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West Midlands Metro trams going blue 2019

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Tram 35 between Town Hall Tram Stop and Grand Central Tram Stop at lunchtime today.





Victoria Square passing the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market



Pinfold Street towards Stephenson Street



Grand Central Tram Stop



Also in use today was tram 34. Both were not in service.



 
I saw that Jasper Carrott had a tram named after him. Not being an anorak, but does anyone know the number of the tram?
 
I notice that the pantographs on these trams are designed to operate in either direction, but at the slower speeds I presume that causes no problems.
I am also pleased to note the battery conversion programme which allows the more sensitive areas of the city centre to be without overhead. Good thinking Batman! ;)
I am also curious about the fleet numbering of the individual cars. I note that the four car set, plus motor car, appears to go under the one fleet number - the photos and information suggest that to me. But there has to be, I believe, an individual designation to each unit that comprises the set. That usually enables the maintenance folk to determine which unit they are to work upon when needed. Does a defect (and that might not necessarily be mechanical, but structural or interior damage) in one of the units cause the whole set to be off the run? Or do they run in shorter compositions if and when necessary?
I am sure followers of this thread are grateful to Elliot for putting his photographs here for us to see, but it would be interesting to know a little about the maintenance depots.
Lots of snippets here:
westmidlandsmetro.com

West Midlands Metro | The tramway connecting the West Midlands

The Metro network stretching from Birmingham to Wolverhampton. Pick your route and find the stops you need.
westmidlandsmetro.com westmidlandsmetro.com
 
Radiorails said:
I notice that the pantographs on these trams are designed to operate in either direction, but at the slower speeds I presume that causes no problems.
I am also pleased to note the battery conversion programme which allows the more sensitive areas of the city centre to be without overhead. Good thinking Batman! ;)
I am also curious about the fleet numbering of the individual cars. I note that the four car set, plus motor car, appears to go under the one fleet number - the photos and information suggest that to me. But there has to be, I believe, an individual designation to each unit that comprises the set. That usually enables the maintenance folk to determine which unit they are to work upon when needed. Does a defect (and that might not necessarily be mechanical, but structural or interior damage) in one of the units cause the whole set to be off the run? Or do they run in shorter compositions if and when necessary?
I am sure followers of this thread are grateful to Elliot for putting his photographs here for us to see, but it would be interesting to know a little about the maintenance depots.
Lots of snippets here:
westmidlandsmetro.com

West Midlands Metro | The tramway connecting the West Midlands

The Metro network stretching from Birmingham to Wolverhampton. Pick your route and find the stops you need.
westmidlandsmetro.com westmidlandsmetro.com
Click to expand...
Just found the fleet list at http://www.britishtramsonline.co.uk/midland.html
All individual numbers.
 
Radiorails said:
I notice that the pantographs on these trams are designed to operate in either direction, but at the slower speeds I presume that causes no problems.
I am also pleased to note the battery conversion programme which allows the more sensitive areas of the city centre to be without overhead. Good thinking Batman! ;)
I am also curious about the fleet numbering of the individual cars. I note that the four car set, plus motor car, appears to go under the one fleet number - the photos and information suggest that to me. But there has to be, I believe, an individual designation to each unit that comprises the set. That usually enables the maintenance folk to determine which unit they are to work upon when needed. Does a defect (and that might not necessarily be mechanical, but structural or interior damage) in one of the units cause the whole set to be off the run? Or do they run in shorter compositions if and when necessary?
I am sure followers of this thread are grateful to Elliot for putting his photographs here for us to see, but it would be interesting to know a little about the maintenance depots.
Lots of snippets here:
westmidlandsmetro.com

West Midlands Metro | The tramway connecting the West Midlands

The Metro network stretching from Birmingham to Wolverhampton. Pick your route and find the stops you need.
westmidlandsmetro.com westmidlandsmetro.com
Click to expand...

The whole unit carries the fleet number and the individual cars are permanently coupled as the unit is completely walk through with a pivoted floor and concertina sides at the coupling points. Only the 1st, 3rd and 5th cars have bogies, the 2nd and 4th cars are suspended between the other cars. I have not studied the individual cars to see if they have separate designations within the overall fleet number but the two ends have to be separately designated.

For interest. on the Edinburgh trams the individual cars are designated A B C F G D E from new which indicates that at some stage the order was increased from 5 car units to 7 car units in the middle of the build. This shows the confusion surrounding the building of the Edinburgh tram network with all the decision changes causing the line to be years late, way over budget and only part of the line completed.

Edit. The modern pantographs operate at full speed in both directions. You see this on the trains as well as the trams. The Pendolinos on the West Coast main line now usually operate with the rear pantograph up but they used to run with the front pantograph up. I suppose strictly speaking they are no longer pantographs but 'levered arms' but the old name sticks.
 
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Thanks David,
I know London Transport has different designations for their stock and my knowledge of 'pantographs' is limited to the SNCF and Swiss Federal. I presume they decided to call them (and those elsewhere in the UK) trams but given their travel distance to Wolverhampton and the use of conventional track puts them very close to a light rail designation.
 
Jasper Carrott tram 28 seen at Grand Central on the 28th November 2019.



This was before they started having in service trams go beyond towards Centenary Square from the 1st December 2019 (but not picking passengers up as it hasn't started yet).
 
Tram 22 with the name Dasher at Birmingham Library Tram Stop in Centenary Square. Waiting to leave for Wolverhampton. But not yet picking passengers up from here. Still fences on both sides.

Municipal Bank fence in the way.



New road surface



Some fences had fallen down here. Unexpected rainbow.







Not quite finished at this end.

 
I travelled on tram 28 on Saturday evening. I thought number was familiar but did not spot that it was the Jasper Carrott tram.
 
David
I was trying to think of a wisecrack that featured Rudolph, but somehow I could not bring myself to stoop lower than I normally would, but will ask is there one called Dasher? Donner und Blitzen!!! what will they think of next?

Bob
 
Bob Davis said:
David
I was trying to think of a wisecrack that featured Rudolph, but somehow I could not bring myself to stoop lower than I normally would, but will ask is there one called Dasher? Donner und Blitzen!!! what will they think of next?

Bob
Click to expand...
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid and Donner and Blitzen
But do you recall
The most famous reindeer of all?
 
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