Into February...

So here we are into a new month and 2009 is disappearing already. The arrival of February brought with it some of the heaviest snowfall for 18 years, and judging by the news, you'd think the country had come to a standstill. WME tends to run at a pace not far off a standstill anyway, but there has been a bit of progress recently so I think we're due for a catch-up...

To begin with, there are a couple of outings to tell you about. Actually, the first was not so much an outing, more of a meeting as I joined Rog and Woody for a post-work drink. It was nice to see the guys again, and I enjoyed visiting a couple of Wolverhampton pubs that I'd never set foot in before. The Wheatsheaf on Market Street was a nice traditional local with a friendly atmosphere, where we discussed Mario Lanza beermats and the further adventures of Bruce the Bear, whilst the Giffard Arms on Victoria Street was an altogether different experience, although I quite enjoyed the gothic surroundings complete with coffin-shaped tables.

My other outing saw me venture out into the snow last Tuesday morning with a walk around Bushbury Hill, Northwood Park and Oxley. It was a lovely bright morning, and the snow had that fresh soft and fluffy quality as opposed to being compacted and icy. The wintry views from Bushbury Hill were delightful, and Bushbury Church looked an absolute picture under its dusting of white. I got a couple of shots of the old Collingwood Library (round the back of the nursery school), then continued into Northwood Park estate for photos of the Vol and the health centre. Next came a handful of views of the Woodbine pub before I continued into Oxley, renewing my acquaintance with the local library (a facility that is sadly being threatened with closure). The 504 bus completed the morning's proceedings, providing a great Metrobus ride into Wolverhampton viewing the snowy streetscapes of Rakegate, Dovecotes and Blakeley Green. The snow really does transform the scenery and I'm pleased I was able to take advantage of that with a few photos.

The snow and the Solihull Network Review have rather diverted my attention away from the WME galleries recently, so there hasn't been a huge volume of updates. Saying that, I think the stuff that has got through is well worth a mention, particularly as regards a clutch of intriguing new collections. First stop is WME Birmingham where the railway content has been further augmented by the inclusion of Adderley Park Station - I doubt even the snow could make that station look pretty! Much more charming is the Shropshire town of Bridgnorth, which makes its bow on WME Salop thanks to photos of the Shakespeare pub and the local football ground. WME Shropshire was long overdue a decent update, and this new collection is a step in the right direction at last.

Next, we have news from WME Dudley where the Gornal trilogy is now complete. Yes, Lower Gornal and Gornal Wood have now been joined by Exploring Upper Gornal, with the Jolly Crispin pub featuring in my starter selections this time around. I've also squeaked a photo of the Dock canalside stores onto Exploring Wordsley, whilst elsewhere on the galleries there have been additions to WME Sandwell (Seven Stars Bridge on the Old Main Line) and WME Staffordshire (Husphins Bridge on the thus far low-key Exploring Codsall Wood). And finally, no set of updates seems complete without some new arrivals on WME Wolverhampton. So as not to disappoint you, I offer Jeffcock Road shops (a nice local addition to Exploring Penn Fields), Tettenhall Wood Institute and the Bird in Hand pub sign, a handful of Staffs & Worcs photos from Compton, and a shot of the No. 3 Green Bus loading on Lichfield Street. All in all, there's a fair bit to be getting on with, and I might still have a few aces tucked away up my sleeve...