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Moseley Road Baths

Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

I linked it (and copied the image location) from the Save Britain's Heritage site that BordesleyExile linked to in post #26.

Sure it was in "perfect" condition in the early 1990s (around 1992 - 1994) when I went as a school kid. Remember my classmates swimming in their pajama's for some reason. I didn't do that though (wasn't a good swimmer).

In the last few years a swimming pool in Sparkhill on the Stratford Road has closed down. Possibly was unsafe. As yet nothing has been done to repair / restore it.
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Moseley Road Baths might reopen in June 2011

Moseley Road Baths to re-open in June as material is shipped in from Europe

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CASH-strapped Birmingham City Council is splashing out on the renovation of a historic swimming pool – by shipping in stainless steel from Switzerland.
Moseley Road baths, one of the last Edwardian public swimming pools in the country, closed last year and was due to re-open later this month following a £100,000 refurbishment project.
But it’s likely the pool will now re-open some time in June while the authority waits for a lintel to support the fire exit door to pool two to be manufactured and then transported from continental Europe.

Coun Martin Mullaney, the city’s leisure chief, refuted allegations that the council was wasting money and overlooking suppliers in Birmingham.
He said: “We have spent £55,000 on fixing the lintel but budgeted for £50,000 so it has not really affected the costing.
“It’s not straight-forward to weld stainless steel. It’s a specialist job.
“It’s not just a lump of stainless steel and one that could be done locally.
“The lintel has to be stainless steel so that it’s resistant to hydrochloric acid attack.
“It’s obviously at a time of economic hardship.
“But we want this pool to be open for years to come.”
The refurbishment is part of an ongoing package of improvements which could take ten years and cost £20 million to complete.
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Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Set back at Moseley Road Baths due to discovery of asbestos.

Moseley Road Baths reopening dates pushed back to New Year after asbestos discovery

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FRUSTRATED swimmers who were hoping to plunge back into historic city baths soon have suffered yet another setback.
The date for the re-opening of Moseley Road Baths, in Balsall Heath, has been put back until the New Year after large amounts of hazardous asbestos were discovered in the basement area.

The baths were closed in December for repair work after a corroded surround, called a lintel, in one of the fire exits was found to be in danger of collapse.
The lintel was replaced but the council’s Health and Safety team unearthed other problems which needed addressing, delaying the re-opening to September. But a new survey has now found that there are substantial amounts of loose and dangerous asbestos present in the basement.
The cost of removing the asbestos will be £80,000 and will add an additional ten weeks to the original repair programme.
Coun Martin Mullaney, cabinet member for sport and culture, hopes to have the additional funds signed off next week and, following the completion of all work, now predicts the pool will be open after Christmas.


Coun Mullaney said: “Bits of gasket containing asbestos and flakes of rust covered in asbestos material have over the years laid on the floor of the basement.
“During that time, the basement has flooded several times, with the loose asbestos spreading throughout the basement, mixed in with other debris.”
Surveys have been carried out and Coun Mullaney said he been assured that there is no asbestos present in other areas of the building.
Jen Austin, from Friends Of Moseley Road Baths, who staged a ‘We Want To Swim’ demonstration outside the baths in July, said: “There have been no swimming facilities for children in the area over summer.
“Whilst we understand that the repairs have to be done, it’s disappointing that it’s taking so long. Hopefully they will be swimming in the New Year.
“There are going to be a lot of disappointed children until it gets sorted.”
Work on submitting a £5 million bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund next year, which will be used to start the first phase of restoring the Grade II listed baths, is in progress.


www.moseleyroadbaths.co.uk
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Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

It might open in January 2012 now

Moseley Road Baths should re-open on schedule

WORK to get a popular Birmingham baths open for the New Year is said to be on schedule.

Moseley Road Baths, in Balsall Heath, has been closed since last December for repair work after a corroded surround, called a lintel, in one of the fire exits was found to be in danger of collapse. Workers then discovered asbestos in the basement this summer.

Contractors will move on to the site on October 17 and spend six weeks clearing the asbestos away after which work will begin on installing scaffolding.

Martin Mullaney, cabinet member for sport and culture, said the baths were still on target to open in mid-January, 2012.
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Read More https://www.birminghammail.net/news...pen-on-schedule-97319-29538120/#ixzz1Zw85v98C
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

I remember Mrs Yates as during the 1960's my 3 children went to swimming lessons on a Saturday afternoon
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Spent many happy hours swimming in the bloody COLD water! Right across the street from my school. Moseley School of art. Happy Happy times. John Crump OldBrit in SNOWY COLD Parker, Co USA
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

We used to go there weekly from Clifton Road Junior School,I left there in 1970, Mr Lewis was my last teacher, lost touch with everyone unfortunately. Happy days!!!
Roy.
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Oops sorry didn't look properly
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Latest about funding

Balsall Heath Baths restoration given £195,000 boost

EXTRA funding has been secured to repair a historic city swimming baths.
Moseley Road Baths, in Balsall Heath, has been closed since last December for repair work after one of the fire exits was found to be in danger of collapse.
There was a further delay after asbestos was discovered in the basement this summer.
Martin Mullaney, cabinet member for sport and culture, has confirmed that the council’s finance department has agreed to fund an additional £195,000 of work on the baths.
Around £65,000 will be used to install permanent scaffolding in the basement later this month and £80,000 will be used to carry out any repairs which are needed over the next two years such as plugging leaks, installing pipes and removing vegetation out of the brick work.
The remaining £50,000 will be used to prepare for a £5 million Heritage Lottery bid to fully restore these baths.
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Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Now theives are stealing metal off the roof!

Moseley Road Baths targeted on a nightly basis by metal thieves

METAL thieves are stripping lead and copper off the roof of a historic city swimming baths – leaving the tax payer with a bill which runs into tens of thousands of pounds.
Grade II listed Moseley Road Baths, in Balsall Heath, is being targeted on a nightly basis by criminals who were risking their lives scaling the imposing walls armed with ladders and tools.
The thieves are wrecking the renovation programme which was started last December after a fire exit surround was found to be in danger of collapse and large amounts of asbestos was discovered in the basement in the summer.
The criminals have caused further leaks and rot in the roof after they stripped the lead off and displaced slates by treading on them.
Thieves have also targeted the valuable copper lightning conductor at the base of the boiler house chimney which if removed, would put the building at risk if hit by lightning. Councillor Martin Mullaney, cabinet member for sport and culture, said the council would be using £80,000, which was recently added to the total £1.75 million bill, to repair the lead flashing and they still were on target to re-open in mid to late January.
Coun Mullaney said: “We could have spent that £80,000 on something else if people weren’t stealing the lead. We have met with English Heritage who have given us permission to replace all lead flashing with a substitute material called ‘turncoat’ stainless steel.
“This material looks like lead after weathering, but has the advantage of being very difficult to remove.
“Lead is soft and rips, perfect for the metal thief. Stainless steel is stiff, can be nailed in place and has to cut by hacksaw.
“Our bath staff are going up on the roof not knowing what they are going to see – if more stuff has been stolen or they will find a body.
“It’s a complex roof structure with weak places. We have looked at putting up barriers to stop them getting on the roof but it’s expensive and they would still get over them.”
Coun Mullaney said they are preparing to put in a Heritage Lottery bid next April and are in discussions with the council to establish a level of match funding.
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Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Hi Lyn: This is shocking after promises. Can't believe anyone in gov. these days. Erdington Leisure Centre is going plus seven others.
In the case of Erdington there will be nowhere for the kids to learn to swim unless they go to Wyndley Leisure Centre in Sutton.
 
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Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

jennyann said:
Hi Lyn: This is shocking after promises. Can't believe anyone in gov. these days. Erdington Leisure Centre is going plus seven others.
In the case of Erdington there will be no where for the kids to learn to swim unless they go to Wyndley Leisure Centre in Sutton.
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hi jenny hope you are well...ive long since given up on all the empty promises we have had about various buildings...just a ploy to keep us happy for a couple of years and then they go for the kill...i am so dismayed and angry about this and i am quite sure a lot of our members who really care about our heritage will be...

lyn.
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

hi lynn;
many thanks for your up to date report of mosely baths ;and i can recall you telling us all about the first isues of contemplating to closed the baths
some years back ; but to be quite honest i did not beleive it for one minute about the possibilitity of keeping it open; because these guys in planning
are sole god given to themselves but what i also say i have to go with them because i have passed those bates at very times and never se kids or grown ups ever walking in like they used to do all those years ago the last time i was in that baths was 1955 and never ever been again; occasionionaly i have seen school kids
from school with the teachers taking them to baths like when we was kids swimming days on tuesday as it was for us ;but the area as change and the communeity as well it heavely populated by the asian commutity and to be honest they aintswimmers like the english parents used to do with takng the kids to the baths and swim with them;
but you can bet your last dollar it will be some think for the asian communeity to have a purpose for ;i see the old pub on the corner is an asian welfare centre
and other building around there so i am sure it will be sorted for them to make use of in one way or another i beleive there used to be a big house just along from the baths doors and it was some one famous but they turned that around for the asian communeity ;as they say there is no call for it these days in mosely rd but i cannot understand
Then you say they are closeing the others down; when i read your thread article it takes in the edition of the evening mail opinionons and it stated a passage from councillor whom tells us about eighty thousands pounds to replace the lead which its states he says that it was an nightly perforfornance of these villains
climbing up and stripping every night which i find hard to beleive and in this givenday and times nobody is gonna stump up that kind of money for a building that is not gonna be used .
i was very happy to read the mails response along with other head lines of the they lead you into a world where you really think they will open it up again but beleive they aint gonna hope up as a bath but possible eighty thousand may mature
for the purpose of redeveloping the building ; best wishes lynn as always alan ;; astonian;
; best wishes lynn as always alan ;; astonian;
 
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Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

I wonder is my old school Moseley School of art across the street is still there? Spent many hours swimming after school in the Baths. Also there was a church next to the school that got bombed? John Crump OldBrit. Parker. Co USA
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

The Moseley Art School building is still there but it is now the Moseley Muslim Community Association.
They do, however, let the old pupils hold their reunions in the building.

Both my mother's brothers went to the art school in the 20s/30s.
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

hi viv
looking at the picture it looks amazing and well structured the last time i went and swam in thath pool baths was in 1955
even then it was abit rough on the bottom of the pool with the odd tiles being cracked or a chip missing and you could feel it o your foot or toe
i personaly cannot seeeing themsaving it and projecting 24 million into it for what ever the reason
and that is one hell of a price to rebuld and bring it back to the glory days and to be honest the whole area of that district as change
to be honest i think most of the council baths are loosing fistful of monies all over brum
would i be silly to asked have they still got those big old victorian bath in there as well those big brass taps hat went with them
the city cannot afford to pay and save for it , what about a lottery fund would or could they be swayed to save and donate the cost in order to save our historic bath and pool or less we could get a private investor to acclaim its back to glory , best wishes Alan;; Astonian;;
 
Re: Moseley Road Baths, August 2009

Agree Alan. A tall order to save it. Such a great pity given it's one of the few reimagining grade II listed 'bath' complex's remaining in use, albeit limping along until next year. Viv.
 
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Re: Moseley Swiming Baths Open Day

During our visit to relatives in Brum we did drive down Moseley Rd. How things have changed. The Moseley School of art building is very run down looking. The baths also, are in need of renovation. Sad to see this after all the pleasant years that I spent at the school. The church next door to the school that was bombed out, is much different now. John Crump
 
Re: Moseley Swiming Baths Open Day

Moseley Swimming Baths - is this the home of the Dolobran(?) swimming club in the 1930's. I think that my father was treasurer of the club until WW2. I gathered that he was relieved that when the war came & the club was disbanded.
John
 
Re: Moseley Swiming Baths Open Day

I have not long got back from the baths, the pity is that the place is in need of a great deal of money to bring it up to a reasonable condition, I did get some good photos, this is where I spent what feels like hours to edit the photos they will soon be on the interweb
 
Re: Moseley Swiming Baths Open Day

Of course MONEY is needed to renovate all these buildings. So WHO pays for all this, YOU? Are the people of Brum willing to do this? Our recent visit opened my eyes a lot. Seems that there is a lot to made in the new construction. Jobs are created, workers then spend. Great shame that building have been left to rot. Will the next generation care about the OLD? I see the same thing happening in the USA. Times marches on. PROGRESS, who is the judge? John Crump Parker, Colorado USA
 
Re: Moseley Swiming Baths Open Day

Moseley School of Art seen in late October 2014. Think it's some kind of Pakistani place now.






Don't do foundation stones like this anymore!

 
Re: Moseley Swiming Baths Open Day

Moseley School of art building. One of my water colour art class rooms was upstairs in the front. The Three R's classes at the back downstairs. there was a play area out the back. John Crump
 
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