Historic England - The Black Country

[albion68]

Wolverhampton was a great railway town, and second only to Swindon on the GWR route.
Now the western region has gone from the town and not enough has been done to commemorate it imo.
With more imagination the Metro could have been brought through to Low Level with a lift to High Level. Low level could have been a heritage centre with cafés and bar's and maybe a static loco on exhibition like Moor Street.
Furthermore the Metro would have been perfectly placed to be extended to Bentley Bridge, Wednesfield and even Bloxwich and Lichfield.
I am a big believer in light rail.
As much as I love the old heavy steam loco's, fast clean and regular is the way forward.

your right Wolverhampton and Swindon were great sheds,but for me there was something about old oak common,that was just surreal.

[Q165]

Courtesy of Q165

anon, unless anyone can identify the team

Attachment 18694

Simplex football team late 1970’s

[phild]

Courtesy of Q165

Post compiled by Q165

Saw this and was reminded of my youth. Bob was quite a name and had a shop in Oldbury Road Smethwick. I was cycling there one showery Saturday morning. I was in a hurry as I wanted to get to the Albion. When a heavy shower finished I went off again hastily down the road. A car stooped in front of me, I crashed into it and went flying over the top. A man got out and said something I could not understand and drove off. There was this kid nearly crying and shouting but luckily they came back. The only thing I could do was to carry the completely broken frame to Bob’s. He was surprised at the sight but agreed to sort it out. Result! I am going to get a coveted new Bob Mansell frame. No such luck, I got a Falcon. I did get to the Albion though and we beat Northampton 4-3 I think

[WOODLANDSWOLF]

your right Wolverhampton and Swindon were great sheds,but for me there was something about old oak common,that was just surreal.

I never did Old Oak Common, which is crazy because I bunked Willesden three or four times not realizing OOK was only five mins walk away!

I did Wolverhampton Stafford Road shed every Sunday morning for years, but a lack of knowledge as above [no internet then!] for the first year or so made me miss a large part of the shed! One morning as usual I entered the shed by climbing the embankment and following the pathway over the canal bridge and under the LMS viaduct walking face on towards the shed. Coming towards me in the distance was what looked like the shed foreman so I ducked into a doorway in an old brick wall on the left.

Like something from a child's book I found myself in a different world. I was standing in the central of three large semi derelict roundhouses, at the time this center one was was roofless. There were a few locomotives in there, apparently when the works yard was full they used this area to park ex works locos. I never new all this existed! The atmosphere was very eerie, it all had a quiet abandoned look about it, which is not surprising as apparently the two outer roundhouses and been closed for use many years ago.

A never to be forgotten experience.

[phild]

Looking at that shop window of Bob Mansells of q165s photo, reminds me of the time I bought my first proper bike from Bert Shintons in West Bromwich. I also had a special wheel built which incorporated a hub dynamo that powered the front and rear lights without having to rely on batteries. I was one of a rare breed in my area with this. Never realised I was such a green pioneer in those early days of the 70s.

[phild]

Post compiled by Q165

There are quite a few street scene pictures that I now imagine have dramatically changed. I could post some more but only if anyone is interested. PS. I have no idea where this is



I am not Black Country so this is new to me. It certainly looks pretty dramatic

[phild]

Am I right in thinking that the Gladstone inn is now in the Black Country Museum - can anyone confirm?

[SCOOP115]

Am I right in thinking that the Gladstone inn is now in the Black Country Museum - can anyone confirm?

No Thats The Bottle and Glass at the museum (looks a bit similar) - used to be in Brierly Hil lRoad

[Albionic68]

Post compiled by Q165

There are quite a few street scene pictures that I now imagine have dramatically changed. I could post some more but only if anyone is interested. PS. I have no idea where this is



I am not Black Country so this is new to me. It certainly looks pretty dramatic

The Gladstone Inn was on Portway Road in Wendesbury.......

https://thehistoryofwednesbury.wordp...-portway-road/

[albion68]

I never did Old Oak Common, which is crazy because I bunked Willesden three or four times not realizing OOK was only five mins walk away!

I did Wolverhampton Stafford Road shed every Sunday morning for years, but a lack of knowledge as above [no internet then!] for the first year or so made me miss a large part of the shed! One morning as usual I entered the shed by climbing the embankment and following the pathway over the canal bridge and under the LMS viaduct walking face on towards the shed. Coming towards me in the distance was what looked like the shed foreman so I ducked into a doorway in an old brick wall on the left.

Like something from a child's book I found myself in a different world. I was standing in the central of three large semi derelict roundhouses, at the time this center one was was roofless. There were a few locomotives in there, apparently when the works yard was full they used this area to park ex works locos. I never new all this existed! The atmosphere was very eerie, it all had a quiet abandoned look about it, which is not surprising as apparently the two outer roundhouses and been closed for use many years ago.

A never to be forgotten experience.

absolutely fantastic experience woods.mine was but not so dramatic was going from Wolverhampton l.level to Stafford road on the footplate of king John.they use to change engines at low level.my late uncle was a singleman which box I don’t know somewhere between West Brom and low level.he arranged for me and my mate to be on low level at the time of the change over.can you the imagine two 13 year old kids the adrenaline was coming out our ears never to be forgotten.P.S.whats kids got today to equal these experiences.