No more tears - Ozzy tram for Metro extension

A test run of the route on Tuesday 24th May with a figure not too dissimilar to Ozzy Osbourne to the left of the tram as it heads up Corporation Street.

It's almost six months since the first stretch of the city centre extension for the Midland Metro opened with trams reaching Bull Street on the 6th December, http://birminghamcentral.blogspot.com/2015/12/advent-tram.html.  

The exact opening date for the remainder of the extension to Grand Central and New Street Station is yet to be confirmed.  Driver tests need to be completed following tweaks made to the track alignment for safety reasons but the successful work to this at the weekend saw tests begin on the 23rd May.

The extension to Centenary Square is all set for the route to continue after the transport secretary overruled the planning inspector's concerns over the damage the extension would cause, http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/mcloughlin-overrules-planning-inspector-to-give-birmingham-tram-extension-go-ahead?&dorewrite=false.

The Birmingham tram extension from New Street to Centenary Square has gained planning permission after transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin overruled the planning inspector’s decision. 

McLoughlin said he disagreed with planning inspector’s ruling, which was made following a planning inquiry held between 19 November 2014 and 19 January 2015, that the damage the extension would cause to the city’s heritage assets would outweigh the scheme’s transportation and economic benefits. 

http://www.railtechnologymagazine.com/Rail-News/mcloughlin-overrules-planning-inspector-to-give-birmingham-tram-extension-go-ahead?&dorewrite=false

The introduction of the UK's first battery powered trams has seen Centro address the impact on the city's heritage from catenaries, the overhead wires. 

Today, Thursday 27th May, sees Birmingham son Ozzy Osbourne receive the honour of a tram named after him at the Corporation Street stop at 11am, http://www.shoppinginbirmingham.com/news/ozzy-osborne-makes-tracks-to-birmingham-for-tram-naming/


The following photos show one of the many test runs currently in progress from 24th May 2016.