Rail Rover Week 2022

"Five days... Six counties.. One ticket" - so goes the tagline for Rail Rover Week 2022, my annual fix of adventure from the Heart of England railway network. An epic week requires an epic (for me) blogpost, so strap yourselves in for the ride...

- Chester Station -

Tuesday 19th April: Rail Rover this year takes place in the days immediately after Easter and my opening destination is Chester, one of the northernmost limits on the Heart of England ticket. Having changed at Crewe onto what effectively acts as an extended shuttle service, I reach Chester Station just before 11am and am hugely impressed by its historic Italianate frontage complete with a J.B. Joyce & Co clock. The Queens Hotel and the Town Crier pub are distinctive buildings in their own right so the photos are flowing straight away.

- Hoole Lane Lock -

Although Rail Rover Week obviously concentrates on trains as its main transport focus, I do like to include some waterways content if possible. Chester gives me the chance to add to my knowledge of the Shropshire Union, a canal I'm familiar with as regards its Wolverhampton terminus at Autherley Junction but any Cheshire segments are mostly a mystery to me. City Road provides my sought-after towpath access point and I progress as far as Chemistry Lock in the shadows of a blue-rimmed water tower. Hoole Lane Lock likewise merits some pictures, both locations having traditional keepers' cottages and hints of canalside gardens.

- The Albion -

Whilst in Chester I'm keen to walk part of the famous City Walls, impressively intact Roman and medieval defensive fortifications that form a ring around the city centre. There are fine views looking out over the River Dee and I include a detour to see the Amphitheatre remains near St John the Baptist Church. The spectacle doesn't end there for my choice of pubs gives me more sights to marvel at - take for example the Spitting Feathers Brewery Tap, based in a Jacobean banqueting hall complete with hung tapestries. I meanwhile develop an instant soft spot for the Albion off Park Street, a backstreet boozer adorned with all manner of military memorabilia and vintage advertisements. Thankfully I'm not part of a stag or hen party so I'm allowed inside for a Timothy Taylor's Boltmaker and to marvel at the collection of artefacts.

- The Cavern of the Curious Gnome -

Usually the Albion would win the award for most memorable pub of the day hands down but it manages to get upstaged by an interloper within The Rows, Chester's unique arrangement of half-timbered shops-upon-shops. The distinctive walkways are fascinating enough but when you factor in the Cavern of the Curious Gnome I really do feel like I've slipped into a parallel universe of toadstool seating and giant gnome figurines. Clandestinely squirreled away above the Paysan wine bar, 'Gnome' acts as an almost continental getaway with an emphasis on Belgian beer, German lager and UK craft offerings. I've never been anywhere quite like it!

- Tutbury Church -

Wednesday 20th April: on we go into Day Two whereby I'm delighted to be joined by Nick for a Staffordshire selection. We're investigating the railway line between Derby and Stoke so our first stop is Tutbury & Hatton where the River Dove marks the county boundary with South Derbyshire. Tutbury is firmly on the Staffordshire side of the river and boasts both a ruined castle (which opens Thursdays to Sundays in low season) and a Priory Church that has a majestically elaborate West Doorway. The village pubs we'd ideally like to sample aren't seemingly open of a Wednesday lunchtime but Ye Olde Dog & Partridge (a sprawling old coaching inn) and the Vine (very much a Marston's local) ensure we won't go thirsty.

- Dr Johnson Monument, Uttoxeter -

We were nevertheless rather taken with Tutbury but nearby Hatton is a harder sell, dominated by a Nestle/Nescafe factory which explains the odd smell of roasted coffee beans thick in the atmosphere. The Railway Inn by the station level crossing has a lovely pet dog but proves to be lacking in cobs and cask ale - what, no Bass?! Our afternoon plans take us to Uttoxeter, home to a National Hunt racecourse that heralds our arrival onto platform two. A five minute stroll into the town centre brings us neatly to Market Place where the Dr Johnson Memorial takes pride of place - it is said to commemorate an act of penance that saw the renowned lexicographer atoning for refusing to work on his father's bookstall as a boy. 

- Citra IPA in the Horse & Dove -

Nick and I have no need to hang our heads in shame and therefore simply continue our tour of the town. St Mary the Virgin Parish Church has traditional 'He is Risen' Easter decorations while the bus station has a Midland Classic vehicle or two in circulation. Pub-wise there are several hostelries that could claim our custom but we concentrate on an old favourite and a relatively new arrival. The former is the Vaults, a timeless bastion of Bass where we receive an impromptu table skittles demonstration, whereas the latter is the Horse & Dove micropub overlooking the main square. Leatherbritches Citra IPA is freshness in a glass here as we recline in comfortable armchairs listening to 1990s tunes. A good day!

- Narborough Station -

Thursday 21st April: what then will day three have in store? Let's serve up a little slice of Leicestershire, once the 9:52 train from Birmingham New Street re-enters service following a medical emergency. Narborough sets the ball rolling on this occasion, the station retaining a nice railway house on the Leicester-bound platform although for me the lattice footbridge in bright shades of red and green is really the star of the show. My photographic circuit of the village introduces me to a branch library, All Saints Church, Narborough Hall (a family home turned into a gift shop business) and the Narborough Arms (operated by Greene King). 

- Greetings from Littlethorpe -

Back at Narborough Station, I find one of the 'Fosse Foxes' sculptures that was part of a trail installed across various Blaby District tourist attractions last year - this one keeps a very close eye on signal box happenings! Heading over the tracks into the neighbouring community of Littlethorpe, the Plough Inn takes my fancy as an Everard's tied house so I pause there for a pint of Old Original. Littlethorpe's other pub is the Old Inn further along on The Square so I note that for future reference; other features this side of the railway include a war memorial tablet and W Heighton & Son's funeral directors. 

- Hinckley Sock Homage -

Catching the 13:28 train back towards Birmingham, my next stop is Hinckley ten minutes or so away. The town was historically a centre for the hosiery industry - particularly knitted stocking and sock production - which explains why a mural nostalgically recalls the old factories owned by firms such as Atkins, Smallshaws and Sketchleys. It's been a few years since I last came here and the most obvious change has been the completion of The Crescent, a major leisure and commercial redevelopment project that encompasses a rebuilt bus station. One of the units is where I find the Elbow Room, a highly-regarded micropub where I can savour Tiny Rebel's Press Start Mocha Porter - very moreish indeed!

- Bridge 76, Macclesfield Canal -

Friday 22nd April: Rail Rover 2022 is notable for delivering a double dosage of Cheshire as I stretch my horizons to include Congleton, not strictly within the confines of my ticket but I don't mind paying a little extra to cover me beyond Kidsgrove. Congleton Station is virtually next door to the Macclesfield Canal so I get my wish for more towpath trekking, albeit I'll only cover the relatively short section from Galley Bridge (No. 73 at Henshall Hall Drive) to the charming Congleton Aqueduct with its vintage signs about 12-foot headroom clearances. On a sunny spring morning there's little I like better than getting snapshots of old bridges and indulging in a general spot of gongoozling. 

- Congleton Town Hall -

Canal Road is my route into the heart of Congleton, lured in by the Town Hall's Gothic-styled presence looming large on the horizon; the building was designed by Edward William Godwin and completed in 1866. I'd never visited the town before so there are literally new discoveries around every corner, from pedestrianised Bridge Street with its array of well-known stores, to West Street where the Lion & Swan Hotel has a distinct dash of Tudor tavern elegance. The red-liveried D&G fleet is very prominent at the bus station as a Bear Grills greasy spoon and the local branch library vie for my attention. 

- The Beartown Tap -

Naturally I've a couple of Congleton hostelries in mind by way of refreshment, chief amongst which is the Beartown Tap on Willow Street. It's fair to say I absolutely loved this place despite not partaking of their fruitier ales - I like Peach Melbear and Bluebeary a lot but today was the day for sampling Glacier and Kodiak in pristine condition. My other pub choice would have been the Prince of Wales Joules establishment on Lawton Street were it not closed while a landlord transition takes effect. No matter, I'll simply seek out the Young Pretender instead, quaffing a Strange Times Neo Kosmo Blond in an artistically-styled 'beer parlour'. 

- A Mammoth Meeting at Craven Arms -

Saturday 23rd April: St George's Day has been specially reserved for Shropshire - with a helping hand from Herefordshire - as royal correspondent Nick makes his second rovering appearance of the week. Wall-to-wall sunshine has given way to cloudy skies in Craven Arms but that won't stop us from making a new cuddly mammoth friend outside the Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre - I think Nick was rather tempted to join in with violin practice. Craven Arms serves as a junction station for the Heart of Wales line and feels resolutely agricultural with a semi-permanent scent of manure in the air. Tractors and other farm machinery are to the fore as we flank the busy A49 trunk road. 

- Stokesay Castle -

Just south of Craven Arms is the fortified manor house of Stokesay Castle, managed and preserved by English Heritage. Originally constructed by Lawrence of Ludlow in the late 13th century, it is a remarkable survivor and Nick is effusive about the countryside views that can be enjoyed from the South Tower. I concentrate on photos of the 16th century gatehouse and the adjacent parish church before we venture back into town for a drink. Alas the Craven Arms Hotel (after which the whole settlement was named) is currently closed down so we take a punt on the Stokesay Inn where Ludlow Brewery's Blonde and Gold are well represented. 

- Ducking Stool, Leominster Priory -

Moving on, we can't resist trying the brewery's output at source so it's an easy decision to break our journey at Ludlow. Half an hour in their converted railway shed taproom is just long enough to steadily sup respective halves of Black Knight and Red Dawn - the beer quality is stellar so it's no surprise the place is busy. Leominster then awaits our afternoon attendance and has its own treats to keep us captivated, not least of which is the wonderful Leominster Priory. The church here can trace its origins right back to 660AD and the architecture includes a magnificent Norman nave. Some of the furnishings are highly intriguing, such as a ducking stool used to establish whether someone was a witch, and a modern depiction of the Last Supper crafted out of computer keyboard buttons. 

- Feeling Wholesome in the Chequers -

Leominster railway station seems like a sleepy location these days but it was once an important junction with branches to both Worcester (via Bromyard) and Kington. After a Wetherspoons lunch courtesy of the Dukes Head - previously the town's post office - we conclude matters on Etnam Street just around the corner from the station. The honour of hosting our closing half goes to the Chequers, an unspoiled Wye Valley Brewery outlet that has achieved Good Beer Guide recognition. Wholesome Stout thus brings the curtain down on a truly tremendous week that had me travelling the length and breadth of the regional railway network. Roll on Rail Rover 2023 I say!

A Brownhills Good Friday

In 'normal' years prior to the pandemic, Good Friday would often be reserved for exploration purposes, an approach that has yielded trips to Golds Hill, Greets Green, Lichfield and Redditch to name a few. Easter 2022 offers me a chance to seek fresh Bank Holiday bounty so let us savour another bite out of Brownhills...

- Walsall Wood Football Club -

Friday 15th April 2022 begins with a brace of bus rides, taking the 529 from Wolverhampton to Walsall before switching onto the 10 up through Rushall and Shelfield. The sight of St John's Church prompts me to alight in Walsall Wood where various mining memories are captured in sculptural form, including canine references to 'Our Scruff' and a pitman's pet whippet. Oak Park Leisure Centre has been totally rebuilt since I previously took photos of the facility and is now positioned closer to Coppice Road, although it still keeps Walsall Wood FC's non-league ground (a.k.a. the Boston Bailey Group Stadium) reasonably close company. 

- The Black Cock crows no more -

There's only room in my affections for one West Midlands-based football team with the initials WWFC so I beat a very hasty retreat towards the Daw End Branch Canal. Black Cock Bridge precedes the pub of the same name, an off-the-beaten-track former Banks's boozer that has sadly shut down despite still having a 'card payments only' blackboard on the car park. The ghosts of previous block lettering stain the whitewashed frontage as the central chimney stack cuts a forlorn figure - has this gone for good? Another expired establishment is next in line for pictures whereby the Wheel on Lindon Road has been closed for years. Neighbouring items here include a Pat Collins funfair compound and the Clayhanger Road Gospel Hall. 

- A Brownhills Banner -

Mr D9 and I were only in the Brownhills area back in February but even so I reckon the town is ready for another WME instalment. Having topped up the archives with further snapshots of the Anchor (itself under threat of potential demolition judging by the planning notice outside) and a Winnie-the-Pooh baby boutique montage, I pause to admire a striking sign referencing local transport heritage near Farmfoods. Brownhills High Street isn't quite as busy as usual, no doubt quietened down slightly during the school holidays, so I can enjoy getting peaceful pictures in the increasingly warm spring sunshine.

- St James's Parish Church -

One corner of Brownhills that always appeals to me is that involving Brickiln Street, Vicarage Road and St James's Church. Ogley Hay Nursery School is having its playground relaid while the old library gates on the corner with Short Street remain in situ though the branch building has long been flattened. Built in 1850-51, St James's is a fine landmark complete with its bell turret, small spire and war memorial cross - I also rather like the barrel-roofed church hall as an additional target for my camera. Crossing back over High Street, I recall childhood visits to Brownhills Market which used to based on a patch near Pier Street Footbridge and the Tesco superstore. Sadly many markets struggle for survival these days and in the case of Brownhills the land has been repurposed to host Silver Street apartments. 

- Cooper's Bridge -

Now for what has to go down as a seminal moment in my personal exploration history. The Wyrley & Essington Canal has been a constant through years and years of adventures, yet there is one small segment I'd never actually covered. Pier Street Footbridge has the honour of introducing me to a stretch that arcs around Clayhanger Common, passing the Canoe Club and the desirable properties of Watermead Grange. My favourite discovery of the day simply has to be Cooper's Bridge, a simple enough structure that represents the final missing piece of my Curly Wyrley jigsaw. Creeping ivy and a standard nameplate add a touch of character before Pelsall Old Railway Bridge and Becks Bridge return me to known territory. 

- The Swan, Pelsall Road -

I exit the towpath at Jolly Collier Bridge feeling that I've earned myself a pub interlude or two. Wallace Road and Bradford Road combine to bring me to the Hussey Arms, a Hungry Horse chain outlet close to Holland Park and Brownhills Common. As you might expect, this is a place that focuses heavily on food so I swerve the diners by sitting outside with my pint of John Smiths - nothing to write home about then but it does the job. I'm far more enamoured with the Swan on Pelsall Road however, a superb free house serving up gorgeous Golden Glow and equally excellent cobs (add your own onion from a special dispensing jar). 

- New Invention Brewery Taproom -

I imagine I could happily have spent the entire afternoon in the Swan but for the fact I've promised myself a brewery bonus in Bloxwich. The 23 bus can take me door to door and is operated by Walsall Community Transport - it's quite a novelty boarding a Ring & Ride-style minibus with seatbelts for the journey via Mallory Crescent, Abbotts Street and Valley Road. My ultimate destination is the New Invention Brewery based on the Pinfold Trading Estate (i.e. behind the Wheatsheaf) where I'm taking advantage of their earlier Bank Holiday opening hours. It's disconcertingly dark inside as I first enter the taproom unit but I soon acclimatise over a pint of cask 'Nectar' which admittedly lives up to its name. I can't resist staying for one of their craft keg offerings, the result being Nightfall Stout at a mere 7% - wowsers! I'll most definitely keep an eye out for their beers more in future, but for now the homeward 9 awaits.

Cheers... and Happy Easter!

On the Pensnett Patch with Mr D9

The third Hub Marketing meeting of the year promises plenty of Pensnett perks as Mr D9 and I anticipate a beery brush with the Black Country. If all goes to plan - a big ask I know - there could be canal heritage, micropub moments and even a rare (for us) Wetherspoons interlude...

- Brockmoor Junction -

Friday 8th April 2022 begins with the Secretary undertaking a solo ferret around Buckpool and Brockmoor. Mr WME's mission - should I choose to accept it - is to revisit a short section of the Stourbridge Extension Canal, so one 15 bus ride later I hop off at Bromley for a rummage through Buckpool Nature Reserve. Railway remnants and gravel tracks precede a glimpse of Dudley Council's Leys Depot, a corporation compound that backs onto Brockmoor Junction. This is where the Fens Branch provides access to the Stourbridge Extension, a lost waterway that historically served mines and ironworks at Corbyns Hall and Shutt End. Nowadays the remaining stub offers mooring possibilities in among a multitude of ducks and geese.

- Jones Brothers Clock -

Back on the Fens Branch, I continue as far as Cressett Lane (Haywoods Bridge) from whence I can exit into Brockmoor. Features such as the Il Michelangelo restaurant, the fishing tackle and bait shop and the abandoned Brockmoor House pub are fairly familiar although major resurfacing works on the Pensnett Road add a little extra spice on this occasion. Brierley Hill beckons with its High Street not quite as much of a bottleneck as usual; a vintage Jones Bros clock is probably my favourite find of the morning as I gather general pictures of the Civic Hall, Police Station and the Moor Shopping Centre. 

- Middle Pool -

News from the Chairman is that he's heavily delayed due to work-related wranglings, so our proposed tour of the Fens Pools Nature Reserve becomes a solitary expedition. Three pools here act as feeder reservoirs for the Stourbridge Canal system and together make for a Black Country beauty spot (if you ignore the odd burnt-out car that is). From Wide Waters I pass Grove Pool first of all, complete with hints of stepping stones across a sluice channel. Middle Pool is the longest of the three with Fens Pool itself being the broadest; wildlife-wise there are many examples of waterfowl but the only great crested newt I see is a sculpted one holding a pageantry lance near the entrance to the car park off Blewitt Street. 

- Passing the Pensnett Assessment -

Picking my way through the poetically-named streets of the Upper Pensnett estate - think Byron, Tennyson et al. - I receive word that Mr D9's arrival is now imminent. The bald spot duly alights off his number 5 bus just in time to be the first foot through the door of the Fox & Grapes at 1pm. With Batham's Best Bitter in hand, D9 Destroyer sets about proving that his troubled morning hasn't diminished his darting prowess. A 3-0 lead is quickly compiled while WME Whirlwind again displays an ability to hit the furniture more often than the dartboard! Even though I'm well and truly beaten, it's still a treat to be in a proper Bathams boozer on a Friday afternoon, munching chicken tikka cobs and listening to Absolute Radio. 

- Pens Ale Micro Bar -

After that stellar Fox & Grapes start, attention switches to the micropub we've promised ourselves further along Pensnett High Street. Passing the High Oak and the derelict H.L. Myers Chemists shop, we reach Pens Ale which is the sister establishment to Tividale's Tivi Ale. Four cask ales include Golden Glow and Timothy Taylor's Landlord Dark but we opt for the 'Loxhill Biscuit', a gluten-free golden beer from Crafty Brewing. Mock brick decor and bourbon label wallpaper details help us feel at home as we sit in a corner close to the chip shop, the nearest we'll ever get to recreating having a pint in the Four Furnaces. 1983 chart predictions have us recalling Kenny Everett's 'Snot Rap', which like our Hub adventures is all in the best possible taste!

- Baldness beside the Lenches Bridge -

We were very impressed with Pens Ale and can envisage it doing well in a location that seems busy enough near the Tansey Green Road turning. Our next task is to carry on down towards Kingswinford, noting the presence of the Pensnett Trading Estate as our Silly Song Selections are declared; D9 chooses the utterly random 'Bohemian Catsody' for miaow overload whereas I subject us to a ditty about 'Norah Batty's Stockings'. The bald spot doesn't object to a bit of Compo and is similarly besotted by the Lenches Bridge, a refurbished free house with a definite penchant for the Peaky Blinders TV series. We've left our flat caps at home but do partake of a swift Carling so as to appease any gangsters who might be in the vicinity. 

- Wye Valley in the Woodman -

Kingswinford itself is where we'll stage our Wetherspoons intermission, once we've dealt with St Mary's Parish Church and the Standhills Road electricity offices. The Cross is the JDW in question, breathing new life into a longstanding landmark on the Moss Grove crossroads. The Secretary has earned his discount plotter's badge today, pouncing for £1.85 pints of 'Hot Night At The Village' as a mahogany-toned porter brewed especially for the company's in-house ale festival. It's fair to say Tim Martin and crew have done a good job with the Cross, making the most of some fine architectural flourishes, but for us there are other Kingswinford watering holes we'd rate more highly. The Woodman on Mount Pleasant is a case in point, serving up crystal clear Wye Valley HPA backed with gorgeous walnut panelling. This pub retains its own traditional bowling green and even manages to squeeze in room for a Thai restaurant!

- Grinning at the steering wheel -

Indeed, the plucky pubgoer is almost spoiled for choice in Kingswinford because there are several other pint possibilities in a relatively condensed area. Take the Leopard on Summer Street, or the Swan near Greenfields Road, or the Mount Pleasant (a Banks's number with roaming children and non-roaming astroturf). Our other top pick has to be the Park Tavern on Cot Lane - it is owned by Greene King but stocks a cracking line up of local brews including Bathams Bitter and is rightfully proving popular in the early evening sunshine. No wonder the Chairman looks so pleased with himself as he delivers a driving demo on the homeward 16. 

- Wombourne Pool Bar -

We're almost done and dusted for another trip but D9 bladder necessities invoke a pit stop clause in Wombourne. Our wildcard discovery opposite the village green's tennis courts is the Wombourne Pool Bar, which belies its compact frontage by opening out into a surprisingly spacious interior. Bright red bench seats accompany Golden Glow and scattered scratchings before the Chairman insists on a Sunbeam splash and dash at the New Inn for good measure - well it was handy for the bus stop! All that remains is for us to catch the next 16 back towards Wolverhampton and that's April's hub assortment safely filed - cheers!

Lost Pubs from the WME Archives - Part 25

It's taken a while for me to get round to it but here comes our first archive dip of 2022. I've plucked out a selection of perished pubs that will take us from Telford to Dudley by way of Tipton and Willenhall - how many of these five do you remember?

- The Bucks Head -

We begin this quintet with a famous old inn that lends its name to the adjacent AFC Telford United football ground but which has latterly suffered the ignominious fate of being converted into a Domino's Pizza outlet. The Bucks Head stands on Watling Street at the crossroads with Haybridge Road and Arleston Lane - look carefully and you'll see a panel suggesting the building dates from 1928. I bet they weren't eating pizzas back then!

- The Rose & Crown -

We're going back to early 2006 for this next picture as Tipton's Rose & Crown gets summoned from the dusty depths of my back catalogue. A fairly nondescript boozer from what I recall of it, the pub was located on Queens Road just along from the local swimming baths; sadly the pool has followed the pub in being consigned to the pages of history. Tipton has lost several watering holes in relatively recent memory but still retains Black Country classics such as the Pie Factory and the Fountain. 

- The Cat -

Third up is our Willenhall contribution whereby the Cat has succumbed to the curse of the Chinese takeaway, firstly as Beijing House and more recently something called 'Best Choice'. Being a fair distance from the town centre I'm assuming that this was more of a locals' haunt rather than a place with a huge amount of passing trade, although Bloxwich Road South is on a reasonably frequent bus route. Part of me wonders whether the Cat would have been frequented by lock workers from small factories in the vicinity of Clothier Street.

- The Hill Tavern -

We'll conclude this particular Lost Pubs episode with a double dose of Dudley, or the Kates Hill estate to be exact. The area has been deprived of much of its pub stock in recent years, not least the Hill Tavern which could formerly be found on Watsons Green Road. Even back in 2010 it appeared to be on borrowed time, and the place would later reach a stage of near dereliction prior to being rebuilt as a convenience store. 

- The Freebodies -

Keeping with Kates Hill a while longer, we'll venture around the corner from the Hill Tavern and up towards St John's Parish Church. The church itself was shut for several years because of safety concerns while directly opposite was the Freebodies, a plain box boozer on the corner with High View Street. This November 2010 picture shows it in a state of disrepair and it came as no surprise to hear the building was demolished a few years later, although happily the church faces a more optimistic future. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - March 2022

The blog totaliser tells me that I'm rapidly closing in on my 900th blogpost, so I'll have to come up with something suitably monumental for such a lofty landmark. Post 895 meanwhile is much more mundane, merely bringing you up to speed with March's happenings on the West Midlands Exploration photostream...

I don't often start my monthly summaries with WME Sandwell so why not make an exception for a change? Progress here has been steady rather than stellar but it is worth noting the respective arrivals of Gorse Farm Off Licence, the Heath Lane Cemetery Pauper's Memorial plaque (in my West Bromwich album) and a trio of M&B lanterns adorning the various doorways of Smethwick's Waggon & Horses. So there you go Sandwell, fame at last!

Sandwell often seems to go hand-in-hand with Dudley (especially where a certain railway station name is concerned) so I'll go there next to see what's been occurring. WME Dudley matches its erstwhile neighbour thanks to additions from Hawbush (boarded up bungalows on Lower Valley Road), Hasbury (Holt's insignia at the Rose & Crown) and what I might loosely bracket together as the Gornals. Yes that does mean another reappearance for the Jolly Crispin but I've countered that with Red Cow teddy bears and a rustic pub sign outside the Fountain Inn, making for a solid month's work.

WME Birmingham can't be accused of slacking either after accumulating a Harborne and Hamstead assortment. The Bell Inn next to Harborne Parish Church is a longstanding photo favourite of mine (not to mention a mighty fine pub) while Hamstead Hall Road gets less coverage but is still a valued contributor. Stan's Transport Cafe in Handsworth conjures up happy memories of Hub Marketing breakfasts whereas Hartopp Gate at Sutton Park sternly informs us it will be closing at 5pm sharp. Jewellery Quarter businesses past and present join two Big Hoot owls in rounding off my Brum-based update. 

I've deliberately delayed the customary mention of WME Wolverhampton to give some other galleries their due but our trusty Wolves content can be ignored no longer. Street signs come as standard these days so you won't be at all surprised when I declare representatives for the likes of Hornbeam Walk (Merridale), Milton Road (Heath Town) and Walnut Drive (Finchfield). In other news, Highlands Road displays some yellow foliage and Hills Bridge on the former Bentley Canal makes an extra showing covered in russet-red leaves.

To WME Telford we now hurtle, grappling with the Granville County Park near Donnington. Dragonfly benches accompany general treescapes in hinting how nature has reclaimed an area once dominated by heavy industry. Elsewhere, WME Warwickshire collects nun-inspired street art courtesy of the Griff & Coton Sports and Social Club then hops over to Henley-in-Arden for a railway running board and a bite of the Bluebell pub. WME Staffordshire tackles a Furnace Grange footpath before holding Hanley (the Burton Stores boozer) and Hednesford (Bridge Inn pumpclips) to account, leaving just WME Walsall trailing behind with a Greenrock Tavern pub sign and the King Arthur at Gillity Village. Over to you April 2022...