I shouldn't be so harsh, trams are a good thing and trams going to major transport interchanges are even better. A few weeks ago Midland Metro finally started running through the centre of Birmingham, the first extension to the line since it opened (between Wolverhampton and Birmingham Snow Hill) on 30 May 1999. Vague recollection....yes I was there then too. Midland Metro construction has forced the complete redesign of Bull Street, so much so buses now go up hill on Lower Bull Street, and displaced many bus routes from stops on Upper Bull Street and Corporation Street to the new bus stops around Snow Hill Queensway.
The destination of Midland Metro is now New Street Station, or Grand Central depending on which bit of publicity you read. A bugbear of mine is inconsistent names for stops and destinations and this one is a blinder.
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| On the platform displays, it is Gd Central (why they couldn't spell it out or buy kit that allows the full name of one of two termini to be spelt out is beyond me) |
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| On the at-stop diagrams it's Grand Central New Street Station...... |
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| .....whilst on vehicle it is simply Birmingham. This is on of twenty CAF Urbos trams that have been introduced on Midland Metro in the last couple of years. |
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| Operation at the New Street/Grand Central terminus requires a shunt up Stephenson Street, although infrastructure allows an in-platform reversal. The line up Stephenson Street will eventually continue towards Broad Street and Five Ways. |
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| Clearly there is a concern about people wandering on to the tram tracks oblivious to the presence of trams. |
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| Which is a valid concern, at the crossing of New Street and Corporation Street pedestrians wander in front of passing trams with a dangerous ignorance. The trams have a very loud horn which does attract the attention of all around! |
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It's also interesting to compare the previous image to this one, of the Midland Metro extension under construction.
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| It's not just pedestrians. Car drivers can get very confused by no entry and directional signage! |
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| The new alignment from Snow Hill Metro stop towards Birmingham city centre starts on this attractive grass lined alignment past new office blocks. |
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| Meanwhilst the old alignment begins to be dug up. I understand the plan is return the alignment to Network Rail and reinstate platform 4 at Snow Hill. However I'm not sure if this is a fully costed and planned plan, or a "guv'nor I've had an idea...." plan! |
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| The finishes around the new Snow Hill stop don't seem to have been the subject of any design: rather gaps are stuffed with tarmac. |
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| There are two intermediate stops between Snow Hill and New Street/Grand Central. The first, on Bull Street, opened to Metro services some months ago and appeared well used. The second is on Corporation Street and seemed quite lightly used. |
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| A pair of Midland Metro CAF Urbos trams on Navigation Street at the New Street/Grand Central stop. |
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| And finally a retro moment, with an AnsaldoBreda T69 tram at West Bromwich in the rain! |
