2.2 The Oldbury Loop and the Phosphorus trade

In this video Andy Tidy takes a look at the Oldbury Loop, a winding section of the original Birmingham Canal which was cut off by an early straightening exercise, and abandoned in the 1950's. He also looks at the Chemical Arm and the associated impacts of the Phosphorus industry including the disposal of the waste material in the lake at Rattlechain.

[@kenndo9906]

I use many of these paths most days and have learnt loads about the canal around where I now live in Tipton... Every video is an Eye opener... Rattlechain lagoon wow. Thank you.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you are enjoying the history of the local canals.

[@hitchannel7777]

An excellent. eye-opening video of the area I grew up. Thanks for all the hard work. Thoroughly enjoyed.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The lasting legacy of pollution in the area is a bit concerning.

[@Tinhare]

Really interesting series. Always been fascinated by the missing portions of canals and buildings. Your research and presentation are spot on and am looking forward to more episodes and hopefully series.

[@garyhinson3876]

Just binge watching these and finding them fascinating, thanks for making them , this one on the Oldbury loop, is of interest to me. Because me late farther started his working career at Edwin Dansk, and his involvement with the company, carried on all through his working life. He told me water from the canal was used when they came to hydraulically test boilers and pressure vessels, perhaps that’s why that small section of the canal still remains. He also said, that the shipment of plate steel into the works, from the railway yard on the opposite bank was facilitated by a crane that spanned over the canal and into the yard

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you are enjoying them. I run an associated blog which contains all the photos and the cross canal gantry you referred to can be seen in the aerial images towards the end of this post:captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.com/2020/05/oldbury-loop.html

[@garyhinson3876]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 thanks, i will have a look

[@LeeHadley]

Wow Rattlechain Lagon, how they ever got away with dumping like that, how they ever got planning permission for the residential build is beyond belief. As a keen carp fisherman and local lad I once went for a walk around to see if any access’s to fish it, like you said it’s so secure and after seeing this thank god it was. I wonder if the residence know what’s behind them, surely it must have flagged up on the conveyance search. I’ve spent hrs goi g thru you back catalogue and learnt so much, keep up the great work.

[@C...G...]

another brilliant video andy! I agree with the question you asked about how can they be allowed to build the housing estate so close to the toxic water with the eight foot high fencing topped with razor wire and the 24/7 cctv cameras....I also would not want to live near it either! looking forward to watching the next episode :-)

[@colinburton113]

Hi Andy, great videos just working my way through them. Years ago i worked for a transport co that had tankers taking waste from Albrights and Wilson to Rattlechain lagoon, the clay pit was originally owned by Samual Barnett, but on 9- 9- 1899 the Birmingham Canal New Mainline burst its banks and the clay pit was flooded to a depth of 300' in the 1940's Albright and Wilson started using it for waste disposal. Also when i was in my 20's i worked for Midland Earth Moving and worked with others tipping many tons of earth into Bradley locks, which i now feel guilty about.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It was a different world then - when the industrial canals apparently had no place in the future.

[@ChrisRamsbottom]

I grew up in that area and well remember the lorries taking the spent rocks to what we knew as Blue Billy. I remember the rocks falling from the lorries as they were all open! I also remember my school playground being enveloped by white clouds on a regular basis, coming from Albright and Wilsons which was less than 100 yards away. It's a wonder any of us survived!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I sometimes wonder that as well. Mine was rural North Norfolk but there were dangers galore on the farms and the river we swam in was foaming with agricultural run off!

[@djanil9733]

Amazing videos, great to see all this history of my local areas Langley and Oldbury. Please keep up the great and very informative work :)

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It really is a pleasure to make these short videos.

[@djanil9733]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 hi will you be doing any more videos of the Black Country area?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

@@djanil9733 I guess that depends on your definition if the Black Country! I am currently tracking down the lost routes around Bloxwich and heading towards Brownhills. I think this northern section will take the rest of the winter and I will have a look at the Dudley / Stourbridge area in a years time.

[@garrystacey7018]

Great and interesting video thanks for sharing 👍🏻looking forward to the next videos

[@paulgreen3221]

Great video - thanks - Rattlechain Lagoon is very worrying. Ironically, if there was ever a move to sort it, the cost would probably be more than all the profits ever made by Albright & Wilson in its history.

[@ChasingTenths]

This is wonderfully described I used to live on the Birmingham street Oldbury . Loved my time there . Love 🇬🇧

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@BoatingBiker]

Very interesting video. As a Les Allen narrowboat owner it was fascinating to see what remains of Valencia Wharf. I would have liked to see more of the history of the wharf and of the Allen's boatyard. Thanks !!

[@petercurrell9344]

I remember the prosperous boats the canal was a pale grey and you left a purple wake down the middle of canal the smell was interesting.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The fan of basins which comprised Valencia Wharf have been whittled away by degrees over the years. The history of the wharf would be interesting - I will keep my eyes open.

[@Eric-kp4pp]

I should have been working today but instead binged on this series. So interesting! Hope we see something on the W&E, Lichfield and Hatherton canals.

[@dudleyblokerave]

Another fantastic video. Oldbury is almost unrecognisable from how it was back in the day.

[@llessibm]

Found you by accident - glad I did, very informative and looking forward to seeing more

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you are enjoying them Martin.

[@northstar1950]

Albright &Wilson have a lot to answer for, and so do Sandwell Council for allowing those houses to be built so near to a very toxic jump. Probably a few palms were well lubricated somewhere?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I am amazed that they were built there.

[@petercurrell9344]

I remember the prosperous boats and canal was a pale grey colour and your wake was purple the smell was interesting.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It was filthy stuff!

[@petersimpson633]

Another excellent video. This is my neck of the woods, but still much was new for me, (and I'm quite keen on local history) many thanks for that. A useful resource is 'Britain from above' areial photos - 1920s onwards-shows much of what you've covered here, and in other videos too. Tip-you need to create login (free) to zoom in, if so the detail is fantastic

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

In some videos I have used Britain from Above extensively, particularly in areas where few ground level photos seem to exist. A great resource.

[@brynvjones6679]

First class

[@morturn]

My dad worked at Allen's yard in the 60's. It was a boat yard locked in time just like the one at the Black Country museum

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I wish I have been around to see that one.

[@morturn]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 It was an interesting place. I was happy spending hours there as a kid. The water in the one arm was always white, dad said from the chemical works.

[@andyward8336]

I've just brought a Burrow's pointer guide map of Willenhall and it has bentley canal with the locks marked .

[@chriso8485]

I'm pretty sure the picture you provided entitled "the site looked like this' is of a marl hole in Newbury Lane approx a mile away from where you were standing.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thats very likely - I seem to remember using an illustrative photo as I couldn't find one of the exact location.

[@chriso8485]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Great vid though!

[@petersimpson633]

Ha! I thought the same -'that's Pratts marl hole' I said to myself. It served New Century Brickworks, which had a cameo in the Titford Canal video.

[@rogermac358]

Another great video Andy. Makes one wonder at the thought process that would allow a housing development that close by a toxic waste site. Does the U.K.have anything similar to the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Superfund sites were extra efforts are made to clean up particularly bad chemical dumps?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I dont think so Roger. The UK's approach to most bad things is to "let sleeping dogs lie".

[@nickcaunt1769]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 We have the Environment Agency. But it is massively underfunded and toothless. Mostly it lets industry mark it's own homework.... Research Fracking and gold standard regulations if you like reading about myths.

[@ltrtg13]

About two or three weeks ago I applied for a job at the logistics company the other side of the fence next to the toxic pond. I'm beginning to think I'm glad I didn't get that job. On the other side of the canal and railway there is a lake called Balancing Lake. Do you know if it has anything to do with the toxic pond or just a coincidence?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

No connection apart that both were clay pits back in the day. Actually the balancing lake features in next weeks episode.

[@BoatingBiker]

Was / is Valencia Wharf between Whimsey Bridge and Seven Stars Bridge and, was this on what was known as the Bottom Road?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It was to the south of Whimsey Bridge.

[@dennisporter753]

Interesting story about the chemical works.. it's a shame that area in that pond is so contained it will never be safe in my opinion.. Around my area mining for coal.. lead and zinc had littered the landscape.. about 15 years ago the EPA started cleaning up the mess left behind.. glad to see all the progress. Miles and miles have been reclaimed.. many more to go as well.. pretty much a barren landscape.. But at least it is not as bad as open pits.. mine shafts.. and polluted streams.. I would say another 10 years it could be close to being done..

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The area has been transformed here as well. By co-incidence this week's Canal Hunter coverts the Oldbury Loop and Titford Area and the fly by included in the video captures the landscape as it was and as it now is.

[@stephaniewilson3955]

'Phossy jaw' was a horrible disease caused by handling phosphorous without precautions. The phosphorous literally rotted your jaw away.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I have seen some photos and it was indeed a truly horrible condition - and a bet no one got any compensation.

[@timc5768]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 ...but wasn't one of the first major UK industrial strikes (initiated by those that came to be known as 'The Matchstick Women) at Bryant and May, where Phossy Jaw was an occupational hazard and who were at least in part supplied by works (e.g.Albright and Wilson) involved in the pollution you feature ? Anyway, thanks for your efforts.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

@@timc5768 I didnt know that Tim- an interesting twist to the tale.

[@deputyheadboy1]

Phosphorus

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

You wouldn't believe how I struggle to spell that correctly!

[@deputyheadboy1]

As biochemist I could not let it go! Aside from that thanks for a fantastic and very informative historical series. Great job!