In Pictures: Work continues on West Midlands Metro

With no trams running between Wednesbury Great Western Street and Edgbaston Village to allow the Dudley extension to be connected to the original Birmingham to Wolverhampton line, West Midlands Metro are also taking the opportunity to undertake a few bits of other maintenance work on the closed section of line. This has mainly see track being relaid through various tramstops but the local Council are also working on replacing a bridge which goes over the tracks at Dudley Street whilst the muddy mess at Edgbaston Village is also been attended to.

During the work which has taken place so far all the rail is now clipped and welded at West Bromwich Central, Kenrick Park and The Hawthorns whilst the work has also now started at Soho Benson Road and St Paul’s. At The Hawthorns, Soho Benson Road and St Paul’s they have needed a new base and sleepers at the ends of the stop.

Away from the work taking place and a revised service is operating between Wednesbury Great Western and Wolverhampton Railway Station. This requires four trams to provide the usual headway. Trams have to run wrong line for a short distance between Great Western Street and the crossover at Parkway with a pilotman boarding the tram for this move to take place.

Services are due to resume back through to Edgbaston Village from Wednesday 10^th April although there will still be late evening changes through until 16^th May.

At Edgbaston Village and things look a bit tidier than they have for several months. New grass has been laid with the section between the two tracks now just having gravel instead of the previous grass.

St Paul’s looking out of Birmingham where new rail has been laid and a lot of the block paving has been removed and not yet put back down.

This is Soho Benson Road where work is at an earlier stage. The Wolverhampton bound track on the right has seen new rails laid and work is underway on the sleepers whereas the adjacent track has seen old removed but the new rails have yet to go down.

The view looking down at Dartmouth Street.

Dudley Street bridge – work being completed on behalf of the Council – is also making progress.

Barriers prevent trams from going any further than Wednesbury Great Western Street.

39 uses the crossover between Wednesbury Great Western Street and Wednesbury Parkway as it approaches the latter. In order to go between the two stops a pilotman joins the tram at Great Western Street and clearance is required for the tram to proceed. (All Photographs by Andy Walters)