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The Titanic Anchor Returns! Dudley & Netherton
As some of you might have already been aware, the anchor for the Titanic was made
in Netherton near Dudley, by local firm Hingley's. It was transported from it's factory
to Dudley Train Station in May 1911, from where it travelled onto the ill-fated ship.
That original journey from Netherton to Dudley was made by a wagon train of 20 horses,
towing the anchor.
Today (Sunday), almost 100 years later... A replica anchor weighing just short of 16 tonnes, made the
reverse trip from near the site of Dudley Train station, back to Netherton, by the same means!
The anchor will spend several days at Netherton before being transported to The Black Country Museum.
It will stay at the Museum for around a year, by which time, a permanent structure
for it's display will have been built in Netherton.
A fantastic day for local heritage.... Obviously tinged with sadness of what happned to the Titanic...
Here's some pics, and a couple of the original journey
( lol, not all went to plan though, as you'll see )
Also, the event was filmed by Channel-4, as part of a 4 part series entitled "We Built Titanic"
It's due to be screened this Autumn, and looks like it'll be a "must see".
A couple of links, and of cousre if you do a general search on "Titanic" or "We Built Titanic" you'll find
lots more info... "Dudley Archives" also hold more pics of the original journey in their database.
BBC News - Belfast loses replica Titanic anchor bid to Dudley
The British Inventors Society - we built Titanic
May 1911, all ready for the off...
August 2010, hooking up the 20 shire horses
The Titanic Anchor on it's way through Netherton in 1911
A few last minute adjustments
...And we're ready to roll!
Every vantage point is taken in anticipation
There's much shouting and applause as the horses finally get to work
Off they go at a terrific pace... but stop half-way up the hill
No-one seems too concerned, and they're soon on their way again
They make it over the brow of the hill, before there's an almightly clang.
Either the horses slowed down or the tractor following behind went too fast.
The result was slack in the chain from the tractor to the trailer, and when
the slack was taken up, it jolted the trailer so much, that the anchor was
feared to have slipped.
After a long delay, it was decided that the safest option was to un-hook the
horses, and use the tractor, as the next part of the journey was a steep descent
On it's way down the hill, with St.Thomas & St.Luke's church in the background
Around the island she goes
Quick everyone... Follow that anchor!
Making it's way into Netherton Town, where the anchor caught up with the horses
Being lifted off it's trailer, whilst the Channel 4 crew get to work
Down she comes, slowly but surely
Finally in it's temporary home
The TV Presenters, whose project this was, can finally relax and smile
So, what they did a hundred years ago, we couldn't quite manage today,
but the Titanic Anchor finally returned home, even if the horse-power did
happen to come from a tractor!
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Interesting stuff fisha.
impressive when you think how it was done back in the day & with all tackle available now things don't go smoothly 
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