A significant concrete pour has taken place at the site of the former Staffordshire Railway corridor in Wednesbury for the eagerly awaited Metro extension.
The activity, which took more than seven hours to complete, will enable construction to begin on the structure which will eventually link the existing line to the newer branch from where trams will travel further through Sandwell to Dudley town centre. In total more than 80 loads of concrete were used, equating to 580m3 in total.
It is the third major milestone to be reached for the project in 2023 following construction being showcased at the nearby Metro depot expansion and the re-opening of Castle Hill in Dudley to two-way traffic, both taking place at the end of last month, signalling that the main construction for the first phase of this route is progressing well.
The majority of the first 6.5km phase of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension sits within the area of the former South Staffordshire railway corridor which closed to rail traffic in 1993. Midland Metro Alliance (MMA), working on behalf of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), began works to prepare the railway corridor in 2020 which involved clearing the corridor of more than a mile of existing track, which was donated to the Severn Valley Railway in 2021.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Improving and expanding our public transport network is mission critical in order for our region to thrive in the months and years ahead. That’s why it’s good to see this scheme mark another key milestone. Once complete, the first phase of the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension will offer people a quick and convenient travel option whether it’s for work or leisure in and around both Sandwell and Dudley. We must press ahead at pace so that local people can enjoy the benefits as soon as possible.”
Councillor Peter Hughes, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Growth, added: “The Metro will boost Sandwell’s sustainable public transport options, and I was very pleased to see another piece of this important route brought into being. It’s also great that others will get to see the progress, too.”
Footage of the expansive concrete pour has been released by the MMA. It showcases the innovative techniques used during the activity and by the many staff members working to deliver the feat of engineering. The concrete chosen for the activity was specifically sourced with sustainability in mind as the mix includes Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag (GBBFS) a compound which allows less traditional concrete (in this instance 70 per cent less) to be used without a compromise on quality. Based on this mix, the alliance estimate an embodied carbon saving of 64 per cent.
Grace Hayward, Assistant Delivery Manager at Midland Metro Alliance, said: “There’s a lot of interest in our construction activity for this Metro route, and unlike activity taking place in Dudley, for example, much of the work here in Sandwell is not in the immediate view of the public. With this in mind we wanted to give those interested in the project a look at what we are delivering, including a bird’s eye view of the activity via drone footage.”
Phil Keeley, Project Manager at MPB Structures added: “Being part of this significant infrastructure upgrade in Birmingham and working with the Midland Metro Alliance is very exciting for us. We partnered with the alliance at an early stage on the scheme and have continued to work and integrate with all divisions in order to deliver a range of standard and bespoke concrete mixes. A lot of planning was involved between our skilled workers and those at the alliance and we were pleased to be able to achieve such significant progress so quickly and safely. Well done to everybody involved.”
The Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension will boost public transport in the Black Country, providing much-needed links to the existing heavy and light rail networks, and helping to connect people to education, training and career opportunities further afield in the West Midlands. When phase one of the route opens to the public in late 2024, an additional nine stops will be added to the West Midlands Metro network linking people in Dudley town centre to both Birmingham and Wolverhampton.
Photo credit: Transport for West Midlands
