Railings

Churchyard Railings


 
 © 2006 Clare R. Tongue

On June 2nd 2006 the railings of the Churchyard were 
badly damaged by a car in the early hours of the morning.
The railings were over one hundred and fifty years old and 
made of cast iron. To repair this historical asset has been a 
long and costly task involving various groups of people. 
Fortunately the whole cost was met by third party insurers.
From start to finish the process took 14 months to being to
completion.

*     *    *
 
The pattern making was done locally in Cradley and the 
casting and reinstatement work by the specialist restoration
foundry of Barr and Grosvenor of Jenner Street in 
Wolverhampton. The whole process was overseen by our
Architect Mr. Robert Tolley of the firm of S T Walker & 
Duckham of Worcester.

   John (Church Warden) inspecting the Patterns

Photograph of a wooden pattern

Patterns are made in wood and then used to
create the sand filled moulds.

Photograph of the making of a sand mould

Photograph of the making of a sand mould (3)

Making the moulds

Photograph of Church Wardens in discussion with Dominic Grosvenor

The three wise men - John & Colin (Church Wardens)
and Dominic Grosvenor of Barr & Grosvenor.

Photograph of molten metal being heated in the furnace

Molten iron is heated in an electric furnace and then
poured into crucibles.

Photograph of working testing the temperature of the metal

Checking the temperature of the metal

Photograph of the casting process

Photograph of the casting process (2)

The casting process

Photograph of the moulds cooling overnight

After casting the moulds are left to cool
overnight.

The castings are then fettled, painted and fitted together onsite.

Photograph of post and backstay in position on site Photograph of post in situ

The posts and backstays are inserted

Photograph of top and middle rail in position on site

the top, second and bottom rails are fitted

Photograph of uprights waiting to be installed

uprights ready to be fitted into the rails

Photograph of installation of uprights

the individual upright pieces are slotted through
the top and middle rails and into the bottom rail.

Photograph of molten lead in crucible

Lead is heated in a crucible and a ladle is
used to fill the joints

Photograph of leading the uprights

Photograph of leading the uprights (3)

Photograph of leading the uprights (5)

the lead is forced into the joints and the surplus material removed
to produce a flat finish for painting.

Picture of Steve undercoating a completed section Picture of before and after section

The painting in progress Steve completes the undercoat.

Photograph of a finished section of fencing

One section is completed

Photograph showing repairs to the brickwork

The final task is to make good the brickwork.

Picture of completed works Picture of completed works (2)

Picture of completed works (3) Picture of completed works (4)

The work is completed to a very high standard.

* * *

In an age when so many of our traditional skills have been exported
it is a real delight to be able to claim that the repairs, which are of a
superior quality to the original castings, were done in their entirety
in the 'Black Country'.