Watch: Work to install new tram bridge over Dudley main road starts - first piece put in place

The first parts of the replacement of a famous old Black Country bridge has been installed.

Published Mar 17

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Supporting beams, which will one day hold a bridge that will carry the trams on the Wednesbury to Brierley Hill Metro extension, were installed on Birmingham New Road, Dudley, over the weekend

The beams represent the first steps to replace the Hanson's Ale Bridge which was demolished in December last year.

A large crane was brought in to help fit the supports.

A crane helped lift the supporting beams into place for the new bridge

Birmingham New Road between the junctions for Burnt Tree and Tipton Road was closed to Wolverhampton-bound traffic over the weekend, with one lane remaining open for traffic heading towards Birmingham.

A spokesperson for the Midland Metro Alliance confirmed the road is on course to be fully reopened by 4am on Monday, as planned.

Birmingham New Road was shut while work was carried out

The road closure was in place from Friday night, and set to last until the early hours of Monday morning

The original bridge was built in in 1849 for the South Staffordshire Railway as part of a new line from Burton-upon-Trent, through Lichfield, to Dudley.

The new bridge is going in three months after the previous one was removed

Eventually the new bridge will carry trams running between Wednesbury and Brierley Hill

The present advert for Hanson's Mild Ale dates back about 30 years, replacing an earlier – and far more interesting – advertisement for the brewery featuring a mural of a chainmaker, and the slogan 'no mod cons'.

Birmingham New Road after the Hanson's bridge was removed

The Hanson's advert that lasted until 2023 was believed to have been pained onto the bridge in around 1987, replacing the familiar royal blue advert for Don Everall Transglobe.