DSCF9488 Midland Metro tram set 20 in Birmingham - 19 Aug 2017

Saturday 19 August 2017 (1514) – Midland Metro tram set 20 literally at the end of the line in Stephenson Street, Birmingham having just arrived from Priestfield. The passenger platforms are down the street where the people are crossing the tracks. The tram will soon move forward and switch to the track on the left side of the street to load for the next departure to Priestfield. Strangely enough the crossover is not visible in the photograph as it is hidden by the contour of the roadway or light. The two small gaps in the central white line show where the crossover is. There are plans to extend the line to Five Ways which will involve the trams making a diagonal turn into Pinfold Street out of shot behind the camera. The Metro fleet consists of 21 similar CAF Urbos 3 units (# 17-37) built in Spain which entered service in 2014-2015 replacing the original 16 Italian built trams (#1-16) which launched service May 1999.