The tail end of the Westside Metro extension is being built at Hagley Road in Edgbaston, just beyond Five Ways. It goes past the Morrisons supermarket and Starbucks Coffee and will end outside of the refurbished Fifty4 Hagley Road. As of late December 2020, they have laid the tracks but yet to build up the road or pavement surface around most of it. Photo gallery from 2017 - 2020.

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The Westside Metro Extension on Hagley Road, Edgbaston


The Westside Metro Extension on Hagley Road, Edgbaston


The tail end of the Westside Metro extension is being built at Hagley Road in Edgbaston, just beyond Five Ways. It goes past the Morrisons supermarket and Starbucks Coffee and will end outside of the refurbished Fifty4 Hagley Road. As of late December 2020, they have laid the tracks but yet to build up the road or pavement surface around most of it. Photo gallery from 2017 - 2020.


Westside Metro Extension on Hagley Road

One day from the end of 2021 onwards, West Midlands Metro trams will emerge from the Five Ways underpass, coming from Broad Street. Then will come to the end of the extension on Hagley Road in Edgbaston, this takes it past the Morrisons supermarket, with Starbucks Coffee at the end. But will end at the tram stop that will be built outside of Fifty4 Hagley Road.

The Five Ways underpass has been closed to all traffic since 2019, and they have to go on a diversion around Five Ways Island.

Beyond the end of the line, it was proposed that Sprint would continue down Hagley Road, but not sure what has happened to that. It would take a very long time to extend the line even further (as far as Bearwood and Quinton), but that seems unlikely for now.

1st October 2017.

The view from the wide pavement outside of Tricorn House. I thought they could built the line here (at the time). View towards Morrisons and Fifty4 Hagley Road, near where the line would eventually be built in 2020.

dndimg alt="Westside Metro ext Hagley Rd" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Westside Metro Ext Hagley Rd (Oct 2017) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

But they would eventually build the extension outside of Morrisons towards Starbucks Coffee.

dndimg alt="Westside Metro ext Hagley Rd" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Westside Metro Ext Hagley Rd (Oct 2017) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

You can see how wide the pavement was at the time at this side of Hagley Road back in 2017. The bus stops, lampposts, etc would all have to go.

dndimg alt="Westside Metro ext Hagley Rd" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Westside Metro Ext Hagley Rd (Oct 2017) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A view towards the offices at Fifty4 Hagley Road. Just some barriers on the pavement. Trees and grass that would have to go.

dndimg alt="Westside Metro ext Hagley Rd" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Oct 2017).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

15th February 2018.

A bus ride from the top deck of the X10 NXWM Platinum bus, as it passed Morrisons and the Marriott Hotel (on the right).

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Feb 2018) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Cones in the middle of the road. Opposite was also a Pizza Hut Delivery place for take away.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Feb 2018) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The bus leaves Hagley Road, heading down the Five Ways Underpass towards Broad Street.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Feb 2018) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There was a digital billboard that you can see as you head under Five Ways Island.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Feb 2018) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

View from the bus in the Five Ways Underpass. A view runners of the Great Birmingham Run used to have until a few years ago. Broad Street is at the end of the white light!

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Feb 2018) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

29th June 2019.

The view from the top of Hagley Road. The Five Ways Underpass to the left. It would be hard to get views of the Metro extension around the tunnel if you were on the pavement, especially with traffic going past.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Jun 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

21st December 2019.

One way to see a view of the tram tracks being laid was from the top deck of a bus going around Five Ways Island. This view towards Hagley Road past The Lansdowne, early track laying progress. This was taken from the top deck of the no 24 NXWM Platinum bus. By now going on a diversion to the City Centre.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2019).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

23rd December 2019.

Saw these pink Midland Metro Alliance barriers just beyond Morrisons on the Hagley Road.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2019) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There was also some pink Midland Metro Alliance barriers in front of Fifty4 Hagley Road. All of that grass and young trees have been removed for the extension in the year since.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2019) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

4th January 2020.

A view of the Five Ways Underpass with the tracks that had been laid. This was the view zoomed in from the window at Morrisons Cafe. This was my last photo of the extension on Hagley Road before the pandemic was declared, and we had those lockdowns and restrictions.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Jan 2020).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

31st July 2020.

With restrictions eased by the summer, I was back to work in the middle of July. On a day off I headed towards the Hagley Road on a warm day to see The Two Towers again. Was lots of cones and barriers on the right.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Jul 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There was also a lot of traffic trying to get past Fifty4 Hagley Road. As only one lane was open.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Jul 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

25th October 2020.

I heard that the crossing on the Hagley Road near Starbucks was closed, so that day I went to have a drink and toastie inside of Starbucks. Then got these photos of the tracks that had been laid. A bit awkward with the fences in the way.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Oct 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Completed tracks emerging from the Five Ways underpass onto the Hagley Road, in from of Tricorn House and Cobalt Square.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Oct 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

There was a bus stop in use on the left, but all other traffic had to go to the right.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Oct 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

24th December 2020.

Christmas Eve, and I got off the no 1 bus on Highfield Road, and walked to Hagley Road to see the latest progress of the extension.  Starting from Fifty4 Hagley Road. This was near the old Birmingham 1 mile sign.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Bit of a mess outside of Fifty4 Hagley Road, but there is tracks laid just up ahead.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The tracks that have been installed in front of Barclays, towards Morrisons.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Cross over tracks just beyond Starbucks. Bright sunshine.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A path has been built towards Starbucks Coffee, with bricks in the middle. I'm not sure if they were open for takeaway or not.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Tracks in the direction of Fifty4 Hagley Road, past Barclays. You can see the cross over tracks. A lot of litter needs to be picked up when they resume in January 2021.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The tracks towards Morrisons. This was the wide pavement. Trees on the right survive next to the dry cleaning place.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Last photo, of water logged tracks that come out of the Five Ways underpass. With traffic waiting on the Hagley Road, having just come on from Five Ways Island.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Metro Ext (Dec 2020) (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

27th December 2020.

The day after Boxing Day, I got the bus to Harborne, then caught a no 24 NXWM Platinum bus from Harborne Road, Edgbaston. Got the updated view of the tram tracks going in and out of the Five Ways underpass from Five Ways Island.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Five Ways Metro Ext 27122020 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The bus stopped at traffic lights, so was able to get a second view. The tracks heading towards Morrisons and Fifty4 Hagley Road. Seems to be concrete barriers in the middle for some reason.

dndimg alt="Hagley Rd Metro Ext" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Hagley Rd Five Ways Metro Ext 27122020 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

See also my Broad Street post.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown