The roof of the old reservoir… was it host to watchers of the night? Photo taken just before demolition in June 2009.
Interesting question here from reader David Evans. I have my own views on this which I’ll go into later in the week, but it’s a very intriguing proposition, and thought I’d formally toss it out to you readers. Anyone know anything more?
HI Bob
I wonder if your readers can help.
Gordon Mycock’s wonderful notes mention Shire Oak junction roadway having blocks set in holes , to be turned into a road block and vehicle trap in the event of an invasion in the last war, and that possibly, these blocks are still in place, under the present roadway!
The South Staff Home Guards memories in their article written very shortly after the end of WW2 contain a brief reference to Castle Fort ridge becoming a ‘strong point’.
Again I have heard mention of ‘something’ on top of the reservoir , some vague recollection of a structure there at the time, seen by a passenger aboard the Lichfield to Walsall Bus. I wonder what it was? Your photos taken shortly before the reservoir was demolished show a brick stairway down into the empty reservoir. A possibility, of course, but, given the panoramic view of the skies from that point I wonder if there was an Air Observation Point situated there during the war?
Gordon has confirmed that there was very probably an Anti-Aircraft gun somewhere along the Chester Road…perhaps near the Plough and Harrow
I met a former SSWW reservoir superintendent, then owner of a café in Walsall..who confirmed that a few pieces of ordnance were stored in the reservoir at that time. I wonder if your kind readers can help solve this conundrum.
I think there could well be quite an interesting piece of unrecorded local history to surface!
kind regards
David
The access stairwell - internally, lots of steps and very steep. If anything was stored down there, unless it was light it would have been a ball ache to get it in & out. Picture from 2009 exploration, just prior to demolition.