It wasn’t too long ago that we last featured a photo from Dudley showing progress in the construction of the West Midlands Metro but we return there again today to take another look at the installation of track.
Dudley will be the end of the planned Brierley Hill extension for now with funding for the section through to Brierley Hill via Merry Hill not yet in place although Transport for West Midlands hope to secure this in the future.
The eventual line will run for 11km between Wednesbury (leaving the current line just to the east of Wednesbury Great Western Street) and Brierley Hill with up to 14 stops to be provided. Stage one – due to open 2024 – will run as far as Flood Street with nine new stops and stage two (subject to funding) will then go to Brierley Hill with at least five stops to be built.
Where light rail meets very light rail! As trams turn off Castle Hill in Dudley they then head past the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre which is seen here on the right hand side. This is heading towards Wednesbury. The left hand side has the Castle Hill Banqueting and Conferencing Suite which was once JB’s nightclub. (Photograph by Mark Cufflin, 17th May 2023)
I don’t know what the schedule for completion of work is now but I will be amazed if anything runs between Wednesbury and Dudley next year.