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I saw the trams on trial on Friday and I gather they started to run to the Library on Saturday 12th February. So far have not heard of the reason for the delay this time, but at least they are running now and the next extension will be to Five Ways. The route is still a linear one, but the...

Yes Brown Marshall were initially an independent railway carriage builder. Then part of Met Cam then the site was taken over by Wolseley at a time they started to expand their site. Later it was Morris Commercial. It was an interesting and complex history.

In the 1950's I recall that the moat at Perry Hall had a form of boat that could be hired. By then the hall had been demolished, Does anybody remember this ?

I think you will find that Saltley Viaduct over the Midland Railway, replaced the previous level crossing there. Railway companies in towns started to improve road communications through making viaducts to replace level crossings a contemporary example would be the London & North Western...

Round Oak Steelworks was the last industrial development on the site at Brierley Hill. The closure of the steel works led to demolition and its replacement with the Merry Hill Shopping Centre.

Whilst at the end of January timetables were put up at Grand Central on the metro, no trams have yet to run there and the trams terminate at Bull Street. If you take the I S & O out of FIASCO and add an R and an E you get FARCE

Looking at the crucibles in the early post has led me to think if they did not have another function, that is other than steel. In 1842 the Lifford Chemical works was offered for sale and that sale mentioned a retort house. I have yet to find any examples of steel making close to the Worcester...

The old tram lines were of a narrower gauge, modern trams have a wider gauge and the trams are wider bodied with capacity increased. And yes it does seem that the trams are due to run back to the Library. Last week contractors were repairing parts of the track in Corporation Street

Despite these posts, the present building still is regarded as the station building for the London & Birmingham Railway and even now as contractors dig out the adjacent ground for the diverted services, the structure is called the station by them.

The Department of Transport has advised that Bromford Tunnel is being extended 100 metres on the east side to avoid making a cutting. So changes are still being made.

It would also be of use to note the numerical sequence. (1) would be the original Works and (9) the later works of the company. The word M ..... RAILWAY might indicate Midland Railway or (L) M (S) and that also could help with the date.

With the building of the new Library, I was convinced that the previous one held a prime position as a research centre. Even now the new Library has to reach that status, but then Covid has not helped. There is one aspect of the West Midlands tram saga which seems to have been out of their...

Had the metro plans proceeded without interruption the West Midlands Metro could be open to Five Ways and yet there is stagnation with trams running from St Georges to Bull Street, providing that no cars break down or crash with the trams on road section, which has been a recent problem. The...

The work at Curzon Street at present is a hive of activity as the foundations for the new station are put together and some contractors are still busy with moving services. HS 2 talk of planning for the Bromford Tunnel at present and work has started on the Green Tunnels, a modern work for cut...

The gasworks railways are shown to serve Windsor Street (left) Nechells (centre) and Saltley All made town gas using retorts that were modified and improved over time. Saltley also had a coke oven- see my chapter in Workshop of the World p 55- 77, Sutton Publishing 2006. Adderley Street...

I personally am trying to find out if the cost of HS 2 phase 1 is rising compared to the present estimate published in October of a target set at £40 billion. Phase 2a is set at between £5-7 billion presently Meanwhile work has been started by three tunnel boring machines so far (out of 10) and...

The two new curves to Moor Street featured in the recently published Integrated Rail Plan report, which has limited vision for rail travel in Birmingham as well as curtailing the extent of HS 2 Regarding Camp Hill and the name, this railway was built for the Birmingham & Gloucester Railway and...

Bratch Locks were built for James Brindley as a proper staircase of 3 locks. They were reconstructed by Thomas Dadford with the short side pounds.

Information distribution improved in the 1970;s and 1980;s. For those travelling by train the Travel Centres gained in that respect with computerised CRS for seat and sleeper reservations. The Continental Office used computers for car ferry booking and they also had a telex and reservations for...

Lawley Street was NFC, but the Freightliner Depot should be regarded as a separate entity, having various owners. Presently it is owned by an American company who operate the UK Freightliner business. The ariel view is useful, Viv, which shows the view from Top Yard looking to the offices and...