The Telford Trip 2016: Madeley Moments

Every year there are certain trips that I really look forward to: Coventry in the autumn, a Birmingham bash or two, and of course my annual visit to the Telford area. I've come to know the town and its constituent parts quite well over time but there are still some unexplored pockets in need of a little photographic attention...

- Southwater One -

Thursday 7th July 2016 and some estate-based exploration is in the offing as I arrive at Telford Bus Station. My first point of reference is however the Southwater development which has transformed the town centre scene, bringing about new leisure and retail spaces alongside a remodelled lake. A statement presence here is Southwater One, a shimmering gold building that is home to Telford Library, First Point council services and a University of Wolverhampton higher education facility.

- Amphitheatre and Randlay Pool -

Telford Town Park has been a favourite family haunt since I was but a lad so it's always nice to come back for another look around. On this occasion I'm concentrating on pool pictures, starting with the Spout and Withy specimens by the new visitor centre and kiddies play zone. Heading past Wonderland (where the infuriatingly catchy theme song lodges itself in my brain for the rest of the morning), I can enjoy the views of Randlay Pool looking out from the amphitheatre.

- Stirchley Chimney -

My stroll now sweeps round between Randlay and Blue Pools with further vantage points from which to survey the watery scene. Another feature I'm determined to find is the Stirchley Chimney, a relic from the days when  the Town Park expanses were occupied by blast furnaces. At 62 metres tall the chimney certainly stands out on the horizon - the structure and its associated furnace remains are now used to educate people about industrial archaeology.

- Randlay Farmhouse -

Time now to leave Town Park and wander into those local estates I mentioned. Randlay is close at hand, once I've escaped the clutches of various cul-de-sacs to find my way onto Randlay Avenue. Facilities include a community centre, some shops (a Premier convenience store, a hairdressing salon and Big T's Chippy), the primary school and the Randlay Farmhouse pub (Banks's). White and red hoardings surround the site of an old shopping precinct that has been demolished as part of the neighbourhood renewal process - this won't be the only overhaul example I'll be seeing today.

- Lord Silkin School Site -

A green ribbon of open space runs through the middle of Randlay and continues as a walking route into neighbouring Stirchley, a place I last encountered in September 2010. I'm approaching from a different angle this time though so I don't immediately realise that the major construction site I happen across is actually the Lord Silkin School being totally rebuilt. I reclaim my bearings with the help of the Co-op supermarket and the branch library, the latter having been absorbed into the Stirchley & Brookside Parish Council offices.

- Brookside beckons -

Talking of Brookside, that will be my next destination once I've satisfied my curiosity about Holmer Lake, a balancing reservoir popular as a fishing location despite the ominous presence of the A442 Queensway dual carriageway. The Mallard pub is almost lakeside and heralds my full arrival into Brookside where the neighbourhood amenities await along Burford; when I checked Google Street View in advance of doing this trip, the precinct resembled an ugly brown blob of a mugger's paradise but it too has been subject to investment and so a presentable little parade is now on hand to greet me. I'm still not convinced about Brookside as a wider estate though (it feels like the kind of place that would give Jeremy Kyle enough material to fill a whole series) but I can't fault the attempts at improvement.

- Silkin Way near Aqueduct -

Leaving Brookside behind, I join the Silkin Way long distance footpath just off Aqueduct Road near the Britannia pub. The walkway follows part of the old railway line down towards Coalport; I've covered bits of it before although this particular stretch is new to me. My intention is to revisit the former Madeley Market station but I don't quite get that far, distracted instead by the remains of an old windmill and a separate footpath that looks rather enticing.

- Madeley Court Gatehouse -

My detour pays off in bringing me to an exciting historic discovery, Madeley Court Hotel being the former manor house home of the Brooke family. It's certainly an impressive building, standing stately next to a pool and boasting an elegant restored gatehouse that simply demands to be photographed. Similarly intriguing but of a much more recent vintage is the dry ski slope I pass as the trail links up with Court Street to provide access to Madeley town centre.

- Madeley Cricket Club -

Madeley is today's designated finishing point but there are plenty of pictures to be taken before I head home. In keeping with the theme of the day, the town has undergone considerable redevelopment of late, with a sizeable Tesco superstore being chief among the new additions. A climb up Park Street reveals the Red Lion and the Cricket Club (which dates from 1855 according to the numbers on the entrance gates), then a weave along Church Street allows a look at St Michael's Parish Church (designed by Thomas Telford) and the Six Bells pub. A closing look at Russell Square then the number 2 bus in on hand to transport me back to Telford (via Sutton Hill and Dawley) - job done for another year!