Fog

Now I've taken photos in all kinds of conditions over the years, but I must admit that today's outing provided something of a first. In a moment of what can only be described as madness, I decided to venture around Oldbury despite freezing temperatures and thick fog. Usually once the mists descend I give up any pretence of taking photos, but today I decided to brave it regardless, resulting in a fascinatingly atmospheric slice of exploration...

The omens weren't looking good at Wolverhampton Station. Walking along the concourse, you could barely see the 9:19 local train waiting at platform 5. My ride to Sandwell and Dudley only emphasised the lack of visibility, with the fog showing no signs of burning off whatsoever. Alighting, I try photos of the station entrance and a haze-surrounded Railway Inn before tracking down the Birmingham Main Line Canal at Bromford Lane.

I'm always keen to do my bit pounding the towpaths, and I was actually quite intrigued to see what impact the fog might have on my photos. After a quick look at a lattice footbridge, I found myself at Bromford Stop, a seminal Black Country canal location in its own right. Here the Spon Lane Locks branch off to meet the Old Main Line whilst the New Main Line ploughs straight on towards Birmingham. The junction has two impressive roving footbridges which I had hoped to get into the same photograph - I just about managed it, but only if eerie shadows in the mist count for anything. Locks 3 and 2 provide less resistance to the camera, but the towpath is closed off before I can add lock 1 to my repertoire. Instead I have to do an about turn and finally track down the Old Main Line at Stewart Aqueduct.

What followed next was one of the most unnerving sections of canal exploration I've ever done. I could blame the weather, but I have a feeling that this particular stretch would seem desolate and depressing even in glorious sunshine. The main reason for this sense of discomfort is the M5 motorway, which towers overhead virtually encasing the canal between giant concrete pillars. Accompanied by a cacophony of traffic noises, I encounter the rather charming Blakey Hall Bridge, a traditional old style bridge that seems most incongruous in its surroundings.

If that find was a high point, the next sequence defintely provided the flip side. Venturing deeper into the recesses of the motorway, Anchor Bridge and Manchester Road Bridge both seemed charmless and functional. The worst discovery of the lot though was Oldbury Junction, which has surely got to be the ugliest place I've ever visited. I've always used the Bromford estate in Birmingham as my preferred example of a grim location, but Oldbury Junction has not only stolen the crown, its vanished off with it clean out of sight - no other competition need apply! The place is an absolute eyesore with concrete masonry everywhere - nowhere is this more evident than with the junction bridge itself, yuk! The junction provides access to the Titford Canal although I'd imagine some visitors would be seriously deterred from visiting the branch if its starting point is anything to go by.

Pressing on from the junction, the gloom lifts slightly even if the fog seems to be getting heavier. The Old Main Line flirts with the edges of Oldbury, taking in Stone Street, Seven Stars and Whimsey Bridge in fairly quick succession. Then its High Bridge at Rounds Green, where I leave the canal in favour of doing some local exploring. Brades Road offers a glimpse of the impressive Brades Tavern, but by this stage my camera has virtually seized up completely and my fingers aren't too far behind.

I perservere a little longer, and am rewarded with a few views of Brades Bridge as I momentarily rejoin the canal towpath. Dudley Road East leads me towards Oldbury Town, pausing for photos of the George pub, and I finish off with a brief tour of the town centre where both the Junction and the Olde Bulls Head looked inviting (or at least vaguely warm)! A highly memorable trip concludes back at Sandwell and Dudley Station where I catch my train home and reflect on the relative merits of photos in the mist. I might well return to today's locations in better weather - yes, even Oldbury Junction - but I doubt any future visits will leave quite the same impression as today's fog-filled frolics...