Trams are now running to Wolverhampton Railway Station on a regular basis – but its not quite time for passengers to enjoy the ride on the new line as an intensive period of driver training is underway ahead of services starting within the next few weeks. Driver training started on Tuesday 29th August and whilst this is good long-term news it does mean that no trams will be running in passenger service beyond The Royal for now.
Drivers have already been getting used to the new line on a simulator at Wednesbury Depot but the handing over of the line from the Midland Metro Alliance following the completion of their construction works now means they will be able to get “real world” experience of driving along Pipers Row and to the Railway Station.
As from Tuesday 29th August it has meant that there has been a service change on the line from Edgbaston Village. During driver training all service trams will terminate at The Royal before returning back south towards Birmingham. Ticket acceptance on local buses has been put in place to allow those who want to complete their journeys. Normal service frequencies remain in operation.
The driver training saw trams run to The Royal in service and then after passengers alighted they ran down to Wolverhampton Railway Station before returning to The Royal and back into service. Unfortunately, things didn’t quite go according to plan as an accident on the ring road saw traffic backed up and blocking the junction to allow trams to access the extension. Although this has been publicised as being driver training presumably there is a degree of ghost running for the trams travelling onto the extension and hopefully this sort of thing will be ironed out. Amongst the issues seen with the backed up traffic was cars blocking the yellow box junction which meant trams couldn’t get across the road. The first tram to be used on driver training was 53 and that was followed by 45, 56, 47, 43, 42, 44, 51, 57, 34 and 40 – note that 34 was the only Urbos3 in use.
An exact date for the opening of the line has not yet been announced but the press release states “in just a few weeks”. When it does open all trams will run to Wolverhampton Railway Station whilst the Midland Metro Alliance complete further works at St George’s. In the long-run both Wolverhampton termini will be served by trams from Edgbaston Village at a frequency to be confirmed.
Interim Managing Director of the Midland Metro Alliance, Sophie Allison, said: “As we prepare to bring the new stops into passenger service, customers may notice extra trams on our network, although these will be out of service. They will be used for driver familiarisation between The Royal and Wolverhampton Station stops and, until this training is completed, we will be unable to provide a service to Wolverhampton St George’s and trams will terminate at The Royal stop. We are committed to keeping our customers moving with a frequent service continuing between The Royal and Edgbaston Village and alternative travel arrangements are in place for anyone affected by this change to our service. I would like to thank our customers for their patience as we edge closer to connecting our first passengers with Wolverhampton’s bus and rail stations.”
During the driver training the following ticket acceptance will be in place:
- National Express bus service 79 between The Royal and Wolverhampton Bus Station (departs from stand S at Wolverhampton Bus Station)
Laura Shoaf, Chief Executive of the WMCA, said: “This handover marks the end of main construction and means we are ready to start driver training to prepare for the start of passenger Metro services to Wolverhampton Railway Station. Wolverhampton is now a better-connected city with the bus station, railway station and now Metro together in one location to provide accessible and seamless links across the region and beyond. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board once the drivers have fully familiarised themselves with the new track and terminus.”
Its not there yet but we nearly have a second placed entrant in the race to extension openings in the UK…
Having just left the old line 44 runs along Piper’s Row with a driver training run on the extension.
Some of the problems experienced on day one of training are seen in this view.
57 and 51 pass on Piper’s Row at the start of the extension.
57 arrives at Wolverhampton Bus Station heading back to the original line.
53 continues along the line on driver training.
45 approaches Wolverhampton Railway Station in this aerial view.
The new Wolverhampton Railway Station building is behind 56 as it approaches the terminus of the extension.
47 stands at the single platform terminus at the station. Taxis wait alongside. (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 29th August 2023)
I hope this was not just a show for the benefit of a visiting government minister, like when Boris Johnson saw trams running on Talbot Road in Blackpool! And we are still waiting.
Surely it won’t take like as drivers have practiced on simulator.
Hopefully each driver as a good practice run I believe it’s usually 3/4 good runs on route so if this case then you should say Monday 11th September but know our luck you could say 1st October.
Bull st opened on a Saturday, Edgbaston on a Sunday
Your date of the 11th is a Monday – wrong answer
Andy seems to have his ear to the ground – just look at his pictures – he is always there – or he knows people in high places –
Urbos 3s 20 -28-34-36-37 have all put in some runs down in the extension now
all is going well