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The bridge that carried an access road over the BCN New Main Line at Albion was adorned by a piece of graffiti "Tojo the Dwarf" which has led various waterway enthusiasts to comment on whom it may be. Tojo is a name that can be found alongside railway tracks, leading to the suspicion that the person was going around tagging his/her name in public places. But why the reference to "dwarf"?

 

I noticed yesterday when travelling on a diverted Virgin Train that the Road overbridge adjacent to the former site of Bushbury Loco Sheds had the graffiti "Tojo the Grass". Having read this long term message, it occurred to me that the person who did both the dwarf and grass message had some sort of grievance against Tojo, who ever he or she might have been and a sort of sense can derived why the very visible bridge at the Albion became the site chosen for the message!

 

Ray Shill

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BCN graffiti is always a source of enjoyment and puzzlement. Two from the BCN Challenge:

 

GIVE ME BACK MY POWERS

OR I DESTROY EVERYWHERE

 

I can't see why he needs his powers if he is that powerful (Tame Valley towards Ocker Hill)

 

My personal favourite for it's creative use of text-speak:

 

DA REAL SYKO DON

 

 

Syko for psycho - now, that's elegant! (W&E)

 

Richard

 

I'm still following last years advice to:

 

BEWARE THE EVIL SATANISTS

 

Only the evil ones mind, not that nice Mrs Jones who makes the cakes, she's a nice Satanist (Tame Valley towards Ocker Hill)

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I found this in the Furnessvale Boat Club newsletter:

 

 

Having recently become a member of the BCNS, I recently came across this letter in their latest edition of Boundary Post TOJO The DWARF He was a member of the BR Permanent Way gang. Based at Tipton. He had a notoriously bad temper and he was very sensitive about his height. So
naturally, his fellow gangers took it upon themselves
to spray “Tojo The Dwarf” anywhere that he could
see it – but couldn’t reach it!
It probably dates from the late 80s & possible early 90s. So there you have it fellow boaters. You can now
sleep soundly in bed at night and stun your friends with your wit and knowledge of the canal system by
knowing the identity of Tojo The Dwarf – or to be
politically correct it should now be referred to as Tojo – The Vertically Challenged!

 

FVBC Clicky



But the "Tojo the Grass" graffiti could be a bit of cheap advertising for this lot...

 

 

 

About Us

Tony Walley and Joe Wunder established Tojo’s Lawn Care, LLC in 2007. The company was set us as a simple way for its two owners to pay their way through college. In 2011, this goal was complete and it was time for a new direction for the company! Joe decided to leave the company and peruse other dreams. Tony became the sole owner.



Tojo's Lawncare Clicky

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BCN graffiti is always a source of enjoyment and puzzlement. Two from the BCN Challenge:

 

 

I can't see why he needs his powers if he is that powerful (Tame Valley towards Ocker Hill)

 

My personal favourite for it's creative use of text-speak:

 

 

 

Syko for psycho - now, that's elegant! (W&E)

 

Richard

 

I'm still following last years advice to:

 

 

Only the evil ones mind, not that nice Mrs Jones who makes the cakes, she's a nice Satanist (Tame Valley towards Ocker Hill)

The Tame Valley used to have a nice range of religious graffiti, much is still there but some over painted by modern graffiti

Tvb44.jpg

Tvb46.jpg

Tvb32.jpg

 

ISTR from last year that this classic is also still there

Tvb52.jpg

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  • 9 years later...

Odd, really. But while graffiti should be annoying they can be strangely pleasing. Not sure if counts as a graffito but there used to be a church with a huge (crudely) painted sign on its wall overlooking the BCN main line: "Where will you spend eternity?". It was across from where the steam trains waited for long periods before the final climb to New Street and seemed strangely appropriate.

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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

?? New Street Station is well below the level of the BCN mainline.

By golly, you're right! It's 40ft lower. Or wherever we were going. This was a long time ago. But it was certainly a place for the trains to contemplate life for a while. Given the breadth of knowledge in this group it's only a matter of time before somebody identifies the church.

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Two that stick in my memory from my despatch riding days (and not canal oriented).

On the wall beside the Northwick Park roundabout in Harrow;

NICHOLAS PARSONS IS THE NEO OPIATE OF THE WORKING CLASSES

Must have been sixty feet long.

 

And a short and sweet one on building site hoarding in Newman Street W1;

DON'T TELL THEM MICHAEL

No idea who Michael was, or what he was not to tell.

 

In 1983, just about every balance beam and bridge on the Ashton had EGGY scrawled on them.

  • Haha 1
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11 hours ago, GilesMorris said:

By golly, you're right! It's 40ft lower. Or wherever we were going. This was a long time ago. But it was certainly a place for the trains to contemplate life for a while. Given the breadth of knowledge in this group it's only a matter of time before somebody identifies the church.

 

Were you travelling from the South? If so then you might have been looking down on the old GWR station. That is lower than the approach to New Street and it often used to have a loco or two there. The land area is now very much reduced (HS2 I think) but a steam excursion company still seems to be based there or close by.

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9 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

Were you travelling from the South? If so then you might have been looking down on the old GWR station. 

Not sure. We didn't have a car and travelled between North and South by train fairly often, passing through Birmingham (this is the late 50's). I don't remember a railway on the other side. The church was on the other side of a canal cutting and everything was pretty grimy. It all looked exciting and exotic then. Of course, it's entirely possible that the delays to contemplate eternity were just due to overcrowding on the lines into Birmingham.

Edited by GilesMorris
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