* Smethwick Galton Bridge is today’s launchpad as I venture out into West Smethwick for a few local photos of West Cross shopping parade, the Ivy Bush pub (still with some Holden's signs) and West Smethwick Park.
* 448 – I was keen to explore the route again as it was a University favourite that is set to be extended to Bartley Green under the Review. We trundle down through Londonderry, Warley Woods and Bearwood, then at Harborne I was surprised to find the baths had been demolished, a fine landmark gone although I think a new pool is being built in its place. The current terminus is Vincent Drive near the QE Hospital and University Station.
* University – a chance to see what's been happening since I was last here. The other end of Vincent Drive has now been closed off with traffic using the new road down to Selly Oak whilst the hospital redevelopment gathers pace. I hope for a few bus photos and track down a belated 448 shot outside the National Blood Service offices, whilst the 76 also poses on the main roundabout. It’s nice to linger a while watching as the Hospital minibus does its rounds and people mingle about preparing, I assume, for graduation ceremonies.
* 21 – a bit of a personal pilgrimage this, recalling special memories of rides out to Bartley Green in the days when any ride out from Uni was a voyage of new discoveries. I feel quite sad that the route is being withdrawn (with the 448 extended as part replacement) so I was determined to give it a good send-off. New road aside, its a recognisable tale of Selly Oak, Alwold Road, Weoley Castle and Woodcock Lane. Newman College is having its own building works done down opposite the reservoir at Bangham Pit, then we're into Bartley Green by the library, arriving at one of my all-time favourite terminuses on Romsley Road.
* Bartley Green – what can I say, it’s great to be back. There’s plenty of bus activity with 18s almost falling over themselves, then there was a queue of 22 and 23s to contend with at one point as well. The memorial, St Michael’s Church and the Bale of Hay keep me busy whilst I wait to I attempt the all-important 21 shot, not sure whether it came out that well though.
* 18 – a route that means a lot to me and I’m glad they’re leaving it well alone in this review. Sadly the Metrobuses have gone but it’s still a good double decker run back past the Woodcock and then through Merritts Brook (where the Highlander was still going along). The former pub site at Hoggs Lane/Basil Road is still fenced off and empty, and the back of the Black Horse heralds my arrival in Northfield.
* Northfield – a very brief sojourn only, but long enough to sneak a photo of Sainsbury’s and to try some zooms of the Black Horse as it gets converted into a Wetherspoons. The swimming baths also gets a bit of attention as I keep an eye on the real-time info display with the 62 8-10 minutes away, then suddenly due, curious that!
* 62 – a roam down to Rednal. The 61, 62 and 63 were always Bristol Road staples so it seems a little weird that we’ll be dealing with an X62 in future. I can at least catch up with the latest Longbridge developments, with St Modwen very prominent and the new Bournville College campus coming along nicely. I can still remember part of the old Rover plant here behind white railings, and there's still plenty of atmospheric rubble and old entrances acting as reminders of what went before - I rather sense I should make more effort to record this transition photographically but that’ll have to wait for another day. Rednal terminus is a nice spot with the Hare & Hounds pub and the tram track cottage, again it seems sad that it’ll lose its 'end of the line' status when the X62 ploughs on to Great Park.
- 62 at Rednal -* Great Park - after a brief Morrisons interlude with no sign of buses on the car park, I weave round to Park Way to see what's on layover by the Hollywood Bowl. I mainly associate the terminus here with the 63 on grey Northfield days, and in truth the location has never really appealed that much. The 20 is here (with half a blind only) – having replaced some of the 44 and 49 last year, this service is now being chopped and will go down historically as having escaped my clutches entirely. There is also a 49 parked up but it seems to have broken down and I have to wait for the next one along.
* 49 – like the 18, this route is right up there as a WME cracker. Admittedly this is the modified form (Great Park to Solihull via West Heath, Maypole and Shirley) but it’s encouraging to note that Northfield and Weoley Castle are soon to be bolted onto that. I remember the route for visits to Shirley Station, Northfield Orthopaedic Hospital or a Cotteridge call riding round to Longbridge via Vardon Way. Today the route serves me well again, providing a handy link across towards Pool Farm.
* Druids Heath – a bit of a bonus with some local exploring indulgence. A quick look at the A-Z suggests Aspley Croft and Chelworth Rd can get me to Druids Heath terminus, and indeed they do – a quiet residential back way with lots of cul-de-sac offshoots before I happily emerge at the turning circle to see what’s what. Surprisingly, this was my first ever visit here and I'm pleased to find a 50 parked up on layover with a blind intriguingly proclaiming “I’m a Smart Bus”. As I digest that bold statement, I scurry over the road to plunder some shots of the old Bells Farm, a timber-framed house that offers lots of character next to the local primary school.
* Parsons Hill – one prized photo location is followed swiftly by another as I survey the distinctive McDonalds building overlooking the roundabout here. The restaurant occupies an old 1930s style estate pub and thus is very reminiscent of the McDonalds at Bordesley Green. It’s a cracking building and I’m pleased to have captured it.
* 69 – now here’s a route I definitely have a history with, from the days it went from Weoley Castle to Heartlands Hospital. Its been scaled back and altered a lot since, and the current Brandwood End to Wythall link seems rather lame by comparison. Even so I’ve got to make the most of it because it’ll disappear altogether from two weeks on Sunday. A short run into Kings Heath then we take in Yardley Wood Garage and the Maypole. Beyond this is Hollywood and Wythall, a section I was expecting to be quite quick but it seemed to take forever – the Pack Horse, Shawhurst Lane and Wythall Station being amongst the main features. Station Road then whisks us down to the main island near BaMMot, and after a circuit of the roundabout, the bus terminates at a grass verge with a Worcestershire pole stop.
- 69 at Wythall Island -* Wythall Station – a new rail location to get stuck into, although my timing has gone a little awry. I arrive just in time to find passengers filing out having got off the 15.55 Birmingham train, and it looks like I’m marooned here for another hour. At least I can enjoy the peace as I survey the facility. It’s essentially a small station with the two platforms either side of the Norton Lane road bridge. On the Birmingham side (opposite Threshers), there’s a little wooden ticket office painted in terracotta tones with a nice canopy, with a ramp leading down. The Stratford side has the ramp but no outbuilding, whilst both platforms are served by a basic terracotta bunker style shelter and a scrolling digital departures screen.
* Tidbury Green – I still have the best part of an hour to spare, so its out with the A-Z once more, picking out a route up to Whitlocks End. The walk introduces me to Tidbury Green, a pleasant collection of houses but little else besides. The heart of the village seems to revolve around a crossroads notable for the local car garage and Yew Tree Farm. I plough onwards and surprise myself by reaching Whitlocks End quite quickly, discovering the very rudimentary Shirley Town football ground en route.
* Whitlocks End – my second new station experience within an hour. This is effectively an unstaffed halt with no main buildings to speak of. There’s a decent sized car park adjoining the Stratford side, with Birmingham platform access up and over the road bridge. I mooch around the Stratford platform first, whereby the access ramp seems to be the station's most recognisable feature, a mass of zigzagging hoop railings again in terracotta. I linger a while as the Stratford train is due then hotfoot it over to the Birmingham side for the 16.58 Stourbridge service.
* All that’s left now is the final journey home. I’m breaking my unwritten rule by actually travelling across Birmingham in the 5pm peak, but actually it wasn’t that bad. There was plenty of space on the train up until Moor Street, and then things got a little crowded through Snow Hill but nothing unbearable. Off at Galton Bridge, charging downstairs just in time to make the 17.32 Holyhead train, finding a standing perch back to Wolverhampton – it could’ve been much much worse.
And that was that. The West Birmingham review takes place from Sunday 25th July and will see the end of the 21, 62, 69 and so forth to be replaced by other services and modifications. I think the 86 Rubery Woodgate route is also becoming history, not forgetting that the 20 will also vanish after its rather brief tenure. The 448 will gain its Bartley Green extension, the 49 will cover Weoley Castle and the 636 will grow up from being the Harborne Hopper to extend fully from Halesowen to Brum. It’ll be interesting to see how the changes are received, but as each review goes by I become less and less convinced by the need for such upheavals. Hopefully this won’t be another round of unnecessary meddling, but at least I gave my old favourites something of a send off.
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