Thursday, July 2

WME Flickr Focus: June 2020

Hold the front page folks as I don't get to say this very often - the West Midlands Exploration photostream has clocked up a century of new arrivals over the last few weeks! Yes, June truly was remarkable considering most months struggle to muster more than thirty additions, and I'm going to have my work cut out namechecking as many as I can...

Nearly every single one of my collections managed to contribute something to the bumper haul but Exploration Extra came out top of the tree. There were wares from Weymouth (Nothe Fort), boosts from Brighton (the Lion & Lobster) and items from Ipswich (a glimpse of Portman Road football ground). The deepest reaches of the WME archives were plundered for a couple of BaMMot bus shots I'd taken back in October 2005 whereas Cardigan (the Castle Inn) and Broadstairs (Platform 2) supplied more recent material by comparison. 

Elsewhere, it won't surprise you in the slightest to know that WME Wolverhampton was also a star turn. Bantock House's Dining Room joins a Gunmakers Arms sign in the Bradmore album whilst Wednesfield benefits from St Thomas's School and the Vine. Bus stops at Rakegate and Showell Circus battle for attention with the Rocket Pools pub and the Nuffield Hospital - there's even room for a repeat howling from Bayliss the 'Wolves in Wolves' sculpture guarding West Park's bandstand.

More than earning its stripes too was WME Walsall which was busy with both Brownhills (St James's Church Hall) and The Butts (Johal News, former home of the local post office). A trio of Bloxwich pub signs joined the fray, respectively representing the Romping Cat, the Wheatsheaf and the Station Hotel, although the Green Rock Tavern probably also qualifies due to being in the Blakenall vicinity. The 394 bus at Brownhills Parade ups my Metrobus quota and there's a sunkissed sighting of Shelfield's Four Crosses, another picture that has waited over a decade to be granted an appearance!

Over on WME Birmingham I can report a brace of showings for the Bell at Harborne (a lovely traditional boozer next door to the church), plus the wider Brum pub parade is augmented by Minworth's Boat, Hurst Street's Old Fox and Ward End's Fox & Goose. WME Shropshire meanwhile adopts an equine theme for its pubby newbies courtesy of the White Horse in Shrewsbury and the derelict Horse & Jockey at Whitchurch (complete with vintage Vaux branding); other Salopian selections include Bridgnorth Rugby Club and the 435 bus laying over at Raven Meadows.

The roll call continues with the combined talents of WME Staffordshire and WME Worcestershire. Staffs checks in thanks to Coven's Harrows and Gailey Top Lock whilst Worcs concerns itself with railway ruminations care of trains at Bromsgrove and Pershore. If that isn't enough of a double act for you, let's try WME Sandwell and WME Dudley - the former musters the Mill (a lost Charlemont Farm boozer) and Haden Hill Park, the latter bags some Stourbridge bus action namely the 318 and the 657, both former Hanson's routes as it turns out.

Even the most productive of months still has a few stragglers bringing up the rear. WME Telford for example drops in on Dawley (a simple signage shot) and WME Coventry secures a Stoke Heath bus stop. Last in line for a mention is the oft-overlooked WME Solihull, proffering forth the Harvester at Olton as a parting gift of an estate boozer - enjoy! I doubt July will be anywhere near as bountiful as June but I do intend to prise out as many pictures as I can - cheers!

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