The Wednesbury to Dudley section of the Brierley Hill West Midlands Metro extension is due to open in 2024 (exact date not announced but if they hit the target expect it to be pretty late in the year if previous experience is to be considered) and in preparation for this construction work is now well underway. A lot of the progress so far has been in Dudley and that’s where we head for this pictorial update of construction work.
Originally due to be opened all in one go, the Brierley Hill extension is now a two (or indeed even three) phase project because of funding constraints. The first phase – of which the work is underway now – will run between Wednesbury and Dudley (Flood Street) with the hope that it will then continue at a later date (described as being at the “earlies opportunity”) through to Brierley Hill. This first section of the route will see nine stops added to the network (which will be the biggest single addition to West Midlands Metro since original opening) and its being investigated whether some areas could be built without overhead wires (although you may hope with an opening in 2024 this has already been decided).
This is the view outside Churchill Shopping Centre in Dudley between the last two stops on the first phase of the line at Dudley Bus Station and Flood Street.
Moving further away towards where track has already been laid.
Track down alongside the Very Light Rail Innovation Centre (the building with the red façade).
With the final road surface in place track has also been laid on Castle Hill where trams will run past the entrance to Dudley Zoo. (All Photographs by Andy Walters, 30th July 2023)
This is a superb update on the line. It is now on my list for the next visit to West Midlands on 16th August 2023.
On my last visit, there seemed to be a good amount of work already done down the hill leaving Dudley towards, eventually, Brierley Hill. Was this done in readiness before the project was split into two/three?
One would hope that if overhead wires are left out to save money, that provision for installing them at a later date will be made for the time when the batteries need replacing and their cost is unsustainable requiring them to be converted to all-overhead.
The Cinema by the entrance to the zoo has been sanctioned for demolition so thats possibly going to cause potential track damage with the road closure and heavy plant moving about.
Also, i cannot remember ( as the tram track goes right up the middle of the road) if provision has been made for a stop point for the zoo? bet its not included and a potential poor move?