Big lego, spotted last week in Wednesbury. What’s not to love?

This is a brilliant one from old friend of the blog and fellow online local historian David Hodgkinson, that appeals to me hugely and I think will amuse many readers to boot.

Over on my 365daysofbiking journal last week, I noted whilst cycling around Wednesbury a large concrete block being used as an anti-vehicle barrier. It looked like a Lego brick, except that is was huge.

I wrote:

September 25th – Spotted in darkest Wednesbury whilst nipping out on an errand, a giant, concrete lego brick.

How long have these been a thing? Why was I not informed?

A world where four-feet wide giant lego exists cannot be all bad. But why just use it as an anti-vehicle barrier and not build something instead?

A wasted opportunity, I feel…

It turns out that this is a Moody Block (not, it doesn’t mean it was stolen, it’s a brand name), and lots of folk are manufacturing them and variants thereof. There’s a great gallery here detailing their variety and usage. They are indeed used like huge Lego bricks!

They do half-size ones just like lego. Image from LHCRT Facebook page, pointed out by David Hodgkinson.

I know all this now because the great grandfather of online Brownhills local history, David Hodgkinson was kind enough to send me some info and post the following great video of the blocks being used by the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. It’s rather ace.

One of the many, many things I love about keeping this blog is just how helpful and knowledgable the readers are, and how much I learn from them in the process.

Do check out David’s site – without that one, BrownhillsBob would never have existed. It’s also worth checking out the canal trust – I’d really love to do a feature on their work if someone connected would like to contact me.