Rail passengers in Birmingham are facing severe disruption after the discovery of a suspected wartime explosive device close to a main railway line.
Exclusion Zone Enforced After Historic Find
The incident, which occurred on Monday, 6 January 2026, led to an immediate evacuation and the establishment of a 100-metre exclusion zone. The device, described as an old mortar, was found at the Duddeston Mill Trading Estate on Duddeston Mill Road in the Washwood Heath area.
Specialist bomb disposal units were swiftly dispatched to the scene to assess and make safe the historic ordnance. The discovery has caused significant operational challenges for rail services running through the city centre.
Widespread Travel Disruption Across Network
The proximity of the device to the railway infrastructure has triggered major delays and cancellations. Birmingham New Street station, a critical national hub, is among the locations most affected.
Services heading out of Birmingham have been severely disrupted, with multiple operators reporting ongoing issues. Commuters and long-distance travellers are being advised to check with their train operator before travelling and to allow considerable extra time for their journeys.
Ongoing Response and Investigation
The emergency response, coordinated between British Transport Police, local authorities, and Network Rail, remains active. The primary focus is on ensuring public safety while experts deal with the unstable device.
An investigation will likely follow to determine the origin of the mortar and how it came to be located at the trading estate. Such discoveries, while alarming, are not uncommon in the UK, where unexploded ordnance from past conflicts is occasionally unearthed during construction work or land surveys.
Passengers are urged to monitor official travel sources for the latest information as the situation develops.
