WEST BROMWICH: Given recent events in the Black Country derby, I could have been excused for never wanting to hear the words ‘West Bromwich’ ever again but I did put my allegiances to one side for the sake of opening the day’s photo count. A Metro ride to Trinity Way gets things moving and I must admit I rather enjoyed having a look at Holy Trinity Church. Braving the M5 Junction 1 roundabout, I catch a glance of the West Bromwich Dartmouth cricket ground before my attentions turn to another sporting arena I’d care not to dwell on too much. The Hawthorns is perfectly acceptable as a modern football stadium though so I feel impelled to grudgingly get some shots of it.
BIRMINGHAM: With Mr D9 safely in attendance we head into Brum where our first mission is to wet the baby’s head courtesy of a drink in the Wellington. Of the ales on offer, Totty Pot sounded the most appropriate name and proved to be a rather delicious dark porter, so here’s to Harmony Grace with the best of luck to her proud parents. Apparently Andy just about has more hair than his new daughter but that situation could change before too long!
- Totty Pot in the Wellington -DIGBETH: a D9 hubcrawl is never complete without a bit of toilet tracking so we wandered down to Banbury Street to see what remained of an old street urinal that was located close to the Gun Barrel Proofing House. Sadly all we could see of the closet were the ghostly traces of repaired brickwork so we consoled ourselves with a swift half of Wychwood’s Dirty Tackle from the historic Old Crown pub on the corner of Heath Mill Lane.
SMALL HEATH: We needed that drink to fortify us for what was to come next, namely an incursion down the Coventry Road into Small Heath. Here we have the very epitomy of multicultural Birmingham, a densely populated inner-city area lying in the shadow of St Andrew’s football ground. You can feel outnumbered in areas like this but I nonetheless find such places fascinating, witnessing other cultures at close quarters. The local park appears to be a haven for pigeons whilst the mix of temples and ethnic supermarkets adds to the interest of the architecture. I really enjoyed sneaking a few photos as we went along, my targets included the old park lodge, the George & Dragon pub and the Brighton Arms where we called in for some M&B Mild.
- Small Heath Park Lodge -BORDESLEY GREEN: The pub pictures continue aplenty as we proceed along Green Lane, passing in turn the St Andrews Tavern, the Gunmakers Arms and the Gables (the latter now having been loosely converted into some shops). The number 8 Inner Circle route toys with us on Victoria Street, laying over as if to beckon us on board but then driving off after we’d sprinted half-way up the road.
97A and 90: annoying as that 8 was, missing it probably worked in our favour as we could instead enjoy a couple of rides to book-end the briefest of dalliances with Chelmsley Wood (or ‘Chelmsley Chav’ as Andy prefers to call it). The 97s are working in convoy as we board by the Victoria, and our 97A gives a front-row view of Heartlands Hospital, the Meadway and Bosworth Drive, Mr D9 doing the driving honours on the final approach into Chelmsley Wood hub. We interchange instantly onto the 90 for a whirl around Chelmsley’s outer termini before crossing above the M42 out into Warwickshire.
- The D9 rides into 'Chelmsley Chav'-
COLESHILL: A complete contrast from our earlier surroundings as we find ourselves in a quintessential small English town complete with old parish church (St Peter & St Paul) and a collection of tantalising coaching inns. Tempting as it was, we couldn’t try them all so our eventual pick resulted in encounters with a Mad Goose and a Hooker (the George & Dragon and the Green Man being the obliging hostelries). The River Cole skirts by the northern tip of the High Street, and other features include a pillory and whipping post used to punish local drunks – ah, so that’s why we behaved ourselves!
- The Dog Inn, Water Orton -WATER ORTON: determined not to risk a whipping, we quickly move on to nearby Water Orton, the 90 doing the honours via Coleshill Parkway Station. Water Orton has its own little railway station, a parish church (also dedicated to St Peter & St Paul), a branch library and a couple of pubs (the Digby and the Dog). It’s the Dog that attracts our custom, the barman serving us our Ruddle’s County and making us feel very much at home with a dose of chat and banter.
WASHWOOD HEATH: Our Warwickshire interlude had been most enjoyable but it was time to return to the Birmingham beat. The 90 is again on hand, taking us through Castle Bromwich and Hodge Hill (via the Clock Garage) to drop us off in Washwood Heath. Here Andy points out the site of the former bus garage, although most traces of the old depot appear to have been obliterated by the construction of a Pak supermarket. We also investigate the Metropolitan-Cammell trainbuilding plant, Andy finding a novel use for the gates off Leigh Road.
- The Ward End Park Closet -GUN QUARTER: The 94 is our link back into Birmingham City Centre, bashing down through Saltley to Nechells Parkway. The Dog and Partridge looks like a traditional pub on the outside but loses some of the mystique once indoors, and then we finish off with a glimpse of the Gun Quarter. I’ve previously commented on the joys of the Bull, the corner pub on Price Street that resembles granny's parlour, but I wasn’t aware of the Gunmakers Arms with its M&B signs just around the bend on Bath Street. Together those two made for an excellent flourish on which to bid Brum goodbye.
CLOSING: With the BT Tower and the Rotunda receding on the skyline, we pitch up at Soho to get some bearings with the Black Eagle (very popular as ever) and the borderline-derelict Soho Tavern. A Metro from Benson Road completes the job to get us full circle back to West Bromwich where the Billiard Hall enables us to indulge in one final toast to the health of Harmony Grace. So there you have it, a cracking day with much variety that was highly fitting for a special occasion...
Cheers!
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