For those of you who follow the West Midlands Metro closely the saga of the Wolverhampton extension needs no introduction. The much delayed (and pretty short) extension is still awaiting the time when trams may start running (or indeed see extensive testing take place) but the middle of August did some progress with the resurfacing of Piper’s Row.
Piper’s Row will feature the majority of the extension with it running from where the junction with the current Wolverhampton St George’s line is past the Bus Station and down to where it turns to Railway Drive. The road has been closed on numerous occasions over the past few years for work such as the laying of track and has also been surfaced on more than one occasion. But after more work in the vicinity more resurfacing was needed which led to a closure of the road again between Monday 14th and Friday 18th August.
Maybe once the surfacing is complete there may be more news on the extension opening?
Outside the Bus Station looking towards the current line where the old surface has been removed.
Another look on Piper’s Row seeing the start of the resurfacing works.
The new tarmac is laid in between the rails with contractors then smoothing it down.
And a wider angle view of the resurfacing. (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 15th August 2023)
I thought for a minute it was like back in the 1950s and they were tarring over abandoned tracks – how long does a tramway have to be unused until it is calssified as abandoned? This one is getting close.
Calssified? Spellchecked or typo?
Line as been handed over and driver familiarisation starts 29/8/23.
Trams will run from the royal to Edgbaston only
Why did they not resurface after the tracks were laid a long while ago or after the rail station was completed? Where strange that it takes 5 years to built such a short route.
They did resurface works in April and again last week
What does ‘royal’ mean here?
The Royal. Penultimate stop on the line to Wolverhampton at the moment. As from Tuesday no trams will go any further whilst driver training takes place. There will be an article about the plans early next week but I’m away with no access to a computer at the moment and don’t fancy typing a full article on my phone!
That stop been named after the former hospital Royal hospital nearby