I believe in the late 50`s and definately not later than 1961 an explosion took place which i seem to remember shook the school,St Johns , Sparkhill Stratford Road around dinnertime (12.00ish),i think it was an explosion in West Bromwich although not sure it was real or my imagination playing up can anyone out there help ?
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Explosions 1950s And 60s
- Thread starter ed smith
- Start date
sylviasayers
master brummie
Ed, I remember that explosion very well, it was the around lunch time and as you say 1960/61 and in West Bromwich, I lived in Aston at the time and heard it distinctly and the house shook, the only thing I have forgotten is the actual details - was it a factory.
sylviasayers
master brummie
Thanks for the information Robert.
sylviasayers
master brummie
Robert I loved that.
There were two explosions, both in West Bromwich; one during the late 1950's at a tube-works (?) when its boiler blew-up and another, during January of 1962, at Friar Park, when a lorry carrying chemicals (as mentioned above) exploded and caused much devastation. I heard both explosions, and was taken by my Dad, to see the destroyed houses at Friar Park. It looked like Beirut on an exceptionally bad day! I don't think anyone was killed (?) but there were many injured. I remember becomming suddenly shocked and scared, when I saw lots of bloodied bandages and pads of cotton-wool lying all over the road. We lived a couple of miles away but the explosion made our house 'jump' ......which was my first thought when the 'Dudley Earth-quake' hit too....my first night back in the Midlands for thirty years!
I remember the lorry explosion very well, we heard it at school in Acock's Green, albeit as a somewhat distant rumble. The event was worthy of recording in my Enid Blyton diary (no cringing, please) and I can confirm the date as Tuesday 6th February 1962. "Lorry blew up in West Brom" I wrote.
Ed, try this link: https://www.macearchive.org/Media.html?Title=4890#
There was another site, which appears to have disappeared, to be replaced by our own discussion...it's a mystery to me how these things work!
I recall that the Black Country Bugle once did a full article on the event.
There was another site, which appears to have disappeared, to be replaced by our own discussion...it's a mystery to me how these things work!
I recall that the Black Country Bugle once did a full article on the event.
Ray Griffiths
master brummie
There was 3 other explosions about this time that I can remember.
1) Kynocks in the ammunations works.
2) GEC Witton A large alternator for Japan caused a very large explosion and fire in the Turbo shop Hydrogen was release into an oil tank and ignited.
3) GEC Witton a 200 megawatt rotor on test in the overspeed test broke loose causing an explosion and fire down the overspeed pit.
Ray
1) Kynocks in the ammunations works.
2) GEC Witton A large alternator for Japan caused a very large explosion and fire in the Turbo shop Hydrogen was release into an oil tank and ignited.
3) GEC Witton a 200 megawatt rotor on test in the overspeed test broke loose causing an explosion and fire down the overspeed pit.
Ray
I remember hearing an explosion when I was at Kingsthorne Junior School, Kingstanding. We too thought it was the start of war - it was around the time of the Cuban Crisis and I must have picked up on that at home. So the explosion we heard must have been October 1962. Maybe it was one of the explosions in Rays previous post ? Viv.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Yes it was Tues 6th February 1962, Friar Park, explosion of lorry carrying 5 gallon drums of chemicals.
I can dig the Hits out if anyone is interested.
Some details and a newsreel film here: https://www.macearchive.org/films/midlands-news-06021962-west-bromwich-explosion
I remember that explosion - I was at school at the time (in Edgbaston) and we heard a distant rumble. The lorry was containing methylethylketoneperoxide (MEKP), rather nasty stuff and which is a catalyst for polyester resin used in manufacture of glass-fibre components; a process I became familiar with in later years. Amazing no-one was killed!
G
I remember that explosion - I was at school at the time (in Edgbaston) and we heard a distant rumble. The lorry was containing methylethylketoneperoxide (MEKP), rather nasty stuff and which is a catalyst for polyester resin used in manufacture of glass-fibre components; a process I became familiar with in later years. Amazing no-one was killed!
G
Hi,
I remember there was an explosion in the early 60's in the basement of Telephone House
in Newhall Street caused by a gas leak. I worked In the Westminster Bank on the other corner
of Lionel Street, and we were evacuated for the morning to the Colmore Row Branch.
Kind regards
Dave
I remember there was an explosion in the early 60's in the basement of Telephone House
in Newhall Street caused by a gas leak. I worked In the Westminster Bank on the other corner
of Lionel Street, and we were evacuated for the morning to the Colmore Row Branch.
Kind regards
Dave
Hi Ed,
There was a gas explosion in the basement of Telephone House, Newhall street. I cannot remember the date but at the time I was working as a T2A in the repeater station on the first floor. On that fateful day I had come in as usual through the side entrance and I immediately smelt gas. I walked around the room trying to locate where it was coming from. When I reached the front that overlooked Newhall street it seemed the gas was coming up the cable ducts from below. At that moment there was a muffled explosion from below and I felt the floor give an upward jolt. All the glass in the windows blew out into Newhall Street. I looked out and down and could see flames coming from the basement window. Apparently the cleaner had gone to the room where he stored his equipment and in switching on the light had triggered the explosion.
There was a gas explosion in the basement of Telephone House, Newhall street. I cannot remember the date but at the time I was working as a T2A in the repeater station on the first floor. On that fateful day I had come in as usual through the side entrance and I immediately smelt gas. I walked around the room trying to locate where it was coming from. When I reached the front that overlooked Newhall street it seemed the gas was coming up the cable ducts from below. At that moment there was a muffled explosion from below and I felt the floor give an upward jolt. All the glass in the windows blew out into Newhall Street. I looked out and down and could see flames coming from the basement window. Apparently the cleaner had gone to the room where he stored his equipment and in switching on the light had triggered the explosion.
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Gas Board Engineers discovered the leak that killed a man and injured 20 more.
Corner Newhall St / Lionel St There was large crack in the main which was crossed at right angles by GPO cable ducts. The residual gas made its way along a duct causing a build up of gas and resulted in an explosion. 600 staff worked in Telephone House
. January 1962
Corner Newhall St / Lionel St There was large crack in the main which was crossed at right angles by GPO cable ducts. The residual gas made its way along a duct causing a build up of gas and resulted in an explosion. 600 staff worked in Telephone House
. January 1962
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Thank goodness for the later Health and Safety Act of 1974.
About 30 telephonists stayed to take 999 and trunk calls, ignoring warnings of police, fire and gas officials.
No equipment was damaged said PO. spokesman, and apart from brief interruptions services were hardly effected.
Postmaster General Reginald Bevins expressed pride in the response of the staff.
About 100 staff answered an appeal for volunteers for the trunk service, but they were sent away when a gas leak was found in the top floor.
About 30 telephonists stayed to take 999 and trunk calls, ignoring warnings of police, fire and gas officials.
No equipment was damaged said PO. spokesman, and apart from brief interruptions services were hardly effected.
Postmaster General Reginald Bevins expressed pride in the response of the staff.
About 100 staff answered an appeal for volunteers for the trunk service, but they were sent away when a gas leak was found in the top floor.
Eric Gibson
master brummie
We had one here in the Forest, I used to get up early to greet the baker bringing the shop stock Saturday morning, heard the bang and everything shook, the explosion was about half a mile away, a stone cottage completely flattened and all its occupants killed.
It was assumed that one of the residents had got up and switched on something setting off the gas.
All the worse because the cottage didn't have a gas supply it was a main passing by just outside that had leaked and filtered in.
A daughter of the owners was a nurse on night shift so the only survivor.
Then to top off the grief she had to fight the local council who denied her permission to rebuild because the house was outside the 'Designated building zone'.
It was assumed that one of the residents had got up and switched on something setting off the gas.
All the worse because the cottage didn't have a gas supply it was a main passing by just outside that had leaked and filtered in.
A daughter of the owners was a nurse on night shift so the only survivor.
Then to top off the grief she had to fight the local council who denied her permission to rebuild because the house was outside the 'Designated building zone'.