Although we do now know that the West Midlands Metro extension to Dudley (which is supposed to phase one of an eventual extension which should at least get as far as Merry Hill and possibly Brierley Hill) has been delayed and the expected opening date will now be in 2025, there does still remain progress on the construction of the line as we see in this latest pictorial update with images from Chris Allsop-Buckler.
The complete line was due to be 11km long and would have seen 14 new stops join the network. It will leave the current line at Wednesbury and then travel via Tipton and Dudley which is where phase one will end. There will be nine stops on that first phase which will run as far as Flood Street in Dudley and then an additional four stops would have been provided beyond there to Merry Hill and maybe Brierley Hill.
Phase one is now slated for opening in Autumn 2025 and works on the next phase are expected to start in earnest at around the same time as the final stages of the line to Dudley are completed.
Horseley Road will be the second new stop on the new line from Wednesbury (Great Bridge being the first). A lot of work which had been going on here now seems to have been completed with the new trackbed smoothed over and a retaining wall in place. The installation of track is awaited. This view looks towards New Road, Great Bridge.
Looking the other way towards Dudley Port and there is more evidence of ongoing work, at least there is equipment here. Again, further work is awaited.
We now move a bit further along the line towards Dudley Port (on the way to Dudley) and again the work we see having been completed here has mainly concerned preparing the trackbed. We’re at Church Lane East here looking in the direction of Dudley Port.
This is Park Lane East looking towards Lower Church Lane.
At Dudley Port there is a work compound (which was once Dudley Port overflow car park) as we see in this image. The West Midlands Metro line will run in the foreground. (All Photographs by Chris Allsop-Buckler, 8th September 2024)
I was not surprised to see that Mr Allsop-Buckler was not able to photograph any work actually going on. Any advance on 2030 for the opening date?