Black Country Museum

[clarion]

I do like those museums which display how we used to live. I've been to Beamish, Blists Hill and several others, but I think the best of them all is the Black Country Living Museum.  I've been about four times before, but my dad seemed keen to go again when we visited last week.  I saw there were a few 'new' buildings (all buildings are dismantled from somewhere in the BC and rebuilt onsite), including the Workers Institute, and so I felt it might be worth popping along for a bit.  We arrived before the doors opened, and left mid to late afternoon, tired, and knowing there was more to be seen.  I was a bit sad to see that the exhibition in the main building, which had had a number of bikes in it, was closed for reorganisation.  But there were plenty of delights, and I took loads and loads of photos.













Should you have a bit of time to spend, there's more here

[clarion]

This was an amazing exhibit:



Sorry about the odd, skewed photo, but the light was so awkward, it was the only angle I could get it.

It looks like a piece of lace, but, in fact, it is a pattern formed by short sections of drawn tube of a huge variety of sizes, shapes and thicknesses, intricately pieced together as an example of what Accles & Pollock were capable of producing.  Truly beautiful and an insight into real pride in engineering excellence.

[clarion]

In a similar vein, but less awe-inspiring, was this artistic display of nuts, bolts, machine- and set-screws etc in one of the shops:

[henshaw11]

Interesting piccies - haven't seen the word 'bostin' for a long time ! I last went there in the early 80's as a teenager, so I can't remember it that well anyway - I guess there must be quite a bit more to it now - we went to Beamish last year whilst on hols and thought that was pretty good.

I do remember - with someone else - legging a narrowboat along part of the tunnel, which tickled my mother since her father had spent most of his life on the narrowboats. (Not sure I'd want to try it nowadays with the state of my knees..)

I'll try to remember to mention it to my OH - we're both from Brum but don't have any real reason to go back there nowadays (except for the occasional Ozzy Osborne or, more recently, Black Sabbath gig !) but quite like going back once in a while.