Wyrley & Essington branch canal

[Tony K]

Perhaps not so lateral after all Richard, more my naivety of historical industry. Speaking to a local retired mining surveyor on Friday evening he told me there was a brickworks associated with Hollybank Colliery and the reasons behind it being a 'common practice'

 

 

My education continues - today reading in a 'local' history book I came across the comment 'Brick and tile making and mining often went together for geology usually brings coal and clay together near the surface' - which basically reitterated what my mining surveyor colleague told me on Fri

 

This was later followed by 'Brickworks were also a common feature of the collieries and the Holly Bank Coal Company made bricks at the Sneyd, and later transferred production to new kilns at Hilton Main'

 

Still searching for a 'Hawkins' link..........

[winja]

T A Hawkins Worked the "Old Coppice Colliery in Cheslyn Hay, in 1924 they built a brickworks to make bricks using the Marl Clay mixed with mining spoil , it is reputed that they made 7 million bricks a year

Edited May 14, 2013 by winja

[Pluto]

Altham Colliery alongside the L&LC, changed from a colliery to a brick yard after the quality of the coal available declined. It was still suitable for burning bricks, with some of the brick clay also coming out of the mine, though surface workings were also developed.

[MrDGWalters]

Hi all,

 

Are there any more updates on this topic? I was really interested in seeing those pictures of the Pumping/Valve House that Ray Shill said he had copies of.

David.

[Tony K]

Patience is a virtue David

 

Ray's been a tad busy lately, but has promised to zap me some scans

[MrDGWalters]

Just a little excited...

[Tony K]

Many thanks to Heartland for providing this picture of the remains of the pump/valve house

 

 

[MrDGWalters]

Many thanks to Heartland for providing this picture of the remains of the pump/valve house

 

Just as I remember it, is this photo from the 1980's?

 

We used to sit inside the archway, I can't even begin to think how this was a working pumphouse and how it functioned. What would the archway have been?

 

Thanks for another trip down memory lane, I reckon most people will have forgotten about this landmark.

 

David.

 

 

[Heartland]

The image is 1984, according to Jim- Sorry for the delay in scanning, but have been working on book for Amberley. There are some more specific details about structures, but believe that is the image asked for.

 

Ray Shill

[Laurence Hogg]

 

Many thanks to Heartland for providing this picture of the remains of the pump/valve house

 

Just as I remember it, is this photo from the 1980's?

 

We used to sit inside the archway, I can't even begin to think how this was a working pumphouse and how it functioned. What would the archway have been?

 

Thanks for another trip down memory lane, I reckon most people will have forgotten about this landmark.

 

David.

 

 

 

The line of holes were probably floor joists or similar, certainly there was more to this than is left here. I remember the structure and seem to think that part had already been previously demolished, I would love to see a picture of the arches I remember which stood to the right of this building. The grafittee is neatly applied in some instances!!

Edited August 5, 2013 by Laurence Hogg

[Tony K]

The image is 1984, according to Jim- Sorry for the delay in scanning, but have been working on book for Amberley. There are some more specific details about structures, but believe that is the image asked for.

 

Ray Shill

 

 

Certainly was Heartland - thanks again.

 

Look forward to seeing more info/images if possible regarding annotations B to J on that map you sent me - this Sneyd topic is a real nostalgia trip for me and no doubt, for some other contributors to it

 

Lawrence - I have some vivid recollections of further interesting brickwork north of this valve/pumphouse, before the next lock 'up' - but with the passage of nearly half a century wonder if time may be playing games with my little grey cells..............I too live with the hope that other images will turn up

[Laurence Hogg]

This photo was taken shortly after they dropped the bridge just on the tail of lock two. Its around 1972/3 and what stands out is how good the condition of the chamber is. This lock I believe is still intact and just buried in the verge of the road.

 

 

When this was taken the other brickwork was intact, I know I took some shots but sadly the passage of time and wife / girlfriends saw some of my slides lost! Women have a lot to be guilty about!

[Tony K]

Fantastic shot Lawrence - many thanks for posting it and 'refreshing' my memory of the lock. Just hope that those slides do turn up some day

 

My more 'elderly' friends have asked me if I remember the 'bridge' there - they refer to a 'steep' bridge back in the 1950s. Think this must have also been levelled possibly even earlier (in the earlier 60's????) before the 'additional' drop you mention above. I just enquire, because although from 1967 to 73 I went to school in Wton, catching the no 60 bus which ran from Bloxwich past that lock I have no recollections of a 'steep' bridge

[Laurence Hogg]

I cannot remember the steep bridge either. the A4124 was one of the roads to be "improved" in the 1950/60's in a scheme which started with the A4124 "New birmingham Rd". This scheme which would have seen dual carriageways all over the Black Country was "catered for" in many instances ie M6 dual carriage way bridge over the A4124 and the odd bit of dual carriage way at New invention. The whole scheme was badly thought out and was scrapped in the late 1960's leaving these odd bits for history, its quite likely thats why the bridge went earlier than we remember

[Tony K]

Many thanks to Heartland once again who sent me this picture, taken in 1984, of the bridge which spanned the canal near to Essington Farm Colliery (as highlighted in yellow on the map posted on page 5 of this topic)

 

 

 

[Heartland]

The double bridge were apparently taken in 1969 by Jim Evans. This was the junction with the branch that ascended to the Essington Colliery. Whilst it continued to supply water had ceased to serve as a branch when the pits ceased to be worked, in Wyrley & Essington days. Once the mines were reopened a railway was employed by Mills/ Darlaston Steel & Iron Co to bring coal from the Essington Wood, deeper sinking, to the canal near the Double Bridges.

 

Ray Shill

[Tony K]

Heartland has 'come up trumps' again and kindly scanned and sent me a few more images from the Sneyd - many many thanks Heartland

 

 

 

First up...........

 

 

 

Who can recollect and place this............?

 

 

 

[MrDGWalters]

Heartland has 'come up trumps' again and kindly scanned and sent me a few more images from the Sneyd - many many thanks Heartland

 

This is at the top of the Castle or pumping station - we used to use this as our hq or base when we played tracker around the reservoir. The bridge I remember well too, absolute gold for these photos, thanks for sharing Ray and Tony.

 

David.

 

 

First up...........

 

 

 

Who can recollect and place this............?

 

 

 

[Tony K]

Here you go David - Sneyd farm house, later to become Sneyd Inn - certainly looks a little more picturesque than how how I remember it did in the 60s and 70s

 

 

 

 

 

 

This later image of the Sneyd Inn, probably some 70 odd years on, has turned up...........

 

 

 

[Tony K]

A correction - whilst we did refer to the Sneyd Inn as 'Ebbies' a friend reminded me that it was also known as 'Bilstons' and the licence was actually in the name of Edna Bilston. With the passage of time I must have drempt up the name Ebdall

 

 

Another correction (well two really) ............ Edna was married to John Ebdell Bilson - so that explains the 'Ebbies connection'

Thanks again to Heartland for providing this picture of a sluice which was located half way along the eastern bank of the reservoir

 

 

[AMModels]

Loving the pics of the Sneyd branch, I remember playing on the iron bridge when it had a wooden deck thru to it falling down from repeated fires and vandalism around 1980ish; The images of the pub bring back so many memories not least going there one hot night with my family and running down the rezza embankment tripping and sliding across the gravel track as was on my face and having a school picture looking like Adolf Hitlers love child complete with moustache. Thanks to Heartland for invoking those memories.

[Tony K]

I've spent the last few days hypothosising and mulling this subject over, that is, that the pumphouse, 'long since gone', probably actually 'sat' on top of the remains of the brickwork/structure that a number of us are au fait with and shown in this topic

 

But I really should have absorbed more thoroughly Heartlands earlier comments last March about the pumphouse 'The engine and boilers were sold for scrap in April 1909 and the building taken down to a lower level, which I presume were the remains that survived.

 

Heartlands comment would seemingly answer my latest ponderings and 'correct' my earlier presumption, (possibly held by others) , that what was left of the remaining '2 storey' structure back in the 60s and 70s had originally housed the pumps.......

Edited August 31, 2013 by Tony K

[Tony K]

Another view of the top lock, thanks again to Heartland for providing this

 

 

[MrDGWalters]

Another view of the top lock, thanks again to Heartland for providing this

 

 

 

Fantastic!

 

Passed this lock everyday for 5 years on my way to and from School

 

David.

[Tony K]

Did you remember the sluice shown on page 6 of this topic David?