Preserved Midland Metro tram 16 at Very Light Rail, Dudley and West Midlands Metro tram 52 in service

On a walk around Dudley, I did not expect to find the preserved Midland Metro tram 16, one of the T-69 trams, to be at Very Light Rail in Dudley. Out of the 16 trams in service from 1999 to 2015, 13 have been scrapped, while three preserved including this one. The other two 07 and 10 are at Long Marston. The last West Midlands Metro tram 52, and was the last of the new Urbos 100 order.

I was in Dudley, during January 2024, for an update of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension, and was walking out of Dudley Town Centre, when I spotted this old tram at Very Light Rail.

The former Midland Metro tram 16, a T-69 which was in service from Wolverhampton St George's to Birmingham Snow Hill from 1999 to 2015, was moved from Long Marston to Dudley, for testing on the Very Light Rail tracks.

It still has The Metro, and original red, blue and yellow livery on it, as well as a Wolverhampton College advert dating to 2014. It arrived in Dudley in November 2023.

dndimg alt="Midland Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/T69%20MM%2016%20VLR%20Dudley%2021012024%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

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dndimg alt="Midland Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/T69%20MM%2016%20VLR%20Dudley%2021012024%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The most recent tram to come into service was West Midlands Metro tram 52 in January 2024. The last of the Urbos 100 order. Currently there is multiple bus routes from Birmingham to Dudley including the 74, 87, 126 and X8. But by the end of 2024, the tram extension from Wednesbury to Dudley Town Centre might open.

Seen here leaving Edgbaston Village Tram Stop on Hagley Road, via the Five Ways underpass towards Broad Street and Five Ways Tram Stop.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2052%20Hagley%20Rd%2016012024%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2052%20Hagley%20Rd%2016012024%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

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dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2052%20Five%20Ways%20BS%2016012024%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photography by Elliott Brown

Trams at the Black Country Living Museum (August 2011)

Some old tram photos of mine taken from a day out at the Black Country Living Museum during August 2011. Tram 34 and tram 49. We actually had a ride at the time on tram 49 on the top deck, which was in the open air. The museum is located in Dudley in the Black Country. The museum opened in 1975. I'm sure it's probably changed since my visit including Peaky Blinders filming.

From a day out at the Black Country Living Museum, on the 14th August 2011. There was plenty to see on my first (and so far) only visit to this open air museum. So my visit precedes the filming of episodes of Peaky Blinders by a few years.

Tram 49

This is a Wolverhampton Corporation double decker tram, built in 1909. It is a typical Edwardian tramcar with a lower saloon and open upper deck. It was withdrawn in 1921. It was restored by the Black Country Living Museum and put into service in 2004.

I first saw tram 49 before we headed to have a look in the museum full of vintage cars and other vehicles. It was passing the war memorial. Which was passing these umbrella looking shields.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (0).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

In this view the tram is seen heading to "Penn Fields" (well not really) and had an old Express and Star advert on the side.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen from the other direction getting close to the end of the journey. There was stairs at both ends, and they have to manually move the overhead pantograph, so that the tram can go in the other direction.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Again seen here, passengers are getting off the tram.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

A lady seemed to reverse backwards down the steps.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Adverts also at the front and back. Here you see "Gray's Herbal Tablets".

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The tram driver and the ticket inspector have a chat, or hand over the keys?

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (7).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

They only had two volunteers, we had to wait for the tram to get back before we could ride it. By then they had 3 volunteers and we went up to the top deck of the tram.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Seen here, visitors are seeing heading down the steps and getting off the tram. It was the stop close to the village, and wasn't too far from where tram 34 was. This was after my tram ride, so I took this photo after I got off.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

A few hours later, saw tram 49 again. This time passing the Underground Mine. This side was an advert for the Co-op.

dndimg alt="Tram 49" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 49 (August 2011) (9).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Tram 34

This tram was built in 1919 for operation on Wolverhampton District Tramways. It was an enclosed single decker tram that could accommodate 32 seated passengers. It was withdrawn in 1928.

Saw this model of tram 34 in the exhibitions rooms which were housed in the former Rolfe Street Baths building. It was the second exhibition in this room.

dndimg alt="Tram 34" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM model of tram 34 (August 2011).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Now onto the real tram 34. We did not ride it, and I'm not sure if it was in use on the day of our visit. It's destination was Dudley.

dndimg alt="Tram 34" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 34 (August 2011) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

It was positioned at the time next to the tram depot.

dndimg alt="Tram 34" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCLM tram 34 (August 2011) (2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

They have other trams in the collection at the Black Country Living Museum, Horse Drawn Tram 23 and Tram 5 although I didn't see them at the time (almost 9 years ago now). More details here: Tram Collection.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

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Birmingham We Are People with Passion award winner 2020

Tram Stops in the Black Country from Wolverhampton to West Bromwich

A look at the tram stops in the Black Country of the West Midlands. Mainly in Wolverhampton, Bilston, Wednesbury and West Bromwich. They all originally opened back in 1999, but have since been altered to allow the new Urbos 3 trams to stop at them. Midland Metro line 1 goes from Wolverhampton St George's towards The Hawthorns before heading into Birmingham.

A look at some of the main tram stops in the Black Country between Wolverhampton and West Bromwich, including stops in Bilston and Wednesbury.

Starting with some of the tram stops that are in Wolverhampton.

Wolverhampton St George's Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999 and is the current terminus of line 1 on what is now known as the West Midlands Metro (formerly Midland Metro). T69 trams used to run between here and the former Snow Hill Tram Stop, until they were replaced by the Urbos 3 trams in 2014 - 2015. When the Birmingham City Centre extension opened in 2015 - 2016 to Grand Central, the T69's were retired, some were later scrapped.

dndimg alt="Tram 20 at Wolverhampton St George's Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wolverhampton St Georges Tram Stop - Tram 20.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was built as an island platform with a crossover loop, but was changed in 2015 when one platform was removed and is now used by buses. They are currently building an extension loop around to Wolverhampton Station (a redevelopment project has just started there) with stops at Pipers Row and Wolverhampton Station.

dndimg alt="Wolverhampton St George's Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wolverhampton St Georges Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Royal Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999. It was named after a nearby hospital called the Royal Hospital which closed in 1997.

dndimg alt="Tram 33 at The Royal Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Royal Tram Stop - Tram 33.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The line from Priestfield to Wolverhampton St George's was closed for around 6 months in 2017 along the Bilston Road so that they could replace the tram tracks. This section reopened by the end of the year. The former Royal Hospital is Grade II listed and the former Tram & Bus Depot nearby was demolished for new housing. Tesco did acquire the hospital building in 2001 for a retail development but was sold to the Homes and Communities Agency in 2015 for residential development.

dndimg alt="The Royal Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Royal Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Bilston Central Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999 along the brick lined former Great Western Railway cutting. The platforms are staggered.

dndimg alt="Tram 36 at Bilston Central Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bilston Central Tram Stop - Tram 36.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There are entrances at both ends of the tram stop. One end has a lift with steps. The other end has steps. The tram stop is a short distance to the north from the original Bilston Station on the Birmingham Snow Hill-Wolverhampton Low Level Line that closed down in 1972.

dndimg alt="Bilston Central Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bilston Central Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The tram stops below are all with Sandwell.

Wednesbury Parkway Tram Stop

This tram stop is in Wednesbury, and opened on the 31st May 1999.It has park and ride facilities. Get off here for walks along the Walsall Canal.

dndimg alt="Tram 31 at Wednesbury Parkway Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wednesbury Parkway Tram Stop - Tram 31.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The tram stop also has a third platform with a track as tram start from the Wednesbury Tram Depot which is next to Wednesbury Great Western Street Tram Stop. That platform is for trams that terminate here.

dndimg alt="Wednesbury Parkway Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wednesbury Parkway Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Wednesbury Great Western Street Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999 and it is near the Midland Metro tram depot (the base of the current and the former trams that used to be based there). The stop was built on the site of the former Wednesbury Central Station which closed in 1972.

dndimg alt="Tram 31 at Wednesbury Great Western Street Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wednesbury Great Western Street Tram Stop - Tram 31.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Another former railway line runs close to underneath this tram stop. It was the South Staffordshire Line. The line towards Brierley Hill will be used to build a new extension. The overgrowth that has grown over the years has been cut down. The line could open by 2023. It will share trackbed with a heavy rail line to Walsall.

dndimg alt="Wednesbury Great Western Street Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wednesbury Great Western Street Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Lodge Road West Bromwich Town Hall Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999 and is to the western side of West Bromwich Town Centre. The stop is in a deep cutting. Sometimes just known as Lodge Road Tram Stop. Has West Bromwich Town Hall in it's name as it is nearby.

dndimg alt="Tram 33 at Lodge Road West Bromwich Town Hall Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lodge Road West Bromwich Town Hall Tram Stop - Tram 33.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

As with Bilston Central, this tram stop has a lift with stairs at one end, and a ramp / walkway at the other end. It was one of the least used tram stops in the year 2015 / 16.

dndimg alt="Lodge Road West Bromwich Town Hall Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lodge Road West Bromwich Town Hall Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

West Bromwich Central Tram Stop

This is the tram stop to use if you want to go to West Bromwich Town Centre. It opened on the 31st May 1999 and is quite close to West Bromwich Bus Station, and the shops. Sandwell College was built close to the tram stop,

dndimg alt="Tram 17 at West Bromwich Central Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/West Bromwich Central Tram Stop - Tram 17.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was built on the site of the former West Bromwich Station on the Great Western Railway line from Birmingham Snow Hill to Wolverhampton Low Level. In 2015/16 it was the most heavily used intermediate tram stop on line 1.

dndimg alt="West Bromwich Central Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/West Bromwich Central Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Hawthorns Tram Stop

The railway station on the Jewellery line opened in 1995. While the tram stop opened on Midland Metro line 1 in 1999. The site was the location of The Hawthorns Halt from 1931 until 1968 opened by the Great Western Railway on their line from London Paddington via Birmingham Snow Hill to Birkenhead. The current station opened in 1995 when the Jewellery line was built connecting Birmingham Snow Hill to Smethwick and Stourbridge on the line to Worcester via Kidderminster.

T69 trams such as the one below were still being used late into 2014, as the Urbos 3 were introduced, but they were withdrawn from service in 2015. Many of them going to be scrapped.

dndimg alt="Tram 10 at The Hawthorns Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Tram10 TheHawthorns.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Football fans travel to this tram stop (or get the train) to watch the home matches of West Bromwich Albion FC play at The Hawthorns Stadium. There is separate paths for fans of different teams as they walk to the stadium. It is easy to interchange here between trams and trains (similar to Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham). So if you want to change between trams and trains do it here or at the Jewellery Quarter (at Birmingham Snow Hill, the new St Chad's Tram Stop you have to go down to road level then walk around under the Queensway tunnel or head towards the Colmore Row entrance, or use Bull Street Tram Stop).

dndimg alt="The Hawthorns Tram Stop and Railway Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/The Hawthorns Tram Stop and Railway Station.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Tram Stops in Birmingham City Centre

A look at the Tram Stops in Birmingham City Centre, from Jewellery Quarter to Grand Central. Originally the old terminus from 1999 until 2015 was at Snow Hill on the former platform 4 of the railway station, before the first extension opened to Birmingham New Street Station by 2016.

Jewellery Quarter Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999 and is between Soho Benson Road and St Paul's. Jewellery Quarter Station itself opened in 1995. The station is near the mouth of the Hockley No 2 Tunnel. Interchange between trams and trains is quite easy here as there is a gate you can walk through.

dndimg alt="Jewellery Quarter Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/TheMetro14.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Tram seen from the train at Jewellery Quarter Station.

dndimg alt="Jewellery Quarter Tram Stop from the train" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/JQ Tram Stop from the train.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

St Pauls Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 31st May 1999 between Jewellery Quarter and Snow Hill. Pedestrians can access the tram stop from Constitution Hill. From the bridge above you have views of Birmingham Snow Hill Station plus the Snowhill development. Photo below was when Two Snowhill was just a pair of cores (was a delay of several years before it got going again). These days you can watch Three Snowhill being built!

dndimg alt="St Paul's Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/T69 Midland Metro Trams.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The platforms were altered on all stations from St Paul's to Wolverhampton St George's to allow room for the new Urbos 3 trams.

dndimg alt="St Paul's Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/St Pauls Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

St Chad's Tram Stop (formerly Snow Hill Tram Stop)

This tram stop opened on the 2nd June 2016 replacing the old Snow Hill Tram Stop. Originally named Snow Hill, but the stop is a bit far from the entrances of Birmingham Snow Hill, so it was renamed to St Chad's in January 2017. Took a while before the new lift and stairs around it opened to the public. Interchange between tram and train is best done at Jewellery Quarter or The Hawthorns. Here you would have to get the lift down or walk down the stairs. Then walk past the Queensway and turn onto Livery Street to get into the Livery Street entrance of Birmingham Snow Hill Station.

The former tram stop terminus was open from 1999 to 2015 at what was platform 4 of Birmingham Snow Hill Station, just finishing close to the Snow Hill Tunnel. It opened on 31st May 1999 and closed on 24th October 2015. The approach line was disconnected.

dndimg alt="St Chad's Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Midland Metro tram.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Snow Hill Tram Stop - the former terminus used from 1999 until 2015.

dndimg alt="Snow Hill Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Tram05 SnowHill(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Bull Street Tram Stop

The tram stop was the first to open on the first city centre extension on 6th December 2015. And was initially the new terminus due to the delay of opening Corporation Street and Grand Central. There was a visit of the Queen to officially open the line where she named tram 35 "Angus Adams".

dndimg alt="Bull Street Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Blue 31 WMM BullSt (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Pair of trams seen in 2016 around the time that the terminus moved from Bull Street to Grand Central (or was about to).

dndimg alt="Bull Street Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Bull Street Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Corporation Street Tram Stop

The tram stop opened on the 30th May 2016 after being delayed from December 2015. There is only a shelter on the side towards Wolverhampton. Currently no shelter on the platform towards Grand Central, although that could change once the second extension to Centenary Square opens in the future. Ozzy Osbourne came to name a tram after himself, no 37 at this stop in late May 2016.

dndimg alt="Corporation Street Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Corporation Street Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Tram 37 Ozzy Osbourne departs from Corporation Street Tram Stop bound for Wolverhampton.

dndimg alt="Corporation Street Tram Stop - Ozzy 37" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Corporation Street Tram Stop Ozzy 37.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Grand Central Tram Stop

The last tram stop on the first city centre extension opened on the 30th May 2016 next to Birmingham New Street Station. It is on Stephenson Street. Trams normally go beyond the stop to the top of Stephenson Street, before heading onto a spur to get to the other side. But this will change from late September 2018 to allow the extension to Westside to be added to the existing tracks. The next stop will be Town Hall (for Victoria Square) followed by Centenary Square. Eventually the line will go as far as the bottom of Hagley Road at Five Ways.

dndimg alt="Grand Central Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Grand Central Tram Stop.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Pair of trams seen at Grand Central Tram Stop.

dndimg alt="Pair of trams at Grand Central Tram Stop" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Stephenson St trams.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos by Elliott Brown.