North of the Dudley Port Trough we have 7 principal faults all running nearly east and west, and all having a downthrow to the south. These are (see Horizontal Sections. Sheet 23. No. 1)—
1. The Tipton and Hilltop fault.—This has a branch running from Tipton to the south-west, and throwing down 54 feet to the northwest; but its main line at 'Tipton Green throws down 45 feet to the south, and thence it runs about east-by-north to Hilltop, having a maximum throw of 150 feet to the south near the Eagle furnace, whence it diminishes in amount towards West Bromwich old church to 20 feet and less.
2. The Bald's Hill fault, which, just north of Mr. Davis's Crook Hay furnaces near Hateley Heath, has a downthrow to the south of 420 feet. This fault runs cast as far as Stone Cross, beyond which its course has never been proved.[1] To the west of Bald's Hill this fault splits into two branches, the southern of which runs through Gold's Green with a downthrow to the south of 96 feet; the other runs through Hocker Hill, its downthrow diminishing from 120 to 90, and finally to 25 feet, as it runs west.
3. The Coseley and Wednesbury fault, which in its central part has a downthrow to the south varying from 150 to 210 feet. To the westward it splits into two, each having a downthrow of 45 and 66 feet respectively, and then diminishing to nothing. On the south side of the town ot Wednesbury its throw is 90 or 105 feet, whence it runs towards Crank Hall, and probably dies out.
4. The Lanesfield fault, which has a downthrow to the south of 180 or 210 feet, near Hallfield, diminishing in each direction, and finally dying out. Towards the west this fault splits into two well marked branches, which have a throw at first of 105 and 66 feet respectively, the southern branch diminishing very regularly from 105 to 30 and 20 feet, the northern being cut off by one of those faults mentioned before as being very numerous and complicated in the corner of the coal-field north of the Sedgley ridge, and marking the prolongation of the disturbing power which produced the anticlinal.
5. The King's Hill fault is a very slight one, having a throw of not more than 20 to 25 feet to the south.
6. The Darlaston fault has just east of Darlaston a downthrow to the south of 66 feet. It is not known cast of that, but it may possibly run along the north side of Delve's Green, where the Coal-measures stretch eastwards over the Silurian shale. 'To the west it splits half a mile from Darlaston, its branches diminishing to 27 and 9 feet respectively, and shortly disappearing.
7. The Moat fault mentioned before as running south of Walsall. It has a downthrow to the south of 120 feet just south of the Moat, but nothing more is known respecting it.
Mr. George, of Bentley, has lately pointed out to me another fault a little south of the Moat fault, running parallel to it, and likewise having a downthrow to the south.
Several other small faults may also be seen marked on the map, not worth a more detailed description.
Outcrop of the Thick coal.—It will be worth while briefly to follow the outcrop of the Thick coal over the district thus broken by faults.
- ↑ The country here is very much covered by drift. Mr. Yardley, of Tipton Moat, informed me that at Mr. Bagnall's Moorland colliery, near Hateley Heath, it was at one pit 165 feet to the top of the Thick coal, over which there were only 51 feet of "rock binds," &c, for a roof; all the rest, or 114 feet, being drift sand and gravel,
