Author Archives: swanny

It’s been a slow news week at Rattlechain lagoon and a slow work week at that. The problem is that the site is suffering from piles. Piles of pipework on the south embankment. Piles of wood chips and earth Piles … Continue reading →

  Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light.     Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because … Continue reading →

Today saw the packing up of several familiar “new” landmarks at Rattlechain lagoon. The yellow Klaar container was on the back of a truck by dinnertime. I arrived just in time to see Willemena being hoisted onto the back of … Continue reading →

A unique opportunity exists in the heart of the Oldbury conurbation. Set in a substantial 14.25 acres, “The Rattlechain Mere” area briefly comprises  stylishly presented outbuildings, a modern kitchen facility area- perfect for a smok and a pancake, two storey office space , spacious … Continue reading →

Thank goodness the Heyrmans survived the sixth hour of the sixth day of the sixth month of the year thirteen. The only sacrifices were the trees as Napoleon and Bonaparte set about inserting them into the newy imported chipper. Wee … Continue reading →

Another week and plodding progress around the smaller lagoon, that back in the day used to be refered to as “the clean side” lagoon- what a joke that one was to prove. Monday afternoon revealed Napoleon to be perched on … Continue reading →

 Former Agriculture minister Jack Cunningham, (Baron Cunningham of Felling)was a former paid industrial policy adviser for many years to Albright and Wilson and had in his constituency their polluting Whitehaven factory, now dismantled. His advice must have been extremely poor … Continue reading →

It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s not got to do it. The former pipe pontoons have been disapperaing out of view, but where are they going I wonder? At the “Exhibition” in January- (see post 1) it was intimated to … Continue reading →

    New life! This week appears to be the main hatching week for many wildfowl, particularly swans. The prolonged cold snap dosen’t appear to have affected many sitting birds’ nests as some had feared, and there are some evidently large … Continue reading →

    The Birmingham New Mainline canal between Birmingham and Wolverhampton was built for business. Designed by Thomas Telford, by 1838 the New Main Line was complete: 22⅝ miles of slow canal reduced to 15⅝; between Birmingham and Tipton, a … Continue reading →