We very rarely referred to Furnace Lane, it was always the 'Gulley'. It was more of a Lovers Lane than anything else. We would use the first gulley to get to the #8 inner circle bus to go to my Aunties in Balsall Heath. Returning in the evening, our mom would make us look the other way when coming down the gulley past the number of couples that were occupying the wall spaces. Pearsons loading dock was our playground on Porchester St. I have a photo of the loading dock taken in 2003, with me and my best friend from Paddington St. I believe I posted it to BHF, but not sure...
Dave A