Over the last few weeks, there has been some splendid work done by the Friends of Sandfields Pumping Station, for which I thank you all.

I believe that we have examined and exhausted most of the options available to us, and have to accept that we have to wait until the Heritage Assessment is published; trying to do otherwise will only result in an automatic response by either Persimmon or LDC that this is in deed the milestone task.

Therefore I do not see any value in holding full meeting of the Friends of Sandfields Pumping Station until the Heritage Assessment is published and we have a copy to work with.

The steering group will continue to have meeting each month, and if anyone has any thoughts or comments, or would just like to be a part of these meetings, they are welcome to join us.
This month, the steering group will meet on the Friday 29 November @ 7:30pm at Curborough Community Centre, Reynolds Close, Lichfield, WS13 7NY. Tel: 01543 417149.

As part of a new partnership between the Industrial Heritage Support Officer (IHSO) and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (one of the UK’s leading professional engineering institutions), a joint event is taking place on 26 November, 6.15 pm – 9.00 pm, at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust (Covered Bays, adjacent to Enginuity Museum, Coalbrookdale). Brian Salisbury and I will attend this meeting and report back.

I have also been contacted by English Heritage following an application I made to have the Grade II listed status of the building amended to be more inclusive of the Cornish Engine. English Heritage seem to be taking this amendment quite seriously; I will update the group when I know more.

Thank you all again for your valuable support