#365daysofbiking JournalRecent tracks
Good Morning Starshine
Lynn Kellogg, James Rado & Gerome Ragni
9 months
Good Morning Starshine
Lynn Kellogg, James Rado & Gerome Ragni
1 year
For
C. Duncan
1 year
That Voice Again
Peter Gabriel
1 year
Living By Numbers
New Musik
1 year
Sequestered In Memphis
The Hold Steady
1 year
Good Morning Starshine
Lynn Kellogg, James Rado & Gerome Ragni
1 year
Running
Technicolor
1 year
Tonband Laufspur
Kosmischer Läufer
1 year
Last Night Of The World
Bruce Cockburn
1 yearRecent Comments
Patricia Bromfield on Howdles Lane – what do y… Patricia Bromfield on Howdles Lane – what do y… Reg Fullelove on Howdles Lane – what do y… Reg Fullelove on Howdles Lane – what do y… Patricia Bromfield on Howdles Lane – what do y…
Tag Archives: Ian Pell
Lichfield Waterworks Trust September 2018 public meeting this evening
Sandfields Pumping Station champion and public historian extraordinaire Dave Moore has been in touch to let me know that this evening (Monday 10th Septembert 2018) there will be the August 2018 Public Meeting of the Lichfield Waterworks Trust charity, formerly the Friends of Sandfields … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 10 September, 2018, Architecture, at risk, Black Country, buildings, Dave, David, Discovered, event, Events, Facebook, free, heritage, Ian Pell, Kate Gomez, lecture, Lichfield, Lichfield Discovered, Lichfield Waterworks Trust, local blogs, Local History, Lore, meeting, Moore, pub, Sandfields, Staffordshire, Talk, Things to do, Thursday
Leave a comment
Lichfield Waterworks Trust August 2018 public meeting this Monday evening
Sandfields Pumping Station champion and public historian extraordinaire Dave Moore has been in touch to let me know that this Monday evening (13th August 2018) there will be the August 2018 Public Meeting of the Lichfield Waterworks Trust charity, formerly the Friends of Sandfields … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 13 August, 2018, Architecture, at risk, Black Country, buildings, Dave, David, Discovered, event, Events, Facebook, free, heritage, Ian Pell, Kate Gomez, lecture, Lichfield, Lichfield Discovered, Lichfield Waterworks Trust, local blogs, Local History, Lore, meeting, Moore, pub, Sandfields, Staffordshire, Talk, Things to do, Thursday
Leave a comment
Lichfield Waterworks Trust June 2018 public meeting this Monday evening
Sandfields Pumping Station champion and public historian extraordinaire Dave Moore has been in touch to let me know that this Monday evening (11th June 2018) there will be the June 2018 Public Meeting of the Lichfield Waterworks Trust charity, formerly the Friends of Sandfields … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 11 June, 2018, Architecture, at risk, Black Country, buildings, Dave, David, Discovered, event, Events, Facebook, free, heritage, Ian Pell, Kate Gomez, lecture, Lichfield, Lichfield Discovered, Lichfield Waterworks Trust, local blogs, Local History, Lore, meeting, Moore, pub, Sandfields, Staffordshire, Talk, Things to do, Thursday
1 Comment
Lichfield Waterworks Trust May 2018 public meeting tonight – with a very special guest speaker
Sandfields Pumping Station champion and public historian extraordinaire Dave Moore has been in touch to let me know that tonight, Monday evening (14th May 2018) there will be the May 2018 Public Meeting of the Lichfield Waterworks Trust charity, formerly the Friends of Sandfields … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 14 may, 2018, Architecture, at risk, Black Country, buildings, Dave, David, Discovered, event, Events, Facebook, free, heritage, Ian Pell, Kate Gomez, lecture, Lichfield, Lichfield Discovered, Lichfield Waterworks Trust, local blogs, Local History, Lore, meeting, Moore, pub, Sandfields, Staffordshire, Talk, Things to do, Thursday
Leave a comment
Lichfield Waterworks Trust May 2018 public meeting this Monday – with a very special guest
Sandfields Pumping Station champion and public historian extraordinaire Dave Moore has been in touch to let me know that this Monday evening (14th May 2018) there will be the April 2018 Public Meeting of the Lichfield Waterworks Trust charity, formerly the Friends of Sandfields … Continue reading
Posted in Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Just plain daft, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 14 may, 2018, Architecture, at risk, Black Country, buildings, Dave, David, Discovered, event, Events, Facebook, free, heritage, Ian Pell, Kate Gomez, lecture, Lichfield, Lichfield Discovered, Lichfield Waterworks Trust, local blogs, Local History, Lore, meeting, Moore, pub, Sandfields, Staffordshire, Talk, Things to do, Thursday
1 Comment
A remarkable local rail journey – stepping right out of time
There’s currently a buzz in the local rail community and in some groups on Facebook about a 1968 cinefilm recently converted to digital and uploaded online by rail historian and blog regular, Ian Pell – it’s a remarkable, wonderful thing, and Ian has written a fascinating account of the film and line it covers especially for the blog, which I feature below.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1966, Aldridge, Brawn, brickworks, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Conduit, Coppice, Coppice Colliery, Film, House, Ian Pell, joberns, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, planet, Railway, Redevelopment, Simon Briercliffe, Staffordshire, Utopia, Walsall Wood
9 Comments
Fired up
Last week, we looked at early evidence of local brick making on an industrial scale, after a remarkable passage describing a local brickworks was spotted in an 1850 book by the wonderful Simon Briercliffe.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Aldridge, Brawn, brickworks, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Coppice, Coppice Colliery, House, Ian Pell, joberns, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Redevelopment, Simon Briercliffe, Staffordshire, Utopia, Walsall Wood
12 Comments
A Coppice, lots of timber and a little backtracking
The SLS rail tour that took place in 1959 has proven to be a rich seam of material, and has provoked much debate amongst blog readers about the locations of some photos, and just how and where the Diesel Multiple Unit pictured managed to reverse.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1959, Birmingham Central Goods Station, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, coombe, Coppice, Coppice Colliery, Derelict, DJ Norton, Events, Heath Hayes, House, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, RS Carpenter, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
6 Comments
Up around the bend
More here today that goes to show the Venn diagram of history forever curiously overlaps – Ian pell has waded in once more on the subject of the notorious May 1959 rail tour up the Walsall Wood line to the Conduit Colliery – from which a few pictures have emerged over the years and was raised here again last week by Simon Swain with a great new picture.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Chasewater, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1959, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, coombe, Coppice, Derelict, Events, House, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Si Swain, Simon, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
16 Comments
Well connected
I’ve had this one in for a while, and a grey Sunday seems about the right time to share it, as I’m sure this wonderful post from blog rail historian Ian Pell will be of interest both those engaged with local rail history and those with a focus on the industrial development of our area.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged 1938, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Events, explosive store, Express & Star, Ian Pell, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Norton Junction, OS, Pelsall, South Stafforshire Railway, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood Branch
11 Comments
Up the junction
A really great thing about keeping this blog for such a long period of time now is knowing the breadth and diversity of the knowledge present amongst the readership – and for matters on rail and infrastructure history, Ian Pell is the expert (although he always protests to the country!)
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged 1938, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Events, explosive store, Express & Star, Ian Pell, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Norton Junction, OS, Pelsall, South Stafforshire Railway, Staffordshire, Walsall Wood Branch
3 Comments
Crossing purposes
Last Sunday I featured here a taster of a photo archive discovered by some of the local history community containing some remarkable and mysterious pictures of the area – and one of those filed under Burntwood – that of a level crossing, caused me some bafflement.
Posted in Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 2015, Burntwood, Ian Pell, Lichfield, Local History, New Photos, Pinfold crossing, Staffordshire, Uttoxeter
5 Comments
Special branch
The resident rail expert on the Brownhills Blog has been at it once more – Ian Pell, a man with a huge knowledge of the local railways, has written another excellent piece which I present here, covering a mystery rail depot handing cakes, closure of the Walsall Wood line and that lost canal/rail interchange wharf behind the Station Hotel.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1959, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, Derelict, Events, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
9 Comments
Following the engine
Yesterday, I featured a fascinating analysis of a great picture of steam locomotive at Brownhills Station in the early part of last century, sent in by reader Ian Pell = the picture originated in a press release for the upcoming Walsall Local History Centre exhibition entitled Brownhills Past & Present.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Archives, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Dasher, Dodger, Dudley, Events, Exhibition, Francis Webb, Ian Pell, LNWR, local blogs, Local History, Locomotive, New Photos, Samson Class, Staffordshire, Station, steam engine, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Thomas Hinckley, train, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall local history
4 Comments
Now departed
Yesterday, I posted about a new exhibition coming to the Walsall Local History Centre on the subject of Brownhills Past & Present – Stuart Williams had supplied some really great images with the exhibition press release, one of them being of a steam locomotive at Brownhills Station from ‘the early 1900s’.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council
Tagged Archives, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Dasher, Dodger, Dudley, Events, Exhibition, Francis Webb, Ian Pell, LNWR, local blogs, Local History, Locomotive, New Photos, Samson Class, Staffordshire, Station, steam engine, Stuart Williams, Things to do, Thomas Hinckley, train, Twitter, Walsall, Walsall Council, Walsall local history
2 Comments
Following tracks
The wonderful local rail historian and Brownhills Choral Society chronicler Ian Pell has been in touch to tell me that the book he mentioned, ‘Walsall Routes’ is now available to order from the publisher, as well as from Amazon.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Black Country, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Clayhanger, Derelict, history, Ian Pell, Lichfield, Local History, Middleton Press, Midland Main Lines, midlands, Old maps, Railway, Railways, South Staffordshire Line, Staffordshire, Station, Vic Mitchell, Walsall, Walsall Routes, Walsall Wood
2 Comments
Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink…
I’m very pleased (and relieved) to welcome back Ian Pell to the Brownhills Blog, with a cracking article about the Hammerich burst I mentioned a few weeks ago.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged 1961, British Rail, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burst, Company, David, embankment, Hammerwich, Ian Pell, leak, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, maintenance, Moore, New Photos, pumping station, Sandfields, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire, surge stack, washed away, Water, water main
6 Comments
A sudden loss of pressure
Chris Pattison has been in touch. Chris, you’ll remember, is the wonderful historian charting the history of South Staffordshire Water, who has made such great moves in helping local historians like myself, Kate Cardigan, David Moore and Ian Pell to bring local water and railway history to life.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged 1961, British Rail, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burst, Company, David, embankment, Hammerwich, Ian Pell, leak, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, maintenance, Moore, New Photos, pumping station, Sandfields, South Staffordshire, Staffordshire, surge stack, washed away, Water, water main
9 Comments
History is a mosaic
As readers will no doubt be aware, I’m really, really fond of local history and the way it’s evolving online, although I’ve noted concerns and issues, on the whole, the internet and cooperation it enables is making a huge difference to both the quality and quantity of work becoming available.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Churches, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged Dave Moore, Derelict, dolphin, Events, Facebook, Gareth Thomas, Ian Pell, Kate, LDC, Lichfield, Lichfield District Council, Lichfield Keeps Blogging, Lichfield Lore, local blogs, Local History, Mosic, New Photos, Old maps, planning, Pubs, Redevelopment, Sandfields, Social media, Staffordshire, Stonnall, Things to do, Twitter, You're probably from Lichfield if
5 Comments
A railway expert writes…
Top rail historian Ian Pell, late of this parish, dropped me a line today to point out the origins of the photos that I borrowed from the South Staffordshire Railway Site to illustrate yesterday’s article about Charringtons Oil Terminal and Anglesey Sidings.
Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged Anglesey Sidings, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Charringtons, corrections, errata, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Oil Terminal, Redevelopment, South Staffordshire Line, Staffordshire
11 Comments
Oil, fire and water
The above remarkable video was generously pointed out by reader Bob Pugh and features some remarkable footage of what was a golden period in the era of the South Staffordshire Railway – the main line that ran through Brownhills, up until the 1980s.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged A5, Anglesey Sidings, Bob Pugh, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Charringtons, Clayhanger, David Hodgkinson, Ian Pell, Ken Hubbard, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, Oil Terminal, Redevelopment, South Staffordshire Line, Staffordshire, video
8 Comments
Cast in the ground
Here’s one that will be of interest to all. Railway historian Ian Pell has again submitted a beautifully written, intricately researched piece for readers to peruse. Here, Ian presents further great, solid information on the history of the water main and surge stack that ran beside the South Staffordshire Railway through Brownhills.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged 1927, Archives, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Burst, Canal, Clayhanger, Company, David, Demolition, Ian Pell, Lichfield, local blogs, Local History, main, maintenance, Moore, New Photos, Preservation, Preserve, pumping station, Sandfields, South Staffordshire, South Staffordshire Regiment, Staffordshire, surge stack, Water
16 Comments
Bending Conduit
Every so often (and so it seems, with increasing frequency of late) I’ll get a response to an article I post here that leaves me speechless with the sheer depth and breadth of knowledge it demonstrates. There are, it seems, some very, very knowledgable specialists reading the shambling pile of old toss, and I really have no idea why they’re sticking around, but I’m very grateful for their contributions and presence.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Cannock Chase, Chasewater, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1959, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, charter, Chasewater, Conduit Colliery, Derelict, Events, Ian Pell, local blogs, Local History, New Photos, rail tour, Redevelopment, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Stephenson Locomotive Society, Walsall Wood
8 Comments
Things that went bump in the night
I’ve long held the belief that if you’re looking for someone in a crowded place, the best thing to do is stand patiently in the same place, and eventually they’ll walk past you. So I’m finding it is with local … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community
Tagged 1971, Accident, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, crash, derailment, Evacuation, Events, Explosive train, Explosives, Express & Star, Ian Pell, Jelignite, Local History, New Photos, Norton Junction, Pelsall, South Stafforshire Railway, Staffordshire
13 Comments
RSS - Posts
