dave_long Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 There is the Black country history website http://blackcountryhistory.org/ which contains some good reference items. Worth a look. Dave 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I don't know if it's of interest but there's a wonderful DVD available from the Media Archive for Central England entitled the Black Country 1969, a collection of various ATV films about Black Country life including a Faggots and Peas night with Black Country entertainers like Dolly Allen and Harry Harrison. Well worth getting if you are connected with the area. My late grandfather came from Darlaston and could speak in the dialect which Harry Harrison recited poems in on the DVD. By the way, you really can't beat Groaty Dick. I still make it from time to time and have introduced it's distinctive rib-sticking nature to various neighbours over the years from Norfolk to here in Wales. They all seemed to enjoy it. And are still living. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 For me as a teenager spending long periods with the relatives in Walsall and Willenhall, some of the key features I recall were the juxtaposition of heavy, polluting industry next door to housing, but also, the early stages of the industrial decline that accelerated rapidly in the mid-1980s, so you'd sometimes see derelict factories stripped of their roof (no rates to pay when they did that) and overgrown sidings and canal wharves. The other thing I also remember is the tail end of "slum clearance" with boarded up terraced housing alongside newly redeveloped housing estates. There were of course also power stations in the 1970s at Ocker Hill and Reedswood which closed by the 1980s, and which certainly didn't help local air quality. Nowadays we don't associate power stations with built up areas as most have been replaced by power generation eslewhere, or large gas plants, but they might offer an unusual backdrop for some freight operation - I think Reedswood used to get it's coal from traditional 16t steel coal wagons (and barges until quite late) so it would be different to the more familiar MGR fed super-generators we are more used to today. Have you thought about sound? That is the over-riding memory I have of that period (apart from the choking fumes from the copper plant at Pleck near Walsall, or Harper's foundry in Clarkes Lane Willenhall) - the noise of heavy metal presses, hum of electrical plant, banging of countless hammers and tools, and the traffic roar on the new dual carriageways or shiny new uncongested M6. I'm sure a cheap MP3 player, some small under-board speakers and a continuous MP3 sound effect of industrial background noise which can still be heard in some parts of the Black Country would help create an atmosphere alongside DCC sound equipped locos. And if you wanted to recreate the choking atmosphere a few grains of gardening sulphur on an incense burner might work... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Drained or disused canals. Scrap yards with filthy German Shepherds on a chain (or Guard Geese in the case of one relative's scrap yard...). Scrappies seemed to be everywhere and often had a "car repair" tin shed on site using reclaimed bits. Household coal depot, like the one in Horseley Fields in Wolverhampton. Orange or yellow coloured canal or river, I recall the River Tame at James Bridge would often be orangey-yellow. Waste land with poor scrub vegetation - the 1970s and early 80s was before the Black Country Development Corporation, the old West Midlands County and local council initiatives to reclaim and landscape derelict contaminated land. WMPTE buses! They stood out against the grime - the Leyland National probably being a good choice as they ran in the Black Country between 1972 and the 1990s and carried the PTE blue/cream livery from 1972 until 1986. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Scrap yards with filthy German Shepherds on a chain (or Guard Geese in the case of one relative's scrap yard...). Scrappies seemed to be everywhere and often had a "car repair" tin shed on site using reclaimed bits. Hallelujah to that too,the bigger ones having motorcycles as well, without whom I wouldn't have been able to build my early 'hogs' (plus I do like GSD's as well). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I have to agree about the canal, even today coming down into Birmingham from ooop North there are views a plenty of narrow canals Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 I have a book called Bostin' Fittle. This contains all sorts of interesting recipes, including from the Pig, Faggots, Chitterlings and Boney Pie. Rook Pie, Tomato Toast, Gray pays and Grorty Pudding. Some cracking cakes and puddings Lardy Cake, Crumpets and Pikelets Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 I suspect all wishers for a canal will be happy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Strange , that's not the first time some of the group have been called Lardy Cake.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
APOLLO Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 This topic is about the Black Country not Birmingham. Apologies to all - I honestly thought Birmingham was in the Black Country. I stand corrected. Brit15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 (edited) My late grandfather came from Darlaston and could speak in the dialect which Harry Harrison recited poems in on the DVD. The Walsall Observer used to print a story page in the Black Country dialect, one year they printed the Christmas Story, my late maternal grandfather (also from Darlaston - he once owned the paper shop/newsagents in Cook Street) recorded that Christmas story and sent copies to various members of the family as part of Christmas presents. Edited May 21, 2012 by bike2steam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 (edited) Apologies to all - I honestly thought Birmingham was in the Black Country. I stand corrected. Brit15 He, he - I did my engineering apprenticeship at Rubery Owens (both in Darlaston, and Kings Hill), with my broad RURAL Essex accent I was often called a 'Cockney', water off a duck's back, but boy did it wind them up when I called them 'Brummies'. Edited May 21, 2012 by bike2steam 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2012 Strange , that's not the first time some of the group have been called Lardy Cake.... You used to be able to buy Lardy Cake at the tea shop in the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (yes, well, actually Birmingham). 3 floor above was the cardiac surgery & intensive care unit.... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 I suspect all wishers for a canal will be happy. Yes, we'll need something to dump abandoned bikes and shopping trolleys in! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Yes, we'll need something to dump abandoned bikes and shopping trolleys in! Bags of cats?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Scrap yards with filthy German Shepherds on a chain (or Guard Geese in the case of one relative's scrap yard...). Scrappies seemed to be everywhere and often had a "car repair" tin shed on site using reclaimed bits. This one in Bone Mill Lane used to be a favourite - squeezed in between two railway lines... WMPTE buses! They stood out against the grime - the Leyland National probably being a good choice as they ran in the Black Country between 1972 and the 1990s and carried the PTE blue/cream livery from 1972 until 1986. Thanks for the bus info too - we'll need a bridge to put it on of course Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Bags of cats?? Would have to be a big bag to get cats, bikes and a shopping trolley in it Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2012 Cue Black Country Canal joke: One black country lad to another with appropriate accent please My mate went fishing in the cut near Dudley Oh yes? Ar - he caught a whale A Whale in the cut near Dudley? Ar - it were off a bicycle, he threw it back coz the spokes were broken...... Hee hee Phil 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Have you thought about sound? That is the over-riding memory I have of that period (apart from the choking fumes from the copper plant at Pleck near Walsall, or Harper's foundry in Clarkes Lane Willenhall) - the noise of heavy metal presses, hum of electrical plant, banging of countless hammers and tools, and the traffic roar on the new dual carriageways or shiny new uncongested M6. We've got as far as (briefly) discussing sound for locos, but this would take that further. Mind you, I'm not sure we'd be very popular with neighbouring exhibitors at the end of a two day show (or first thing Sunday morning for that matter) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ramblin Rich Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2012 Just backtracking a little... And I think one or two 'old' 'boxes were retained as shunt frames although I'm not sure if any of them survive. Watery Lane in Tipton being one of the retained 'boxes, though not an LNWR type. And there's a canal alongside too... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mark Forrest Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Just backtracking a little... Watery Lane in Tipton being one of the retained 'boxes, though not an LNWR type. And there's a canal alongside too... Maybe combine the location/setting of Watery Lane with something like the 'box from Penkridge (I know, it's outside the Black Country), Mmmm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 21, 2012 Maybe combine the location/setting of Watery Lane with something like the 'box from Penkridge (I know, it's outside the Black Country), Mmmm How's the signalman going to see? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted May 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2012 Watery Lane is an LMS ARP box, not really typical of the area and I'm not sure it controls any signals, I thought it supervised the level crossings. Littletons is a good example of a shunt frame but assumes the main line is controlled from a PSB of course. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatofludham Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 He, he - I did my engineering apprenticeship at Rubery Owens (both in Darlaston, and Kings Hill), with my broad RURAL Essex accent I was often called a 'Cockney', water off a duck's back, but boy did it wind them up when I called them 'Brummies'. My late grandfather was a toolsetter at Rubery Owen, and in later years he worked with apprentices. He retired in 1981. The factory of course has long gone, replaced by a housing estate, new small industrial units and the Black Country route. When you think what Rubery Owen made and how much of what they made was integral to a lot of British products (and even the must have boy-racer car accessory of the 1970s, the Rostyle alloy wheels, was a Rubery Owen product - hence RO-Style!)it's even more sad to see nothing remaining of the factory, although I gather Rubery Owen still exist in research, specialist items and property. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-UnitMad Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 Apologies to all - I honestly thought Birmingham was in the Black Country. I stand corrected. Brit15 It's the classic mistake. The Brummie accent is totally different to the Black Country.... but people from elsewhere still think they can do a perfect impression of either... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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