Possibly. At that time I guess it as the local water company that were responsible and gave permission. The water companies today have a statutory obligation to provide hydrants and their use is limited to fire brigades and those who get their official permission.May be the hydrant was being used by the workmen.
I have the belief, Ken, that this was part of the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton (affectionately? known as the 'old worse & worse'. This opened in 1852 and was, I believe due to the Act, to be mixed gauge. This was useful when the Shrewsbury (standard) gauge became part of the GWR.
VivThree images of the station. Strangely there are men working on the tracks in both of the first two images. Viv.
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Thanks, I'll have a look at them and see what I can discoverHi Bob. Afraid there's no more information about the cards. They're for sale on eBay. Viv.
RadiorailsThe coloured picture can be dated between 1912 and 1922, because that was when GWR passenger carriages were painted in crimson lake rather than the previous and subsequent more familiar 'chocolate and cream'. In the picture (Edwardian) of the station approach there appears to be, rather unusually for the UK, a pillar fire rahydrant. Normally fire hydrants (and washouts) are below ground and accessed by removal of a removable cover. I would be sure many here have trodden on these covers when walking on pavements or crossing roads.
There was ample supply of manure for gardeners, often from stables and from the stables of estates. Gardens, for those fortunate enough to have them, of a good many working people were for growing food; flowers were for the smaller frontage areas. Besides, horses were the principal method of cartage and transport until motor vehicles started to increase post WW1. The place must have been quite aromatic! However, a healthy aroma rather than the diesel fumes of recent and present times.
VivHi Bob. Afraid there's no more information about the cards. They're for sale on eBay. Viv.
I have done some more searching. There is other copies of the coloured postcard on Ebay and this has it's reverse side on show also. The publisher was Harold Bott, Birmingham. The postmark on this one is Dec 22 1906. According to the 1908 Kellys, Harold Bott was a postcard printer located at 14 New Street. However in the 1911 census the only Harold Bott I could find lived at 162 Golden Hillock Road and was a printer/compositor. I have no information on the second picture as yet. Interestingly enough, there are three of the Bott pictures for sale on ebay, but none with the backs shown and for railway station postcards, these of Acocks Green with two exceptions are quite reasonable in price. Perhaps someone on the forum can throw some light on Mr Bott. Incidentally a similar postcard is titled the old Acocks Green Station. When was the station converted to four tracks with an island platform. A final point on all the postcards of the station on ebay, the bulk of the old ones show the same view as these two cards and are quite well animated, with human life on the platform from which the photo was taken almost non existant. The best view and dearest could also feature in the forum when everybody wore a hat.Radiorails
I bow to your knowledge and would agree with your dating, however the seller on ebay has the card as postally used 1905. Because of the long life of some postcards, it could be a bad and misread 1915 stamp. The colour is certainly reminiscent of pre WW1 Cards. The decisive thing would be to see where it was printed......if Saxony or another German state then it is pre WW1 or more importantly find out who published it.
Bob
In the 1911 census, the Harold Bott at Golden Hillock Road was a factor in postcards and was born in DudleyI have done some more searching. There is other copies of the coloured postcard on Ebay and this has it's reverse side on show also. The publisher was Harold Bott, Birmingham. The postmark on this one is Dec 22 1906. According to the 1908 Kellys, Harold Bott was a postcard printer located at 14 New Street. However in the 1911 census the only Harold Bott I could find lived at 162 Golden Hillock Road and was a printer/compositor. I have no information on the second picture as yet. Interestingly enough, there are three of the Bott pictures for sale on ebay, but none with the backs shown and for railway station postcards, these of Acocks Green with two exceptions are quite reasonable in price. Perhaps someone on the forum can throw some light on Mr Bott. Incidentally a similar postcard is titled the old Acocks Green Station. When was the station converted to four tracks with an island platform. A final point on all the postcards of the station on ebay, the bulk of the old ones show the same view as these two cards and are quite well animated, with human life on the platform from which the photo was taken almost non existant. The best view and dearest could also feature in the forum when everybody wore a hat.
Radiorails, I suspect that the coaching stock colour was the work of the colourist and being as Mr Bott was in New Street, perhaps she just slipped down to the station to look at the colour of the coaches on the Midland Railway, rather like the blue Midland Red bus shown in another forum picture.
Bob
Tell me about it you should try putting postcards into a book for publication and then asking the oldest inhabitants for information about a picture....one picture, five oldest inhabitants...ten answers, cos I'll just alter what I say m'dear us was wrong that was Mrs......., you smile sweetly, say thank you and walk away.Thanks Bob, I see the probable obfuscation. A gander at the nearest line, which happened to be the Midland.
One thing is sure and that is research into the past can be completely misled by false interpretations made in the expediency of commerce. (in short, as Mr. Micawber, could have said, "forget accuracy, just get it printed").
Tell me about it you should try putting postcards into a book for publication and then asking the oldest inhabitants for information about a picture....one picture, five oldest inhabitants...ten answers, cos I'll just alter what I say m'dear us was wrong that was Mrs......., you smile sweetly, say thank you and walk away.
Bob
It was Radiorails used it not me, but I like it and am now obfuscating everyone I can. However it shows that that gentleman is literate and erudite (there's tautology for you) and also like our selves from an age when words were used to define what we were saying...know what I mean M8... and we could all put our thoughts into words. Nowadays of course it would be obfusc8. By the way back on theme, I have no further details on the second station picture.Thanks Bob. You certainly 'obfuscated' me. I had to resort to Google to see what it meant. I name you the BHF Scrabble champion for 2017
Old Boy