This photo shews a Watt engine being dismantled after120 years service for The Birmingham Canal navigation at Smethwick. Erected in 1777 and removed in 1898 it had a 32"
cylinder x 8' stroke.

🔗Personal-Album-1228-Image-35252[linkphoto]Personal-Album-1228-Image-35252[/linkphoto][/link]

[tweak]image link fixed - must copy and paste the opening [ square bracket[/tweak]

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I believe that was the one I saw preserved at the old Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry when it was at it's old canalside site. I assume it went to the new 'touchy feely' site at Millennium Point (yuck) but I haven't been since I have no great desire to experience an interactive journey through the human body (or some such).
I feel a "Bah Humbug" moment coming on!

Edit
On reflection I may be mistaken. I seem to remember the the museum engine had the Watt patent parallel gears.

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According to my records this engine was moved to a place called Ocker Hill near Wednesbury. Whether this is a mine or another canal I don't know

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I believe that was the one I saw preserved at the old Birmingham Museum of Science and Industry when it was at it's old canalside site. I assume it went to the new 'touchy feely' site at Millennium Point (yuck) but I haven't been since I have no great desire to experience an interactive journey through the human body (or some such).
I feel a "Bah Humbug" moment coming on!

Did they move the City of Birmingham loco too or was scrapped? :curse:

Any use?
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/stationarysteam/ockerhill.htm 

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According to my records this engine was moved to a place called Ocker Hill near Wednesbury. Whether this is a mine or another canal I don't know

Ocker Hill was a colliery I believe, also still some remains of a coal power station beside the canal.

Also a new gas power station there (turbine).

According to Wiki it also had a water pumping station.

"A landmark water pumping station, one of the first of its kind, was opened at Ocker Hill in 1784 to re-circulate water from the nearby Walsall Canal. The Ocker Hill Tunnel Branch brought water to the pumps through a tunnel. It was then pumped up the the Ocker Hill Branch of the Birmingham Canal (the Wednesbury Oak Loop). It was in use for 164 years, finally closing in 1948. However, it was not demolished until 1960, when the site was cleared for the development of Bolton Court, a development of two multi-storey tower blocks as well as two maisonette blocks."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocker_Hill 

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According to my records this engine was moved to a place called Ocker Hill near Wednesbury. Whether this is a mine or another canal I don't know

Ocker Hill was a colliery I believe, also still some remains of a coal power station beside the canal.

Also a new gas power station there (turbine).

I used to ride my bike on the canal towpath past Ocker Hill power station (Border of Wednesbury/Tipton then Staffs, now W.Mids). The mine had long since gone. The whole power station has been demolished, I believe since the late 60's.As Carnkie's link shows my memory was correct (but I assume the engine received a new beam since at least one end seems to show a parallel linkage.
In answer to Toadstone, no City of Birmingham is safe. I recall a news item detailing her journey across Birmingham (alas on a low loader 😞 ). I believe it has it's own gallery at 'Thinktank' . It is a tragedy that she will never steam again, let alone pull a train of coaches.

Edit My memory is clearly not faultless. Late 60's should read early 60's. Odd that, in 1960 I was 8 years old and Ocker Hill is over 5 miles from my parent's home. Can you imagine an 8 year old being allowed a trip like that today on his own ? That's why I assumed I was older since I clearly remember the cooling towers being demolished. (I also recall seeing coke being roasted at Black Lake gas works from the opposite bank of the Ridgeacre canal, but that is for another time.

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That's interesting, I think my last post was an error (age thingy), the power stations I remember are in Nechells. 😞