Where I am

[John Brightley]

2 hours ago, BuckbyLocks said:

I can't recall the name of the film that was made there now. Must have been 72 or 73 I think and it was filmed at night. The illuminations for filming made it like mid summer so it never got dark.

Would that be Cliff Richard's film 'Take Me High' ?

[Heartland]

Mike was close with the date of the Gas Street image, it was August 1969.

 

As to Tipton Railway interchange basin- there were two (see the new Tom Foxon reprint). But it was neither. Whilst the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway did have a broad gauge track at an early date, there is no record of the Great Western Railway Factory Basin having a broad gauge connection. No this is the Great Western Railway Swan Village interchange basin which had sidings from the Swan Village to Great Bridge line. An earlier siding from the Birmingham, Wolverhampton & Dudley Railway (GWR) at Swan Village terminated at another basin opposite. That railway was mixed gauge initially.

 

The photo came from the veteran, and late, historian Michael Hale, who told me of a rescue of a file from BR, after the line was closed and the track taken up. The file related to the reconstruction of sidings for the improved Swan Village Gas Works. The canal basin at Swan Village linked with the Wednesbury Canal, or Balls Hill Branch and was opposite the branch (the Ridgeacre Canal). It is near the public house/ hotel which is now there and the side bridge for the towpath remains and there is water in the canal.

[BuckbyLocks]

14 hours ago, John Brightley said:

Would that be Cliff Richard's film 'Take Me High' ?

No John, That was filmed in 1973/4 ish when we were at Norton Canes having the engine replaced. The one in the Rum Runner was a Gangster type film which I never saw. We nearly got thrown out of the cinema in Staines when we watched 'Take Me High' because of the number of impossible direction changes made! Would have liked to have been there to watch that being made. Don't think there were many canal scenes in the Rum Runner one but as they all took place at night I really don't know.

[Heartland]

The BBC series made at Pebble Mill was called Gangsters and was shown from 1976-1978 could it be that they used the Rum Runner?

 

[Heartland]

Returning briefly to the post about the lost city at Tipton, I attach 1834 ordnance survey map for Tipton Moat Colliery, which was run by shareholders in the company and covered an area close to the Ocker Hill branch. The 2nd image shows Tithe Survey and the Moat Farm from where the Moat Colliery name originated.

 

 

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Heartland

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I particularly like the top map, for placing the foundries/works 👍

Looks like I’ll be going for a walk when I go Tipton again.

I want a better knowledge of the lay of the land around there.

 

The other area that interests me and I’d like to know better is over where the Dudley canals run above and below each other to Blowers Green and Park Head. I must visit the church that can be spied up above, St Andrew’s Netherton (I think), which I realise can be seen when returning from Hawne Basin. 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Goliath

[Heartland]

The Canals at Parkhead changed over time with the original Dudley Canal reaching there first and terminating near the stream valley. The extension of the canal through 5 locks (originally) reached Dudley Tunnel and then the extension to Selly Oak came next with a junction between 3rd and 4th lock at Parkhead.

 

On this map the Ordnance Survey was published in 1834 and improved on an earlier version. The private Pensnett Canal had yet to be built.

 

 

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I’m liking these maps showing all the works/foundries.

Are there copies of those maps available to buy ?

[springy]

Anything on the NLS site can be ordered through the site at a variety of sizes (and prices)

 

springy

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Thanks 

I think I’ll get something printed. 
I find it awkward looking at maps on screens. 👍

[Heartland]

No to look at these maps you have to use the Australia website old ordnance survey maps aus

 

Now that is a goliath task !

 

[Heartland]

There are many bridges on the waterway and how they were numbered can be a study in itself

 

This one had the number 55 twice on the structure, but where is it

 

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Heartland said:

There are many bridges on the waterway and how they were numbered can be a study in itself

 

This one had the number 55 twice on the structure, but where is it

 

I think doubling up with bridge names/numbers is the latest CRT project 

[Captain Pegg]

39 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think doubling up with bridge names/numbers is the latest CRT project 

I think this may be on the Cannock extension where I noted this utterly pointless exercise last year.

[cuthound]

2 hours ago, Heartland said:

There are many bridges on the waterway and how they were numbered can be a study in itself

 

This one had the number 55 twice on the structure, but where is it

 

 

On the keystone at the centre of the arch .. 🤣😅

[Captain Pegg]

3 hours ago, Heartland said:

There are many bridges on the waterway and how they were numbered can be a study in itself

 

This one had the number 55 twice on the structure, but where is it

 

 

Is it the bridge between the top two locks at Tardebigge?

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

I think this may be on the Cannock extension where I noted this utterly pointless exercise last year.

I think you may be right, I wonder what each one cost, 2 men, van, half a day?

 

[TheBiscuits]

3 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

I think doubling up with bridge names/numbers is the latest CRT project 

 

 

Looks red and blue to me, not green ...

[zenataomm]

On 20/04/2023 at 10:13, Victor Vectis said:

 

Any relation to John?

Jilted?

[Derek R.]

CRT claiming 'This is ours'. What a pointless waste. Although it was probably easier to lean over the parapet with some adhesive, than actually clean the original and apply some paint. That would have taken a complete canal closure and several weeks of work for a team of men and scaffolding. False economies.

[Heartland]

CRT does seem to waste funds on non-essential work, whether there is a lack of experience or knowledge in their teams that is a factor is a point to be considered.

 

Yes, 55 Bridge is that to be found at Tardebigge on the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. This was a company challenged by finance with their lengthy construction period.  

[oboat]

Where am I ?

 

Just been going through my Silver Prop pics & found this but its out of date. But it could be a good quiz question.

[Heartland]

Now a Silver prop challenge for the IWA might take boats to bodily go to new frontiers.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

On 31/05/2023 at 17:24, oboat said:

Where am I ?

 

Just been going through my Silver Prop pics & found this but its out of date. But it could be a good quiz question.

what we looking at then,

was it, at the time, the end of the navigation?

but now it’s not, and the canal’s been dug up again and now carries on?

🤷‍♀️

I see you’re taking a photo for evidence 

Edited June 2, 2023 by Goliath

[oboat]

10 hours ago, Goliath said:

what we looking at then,

was it, at the time, the end of the navigation?

but now it’s not, and the canal’s been dug up again and now carries on?

🤷‍♀️

I see you’re taking a photo for evidence 

Not the BCN. The clue is in my attire.

A local in the same location.