Bloomfield

Settlement in Staffordshire

England

Bloomfield

Black Country Living Museum - Red by Night, sparks are flying! A special after dark event to live up to the saying that the Black Country was black by day and red by night. Here the chain maker is striking the first blow to fire weld the newly made link shut.

This is an available light shot at ISO 6400 and is therefore less than perfect. However, it captures the drama of the moment.

In the foreground is a board to prompt the audience - ISSOTT. Indeed, it is hot! — Black Country Living Museum - Red by Night, sparks are flying! Credit: Chris Allen

Bloomfield is a small village located in the county of Staffordshire, England. Situated in the West Midlands region, it is part of the East Staffordshire district and lies approximately five miles northeast of the town of Burton upon Trent. The village is surrounded by picturesque countryside, with the River Trent flowing nearby, offering residents and visitors a tranquil and scenic environment.

Bloomfield has a rich history, with evidence of human settlement dating back to Roman times. Today, it is a close-knit community with a population of around 500 residents. The village retains its rural charm, characterized by its quaint cottages, leafy lanes, and a traditional village green.

Despite its relatively small size, Bloomfield offers a range of amenities for its residents. There is a local primary school, providing education for children in the area, and a village hall that serves as a hub for community activities and events. The village also has a charming local pub, where locals and visitors can enjoy a drink or a bite to eat.

For those seeking recreational opportunities, Bloomfield benefits from its proximity to the beautiful Staffordshire countryside. The area offers numerous walking and cycling routes, allowing residents to explore the natural beauty of the surrounding landscape.

Overall, Bloomfield is a peaceful and idyllic village that provides a serene setting for its residents. With its rich history, friendly community, and access to the stunning Staffordshire countryside, it is a wonderful place to live or visit.

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Bloomfield Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.536072/-2.072209 or Grid Reference SO9593. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Black Country Living Museum - Red by Night, sparks are flying!

A special after dark event to live up to the saying that the Black Country was black by day and red by night. Here the chain maker is striking the first blow to fire weld the newly made link shut. This is an available light shot at ISO 6400 and is therefore less than perfect. However, it captures the drama of the moment. In the foreground is a board to prompt the audience - ISSOTT. Indeed, it is hot!

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - Racecourse Colliery in steam at night

A special night time event - Red at Night - with the colliery plant in steam. It was properly dark with the colliery tub and head gear floodlit. The quality is not great as it was hand held at ISO 6400. Nonetheless, I felt it was worth submitting it for sheer atmosphere.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - Red by Night, sparks are flying!

This is the anchor forge seen after dark for a special event celebrating the saying about the Black Country - black by day and red by night. The steam hammer has just struck the workpiece and slag and sparks are flying off. The hammer (or 'ommer) driver is on the left. This was a very atmospheric event. Apparently the weekend uses 1000 litres of oil and is only held twice a year or so. This day was the first time I had seen the hammer run (both in daylight and after dark). There are very few places in the UK where you can see a steam hammer running on steam. There are still thought to be a few in industry that use compressed air (the visuals are very much the same).

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - Red by Night, the anchor forge

This was a special night time event - Red by Night - and the steam hammer was being demonstrated. This is an expensive business and only happens about two weekends a year. It is apparently next due to happen in May 2022.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - mind your toes

A demonstration of the steam hammer at the anchor forge. This gentleman has just pulled this yellow hot cube of metal out of the furnace and it has landed at his feet. The next move is to pick it up with tongs and literally throw it across the floor to the next operative who picks it up with tongs and places it on the steam hammer's anvil.

Chris Allen

A steam hammer in the Black Country

A once common sight and in monochrome this has a timelessness. It was actually 2021 at the Black Country Living Museum and the anchor forge was being demonstrated in steam. This event only happens about two weekends a year and this was the first time I had seen this in steam. They were only rather gently bashing hot cubes of metal, knocking them out of shape and then squaring them up again. Still, it gives a flavour of the real thing and very few people have now seen forging with this sort of hammer (I am lucky enough to have seen this done for real).

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - metal bashing

A demonstration of the Charles Ross steam hammer (approximately 1 ton) at the anchor forge. This was done both in daylight and for a special event after dark. This only happens about two weekends a year and this was the first time I had seen it.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - new boiler

The museum has a full size replica of the 1712 atmospheric engine of Thomas Newcomen. This has been out of use for some time while a new boiler is being fitted. This was a special behind the scenes visit to see the new boiler that is now well advanced. It is a steel haystack type boiler in a brick setting with wheel draught. The cylinder is above and connected via a flexible expansion joint. The top will be covered with lead sheeting to simulate the original boiler that was a mixture of copper and lead. The engine should be operational again in 2022.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - steam air compressor

By the reconstructed racecourse colliery. This used to be covered by a tarpaulin but is now exposed and is pretty much what I thought it was. It is a return connecting rod steam engine with the compressing cylinder in tandem. The slide valve is on top of the steam cylinder. It was built by W Neill & Son of St Helens, Lancashire.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - Racecourse Colliery boiler house

A vertical boiler by the Cradley Boiler Company of Cradley Heath. This was in steam. On the left is a duplex non-rotative steam feed pump, one of two in the boiler house.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - Wanted, pit bank wenches

Not a sign you would see in the 21st century.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - blowdown receiver

The replica of Newcomen's 1712 engine has had a new boiler fitted and as part of the project this new buried blowdown receiver and atmospheric vent pipe have been fitted to one side of the engine house.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - replica Newcomen engine

This is the newly installed welded steel haystack boiler for the replica of Newcomen's 1712 atmospheric engine. The lower opening is the firehole door. The square opening above in the new brick setting gives access for sweeping out the soot. The previous boiler did not have this and wet soot had helped corrode the boiler. The tap and pipe on the right are for blowing down and there is a new blowdown receiver outside. The two gauge glasses comply with modern legislation but are not in keeping with a 1712 haystack boiler. This side of the boiler is not usually visible to the public. This was a special guided tour to see the progress with the installation of the new boiler.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - new visitor centre

Work in progress on the new entrance and visitor centre. it is one part of a £29 million development of the site that includes areas representing the period from 1940 to 1968. It was a murky Friday morning.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - the boat yard

Kildare is a butty - an unpowered narrow boat that is towed by a powered narrow boat.

Chris Allen

After the style of Joseph Wright of Derby

OK, perhaps I am being a bit fanciful but this image struck me as reminiscent of the paintings from the English Enlightenment period by Joseph Wright. The Black Country Living Museum's after dark event - Red by Night. The chainmaker is using the Tommy hammer to finish off his newly wrought chain link. The card in front is to prompt the audience and states ISSOTT and, indeed, it is hot. Shot using available light, hand held at ISO 6400. Therefore not the highest quality but I love the atmosphere.

Chris Allen

Black Country Living Museum - steam engine

This is an inverted vertical single cylinder steam engine with slide valve, bent crank, two bar crosshead guides and a Pickering governor. On the frame is the cast name Tangye and on the valve chest cover is Tangyes. No wonder I'm confused. The Company was initially Tangye Brothers but became the private limited liability company of Tangyes Limited in 1881. I have a company history and a catalogue and both are in the style of Tangyes Limited.

Chris Allen