We have recently seen good progress being made on Castle Hill, Dudley on the construction works for the West Midlands Metro extension to Brierley Hill but that isn’t the only location on the route where the Midland Metro Alliance are hard at work. In this pictorial update we head a bit further towards Wednesbury to see ongoing bridge replacement work. Ken Jones provides the photos.
As part of the construction works it has been a necessity for some of the old railway bridges to be replaced with new structures which meet all modern requirements to allow for trams to operate safely across them. One of these crosses the A457 at Sedgley Road and after the old bridge was demolished last year work is now underway on its replacement. Whilst much of the work is taking place behind high security fencing the access roads built can be seen along with the concrete and steel in place as they build the bridge.
There will be a West Midlands Metro stop located just before this bridge. Currently known as Sedgley Road on the publicity for the line it will either be the fourth or fifth stop on the line from Wednesbury (with that at Golds Hill yet to be 100% confirmed). After this stop the line then continues into Dudley and eventually onto Brierley Hill.
This extension is scheduled to open in 2023 although whether there will be delays in this following the pandemic remains to be seen.
- Full information on the project – including maps – is available on the Midland Metro Alliance website at https://metroalliance.co.uk/projects/wednesbury-to-brierley-hill-extension/.
Images showing the work underway at Sedgley Road to construct the new bridge. (All Photographs by Ken Jones, 16th April 2022)