We go back to the biggest light rail construction project currently taking place in the UK – the West Midlands Metro Black Country line extension. In this pictorial update we see more good progress being made at Horseley Road which includes track and platform construction. Chris Allsop-Buckler pointed the camera from on top of the bridge.
Looking away from where the stop is being constructed its track basically as far as the eye can see. With sleepers and clean ballast also visible this scene looks almost ready for trams – although presumably there will be some overhead also strung here (its not ever been confirmed which, if any, parts of the line will be built for battery operation).
There will be a total of nine new stops built on phase one of the line to Dudley. Horseley Bridge is the second from the start of the Black Country line at Wednesbury and as we see here good progress has been made recently on constructing this stop. The majority of the platforms have both been constructed and they also both have shelters – both of which are longer than we have come to expect on many tram systems across the country.
Another look down to Horseley Road stop. More edging stones for the platforms (already complete with yellow warning line!) wait for installation on the right. Also seen here is the change from the track being enclosed by concrete through the stop and the standard reserved track either side. (All Photographs by Chris Allsop-Buckler, 16th February 2025)