The Classic Machinery Network

It's hard to believe that once upon a time Dudley was actually underwater, at the bottom of an ocean to be more precise.
The geology of the town is such that the main hill on which the castle is situated has a vein of limestone rock running through it, now the then Earl of Dudley mined this limestome and canal tunnels were built that ran into the hill to transport the material away.

Today some of these tunnels still exist and a couple form part of what is now called "The Black Country Museum" which is well worth a visit if you happen to be in this area.

Some time in the mid-eighties me and some friends wondered down a couple of the old caves before they were filled in, sadly once again a major regret of mine was in failing to take any pictures
What I did learn from one of my friends was that the area is very fossil rich and simply by breaking a couple of rocks revealed fossilized sea shells of which I have posted pictures below, these shells being found by myself.
Now the last picture shows another fossil which is nicknamed "The Dudley Bug" because it is quite common in the area and this one was uncovered by a lady friend of mine. The fossil is called a Trilobite and all that is left of this one is the head, the two "U" shaped things atop are its eyes which are multifaceted similar to the eyes of a common housefly.

Jeremy

Right then first some pictures that come courtesy of Ms Rose Yates my archeological expert who has dug up her fair share of fossils around the Dudley area including the trilobite in the last picture. The eye pictures are of Trilobite Dalmonites Myops

Jeremy

Those things are cool! I love fossil hunting when im by the coast! I spent many a happy hour on charmouth beach in dorset looking for fossils and amanites! haha I want to go and find fossils now, but ive got to work tomorrow..... haha

Oops the third picture is actually an articulated crinoid (sounds like something you'd expect to find on an episode of Dr Who!), or to give the correct title; Climatocrinus Retiarius Crinoid.

Well this fine Sunday afternoon was spent going round Dudley zoo and castle with said lady friend, plus other lady friend, plus lots of kids, plus lots of noise but a good time was had by all.
Now to the more interesting bit my friend Rose was quick to discover fossils around the castle and more astonishingly for me anyway you could actually see them in the stone work that the castle walls were made up from, she is convinced that the fossil in the first three pictures is a Cephalopod
The other pictures show fossilized coral and shells in the castle stone work Its truly amazing of the things that you sometimes just walk past and don't notice

Jeremy

Well I had a bit of a different bank holiday Monday; I met up with a lady friend of mine to do some foraging for fruit and after a large bag of plums, a container of brambles and a carrier bag of cherry plums we ended up looking for fossils.

Just a few pics of what I managed to pick up!

Jeremy