Extensive works carried out on West Midlands Metro during 18-day engineering shutdown
on the West Midland Metro route resumed operating between Edgbaston and Wolverhampton station on April 10, following an 18-day shutdown of the route between Wednesbury and Edgbaston for major engineering works.
The most significant aspects of the work allowed Midland Metro Alliance engineers to complete the installation of trackwork and overhead electrification for the new delta junction that is being installed at Wednesbury to connect the new extension from Dudley to the existing route, just to the south of the WMM depot complex. This work included excavating the track bed, removing the existing rails, and replacing them with new pointwork to create a triangular junction which will allow services to operate between Dudley, Wolverhampton and Birmingham.
Additionally, while the route was closed, a bridge was demolished by Sandwell Council alongside Dudley Street Guns Village tram stop. Work on the reconstruction of the replacement structure will see tram services terminate from 20.00 between Black Lake and Edgbaston Village on a number of evenings until the middle of May.
Trackwork has also been replaced through five tram stops to allow long-standing speed restrictions to be removed from the affected areas, which should help to improve journey times, while maintenance work was also carried out at Hilltop Tunnel, between Wednesbury Great Western Street and Black Lake stops. All stops along the route were also given thorough deep-cleans during the shutdown period.
At Edgbaston Village, the turf laid between the rails has been replaced after the original surface had become badly damaged following various incursions by cars onto the tramway.
Following the recommencement of services on the whole WMM route from April 10, an improved daytime timetable was introduced, offering an eight-minute service frequency throughout the day.