An Acocks Green Circular

It's been a case of 'so far, so good' where my New Year's resolution is concerned, although admittedly it is still January! Nonetheless, there was some fine exploring to be enjoyed as I completed a South Birmingham station sweep setting out in a loop from Acocks Green...

- 172 336 at Acocks Green -

For those that might need a gentle reminder, my resolution this year is simply to cram in as much memorable exploring as possible. This trip starts (and indeed finishes) at Acocks Green station where I battle the morning rain for a few train pictures, class 172 units seemingly on hand at regular intervals.

- Yardley Cemetery Lodge -

A soggy stroll along Yardley Road brings me to my first major location of the day, Yardley Cemetery. Although I can't locate a sleeve closet (sorry D9) there are World War II memorials to take note of, while the lodge building opposite Mansfield Road is handsome in its own right.

- Tyseley Station Sign -

I almost encroach upon Swan Island in gathering photos of South Yardley Library and the Yardley Ex-Servicemen's Club, but I soon retreat to Stockfield Road as I make my way to Tyseley Station. Wharfdale Road passes industrial units and corner cafes as I reach the station itself, pausing to pick out some of the finer GWR details of the main frontage and side lettering.

- Tyseley Working Men's Club -

Tyseley has a longstanding connection with the railway having been the location of engine maintenance facilities for several decades. The Birmingham Railway Museum is based at Tyseley Locomotive Works while London Midland also have a modern depot servicing their current fleet here. This heritage is reflected in the presence of two local clubs situated off Warwick Road - the London Midland Railway Club Association premises next to the museum entrance, and the Tyseley and District Working Mens Club and Institute (dating from 1923) opposite the London Midland complex.

- Former Fox Hollies Site -

Reddings Lane leads past the Eaton Works as I home in on Spring Road Station, now deprived of the rusty tin ticket office shack I was rather fond of photographing. The station is not far at all from Acocks Green Bus Garage (Summer Road) with a recreation ground opposite, although I'm more keen this time around to document the Lidl store that stands on an old pub position. Indeed, the old Mitchells & Butlers carved Fox Hollies plaque has been retained as a feature on the supermarket wall.

- Memories of The Moorlands -

Curtis Gardens (with a Homemeadow House flats backdrop) and the York mark my arrival into Hall Green, whereby I bypass the greyhound stadium in favour of Brooklands Road. I'm only nibbling at the edges of Hall Green today, hence Southam Road quietly connects to Sarehole Road and then Robin Hood Lane. On Sherwood Road I track down the housing estate that now occupies where The Moorlands once stood, the site having served as the non-league home of Moor Green FC until 2005.

- Bulls Head -

Almost accidentally I've stumbled across a pocket of Hall Green I can't remember taking pictures of before, this being the junction of Stratford Road with Highfield Road and Fox Hollies Road. Besides a wide range of local shops on various sides of the junction, the Bulls Head pub is a prominent landmark now operated under the ownership of Ember Inns.

- The Oak as was -

The Gospel Oak estate is a place I have frequented before, whereby visits usually involve me charting developments with the Oak public house in the process. Lakey Lane is my approach route today, passing St Ambrose Barlow Church to see what has become of the pub more recently - a Co-op food store is now in residence but at least the building has been preserved as a local landmark.

- Fox Hollies Park -

Gospel Lane has two shopping sequences on the border between Birmingham and Solihull as I make a mental note to sample the Olton Chip Stop on a future outing. No takeaways today though, just play area pictures courtesy of Fox Hollies Park. Here we have a 'wheeled sports' activity area (a posh way of saying a skateboard zone) plus Round Pool before I exit onto Dolphin Lane.

- Acocks Green Station -

My stroll has brought me full circle back to Acocks Green as intended, with an Aldi supermarket marking the spot where the Dolphin historically served local drinkers. The Warwick Road is a busy place these days so I'm relieved to branch off along Station Road, passing a brace of hotels to return to Acocks Green station in readiness for my 3pm train home. How's that for some proper Brum exploration!