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A bit off-thread, but does anyone remember a miniature railway in Perry Barr Park? G

Something else I remember - you could hear the engines' whistles on Sutton Parade on a calm day! Few years ago when I was down there on business I had a ride on the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway in Kent - a bit bigger than 'miniature', and a commuter line rather than a fairground...

My first job which I started in 1963 was as a laboratory technician in the Chemistry Dept of Birmingham University. I'm not sure how it happened, but I got very friendly with a number of second year students, and I was soon illicitly getting into the regular Saturday Night Hops in the Students...

Check this out: The Sutton Park Miniature Railway in the grounds of the demolished Crystal Palace closed in the 1960's. In his post above, Chris M in post No 3 says it was closed in 1962 and then stored in Oldbury, that is at Hayes Foundry which I mentioned in my previous post No 4. The...

When I was employed in the foundry industry, the engines, rolling-stock and at least some of the track were stored at the premises of Hayes Foundry Ltd, Oldbury. This would have been in the mid-1970's if memory serves. I can only suggest that the owner of the foundry purchased them at the time...

Keep Music LIVE!!! G

We kept nearly all of our vinyl LP's bought over the years, including (I think) every one of The Beatles LP's in good condition. The only problem is we don't have a turntable (!) but I think that may be rectified before too long. It's good to see vinyl making a return. G

The reason I visited the Pantglas Memorial more than once over the years is that my employer had a number of customers in the general area, and it was part of my job to visit them, and I sometimes took the opportunity to go to the Memorial Garden. Even 30 or 40 years later you could feel the...

That's tragic, Lyn. It isn't all that long since it was refurbished. Do you know if it's intended to be kept as a pub, or what? It was one of the best live music pubs in Brum at one time. G

Banjo, I lived in The Broadway until 1971. My mother's family were from Bevington Road, and my father's from Frederick Road. Another world........ G

Banjo, I think you're right. Just above your red arrow there's a squiggle which could be the name 'Ansells' in the cursive script they used. Did you live in or near Witton? G

I think that wraps it up, Mohawk. But I have to admit I have no memory of the Ansells connection. All this reminds me that in France wall-painting used to be very common. Driving along the old rural routes you could see any number of signs and paintings on the walls of bars, cafes, shops, etc...

Phil, none of your photos show the wall on which the sign was painted. Looking at the middle photo of the three, if you panned to the left of the (incomplete) picture of the pub, there was a tall flat wall facing towards Witton, and the sign was painted on this. It was certainly there, Phil, no...

Good question, Pedrocut. According to my modern A-Z, Witton Road became Brookvale Road at the junction with Tame Road. However, in my 1954 Bartholomew's, Witton Road is shown as becoming Brookvale Road at the junction with Manor Road! So which is correct? There was certainly an Osram works in...

Banjo's quite correct - I well remember the Man Up The Ladder sign from years ago. It was visible if you came along Brookvale Road from Witton, and was on the RH side of Brookvale on a wall to the left of the Yew Tree pub if you faced the pub. I don't think it was actually advertising anything...

St Margaret's Church, Great Barr, is on Chapel Lane, opposite Great Barr Park and also the (now fenced off) entrance to Great Barr Hall. Chapel Lane runs from the A34 Birmingham Road up to Barr Beacon. By all accounts St Margaret's is a very active church - I went to a wedding there a few years...

That's six out of the last seven Tours won by British cyclists. Fantastic achievement. And Geraint was supposed to be domestique for Chris on this year's Tour. The only quibble I have with the TV presentation is they don't always keep us up-to-date of precisely where the riders are at any given...

Thanks Pedrocut and Lady P. I remember the skeleton suit too! And you're right - the shop wasn't there for very long. G

Does anyone remember a theatrical costumiers and fancy-dress shop on George Road, on the left hand side just before the junction with Slade Road? I don't think they were in business for very long. G

Thanks folks! Neither did I realise that The Sally was 300 years old when it was demolished....are we certain of this? As I understood it, one of the reasons for demolition was the seepage of water from the nearby canal. I remember Gerry the gaffer very well, and of course The Artesian Hall...