According to an old mate of mine who I happened by pure chance to see last night, the Tufnol factory was built during the war, as the stuff it made was a strategic material used for insulation amongst other things. I couldn't see it being built in the early 1970's according to Astonian, as the pong of the phenolic resin used at Tufnol was a feature of my boyhood and the area in general. My mother used to complain that it made the washing smell. Also, and I forgot to mention it, I drove down Aston Lane a while ago and Dek is right - it's only been part demolished. However, there was no stink of resin in the air, so I assume they've had to install proper extraction equipment at some point.
Can someone please remind me of the name of the pub in Franchise Street, and is it still there?
Finally, does anyone remember the Land Rover Axle works on the corner of Wellhead Lane and Aldridge Road? My dad installed some heat-treatment furnaces there in the 1950's. It's now student flats.
Big Gee
Ray i,m with Jean on this one i used to plat tennis every Sunday morning with my then partner the entrance to the sports grond was on the corner in Wellhead Lane you could see the best pitch from Holford Drive but the large football area was I.M.I. Two large electrical Switch gear companys that were located in wellhead Lane were Bill switch gear and Ellisons Switchgear. Dek
Ray i,m with Jean on this one i used to plat tennis every Sunday morning with my then partner the entrance to the sports grond was on the corner in Wellhead Lane you could see the best pitch from Holford Drive but the large football area was I.M.I. Two large electrical Switch gear companys that were located in wellhead Lane were Bill switch gear and Ellisons Switchgear. Dek
it was used by Birchfield rd schoolRay i,m with Jean on this one i used to plat tennis every Sunday morning with my then partner the entrance to the sports grond was on the corner in Wellhead Lane you could see the best pitch from Holford Drive but the large football area was I.M.I. Two large electrical Switch gear companys that were located in wellhead Lane were Bill switch gear and Ellisons Switchgear. Dek
it was used by Birchfield rd school
Hi Jean can’t find a photo, my first time on this site , i us to frequent the wellhead around 1965 . Rey Hacket was an old workmate and lived a couple of doors up from the pub.I can't find a specific thread on the Wellhead pub so have put this on here. My grandad is the first man front row on the left Jean.
Thank you Lyn , I have been searching factories for Bill switchgear I think it was in astonlane cant find it.hello ted and welcome...the site was hacked a few year back and we lost all of our images ...many have been reposted some have not...if jean spots your post hopefully she will repost her photo..in the meantime later on i will check my files to see if i saved it if i did i will be able to repost it for you
lyn
Still there I drank there around 1965I have an idea that the pub was called the Wellhead Tavern (even though it was actually in Franchise Street!)
The father of a lad in my class at junior school (Birchfield Road) was the landlord there in the late 50's/ early 60's.
No idea if it's still there, I haven't been round those roads for years.
Is there a thread for Bill SwitchgearI worked at Bill Switchgear in the fifties and yes, it was further up Aston Lane towards Birchfield Road.