Great Bridge, West Midlands

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Great Bridge
Great Bridge, West Midlands (West Midlands)
Great Bridge, West Midlands

Great Bridge shown within the West Midlands
OS grid reference SO976925
Metropolitan borough Sandwell
Metropolitan county West Midlands
Region West Midlands
Constituent country England
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Post town TIPTON
Postcode district DY4
Dialling code 0121
Police West Midlands
Fire West Midlands
Ambulance West Midlands
European Parliament West Midlands
UK Parliament West Bromwich West
List of places: UKEnglandWest Midlands

Coordinates: 52°31′49″N 2°02′07″W / 52.5304, -2.0353

Great Bridge is a village in the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, West Midlands, England. It is situated in Tipton near the border with West Bromwich.

It has been home to a historic market place for several centuries, and until the final two decades of the 20th century was occupied by numerous factories. Most of the factories have long since been closed and demolished.

Many new housing developments have sprung up in Great Bridge during the last 20 years, mostly on the sites of old factories.

There were two railway stations (Great Bridge North railway station and Great Bridge South railway station) in the Great Bridge area, but both stations were closed in the 1960s due to the Beeching Axe. Great Bridge South Station was situated on the line between Great Bridge and West Bromwich, which was dismantled during the 1970s. Great Bridge North Station was situated on the South Staffordshire Line between Walsall and Stourbridge, which closed to passengers in the 1960s but remained open for goods trains until the Walsall - Round Oak section was closed in 1993. It is set to re-open in 2011 as an extension to the Midland Metro, seeing a return of passenger trains to the area after an absence of almost 50 years. The new light rail passenger link will run alongside a re-opened single track line for goods trains.

Great Bridge already has direct bus links with Tipton, Dudley, and West Bromwich (via the 74 number bus that runs from Dudley and onto Birmingham) and also has direct bus links to Wednesbury.

The Sheepwash Urban Park also lies within the Great Bridge Area. It is a local beauty spot where fishing can be carried out and wild birds such as herons, ducks, swans and Canadian Geese can be seen. It is encircled by a path which walkers and cyclists alike use.