#365daysofbiking JournalRecent tracks
Between the Bars
Mojave 3
15 hours
Too Many Mornings
Mojave 3
15 hours
She's all up Above
Mojave 3
15 hours
Tinkers Blues
Mojave 3
15 hours
Hard To Miss You
Mojave 3
15 hours
Battle of the Broken Hearts
Mojave 3
15 hours
Writing to St. Peter
Mojave 3
15 hours
Billoddity
Mojave 3
15 hours
Starlite #1
Mojave 3
15 hours
Vide Noir
Lord Huron
23 hoursRecent Comments
Isobel Dams on A sunny morning in Pier Street BrownhillsBob on Ravens Court to be demolished… Patricia Roberts on Ravens Court to be demolished… Valerie Dallison on A sunny morning in Pier Street Paul Brevitt on The early days of powerboats a…
Tag Archives: Subsidence
A hole lot of sink
One of the curious things about writing and keeping this blog has always been the steady, curious dynamic of story arcs – where an old subject gets continually, slowly and gradually expanded as Google lists it, people search and find the post, comment and expand it.
Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, 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, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Anchor Bridge, Anglesey Branch, Brawns Wood, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Brownhills Past, Canal, canal breach, Canal Leak, canal repair, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Chasewater history, Chasewater Wildlife Group, culvert, Cycle rides, cycling, David Hodgkinson, Lane's Farm, local blogs, Local History, Milfield School, New Photos, Old maps, Repair, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Steve, Subsidence, Turner
10 Comments
Is it our fault?
Reader John Blanchard has been in touch all the way from Aukland in New Zealand with some interesting and hopefully debate-provoking memories of subsidence effects in Walsall Wood from the 1960s onwards.
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Castlefornt, Derelict, Fort Crescent, Fred Burt, Howmuch, John Blanchard, Local History, Local politics, mine, mining, mining damage, Salters Road, Sewer, Subsidence, subsidence damage, Vandalism, Walsall Council, Walsall Housing Committee, Walsall Observer, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood
6 Comments
Doctor Fell
This is just a quick one, as I thought we needed to get at least a little bit of history in at long last – and this one has piqued my curiosity, as my antenna always twitch when I hear subsidence legends.
Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Chasewater, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories
Tagged Bell pit, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Common, Cottage, David Evans, Derelict, JB Cox, legends, Lichfield, Local History, Mavis Woodhouse, mines, mining colliery, Norton Pool, Old maps, Oscar johnson, planning, Pool Road, Redevelopment, Reservoir, shallow, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Things to do, Watling Street
14 Comments
Anyone for tennis?
Further to the great material sent in by Marion Jones, relating to the lost pumping station on The Spot at Clayhanger, she also sent me some interesting photos of the gardens of the Jones House in Clayhanger in the 1920s.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, News, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife
Tagged big house, Branch line, bridge, Clayhanger Common, Culverts, Derelict, Drain, Drainage, flooding, Ford Brook, Local History, Marion Jones, Marsh, New Photos, new pond, Pump, pump house, Railway, River Tame, Round Table, Samuel Wheale, Spot Lane, Staffordshire, stepping stones, stormwater, Subsidence, tennis court, The Spot, The Spot pumping station, Walsall Wood Colliery
5 Comments
Challenging landscapes
Today, I’ve mostly been trawling the paper mapping record for Clayhanger, in order to throw a little more light on the issues it faced in the post war years – debate about subsidence and flooding and the subsequent land restoration that occurred has been ongoing, and this is a really interesting bit of local history for me.
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Local History, Local media, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Council, Wildlife
Tagged Clayhanger, Clayhanger Common, Culverts, Derelict, Drain, Drainage, flooding, Ford Brook, Local History, Marsh, New Photos, Ordnance Survey, pit, Pump, pump house, Railway, Shire Oak, spoil, Spot Lane, Staffordshire, stormwater, Subsidence, The Spot, The Spot pumping station, Walsall Wood Colliery
6 Comments
Gathering moss
The Clayhanger subsidence and pumping station thread seems to have provoked much interest in the past week – there has been a great deal of reader comment, and I have further bits to add to the story in coming days.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, 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, Walsall community
Tagged Brian Stringer, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Brownhills Urban District Council, Clayhanger, Derelict, Drains, flooding, Ford Brook Road, High Heath, Laurence Thacker, lawley Close, Local History, Mill Road, Moss Pits, Pelsall, pumping station, Replacement, School Farm, sewage, Sewer, Shelfield, Staffordshire, Steam pump, Subsidence, UDC, Walsall Observer, Walsall Wood, Williams
5 Comments
Fighting a losing battle
Every now and then, something comes through whilst compiling the blog that stuns me, and pulls me up short. It’s happened twice recently – firstly with Chris Pattison’s wonderful 1952 Walsall Observer article on Clayhanger’s flooding problem, and secondly with this rare and beautiful gem from reader Marion Jones.
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, News, planning, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Wood stuff, Wildlife
Tagged Bennets Hill, Clayhanger Common, Culverts, Derelict, Drain, Drainage, flooding, Ford Brook, Kenneth Granger Wheale, Local History, Marion Jones, Marsh, New Photos, Pump, pump house, River Tame, Robert Green, Samuel Wheale, Spot Lane, Staffordshire, stormwater, Subsidence, The Spot, The Spot pumping station
12 Comments
Bicycles. Always a problem.
A great spot here from Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler regarding a report in the Lichfield Mercury of Friday, 16th August 1935.
Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, cycling, Environment, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Spotted whilst browsing the web
Tagged bicycles, Bradbury, Brownhills, Brownhills Chamber of Trade, Brownhills local history, co-op, Co-operative, Conduit Colliery, Cycle rides, cycling, Emery, Humphries, jobless, Labour Exchange, land, Local History, Local politics, Norton Canes, purchase, sale, Sewage Farm, sewerage, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, unemployed
2 Comments
Don’t believe everything you read…
I’ve been droning on now for some months about the need for accuracy and careful research in local history. It’s because I know that I’m as fallible as the next man that I, like you readers, worry so much about … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, It makes me mad!, Just plain daft, Local History, Local media, News, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1905, Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brick Arch, Bridge replacement, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, Errors, Girder bridge, Grove Pit Bridge, Hall Lane, Howmuch, Lime Lane, Local History, mine damage, Mining Subsidence, Mistaken, mistakes, Pelsall Past and Present, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, Walsall Wood Pit, Wyrley and Essington
4 Comments
Who’d be a carthorse?
Here’s another gem from [Howmuch?], who’s found this wonderful photo in the archives at Lichfield. It took us a while to work out, as it was unlabelled, but it is, of course, the western approach to the Black Cock Bridge, … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1905, Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brick Arch, Bridge replacement, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, Girder bridge, Hall Lane, Howmuch, Local History, mine damage, Mining Subsidence, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, Walsall Wood Pit, Wyrley and Essington
7 Comments
Made from girders
The long pondered question of subsidence in the Bullings Heath area, and the age of the black Cock bridge became a little clearer last week. Top reader and local history ferret [Howmuch?] found this wonderful snippet in the archives of the … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged 1905, Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brick Arch, Bridge replacement, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, Girder bridge, Hall Lane, Local History, mine damage, Mining Subsidence, Old maps, pit, reporter, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, Walsall Wood Pit, Wyrley and Essington
6 Comments
Under mined
Yesterday, in a post relating some recollections of the Chasewater modern overflow culvert, an anonymous correspondent suggested that the new system had been constructed in response to a serious subsidence issue near Anchor Bridge. In that post, I rather cheekily … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, 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, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community
Tagged Anchor Bridge, Anglesey Branch, Brawns Wood, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Brownhills Past, Canal, canal breach, Canal Leak, canal repair, Chasewater, Chasewater Dam, Chasewater history, Chasewater Wildlife Group, culvert, Cycle rides, cycling, David Hodgkinson, Lane's Farm, local blogs, Local History, Milfield School, New Photos, Old maps, Repair, Reservoir, Staffordshire, Subsidence
14 Comments
Sink estate?
Here’s an interesting one turfed out by local history genius [Howmuch?], who’s still raiding the box under his sideboard for interesting clippings from local papers. The man really is a history magpie and a bit of a star. This extract … Continue reading
Posted in Bad Science, Brownhills stuff, Environment, Events, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Local politics, News, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall community, Walsall Council, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Castlefornt, Derelict, Fort Crescent, Fred Burt, Howmuch, Local History, Local politics, mine, mining, mining damage, Subsidence, subsidence damage, Vandalism, Walsall Council, Walsall Housing Committee, Walsall Observer, Walsall politics, Walsall Wood
2 Comments
The rise and fall
In the last couple of weeks, I’ve compiled two posts that questioned the oft-repeated local legend that the cottages by the Black Cock Bridge in Hall Lane, Walsall Wood, were originally built at the level of the canal and sank … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, cycling, Environment, Features, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local Blogs, Local History, Local media, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Social Media, Spotted whilst browsing the web, Walsall community, Walsall Wood stuff
Tagged Black Cock, Black Cock Bridge, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Bullings Heath, Camden Street, Canal, coal mine, Hall Lane, Local History, mine damage, Mining Subsidence, New Photos, Old maps, pit, Silly, Staffordshire, Subsidence, Walsall Wood, Walsall Wood Colliery, Walsall Wood Pit, Wyrley and Essington
19 Comments
Circling the drain
I’ve long held an interest in why Clayhanger village stopped flooding. This may seem like an odd preoccupation, but please bear with me. For decades the small, low lying settlement west of Brownhills was regularly left awash to some depth … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Fun stuff to see and do, Interesting photos, Local History, Shared media
Tagged Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Canal Overflow, Canal sluice, Clayhanger, Clayhanger Common, Clayhanger Road, Clayhanger Tip, Culverts, Derelict, Drain, Drainage, Ford Brook, Local History, Marsh, measurement well, monitoring, New Photos, Panoramio, pump house, Redevelopment, River Tame, sluice gate, Spot Lane, Staffordshire, stormwater, Subsidence, The Spot, The Spot pumping station, The Swag, Walsall, Walsall Council
15 Comments
Spot the difference
This is a bit of an epic past pictures post this week, all about Clayhanger Common, locally known as the spot. I wrote an extensive article about the history of this open space some time ago, and now, I’m interested … Continue reading
Posted in Brownhills stuff, Clayhanger stuff, Environment, Followups, Interesting photos, Local History, Local media, Panoramio photo discussions, Reader enquiries, Shared media, Shared memories, Walsall Council
Tagged Bridgeside Close, Brownhills, Brownhills local history, Canal, Canal Overflow, Canal sluice, Clayhanger, Clayhanger Common, Clayhanger Road, Clayhanger Tip, Derelict, Dutton's House, Edward Jones, Ernest Jones, Gentleshaw Sand and Gravel, Local History, New Photos, Panoramio, planning, pump house, Redevelopment, RKG Pressings, sluice gate, Spot Lane, Staffordshire, Subsidence, The Spot, The Spot pumping station, Walsall, Walsall Council
2 Comments
