Long, Long ago. In 1954 I worked for Birmingham City Council
Refuse Department in Rotten Park Street, Edgbaston.
I had to weigh ever refuse vehicle as it came in with its load three times a day the Dustmen got a bonus based on the amount collected.
They would collect anything. I first came aware of pornography as magazines were thrust in front of me by some of the men as a reward for weighing them high, despite my dedicated accuracy, I had a live grenade handed to me, to show their anger,
Still I digress.
The real purpose of this bog is to show you how times have changed.
The refuse was tipped into a large brick built pit, with a conveyor belt as its bottom. The refuse was transported by the conveyor under a very big and powerful magnet, This drew off and separated the steel and magnetic items.
Men and women stood each side of the belt carrying the remaining refuse, they sorted individual tasks be it Alloy, Rags, Paper, Cloth etc.
The remainder went on into a furnace.
The heat from the furnace powered a generator that charged the lorries.
Ho, I forgot to mention the lorries were electric.
I also weighed the clinker & ash, which was sold for to Road surfacing companys.
Of course the steel Alloy, Cloth etc was sold.
The electrical engineers would repair items, which the men would buy on the QT.
So what happened the Council decided that all the lorries should be diesel or petrol.
The same council did away with trams that ran 90% on the central verge of the dual carriageway from Rubery and Rednal. Replaced by Buses.
This is the council which had the foresight in 1860 to realise that Birmingham would need a lot of water. They bought land in Wales and built dams to bring enough water to the city. 99 Miles and the fall is reputed to be only 1ft.
The government decreed that water should be publicly owned and took the ownership off Birmingham City. Perhaps they learnt then, that there was no point in being thoughtful or consider the future.
Refuse Department in Rotten Park Street, Edgbaston.
I had to weigh ever refuse vehicle as it came in with its load three times a day the Dustmen got a bonus based on the amount collected.
They would collect anything. I first came aware of pornography as magazines were thrust in front of me by some of the men as a reward for weighing them high, despite my dedicated accuracy, I had a live grenade handed to me, to show their anger,
Still I digress.
The real purpose of this bog is to show you how times have changed.
The refuse was tipped into a large brick built pit, with a conveyor belt as its bottom. The refuse was transported by the conveyor under a very big and powerful magnet, This drew off and separated the steel and magnetic items.
Men and women stood each side of the belt carrying the remaining refuse, they sorted individual tasks be it Alloy, Rags, Paper, Cloth etc.
The remainder went on into a furnace.
The heat from the furnace powered a generator that charged the lorries.
Ho, I forgot to mention the lorries were electric.
I also weighed the clinker & ash, which was sold for to Road surfacing companys.
Of course the steel Alloy, Cloth etc was sold.
The electrical engineers would repair items, which the men would buy on the QT.
So what happened the Council decided that all the lorries should be diesel or petrol.
The same council did away with trams that ran 90% on the central verge of the dual carriageway from Rubery and Rednal. Replaced by Buses.
This is the council which had the foresight in 1860 to realise that Birmingham would need a lot of water. They bought land in Wales and built dams to bring enough water to the city. 99 Miles and the fall is reputed to be only 1ft.
The government decreed that water should be publicly owned and took the ownership off Birmingham City. Perhaps they learnt then, that there was no point in being thoughtful or consider the future.
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