Three go to Penkridge...

... but only two continue to Coven as the Chip Foundation embark on a trip of two parts punctuated by sharp Staffordshire showers.

- Lurking by the lock -

Saturday 30th April and the gang gather in preparation for a ride on the 54, a route that connects Wolverhampton with Stafford via the i54 development. We're only going as far as Penkridge but the ride allows us views of Pendeford Business Park and the sprawling i54 site (where construction continues as Jaguar Land Rover's presence grows) before trundling through Coven village and Gailey. We alight at Bungham Lane stop to join the Staffordshire & Worcester Canal just past Penkridge Fire Station. 

- Almost Incarcerated -

A gentle stroll from Cross Keys Bridge to the Boat allows a few lock photographs with Nick pondering how to properly pronounce the word 'Filance' (not that I'd imagine there are too many variations). We pass the Haling Dene complex and Penkridge Library to reach the village centre, making sure to visit the Old Gaol which has been restored as a visitor attraction. The building has plenty of heritage appeal with interesting displays about Penkridge personalities past and present. The stocks outside serve as a warning that we mustn't misbehave while the cramped cell conditions certainly deter us from risking imprisonment! 

- The White Hart -

Penkridge has a number of inns and hostelries with the most atmospheric appearing to be the White Hart, a historic timber-framed tavern that provides us with shelter from the first ominous downpour of the day. Legend has it that the pub was visited by both Mary Queen of Scots and Queen Elizabeth I so it's no wonder Nick feels at home with such a royal pedigree. Some Black Hole Cosmic ale goes down well as I attempt some live tweets, telling the twittersphere about our progress thus far. The building interior includes a large fireplace and some cosy crannies to spark one's Elizabethan imagination.

- Whiston Walking -

With the rain relenting we take a tour of Penkridge Market, memorably situated by the railway arches with the familiar sounds of traders' banter reverberating around the various stalls. Next we join the Staffordshire Way for a wander to Whiston, passing farms along Preston Vale Lane before seeking out the Swan for some remote refreshment. The pub feels pleasingly isolated whereby the effort to get here is rewarded by some lovely Three Tuns XXX ale; the field views with crop tunnels and crowing cockerels all add to the beguiling effect. Stephen then uses the return walk to regale us with delightful details about medical ailments as the tower of St Michael's Church teases us on the horizon. 

- Cherry Dark, very nice! -

We have a tight turnaround to make sure Mr B is on his requisite bus home but we get to Bungham Lane again just in time for said 54 at 13:48. Stephen is now set fair for Wolverhampton while Nick and I alight at Four Ashes to continue our pubcrawl. The Four Ashes inn has been given a makeover since I last visited and has a dressy upmarket air accompanied by an ambitious menu - anyone for arancini? A half there is followed by an absolute drenching on route to Coven but we can dry off in the Harrows, the current Wolverhampton CAMRA Country Pub of the Year. Such a title is very much merited as our Titanic Cherry Dark proves an excellent tipple while we also note an extensive range of tempting perry and cider.

- Our Coven Correspondent -

As a further heavy shower fizzles out we brave the puddles through to Coven with just enough time to try out the Rainbow. Some pictures of St Paul's School are therefore washed down with Wells' Glorious English Bombardier and with thirst slaked we board the 54 once more. Our final stop turns out to be Fordhouses for the Moreton Arms, escaping from yet another squall to sample the Ringwood Old Thumper as the football final scores roll in. Despite the weather's best efforts we still made the most of the day, hence the 42nd inscription of the Chip Foundation Chronicles is complete!

WME Flickr Focus: April 2016

The one-armed bandit of photostream progress is primed to reveal April's additions. Let's load some coins in the slot, pull the lever and see whether we can hit the jackpot...

Our pictorial penny arcade begins with a visit to WME Shropshire, which racks up points aplenty from Craven Arms (a station sign accompanied by Tuffins supermarket), Shrewsbury (the Bird in Hand pub sign on Coton Hill) and Church Aston near Newport (another pub sign, this time for the Aston). Add in a steam engine shot from the Severn Valley Railway at Bridgnorth and you have a suitable Salopian selection for starters.

Another tug on the lever and the Flickr fruit machine spins us a sequence of updates. There are cherries from WME Wolverhampton (the Swan at Compton, the entrance to Carvers Building Supplies and summertime shots of Bushbury Churchyard), lemons from WME Staffordshire (Cowley Tunnel on the Shropshire Union Canal near Gnosall, pretty pink flowers at Burslem Park) and watermelon slices from WME Sandwell (the Cradley Heath Chainworkers memorial statue plus the Coachmakers pub sign in Wednesbury).

Bashing away on the buttons, we attempt some nudges to increase our prospective winnings. WME Dudley thereby spins in some more mementoes from the Black Country Living Museum, although rather than fruit we seem to have landed two batches of vegetables alongside a presidential visit in narrowboat form. Applying a hold or two, we switch to WME Walsall for a Coppice Farm bus stop and the British Waterways noticeboards at Birchills. 

We just about have enough credit for a couple more plays. WME Warwickshire is busy in Bidford-on-Avon with the medieval bridge and a not-so-ancient bus stop sign, before WME Birmingham tests our luck to the limit with views of the Digbeth Branch Canal near Curzon Street. How have we done? Well the jackpot eluded us, but we still have the sweet sound of coins rattling through the dispenser as our payout is secured. Call back in May for more photographic prizewinning!

Raiding Codsall's Crown Joules

As something of a confirmed pub enthusiast, there are certain brewery companies that I hold in high regard for the kind of watering holes they create. Black Country Ales, Batham's, Holden's and Titanic are among my favourites for both ale and ambience, and to that list I must also add the Joule's Brewery of Market Drayton. The Coopers Tavern (Burton on Trent), the Red Lion (Market Drayton) and the Dolphin (Shrewsbury) are just some of the Joule's pubs I have considerable affection for, and now the brewery has an outlet virtually on my doorstep...

- The Crown -

When the Chip Foundation visited Codsall back in February I reported the ongoing refurbishment of the Crown, a longstanding landmark that watches over the village square. Now with the makeover complete, Dad and I set out with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation, riding the number 4 bus to Bakers Way terminus ready to see the finished result. The pub now bears the hallmark of Joules' house style, namely flagstone floors, solid wooden furniture and plenty of red cross breweriana - I very much like it, although it perhaps doesn't yet have that imperceptible sense of cosiness I particularly look out for. The customary Joule's beer range (Pale Ale, Blonde and Slumbering Monk) is augmented by a tempting selection of guest brews including Moorhouse's (White Witch), Oakham (JHB) and Peerless (Milky Milky) offerings, so there is much to be commended.

The changes at the Crown further bolster Codsall's growing reputation as a beer destination. Dad and I therefore make sure to try out the other local hostelries too. The Bull sits on the corner diagonally opposite the Crown and is a very presentable Banks's boozer boasting several selections from the Marston's portfolio. Just down the road we have the Station, somewhere I have commented on before but it more than merits a revisit, especially with the enticing prospect of supping Holden's Golden Glow among all the railway memorabilia. The lesser-spotted Holden's XB is also available on this occasion alongside Dancing Duck's Imperial Drake oatmeal stout at 6.5% ABV (for once I actually resisted the lure of the darker concoction). Both pubs prove to be lively and welcoming, a pleasure to visit.

- Finest Firs -

No crawl of Codsall can be considered complete without a visit to the Firs Club, even if we have to do battle with the doorbell to gain admission. As Wolverhampton CAMRA's reigning Club of the Year we have high expectations of this place but there is no danger of disappointment; in fact Dad is blown away by the quality of his Three Tuns XXX and no wonder, it was superb! Codsall is in easy reach of Wolverhampton either via train or bus (routes 4 and 5), and with the option of including a call at the wonderful Hail to the Ale in Claregate along the way, a visit to the village is respectfully recommended!

Museum Musings

The Black Country Living Museum featured twice among my explorations last year, and with an April Friday afternoon going spare, I headed back across Dudley way to make further use of my 'Unchained' year-long pass...

- King Arthur no more -

The 126 bus from Wolverhampton gets things moving, an uneventful journey until I reach the site where the King Arthur had stood. This well-known Birmingham New Road landmark is sadly now just history, hence the scene greeting me is one of JCB diggers huddled over levelled earth like vultures picking over a carcass. Admittedly the pub had become a derelict eyesore in recent years, and the land will soon be home to a new Aldi supermarket judging by the banners currently in situ.

- Dudley Tunnel Portal -

A short stroll down the Birmingham New Road brings me to the updated headquarters of the Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust, an impressive facility that incorporates the Portal visitor centre and Gongoozler restaurant. A little path catches my eye, leading down to the water's edge for a close-up view of the tunnel entrance. It certainly looks dark and claustrophobic inside with not much headroom for a tall chap such as myself; one day I might be brave enough to take the boat ride into the caverns but not on this occasion.

- Vintage Guy Bus -

Some useful pictures in the bag then and I haven't even reached the museum itself as yet. That soon changes though as I negotiate the entrance in the former Rolfe Street Baths building as reclaimed from Smethwick. Whereas my previous visits were relatively quiet affairs, this time the Easter holidays mean an altogether livelier experience with many kiddies enjoying trying to find all of the egg pictures dotted around the various attractions. I keep away from the main crowds though, taking a leisurely wander over by the school where I find a lovely preserved Guy bus in West Bromwich Corporation livery parked up by the bottom tram shed.

- Traditional Pub Fare -

My top target whenever I come to the museum has to be the Bottle & Glass, a proper parlour pub in the finest Black Country tradition. A frothy pint of good old Banks's Mild is a must here, especially when the beer is joined by its erstwhile companion the cheese and onion cob - perfect. Open fires, dim candles and period potplants add to the magic while I watch a working pony being tethered up in the adjacent carter's yard.

- Lime Kilns -

Reluctantly prising myself away from the inn, I venture uphill to a part of the museum I hadn't really investigated before. The lime kilns are certainly an interesting industrial relic and it can be unnerving looking down the chimneys from on high. I also make sure to do a full circuit of the Castle Fields Boat Dock where narrowboat President is letting off steam amid a series of high-pitched whistles. The dock includes a rolling shed, a fascinating wheeled structure typical of local boatyards where craftsmen would shelter from the elements while carrying out their repairs. Other boats in attendance include Kildare, Bessie and Diamond while a roaming blue gospel ministry caravan also adds to the excitement.

- Limelight Cinema -

Next up is a further look around the main village, where I eagerly raid Cook's Sweet Shop for bags of assorted bonbons and rum fudge, cracking confectionery! Another curiosity is the Limelight Cinema, originally located in Harts Hill but now rebuilt brick by brick complete with basic bench seating and marginally more luxurious tip-up chairs. Visitors here can relive the golden age of silent films by watching the likes of Harold Lloyd and Charlie Chaplin in all their grainy glory.

- Racecourse Colliery -

The queues outside Hobbs' fish and chip shop are predictably long as the famous dripping-cooked chips appear to be attracting quite some attention. The 1950s fairground is likewise doing a roaring trade where the holiday fun is soundtracked by Hit Parade musical memories from Kay Starr and Eddie Fisher. My repeat tour around the museum grounds is almost over, but I do allow myself a Racecourse Colliery rummage accounting for the mine shaft, pit wheel and coal wagons, not to mention the miners' hovel.

- Guarding the Zoo Entrance -

Once again the museum was a delight to explore, and I thoroughly recommend a visit to nostalgia-seekers and anyone remotely interested in local history or industry - it's excellent value too when you just pay one admission to get access for the next twelve months. Dudley's tourist attractions as a whole are being linked more seamlessly together, hence I follow a road leading directly through to the zoo where some sculptural wildlife examples keep watch over the entrance. I just have time to say hello to the Earl of Dudley's statue before catching my bus home, and that's that. 

Go on, visit the Black Country Living Museum, really you must!!