IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Southbourne Avenue, WALSALL, WS2 9UG

Part of the extensive Alumwell Estate in west Walsall.

A George VI postbox, number WS2 326, on Alumwell Road, just north of the hospital entrance.

Hospitals require oxygen and it is stored as a cryogenic liquid in large tanks and passed through evaporators before passing to the wards. Ice can be seen on the first part of the piping leaving the tank.

The van is parked in the mortuary entrance where bodies are received. The wooden fencing surrounds two modular external body stores that were installed to address capacity issues. The part of the building to the left houses the histopathology department but that is due to move to a new large facility at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. I worked in that department from 1994 to 2005 and a merger with New Cross was discussed more than once but it has taken until 2020 to become a reality.

The view of the mixed 11 to 18 comprehensive school near M6 Motorway at Junction 10 Walsall.

A brand new educational establishment, which opened in Sept 2012, to replace the nearby Alumwell College. It caters for Year 7 to 6th Form students.

This is the hospital's department of histopathology (cellular pathology) and includes a Coroner's court and the adjoining mortuary. I worked in this building from 1994 to 2005 but it is soon to be moving to a new large facility at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton. The wooden fence on the right encloses an external body store for the mortuary. This addressed the winter capacity issue that had seen bodies stored in a refrigerated lorry trailer in the estates yard. By 2005 when I left it was realised this was no longer acceptable and money was spent to provide a more dignified solution. This is a common problem and other hospitals are also seeking solutions.

Part of the extensive 1960s/1970s housing development to the west of Walsall.

A rear-view of part of the Walsall Manor General Hospital.