By my own admission, 2009 has not been a particularly productive year in terms of WME updates, with the galleries generally limping along on basic rations and little else. After a summer hiatus, October and November at least got things moving again, and December has now delivered the biggest batch of additions for ages, a welcome final flourish to conclude a frustrating year…
My headline act this month is WME Staffordshire, which proudly provided that rare beast, a WME milestone. Yes, the 250 photo barrier has been breached thanks to the inclusion of some encouraging new collections. Exploring Stoke represents the old market town that gave its name to the wider city, offering a Potteries flavour that is augmented further by the arrival of Stoke-on-Trent Station amongst my rail selection. Brownhills West Station gives the Chasewater Railway its first airing, whilst the local content is also boosted by contributions from Exploring Penkridge (featuring a nice shot of the church) and Exploring Cannock Chase (with two sample forest views) – and the Trent & Mersey Canal got a couple of additions too.
New collections were also the order of the day on both WME Shropshire and WME Solihull. Shropshire now boasts a feature on Wem Station, complete with platform views and totem sign, whereas Solihull has received Exploring Solihull Lodge with its leafy views of High Street. Neither should I forget WME Telford, where my pictures of the Bridge and Shakespeare pubs in Newport had been waiting for an eternity before finally being included.
Muscling in on the act now is WME Birmingham with its own fresh arrival to celebrate. Exploring Quinton comprises shots of the local library, Evangelical Church and Four Dwellings Primary School, with ballast being provided for Exploring Northfield (St Laurence’s lich gate) and Northfield Station (some familiar station views there). Also jostling for attention is WME Coventry, with a photo each for Coventry by Bus (route 10 at Bell Green), Exploring Canley (another library shot) and Exploring Tile Hill North (another look at Jardine Crescent shops).
To the Black Country then, where WME Dudley leads the way with an array of new content. Exploring Lye features the Windmill and Railway pubs, Exploring Hayley Green presents two glimpses of the Foxhunt, Dadfords Bridge takes its place on the Stourbridge Canal collection and the White Lion joins Exploring Sedgley. WMEs Wolverhampton and Walsall have been quiet by comparison and can only boast a single offering each, Wolverhampton’s being the cottage shops on Exploring Wednesfield and Walsall’s a sneaky view of Brownhills Marketplace.
I hope you’re keeping up as we continue this breathless summary with a glance further afield. WME Worcestershire first, where the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal has spectacularly crashlanded - the canal might only visit the county briefly, but the section here does include the charming Shirley Drawbridge. For once WME Warwickshire hasn’t been forgotten – I give you a platform view and a station frontage shot on Leamington Spa Station.
Finally, and last but by no means least, it’s our good friend Exploration Extra. Plenty of happenings here, as I’ve taken the opportunity to improve the East Anglia 2007 and Essex 2008 collections. Bus photos from Colchester, Cromer, Wymondham and Great Yarmouth have therefore been joined by a rail assortment from Colchester Town, Frinton-on-Sea and Walton-on-the-Naze.
All of this amounts to a total of 64 new photos, by far the biggest monthly update of the year and a vast improvement on the previous six months or so. Only WME Sandwell escaped without anything, so I shall have to put this right if possible. At least the galleries now have a bit of momentum heading into the New Year, and my resolution will be to build on this during the first few months of 2010…
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