Joy as iconic black horse restored to former glory after volunteers save her from scrap
One of the iconic black steel horses which line the railway from Wolverhampton to Birmingham has been returned to its rightful place.
A group of volunteers saved "Rosie" after she was flattened, hacked apart by metal thieves and buried. The group from Bayer Street Allotments have spent five years restoring their beloved black beauty, dedicating their own time, skill and money to the endeavour.
Originally they wanted her back at Coseley railway station for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee but intense horse trading and negotiations with rail companies delayed the process. However, both Network Rail and West Midlands Railway backed the project which meant she could be installed on Platform One of the station, around 500 metres from where she originally was.
Nat Partridge told the Express & Star: "She looks magnificent, all our hard work has been worth it.
"She was destined for the scrapyard when we found her but we are so glad we decided to save her. So many people have helped us, I don't think we would have done it without the £15,000 donation from the rail company."
She added: "Rosie looks wonderful now, and being on platform one everyone will be able to see her in all her glory.
"We wanted her in place for the Queen's Jubilee but instead we have got her in place in time for the King's Coronation."
Nat, Dave Williams with Ron and Marie Wedgebury restored Rosie but also enlisted the help of local tradesmen to carry out specialist metal work.
"Steve Rammel at AS Mechanics mended her two legs, which was brilliant, he did all his work for free because it was a community project. Rosie has really brought people together."
In 1987 artist Kevin Atherton installed the 12 iron horses creating "the longest sculpture in the world" which lauded the region's proud industrial heritage.
The £10,000 sculpture was commissioned by British Rail, the former West Midlands County Council and West Midlands Arts.
However, over the years some of the horses have succumbed to vandals, the elements and metal thieves prompting former Cradley Heath Councillor John Tipper to complain some looked like "scabby osses" last year.
Mr Tipper, who is standing for Labour in Cradley Heath in next week's elections, is delighted with Rosie's return.
He said: "This is a wonderful example of what can be achieved when a community cares enough to get something done. What Nat and her friends have done really restores your faith in human nature.
"Having Rosie back in Coseley shows the civic pride of the people in the area, now, hopefully this will lead to some of the other horses on the line being restored to their former glory too."
"They have seen better days. The Smethwick Rolfe Street horse and it has been daubed in graffiti and its paint is sadly peeling."
He added: "However, every passenger passing through Coseley Railway Station will see resplendent Rosie."
