April 21st – I came back through Walsall Wood as I had to make a call, and noted that the new leisure centre at Oak Park was nearing completion. Due to the size and location, it’s been really hard to get decent pictures of, but it looks like it’s going to be a great place and a worthy successor to the raging centre currently here.
I note huge amounts of earth are being moved around the site at the moment to regrade an re-landscape it.
I look forward to seeing the finished project.
January 19th – In Darlaston’s Kings Hill, the former Servis domestic appliance factory site is soon to be transformed into housing. Once employing thousands, this ground was cleared after the company went bankrupt and lofty promises of new retail and leisure developments were made. But permission was granted for houses, which in fairness, we do need.
A few months ago, surveyors marks appeared on the nearby pavements and roads; then ground inspection bores were made. Now the heavy plant and high vis are arriving, ready to move rubble and earth and create a new neighbourhood.
Soon, you’ll never know Servis were ever here.
October 13th – Passing through Kings Hill, Darlaston today I noted activity on the site of the old Servis washing machine factory. This site – derelict for years, and once posited as the site of a new retail and leisure park by a prominent, diminutive Walsall Councillor – last year had a new housing estate approved for it. Like the Exidoor factory nearby, industry is being replaced in this area by houses.
I’m sure they’ll be nice, but it’s hard not to lament the loss of jobs and occupation.
Still, the drilling rigs are on site, and a surveyor has clearly been very thorough in marking out the subterranean hazards that lie beneath, judging by the spray-paint hieroglyphics all over the paths and road nearby.
August 11th – This is something I knew about, but had never seen in use. It’s a bit geeky, but I find it a fascinating demonstration of simple solutions being best.
As New Street Station is gradually turd-polished and sprinkled with cheap glitter, platforms are periodically closed to the public. At the moment it’s the turn of platform 3.
When the platform is closed, so is the adjacent track so that work can be undertaken in safety. The track is blocked, the overhead wires are grounded and these detonators are placed on the line.
Should a train get down here, the yellow disc, which contains a small but effective explosive charge, will be crushed by the wheels, activating the explosive. This makes a sound like a gunshot, alerting nearby workers and the driver.
This technology has been in use for decades, but I didn’t know it was still employed today.
March 31st – I hopped on the canal to check out if the swans were nesting yet at the new pool at Clayhanger, but I couldn’t get a close enough look properly. As I pressed on homewards to Brownhills, I noticed that the land where the Bayley House towerblock used to stand near Catshill Junction is being prepared for the newbuild development planned there, with plant clearly operating and equipment arriving.
This land has been idle for a decade this May. It’s good to see it come back into use.
May 27th – I noted at Chasewater today, work was ongoing on the new Wakeboard line installation there. Towers have been constructed on land, and look set to be erected soon in the water. The pier has had all of it’s handrails removed, and the steps cropped off. Engineers were also working on a floating pontoon.
I’m really interested in this, and am keen to see how it progresses.
May 17th – Interesting to note that the Wakeboarding company who applied to build facilities at Chasewater have wasted no time in getting starred on building their equipment.
Presumably, these concrete bases with tethering points will be anchor weights for the lakebed.
It’ll be interesting to see how this all works out. Looking forward to seeing the pier brought back into use, at least.
September 16th – Silver Waters (oh lord, that’s a preposterous name) is coming on apace. Most of the foundations have now been laid, and a show home has positively sprung up on the patch of wasteland off Silver Street, Brownhills. Fortunately, the doom-mongers predictions about the diggers finding the remains of the swine disease/foot and mouth cull from Swingbridge Farm in the 1960s have been unfounded (not surprising, really, as the pits for that were dug adjacent to the farm and are now lying beneath public open space).
I must say, those are massive drains, there. They seem a bit excessive for a relatively small number of dwellings. Wonder what the reason for that is?
July 29th – I note that the former Superalloys site in Brownhills is now undergoing construction work to build expansion premises for Castings PLC. This is welcome news for Brownhills, as this is the last major manufacturer in the area. I can’t help wondering, though, that as the site of an old chemical works (hence the local name ‘The Chemical’) and then a scrapyard, what must lie beneath the soil. This land has been vacant for three decades, and it’s good to see it brought into use. Lets hope the construction crews are paying attention while they’re digging.
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