Wednesbury to Brierley Hill: work starts next year

[Ginger66]

How will the the Wednesbury to Brierley line work with shared access with frieght.     

Will it be one platform for trams serving both directions to protect pessengers from freight trains.   

@Ginger66 - There's already a thread in existance for the Wednesbury - Brierley Hill line, it doesn't need another new one, Winston

[mikestone]

Reopening for freight is pure fantasy.

[Solo1]

n the paper see link ays a new depot will be built for the new Dudley service anyone know where it will be built ort is it still not known https://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport/2019/03/04/new-midland-metro-line-is-back-on-track-but-costs-are-up-100-million/

[winston]

n the paper see link ays a new depot will be built for the new Dudley service anyone know where it will be built ort is it still not known https://www.expressandstar.com/news/transport/2019/03/04/new-midland-metro-line-is-back-on-track-but-costs-are-up-100-million/

They don't even know where the new depot will be built yet. the article says 'provisionally' Sandwell.

What a waste of money, £449 million for a 6.8 mile Metro extension......

[Solo1]

I know the longer it's left the more it will be looking at HS2 that's go up should agree a price & stick to it

[Solo1]

Re the new depot how come they can't expand the current depot I'm sure that can fit more trams in there than built a brand new one 

[Roy]

Re the new depot how come they can't expand the current depot I'm sure that can fit more trams in there than built a brand new one

The following is an extract from the West Midlands Combined Authority Board Meeting last week.

Depot & Stabling.  When originally developed in 2003 the additional trams to operate the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill extension were expected to be accommodated through modification of the existing facilities at Potters Lane, Wednesbury.  Subsequently between 2012 and 2016 the Birmingham City Centre extension project coupled with the replacement of the 16 original T69 trams with 21 larger Urbos 3 trams has used up the majority of the spare capacity at Wednesbury.  The Edgbaston and Birmingham Eastside schemes would also as standalone projects have been capable of having their additional trams (6-9 in total) stored at Wednesbury.  In aggregate the Birmingham Eastside, Westside and Brierley Hill schemes require additional stabling facilities for up to 25 3rd Generation Trams as well as modifications at Potters Lane to accommodate mixed fleet operation.  A suitable site (designated as a construction compound for the WBH scheme) for a stabling facility has been identified in Sandwell and discussions are ongoing to secure this site through normal planning procedures.

The same document also states that the proposed initial service pattern is Wolverhampton Station to Brierley Hill, Brierley Hill to Edgbaston, Edgbaston to Wolverhampton St Georges - final page of https://governance.wmca.org.uk/documents/s2720/Report.pdf 

[Stevo]

Thanks for this - very interesting! So trams from Brum will not run to Wolves station once the extension opens.

[Westy]

So when will we know about the Golds Hill station for sure?

(Asking on behalf of the company I work for, which has a depot in that area!)

[busfan2847]

Thanks for this - very interesting! So trams from Brum will not run to Wolves station once the extension opens.

No the route is described as:-
Wolverhampton Station to Wolverhampton St George's via Brierley Hill and Edgebaston AND RETURN.

So at St George's trams will arrive from and depart to Edgebaston (then to Brierley Hill) and at Station trams will arrive from and depart to Brierley Hill (then Edgebaston)

[danny]

I'm really confused so can someone please clarify for me....

Is this proposal a defiant going to happen or is it still in the stages of consideration... I only ask as I thought building work was ment to of started in March and thats why the track bed from castle hill to Wednesbury had been tieded up.

[mikestone]

So when will we know about the Golds Hill station for sure?

(Asking on behalf of the company I work for, which has a depot in that area!)

I would suggest the company you work for would be better off asking TfWM than relying on internet wibble.

[Stevo]

No the route is described as:-
Wolverhampton Station to Wolverhampton St George's via Brierley Hill and Edgebaston AND RETURN.

So at St George's trams will arrive from and depart to Edgebaston (then to Brierley Hill) and at Station trams will arrive from and depart to Brierley Hill (then Edgebaston)

It's only the 1 that will run direct from Brum to Wolves and this will go to St Georges. No-one will travel on the 3 from Brum to Brierley Hill then the 2 to Wolves station.

[Roy]

Don't forget that this diagram is for the period between Brierley Hill opening and the extension to Digbeth opening.  The service pattern will change once the latter is open.

[mikestone]

However since they have gone for the cheap option of public consultation, according to notices on the stops, which inevitably leads to the minority with fixed opinions (usually wrong) and loud voices having too much influence, rather than paying for a proper survey no doubt that will all change and then again when they realise what has happened.