Major train services in and out of Birmingham were thrown into chaos on Tuesday after the discovery of an unexploded wartime device near a key railway line.
Emergency Response and Evacuation
The alarm was raised when the device, believed to be an old mortar, was found at the Duddeston Mill Trading Estate. Its proximity to the railway tracks triggered an immediate and large-scale emergency response. Authorities swiftly established a 100-metre exclusion zone around the site as a precaution.
This led to the evacuation of Duddeston station and surrounding areas as a safety measure. The discovery brought rail traffic in the vicinity to an abrupt halt, causing severe disruption to the network.
Severe Travel Disruption
The incident had an immediate and significant impact on train services. All services between Birmingham New Street and Duddeston were cancelled, causing widespread delays and revisions to schedules across the region. Passengers faced major upheaval to their travel plans during the Tuesday afternoon rush.
Specialist bomb disposal teams were quickly deployed to the scene to assess and neutralise the threat. They successfully made the historic mortar safe, allowing the exclusion zone to be lifted and the railway line to reopen.
Ongoing Delays and Aftermath
Despite the device being rendered safe and the line reopening, the knock-on effects of the emergency were felt for hours. Train services to and from Birmingham New Street, one of the country's busiest transport hubs, continued to experience significant delays and cancellations.
National Rail Enquiries warned passengers that disruption was expected to continue until at least 3pm on Tuesday 6 January 2026, advising travellers to check their journeys before setting out. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the lasting legacy of wartime ordnance on modern infrastructure and the swift action required to ensure public safety.
