Rail Rover Week was a notable absentee from my 2009 exploration collection, with circumstances and the weather depriving me of my annual tour of the Heart of England railway network. I am therefore delighted that Rail Rover last week reclaimed its rightful place in my 2010 calendar as I enjoyed a fascinating few days out and about, bookended by a couple more memorable adventures - here's what I got up to...
Sunday 25th April: a prelude to Rail Rover came in the form of a Metro Pubs Medley with Nick and Stephen. Using the Good Pubs by Metro leaflet as our guide, we ventured out on the tram to sample the delights of Hockley, Carters Green and Wednesbury. Pub of the day was the Black Eagle, which delivered its customary excellent service and homely atmosphere. We then called in on the Vine on Roebuck Lane and the Wheatsheaf at Carters Green before enduring the dubious charms of Wednesbury, where most of the pubs seemed to be either closed on a Sunday afternoon or closed completely. We did find the Rose Hill Tavern for a swift half, and were quite glad to escape the town for the comfort of the Olde White Rose at Bilston, a nice way to finish.
Monday 26th April: Day one of Rail Rover proper, and I'm going all Welsh with a visit to Wrexham. The town has two railway stations (General and Central), both of which prove useful photo locations, and I also enjoy a wander around the marketplace. Lunchtime finds me in Ruabon, a place I never really liked much first time out but is now growing on me - a bonus shot of the Bryn Melyn Llangollen bus certainly helped the cause there. I finish in Chirk with a return visit to the canal tunnel and aqueduct (I'm still not brave enough to walk across), then eat a Mars ice cream outside the Cadbury factory - what a traitor!!
Tuesday 27th April: Tradition dictates that Tuesday is Shropshire day and 2010 is no exception. Ludlow is my morning target, exploring the town walls and savouring the slower pace of life. I decamp to Church Stretton in the afternoon, where I bother the Minsterley Motors buses on the 435 route. Some glorious sunshine tempts me to walk down to Little Stretton where I reward myself with a pint in the Green Dragon, Woods' Parish Bitter for a Shropshire ale in a proper Shropshire village local, perfect!
Wednesday 28th April: I had intended to head across to Ledbury and Colwall for a taste of Herefordshire, but I missed that train and ended up in Lichfield instead. Its always a pleasure to visit the city of the three spires, with the cathedral itself and Beacon Park proving especially beguiling. The same cannot be said of Lichfield Trent Valley, an ugly dump of a station where the main building is a glorified shed and there's a hideous platform sign feature that appears to have been put together out of paving slabs! Warwickshire creeps in with a visit to Atherstone, admiring the market square whilst getting to grips with the bus station, train station (unstaffed halt with the old station house now used as a vets) and Atherstone Locks on the Coventry Canal. An honourable mention should go to the Olde Swan pub, a fascinating half timbered setting for a welcome pint of Banks's Mild.
Thursday 29th April: More Warwickshire escapades, starting with a fascinating mid-morning roam around Henley in Arden. The station here has faded charm - a nice footbridge but the main building is boarded up when it could be a delighful old-fashioned stop - whilst the High Street is an absolute gem, bursting with character and interest. From here its over to Hatton for a walk down the locks on the Grand Union Canal. Unfortunately it starts raining, so I dive into the Locks Cafe and console myself with a homemade caramel shortbread cake, a real treat.
Friday 30th April: The closing gambit for Rail Rover 2010 finds me in the Potteries where I flirt with Fenton. I initially find the area quite depressing (as most old industrial areas are), but I then found a historic little quarter featuring the library, magistrates court and war memorial, all of which conveyed an impressive sense of civic pride. The canal content this time involves a loop around Kidsgrove, sampling the Macclesfield and the Trent & Mersey for photos of Harecastle Tunnels, Hardings Wood Junction and the Red Bull pub and aqueduct.
Saturday 1st May: The rover might be over for another year, but the outings continue unabated as I join Andy and Woody for a day in Shropshire. The D9 driving demonstrations are again to the fore as an 892/X5 combination conveys us to Shrewsbury - the steering wheel (a.k.a. the pizza) seems to get bigger with every trip, and the gearstick closer to Mr Wood's ribcage. I think Woody's alter ego as a 1970's Stourbridge bus driver has a lot to answer for! After a ride on the 70, we recover in Oswestry having eventually got served in the Wilfred Owen Wetherspoons. The rain arrives to accompany our subsequent bus station photos, and the D9 gets even more exaggerated on the return journey. Further pints arrive courtesy of the Thomas Botfield in Telford and the Wheatsheaf in Shifnal, and it is true - my wallet did make an appearance although it has now gone back into hiding with the moths on standby to keep it company!
Seven successive days of fun and adventure, that certainly is quite an achievement. It was great to have the Rail Rover back as part of my exploration arsenal, and I can look back on some fond memories of the places I've visited. Train travel in general really appeals to me, sitting back and relaxing whilst watching the world go by (in the off peak at least), and I'm already picking out some potential destinations for next year's contribution...
Monday 26th April: Day one of Rail Rover proper, and I'm going all Welsh with a visit to Wrexham. The town has two railway stations (General and Central), both of which prove useful photo locations, and I also enjoy a wander around the marketplace. Lunchtime finds me in Ruabon, a place I never really liked much first time out but is now growing on me - a bonus shot of the Bryn Melyn Llangollen bus certainly helped the cause there. I finish in Chirk with a return visit to the canal tunnel and aqueduct (I'm still not brave enough to walk across), then eat a Mars ice cream outside the Cadbury factory - what a traitor!!
Tuesday 27th April: Tradition dictates that Tuesday is Shropshire day and 2010 is no exception. Ludlow is my morning target, exploring the town walls and savouring the slower pace of life. I decamp to Church Stretton in the afternoon, where I bother the Minsterley Motors buses on the 435 route. Some glorious sunshine tempts me to walk down to Little Stretton where I reward myself with a pint in the Green Dragon, Woods' Parish Bitter for a Shropshire ale in a proper Shropshire village local, perfect!
Wednesday 28th April: I had intended to head across to Ledbury and Colwall for a taste of Herefordshire, but I missed that train and ended up in Lichfield instead. Its always a pleasure to visit the city of the three spires, with the cathedral itself and Beacon Park proving especially beguiling. The same cannot be said of Lichfield Trent Valley, an ugly dump of a station where the main building is a glorified shed and there's a hideous platform sign feature that appears to have been put together out of paving slabs! Warwickshire creeps in with a visit to Atherstone, admiring the market square whilst getting to grips with the bus station, train station (unstaffed halt with the old station house now used as a vets) and Atherstone Locks on the Coventry Canal. An honourable mention should go to the Olde Swan pub, a fascinating half timbered setting for a welcome pint of Banks's Mild.
Thursday 29th April: More Warwickshire escapades, starting with a fascinating mid-morning roam around Henley in Arden. The station here has faded charm - a nice footbridge but the main building is boarded up when it could be a delighful old-fashioned stop - whilst the High Street is an absolute gem, bursting with character and interest. From here its over to Hatton for a walk down the locks on the Grand Union Canal. Unfortunately it starts raining, so I dive into the Locks Cafe and console myself with a homemade caramel shortbread cake, a real treat.
Friday 30th April: The closing gambit for Rail Rover 2010 finds me in the Potteries where I flirt with Fenton. I initially find the area quite depressing (as most old industrial areas are), but I then found a historic little quarter featuring the library, magistrates court and war memorial, all of which conveyed an impressive sense of civic pride. The canal content this time involves a loop around Kidsgrove, sampling the Macclesfield and the Trent & Mersey for photos of Harecastle Tunnels, Hardings Wood Junction and the Red Bull pub and aqueduct.
Saturday 1st May: The rover might be over for another year, but the outings continue unabated as I join Andy and Woody for a day in Shropshire. The D9 driving demonstrations are again to the fore as an 892/X5 combination conveys us to Shrewsbury - the steering wheel (a.k.a. the pizza) seems to get bigger with every trip, and the gearstick closer to Mr Wood's ribcage. I think Woody's alter ego as a 1970's Stourbridge bus driver has a lot to answer for! After a ride on the 70, we recover in Oswestry having eventually got served in the Wilfred Owen Wetherspoons. The rain arrives to accompany our subsequent bus station photos, and the D9 gets even more exaggerated on the return journey. Further pints arrive courtesy of the Thomas Botfield in Telford and the Wheatsheaf in Shifnal, and it is true - my wallet did make an appearance although it has now gone back into hiding with the moths on standby to keep it company!
Seven successive days of fun and adventure, that certainly is quite an achievement. It was great to have the Rail Rover back as part of my exploration arsenal, and I can look back on some fond memories of the places I've visited. Train travel in general really appeals to me, sitting back and relaxing whilst watching the world go by (in the off peak at least), and I'm already picking out some potential destinations for next year's contribution...
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