Stephen0002002
master brummie
Thx Rupert.
Great pic Wendy - I am assuming swimming runs in the family then ?
Great pic Wendy - I am assuming swimming runs in the family then ?
-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
Nice map Rupert, but I think the mounds we are talking about are in the vicinity of the red square in the top left hand corner. I certainly would like to know more about the steel mill, if you have any more information.
I know that they made steel wire at what is now the Pens Hall Hotel, the lake being the water sully to the mill.
I know that they made steel wire at what is now the Pens Hall Hotel, the lake being the water sully to the mill.
Lloyd
master brummie
Re the Steele-Bodger family:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Steele-Bodger
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alasdair_Steele-Bodger
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micky_Steele-Bodger
and plenty more references here: https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&q="Steele-Bodger"+vet&start=0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Steele-Bodger
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alasdair_Steele-Bodger
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micky_Steele-Bodger
and plenty more references here: https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en#hl=en&q="Steele-Bodger"+vet&start=0
Stephen0002002
master brummie
yes the mounds I referred to were on the opposite side to the boat house, across the field from where the roundabouts use to be.
As if you were walking along the side of the pool towards the trees (walking parallel to Monmouth Drive) and past the ship (mid pool).
I'm pretty sure they came from the pool.
As if you were walking along the side of the pool towards the trees (walking parallel to Monmouth Drive) and past the ship (mid pool).
I'm pretty sure they came from the pool.
The pool there is not very deep. We used to free fly our model aeroplanes on the hill behind the pool. We lost one in a thermal one time and never heard about it again even though it had my friends name and address on it. Just went up and up after the motor run ended and we ran eastward to the park gates but it was a tiny dot in the sky by that time.
Another acquaintance had in mind an attempt on the model floatplane endurance record and waded out into the pool with his model, about at the place in question. There were rushes then, as I recall. Anyway he started the engine and set the plane in the water, but I think he did not check the wind direction properly and, when released, the model banked on lift off and dipped a wing into the water, which ended that days proceedings. Ah well, sometimes you rode home elated and sometimes rode with broken parts. Hmm..sometimes with a box strapped to your back with nothing in it. Them's the breaks.
Another acquaintance had in mind an attempt on the model floatplane endurance record and waded out into the pool with his model, about at the place in question. There were rushes then, as I recall. Anyway he started the engine and set the plane in the water, but I think he did not check the wind direction properly and, when released, the model banked on lift off and dipped a wing into the water, which ended that days proceedings. Ah well, sometimes you rode home elated and sometimes rode with broken parts. Hmm..sometimes with a box strapped to your back with nothing in it. Them's the breaks.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Sutton Park had it uses over the years, I flew model aeroplanes there but I've already mentioned that in this long thread. Two photos of Powells Pool here, one from 1945 and shows a POW/Army camp on the triangle of land towards the top of the image. The second image from 2013 shows no trace of the camp apart from the triangle of land but 68 years have passed. The sea scout's boat was there in 1945 just under the 'W' in the text and a boat still there in 2013 but has moved to the west.
Powells Pool 1945
Powells Pool 2013
Powells Pool 1945
Powells Pool 2013
Roy Blakey
master brummie
Just read your piece Rupert and it brought to mind an occasion when a few of us lads turned up to watch the Model Aircraft perform on the park area around the Powell's pool, Longmoor pool cross roads. It was at the time when propeller
model's were driven by wound up elastic ( hand held drills with turns carefully counted ).
It would have been I guess around 1946.
On this occasion one of the propeller models had been launched and it caught in a thermal or some such thing and it drifted away doing it's circles and it, as you describe it Rupert, just became a tiny spot in the sky heading towards Banners
Gate and beyond.
I've got a vague notion that this model had been named by its owner and was called " Peewit the Twelth" or something like
that.
I don't know whether the owner got to retrieve his model but I always hoped so because these ' model makers ' had obviously spent a lot of time and effort building these Balsa Wood planes.
model's were driven by wound up elastic ( hand held drills with turns carefully counted ).
It would have been I guess around 1946.
On this occasion one of the propeller models had been launched and it caught in a thermal or some such thing and it drifted away doing it's circles and it, as you describe it Rupert, just became a tiny spot in the sky heading towards Banners
Gate and beyond.
I've got a vague notion that this model had been named by its owner and was called " Peewit the Twelth" or something like
that.
I don't know whether the owner got to retrieve his model but I always hoped so because these ' model makers ' had obviously spent a lot of time and effort building these Balsa Wood planes.
I was watching some airplane models being flown, must have in the '60's, when this bloke pedalled up on his bicycle.
He then proceeded to get all the parts of his plane from within various bags on his bike, then assembled quite a large plane, engine driven, all set, go.
The plane did a super rather steep climb to a good height, then the engine stopped, the plane just turned on it's tail and nosedived into the ground smashing the plane into many pieces.
The fella just gathered up all the bits, stuffed them into his panniers and other bags and cycled off.
Never said a word.
Not even a swear word. Just silence.
I recon that spoilt his Sunday morning.
He then proceeded to get all the parts of his plane from within various bags on his bike, then assembled quite a large plane, engine driven, all set, go.
The plane did a super rather steep climb to a good height, then the engine stopped, the plane just turned on it's tail and nosedived into the ground smashing the plane into many pieces.
The fella just gathered up all the bits, stuffed them into his panniers and other bags and cycled off.
Never said a word.
Not even a swear word. Just silence.
I recon that spoilt his Sunday morning.
Stephen0002002
master brummie
Thx for the pic Phil - interesting how the boats moved or been replaced and moved over.
Do they still have the planes on aeropane hill ? .. they dont seem to be as loud as they used to be if they are.
Do they still have the planes on aeropane hill ? .. they dont seem to be as loud as they used to be if they are.
Stephen0002002
master brummie
Phil - 1945 pic -
on the right hand tip of the POW/camp triangle - theres a strip cleared in the trees - wonder what that is ? - looks a bit like a landing strip.
on the right hand tip of the POW/camp triangle - theres a strip cleared in the trees - wonder what that is ? - looks a bit like a landing strip.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Hi Stephen - There are two high resolution aerial oblique photos of Powells Pool in the britainfromabove collection which were taken on 12 July 1946. One shows a crowd around what appears to be a fire engine taking water from the pool. Also the POW camp can be clearly seen and also there seems to be a derelict building top left of the field. Unfortunately they have severe copyright restrictions so I cannot post even the low res image on a forum which requires 'sign in'. They do allow medium resolution pics to be downloaded into a personal computer but try hard to stop downloading of the high resolution image but this can be easily circumvented with the snipping tool. The only way to see the superb high resolution pics is to join the site which is free. I can put a link to the low res image and here it is.
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw001843?x=410471&y=295206&extent=1000&ref=0
It can be zoomed on but resolution is not good and if you do the 'right click save' on it you may only get part of the pic, so windows snipping is needed !
https://www.britainfromabove.org.uk/image/eaw001843?x=410471&y=295206&extent=1000&ref=0
It can be zoomed on but resolution is not good and if you do the 'right click save' on it you may only get part of the pic, so windows snipping is needed !
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
With regard to model aero flying in the park, I was walking there in 1999 and some 'oik' shouted at me to get off the runway. The pic below taken in 1999 shows a runway layout mown in the grass (Google spotted it) and in the bottom corner can be seen part of Longmoor Pool. The field shown is where I did most of my model flying. The reason the engines don't sound so loud, they use silencers and also many use electric motors with lithium batteries.
David Weaver
gone but not forgotten
Hey Dave my brother Harold dragged me down to Bracebridge in mid winter for a swim seventy years back. I had to break the ice before we could get into the water. Anyway I challenged him to a race to the water to jump in only I stopped at the edge and he didn't. I then turned and ran home as fast as my legs could carry me. It was the first time I've ever seen anyone turn an instant blue and real mad to go with it. When I telephone him on Sunday methinks a gentle reminder won't be amiss. Regards, and thanks for jogging old memories, David.
Stephen0002002
master brummie
Thx Phil, Thx Dave. Nice one David 
Stephen0002002
master brummie
I see the waterworks close to Banners were finished a few weeks ago.
I also note a few of the road speed humps have been taken up.
I also note a few of the road speed humps have been taken up.
John Hinks
New Member
Blackroot Pool looks so peaceful these days! Back in the 1950s we used to have an annual school trip (from Christ Church Primary School, West Bromwich) to Sutton Park. We piled onto two or three hired Corporation buses (three to a seat) and the main part of the trip was when we went to Blackroot for boat trips, ice-creams etc. It was almost like the seaside! We would eat our packed lunches on the grass if it was fine or in a sort of barn building by the pool if it was wet.
The trip ended with a visit to the fun-fair near the Town Gate, where we would enjoy a ride on the miniature railway and that wonderful old Victorian 'peacocks and dragons' roundabout with the organ playing. Happy days! Haven't been to Sutton Park for years, now I'm living near Leicester.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Some old and new photos of the Sutton Park Pools here .... https://www.sutton-coldfield.net/pools.html
Lovely scene Dave. Viv.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD