 works have been completed. However, they are now looking at whether part of the route will be able to open before that with a temporary terminus being provided.
In these two views we see progress on the demolition of the old buildings at Dale End – which included a McDonald’s. The planned route of the tramway will go through this area which is why the buildings have had to be demolished. (Both Photographs by Mark Cufflin, 17th April 2023)
Let’s hope part of the line at least can open before the Curzon Street Station is ready for HS2. In the past, sections were opened in stages, as happened in Sheffield, but in recent years we have seen what has happened at Wolverhampton and Blackpool with infrastructure ready but lying idle for years and all the good work going to waste despite all the expenditure.
I doubt if trams will be running up Talbot Rd before August/ September because of what seems like slow progress on the Holiday Inn hotel..Blackpool Transport should have bypassed the site and had the final stop opposite Sainsburys.