Wednesday 20 April 2016

Dudley & Dowell 'collectable'



'Dudley & Dowell Ltd /Cradley Heath /Staffs' - so proudly reads this metal drain cover, which I saw near Norbury Junction.
It's the sort of thing one never notices - but the distinctive smell of sitting & stagnant water emanating from it, erm... alerted me to its presence.

Of course the town of Cradley Heath was 'moved' from Staffordshire into West Midlands County in a local government reorganisation nearly forty years ago, so it shows you how old this drain is - and how long these metal creations last!
In days gone by, the Black Country, of which Cradley Heath was part, really did have a reputation for iron work, so the address would have carried something of that reputation to the casual passer-by.

Believe it or not, old manhole covers by Dudley & Dowell are collectors' items.
Don't know about drain covers though. Hmm.

This post was featured on the City Daily Photo Monthly Theme Day.

8 comments:

  1. I would not go so far as to collect the actual item, but I do have a bulging folder on my hard-drive of this sort of grating from all over Sydney. Love 'em.

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  2. Good one for the theme - I would have never thought of this!

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  3. Yes, these areas have some rather pungent odors. Ours, too, are very strong and raccoons love crawling down into them. Ugh!

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  4. The smell vanishes in thin air. Good entry!

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  5. It has to smell horrible. Good choice.

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