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dartmouth junction

A

Astonian

gone but not forgotten
hi guys;
can some one tell me what ever happenend to a peice of art i think it was called
it was on the old aston rd north below the st chads express way and in conjungestion
of the old dartmouths island and it could have been more or less oppersite the moland street and midland counties dairy after these building was demolished
there was a huge construction of i could only describe was a water pump
it was a green huge monster built of what reseveld as a huge pump action construction
i think it was below the fly over before the express way of aston was built
could any body enlightened me on this construction and tell me the meaning what it meant
to be representing and what and when it was removed and what happenened to it
was it a vistitors to birmingham purpose stateing of ourindustryial city to the tourist
i hope this is in the correct place and many thanks if any body can tell me the answer as i would dearly love to know about it and does any body ever recall passing it or seeing there in fact thee was a walk
walk way for edstrians across t o get across the road to dartmouth street
many thanks Astonian
 
It used to be run (not by steam) occasionally, but the official spoil-sports thought it distracted motorists (it did!).

Big Gee
 
Is it not a James Watt steam powered Beam Engine ??? I believe there are still a few running even today around the country
 
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Frothy's link says it was built by an unknown maker, but presumably on the James Watt principle. It looks in amazingly good nick for s machine that's over 200 years old.

Does anyone know where it was located in Netherton? Was it a mine pumping-engine?

Big Gee
 
https://www.blackcountrybugle.co.uk/News/Dudley-made-mile-post-at-the-very-centre-of-England-2.htm

Here's a bit more info about M W Grazebrook Ltd. They made marine boilers amongst other things, but presumably not in 1817 when the Dartmough Engine was built. Grazebrook's started out in Peartree Lane, Netherton, which I can just about remember before it was cleared and re-developed as an industrial estate. Probably the engine provided air for the cupolas used to smelt iron.

Big Gee
 
What happened to the ancient condensing beam-engine that was in the old Science Museum? Is it in the new place, Millennium Point or whatever it's called? That used to run on occasion.

Big Gee
 
Sorry...I did get the beam engines mixed up Froth. Good job that the one in Dartmouth Circus is still there. Sometimes when the Council moves items on display in the city you might not see them for a very long time if at all!
 
HI GUYS ;
Many thanks folks to you all on the feed back you have given me ;
i must say i have never noticed it on my travels buti will take another look when passing that way
best wishes astonian
 
The Boulton & Watt engine is still there. This was in May 2009.



Back to Dartmouth Circus today, the subways covered in graffiti, litter everywhere.

A footbridge crosses the Aston Expressway.



This Dartmouth Middleway sign could do with fixing!



Aston Expressway to the M6



Aston Expressway to Aston University.

 
Last time I was down that way was in 2014 and I had to go down that way to get some work done on the car, and while waiting we took a look at the beam engine on the traffic island. I had the feeling that it should be in a museum, not in that rather depressing rundown area. :cool:

Maurice
 
Maybe it's something for people in cars to look at when stuck in traffic!

Ashted Circus has recently been done up, all the subways and island gone, part of a "pinch point" scheme. Wonder if the City Council could do something here, but awkward with the Aston Expressway running through the middle.

If they could somehow install pelican crossings to replace the old subways?

Most of the cities subways have been removed, but not all of them!
 
I in common with the majority of folk, I think, detest and don't trust their safety in subways, yet they still build the darned things in the UK. I must admit in the middle of a weekday afternoon, we risked our lives to get across to that engine! If they can't find a museum, then a park or a quiet industrial estate would be preferable.

Maurice
 
So pleased to hear the engine still exits but, like others have said, it would make more sense to have it located where it can be accessed more safely. There must be many, many large industrial structures of interest from the 1800s with which to develop an outdoor museum park (along the lines of the Black Country Museum - but specific to Birmingham’s industrial heritage). Viv.
 
A short film clip of the beam engine being removed from the Glazebrook & Whitehouse foundry at Netherton. Apparently it was destined for the Science Museum in Newhall Street, but plans were changed and it was installed on the island at Dartmouth Circus instead.

www.macearchive.org

Midlands News: 30.06.1964: Beam Engine

An old beam engine being removed from the closed Grazebrook and Whitehouse foundry at Netherton.
www.macearchive.org www.macearchive.org
 
Thanks for that, Phil, such a shame that it was moved to a rather bleak traffic island where you risk your life to reach it.

Maurice
 
Maurice it is a large sunken island with connecting pedestrian subways under the road above, so it easy and safe to get to for close viewing. Eric
 
Eric,

I was walking down to a windscreen repair place near there in 2014 and managed to get across and was not familiar due to all the changes in that area. I'd still sooner see it in a museum or a park as I think we have mentioned before on the Forum. :)

Maurice
 
Maurice

If as planned it had gone to the science museum then we would be paying to see it or if there wasn't room for it in the new one it would probably be stored at Dollman Street where it could only be viewed once in a blue moon.
 
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