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Metro progress 2021

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Vivienne14

Vivienne14

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Seems a bit of a coincidence that this happened shortly after all the new Hitachi trains on the rail network were with withdrawn for possible cracking checks. Wonder if this is similar. The trams seem to be manufactured in Spain . Was this a Hitachi subsidiary ?
 
mikejee said:
Seems a bit of a coincidence that this happened shortly after all the new Hitachi trains on the rail network were with withdrawn for possible cracking checks. Wonder if this is similar. The trams seem to be manufactured in Spain . Was this a Hitachi subsidiary ?
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This loss making, lumbering, archaic, obscenely expensive form of transport should be scrapped altogether.
PA739
 
I must admit that trams would not have been my choice given the massive cost of the infrastructure and their inflexibility. But given the huge amount that has already been spent, none of the alternatives look particularly attractive now. In times of rapid change, projects such as a tramsway network with its enormous lead times - when did they start planning this? - are not a good idea at all.

Has anyone any idea what percentage of flat fare increase would be necessary for the tramway scheme to break even, assuming, of course, that passenger figures remain the same, which they won't? In the late 1950s during my time with BCT Accounts, there was a general fair increase and the usual culprits came forth and said that fares should fare been halved not increased then passenger figures would have gone up. Whar the clowns failed to grasp was that was that passenger figures would have had to have doubled just to be in the same financial position. That at a time when more and more people were buying cheap cars and using them to get to work apart from their leisure use.

Doubling the passenger figures would also mean doubling the rolling stock and traffic staff, much of which would be redundant except at peak times. So you would not even be back at your original starting point. Cost/benefit analysis is not simple arithmetic by any means.

Maurice :cool:
 
oldMohawk said:
I suppose lessons are being learnt about track laying and hopefully the new track will last more than five years ...
View attachment 159700
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I think complaints have been received about the loud screeching that takes place on sections of the track.
To improve the passenger experience (no screeching) sections of the track are being replaced.
Pinfold st is particularly bad for wheel screeches.
Perhaps an alternative rail with a different profile will be used.
 
how awful only 5 years since track was laid the whole of corporation st is being dug up again to create yet more disruption ..i feel sorry for the few businesses that still exist as it must impact on them...i am no engineer but it seems to me that someone did not do their homework...no wonder i now refuse to visit the city centre..sorry but it does nothing for me now

thanks for the update OM

lyn
 
Astoness said:
how awful only 5 years since track was laid the whole of corporation st is being dug up again to create yet more disruption ..i feel sorry for the few businesses that still exist as it must impact on them...i am no engineer but it seems to me that someone did not do their homework...no wonder i now refuse to visit the city centre..sorry but it does nothing for me now

thanks for the update OM

lyn
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Perhaps trolley buses running like these lorries would be better, no track needed. They are going to test them on a 2-mile stretch of the M180 near Scunthorpe. They use batteries for the short trips off the motorway.
Screenshot 2021-07-31 083933.jpg
;)
 
or even better OM maybe they should have stuck to the buses...at least that way the streets would have remained full of life and have some soul to it.. just a ghost town now

lyn
 
Like I said in my June 11th post - this archaic form of public transport should be scrapped before millions of pounds are wasted building extensions.
Likewise, the "rich-mans-train-set" HS2, still runs on archaic steel rails and Maglev would have been a far better proposition, at a fraction of the cost, and with far less damage to the countryside and ecology.
PA739
 
Despite not living in Brum now, I feel quite sad about all this - why is it taking so long in any case?
I was just checking out details of the 17 mile tram service around Croydon, South London. Apparently construction work started in January 1997 and it was officially opened in May 2000 (with a few extra bits later in the year). I imagine they had to work around busy road traffic areas?
The Birmingham line through the town centre just seems to have been a complete mess from start to finish :(
 
It seems to me, that neither the track or trams, were fit for purpose and surely there must be some grounds for the repairs to at least be part met by the company that provided/fitted the tracks, along with the tram manufacturer? The trams in the city centre were first not running while the tracks were put right, then because the drivers needed to get used to the new track and now because the trams themselves are faulty. You couldn't make it up...

The area near the Square Peg looks like a WW2 bomb has exploded in the road and the pavement (what there is of it) is now uneven and a tripping hazard, it has been like that for far too long. City Centre shops are right to be angry about this, as first they have been hit by the pandemic and now (at their busiest time of the year) by their location being a place to avoid due to constant repairs of one sort or another. :rolleyes:
 
John L said:
It seems to me, that neither the track or trams, were fit for purpose and surely there must be some grounds for the repairs to at least be part met by the company that provided/fitted the tracks, along with the tram manufacturer? The trams in the city centre were first not running while the tracks were put right, then because the drivers needed to get used to the new track and now because the trams themselves are faulty. You couldn't make it up...

The area near the Square Peg looks like a WW2 bomb has exploded in the road and the pavement (what there is of it) is now uneven and a tripping hazard, it has been like that for far too long. City Centre shops are right to be angry about this, as first they have been hit by the pandemic and now (at their busiest time of the year) by their location being a place to avoid due to constant repairs of one sort or another. :rolleyes:
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totally agree with all you say john....just another of brums white elephant ideas gone wrong...as you say the shops around the route have suffered..they started closing as soon as the metro work began...then we had covid and now all this disruption yet again ...i used to love going shopping in the city centre but for the past 4 years i have avoided it due to all of the diversions and chaos...sad to say that i do not know my city anymore...:(

lyn
 
Before this thread closes tomorrow, has anyone any idea about when the service will be running to Broad Street again please? I know the trams aren't ideal but I found them really useful for getting to the library (and the Jewellery Qtr). Thanks.
 
Lady Penelope said:
Before this thread closes tomorrow, has anyone any idea about when the service will be running to Broad Street again please? I know the trams aren't ideal but I found them really useful for getting to the library (and the Jewellery Qtr). Thanks.
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I use the tram whenever possible. I find it most useful when visiting the library/symphony hall area. I walk from my house to the Cross City line at Sutton Coldfield, alight at New st and catch the tram up to the library. Like you I have found the tram to be very useful and will use it more as I get (really) old.
 
I found the service really good to get around town quicker than I am now able on foot too. It is running as far as Bull Street again (since 15/12) but WM Metro have not given any specific date for the rest of the service to return, having instead said, "As more trains are repaired and new trains join the fleet, we will seek to extend the service to Library at the earliest opportunity."

It had also been anticipated that the £83million Westside Phase Two Extension would be running by his month, taking the trams to 54 Hagley Road, but that line is now not expected to be in service until 2022. Hopefully they will sort out the Bull Street to Library run sooner, rather than later in 2022, but I won't be holding my breath!
 
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