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A BCN Dredger


Heartland

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Another Weaver photo of the bucket ladder dredger is in the HnBoC book of Philip Weavers photographs 1950 -1977. Pg 38.  Shows it near Midland Tar Distillers at the bottom of the Crow.

Nl

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4 hours ago, Heartland said:

Amongst the Weaver Collection (RCHS) there is a slide of a Dredger at the point where the Pensnett Railway crossed the Dudley Canal at Round Oak, it is of a design, perhaps seen on wider waterways.

 

 

45301.jpg

What a marvellously evocative photo: proper industry! I gather* that much, though not all, of the private Pensnett Railway closed in 1953; is it likely that the picture dates from before that?

 

* O.K., I looked on Wikipaedia.

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A dredger was stationed here for years to scoop the oil from the canal surface, latterly Alfred Matty had a spoon dredger there for said purpose, that went to the BCLM. the Bantock hull was dismantled and only the fore and aft ends remain.

  • Greenie 1
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The Pensnett Railway, as it became known, extended from the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal through to Cradley Heath. It served mines, brickworks, ironworks and the Round Oak Steelworks plus other industrial features. Where it crossed the Dudley Canal at Round Oak, there was an incline where the line descended (on the right hand side in this image) to the railway that served the Saltwells mines. I had not heard of the oil factor, and it an explanation that needs further consideration. Firstly, where did the oil come from? And, secondly how could the bucket dredger be a suitable solution. At the Midland Tar, there was the issue of the products that were distilled and almost certainly contributed to pollution there. At Round Oak there was also the pollution factor with all sorts of waste coming into the canal as byproducts of the iron and steel making process.

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The oil came from the outflows from Round Oak steelworks, the dredger was operated through the working week until it needed emptying. I witnessed this work on a few occasions, it was a very interesting area to a railway / canal enthusiast.

  • Greenie 1
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Yes, The Merry Hill shopping center is built partially on what was called the new level mill of Round Oak Steel Works. The photograph is taken from just through Greens Bridge heading for Park Head, next to where The Brewers Wharf hostelry is now The water intake for the water used in the mills is on the right of the photographer. The cleaned water was returned through a filtration system on the left through the bridge in the picture. In the late 50,s through to the late 70's the canal had a permanent film of oil. Delph top lock had a permanent coating of sticky oil. What is now often refereed to as the Marina at Merry Hill was originally a wider section where the filtration plant was located. When Merry hill was constructed the canal was realigned. During the redevelopment the bank retaining the canal was undermined which lead to the canal being closed as it was no longer safe. There was some speculation that the developer was trying to get the canal closed.

The Pensnett railway company was integrated into the internal railway within the steel works and was still in used until the 1980's, I remember seeing steam locomotives on there, they ran until the early 1960's. How long the livery would have remained on the trucks is anyone's guess.

Steve

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The last steam locomotive was cut up in 1966, the diesel fleet worked until 1982, when the steelworks was closed. The old PR was much curtailed after Baggeridge Colliery closed and was restricted to the steelworks site. It is possible to walk sections of the former railway. Round Oak Rail was continued on a small part of the site. 

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On 8/2/2017 at 15:47, Laurence Hogg said:

The oil came from the outflows from Round Oak steelworks, the dredger was operated through the working week until it needed emptying. I witnessed this work on a few occasions, it was a very interesting area to a railway / canal enthusiast.

Thanks Laurence

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