Bears on Tour 2022: Headingley

The 2022 cricket season began a few weeks ago with Warwickshire aiming to follow up last year's heroics with another title success. It's been a steady start for the defending champions thus far - one win, three draws, one defeat - and the sixth round of fixtures takes them north to Leeds for the clash against Yorkshire. The Beardsmores and I were there to see the action unfold...

- Magic can happen in Headingley... -

The match is due to get underway on Thursday 19th May so we journey up the day before, the Beardsmobile making mincemeat of the M6 and M62 motorways. Our accommodation is literally just around the corner from the ground so we get checked in and then see what a Wednesday evening in Burley has to offer. One thing we notice immediately is how so many of the local telecoms cabinets have been painted over with all manner of weird and wonderful designs; naturally we feel an affinity with the cricket-related examples that recall the exploits of Botham and Willis in 1981 or Stokes and Leach in 2019. 

- The Cardigan Arms (with added cardigan) -

Two contrasting establishments on the Kirkstall Road will help to get us acquainted with our temporary surroundings for the week. The Cardigan Arms is a magnificently-restored Victorian gem nowadays operated by the Kirkstall Brewery who themselves are based half a mile or so up the road; Black Band Porter is a cracking start to my holiday ale-wise while Mr B Senior is similarly complimentary about the standard Bitter, and otherwise we simply marvel at marble fireplaces and many a brewery mirror. Dave's Pie & Ale House meanwhile is altogether much smaller but certainly merits a visit, especially when they seem to have provided 'SB' beermats as if personalised for Stephen. I keep it dark with Salamander's Bright Black Porter, making it two excellent Yorkshire beers in a row. 

- Not the start we were hoping for... -

Thursday morning heralds cricketing commencement as we troop expectantly into Headingley Stadium where Warwickshire have won the toss and elected to bat. We're keen to take up a perch in the Howard Stand which has transformed the south side of the ground since we last came - padded plastic seating has replaced the rickety old wooden equivalents and the new facility still doubles up as part of the adjacent Leeds Rhinos concourse too. Unfortunately the Bears batting isn't anywhere near as impressive and we're soon in trouble at 43/4. Matt Lamb and Will Rhodes help to steady the ship but the undoubted star of the day is wicket-keeper Michael Burgess with a sparkling 96, caught and bowled by Patterson (3/43) so close to his century. 244 all out then and Yorkshire make it to stumps unscathed on 28 without loss. 

- The Midnight Bell, Holbeck -

Our close-of-play itinerary on Thursday involves a bus ride into Leeds city centre, the 1 being the route in question via Woodhouse Lane. We alight on Neville Street practically underneath the railway station from whence we can investigate a couple of Holbeck hostelries awaiting us on the other side of the River Aire. The Midnight Bell has gastro leanings in an area ripe with gentrification; Leeds Brewery have made this one of their flagship outlets and their Best Bitter is certainly on point for quality quaffing. By comparison the Grove Inn on Back Row is far more traditional with a John Smith's Magnet Ales frontage that gets dwarfed by the neighbouring office blocks. Ilkley's Mary Jane goes down well as a session pale here as we sit in the snug and overhear Covid-influenced lyrics from a singer-songwriter performance. 

- Lyth lingers for a long vigil -

The second day of Headingley sporting action is dominated by the hosts who proceed to a relatively untroubled 269 for 4, their innings underpinned by a painstaking unbeaten hundred from opener Adam Lyth. Harry Brook was likewise in the runs, his 82 maintaining a sequence of 50+ scores that has earned him an England call-up. As for the Bears bowling attack, Henry Brookes looked the most dangerous and Oliver Hannon-Dalby racked up a series of maidens at one stage before proving less economical later in the day. Aside from the on-pitch activities, Friday should also be noted for an unfortunate ice cream spillage that cascaded my raspberry ripple across the car park even though I just about managed to cling onto my flake! Bad light brings a slightly early close, after which sharp showers set in.

- Leeds Pale in the Original Oak -

Despite the rain, we venture out on Friday evening to sample some of Headingley's wide and varied pub selection. The Head of Steam is initially abuzz with pre-match Leeds Rhinos fans building up for their game against Wakefield but things quieten off slightly the nearer we get to 8pm. Stephen alternates his standard purple peril persuasion (lemonade and blackcurrant) with a few Diet Coke dalliances while his dad sticks to the Bitters where possible. After a very enjoyable Ainsty Oatmeal Stout in my case, we relocate to our old friend Arcadia on the main Otley Road. Roosters' London Thunder meets Timothy Taylor Boltmaker as we sit upstairs discussing what Wolves need to do in the summer transfer window. A chip shop tea from St Michael's Fisheries comes with a liberal scattering of scraps/batter bits, and our Original Oak finale coincides with the end of the rugby league match (Rhinos won 24-6 for the record).

- Another spluttering start -

Saturday sees us ensconced in the Howard Stand for the third day in succession, looking on as Lyth is eventually dismissed for a commendable 145 compiled over 431 obdurate minutes. Helped by some late-order fun and games from Matthew Revis (53 not out), the home side are all out for 449 which equates to a lead of 205 runs. Warwickshire's Australian overseas player Nathan McAndrew took 4/111 - his figures boosted by mopping up the tail - but it was hard going for an attack missing the likes of Woakes, Stone and Norwell due to injury. In a repeat of Thursday's tricky start, the Bears again lose early wickets and at 25/3 there's a risk we might not make it into the fourth day. Rhodes and Sam Hain dig in to avoid further damage but 57/3 at stumps means we're still a long way behind and a draw is our best hope. 

- Cottage Road Cinema -

Our Saturday evening attentions daringly turn to the Otley Run, a famed pubcrawl covering some 15 - or is it 16? - calling points between Far Headingley and Leeds City Centre. Roving groups of fancy-dressed students are said to attempt the full set every weekend but we take a more sedate approach, merely combining the New Inn, Woodies Craft Bar and the Skyrack. Big babies and swashbuckling pirates are encountered along with good beer (Selby Pale, Kirkstall Three Swords and the bright pink sourness of Vault City's Cherry Cola Cubes). We get to see a few extra Headingley landmarks too including St Chad's Church - complete with its accompanying cricket pitch and tennis club - plus the Cottage Road Cinema, the latter having been independently showing films since 1912.

- Hain and Rhodes to the rescue -

The conclusion of our cricketing contest occurs on Sunday 22nd May whereby Warwickshire remarkably bat out the entire day without losing a single wicket. Hain and Rhodes progress their partnership to a mammoth 227 stand with both batsmen reaching centuries within a couple of deliveries of each other. Handshakes at ten to five mean a hard-fought draw has been secured, thus ensuring that Stephen and I keep intact our proud unbeaten record of never having seen the Bears lose in Yorkshire - that's two wins (2011, 2019) and two draws (2013, 2022) from our four visits now. 

- Cheers from the New Headingley Club -

Content with an ultimately solid performance that places Warwickshire in mid-table ready for when the County Championship resumes from its T20 Blast-induced break, we sign off with some Sunday pints in Headingley. First up is the Golden Beam which Wetherspoons have lavishly converted from a disused former school arts centre - the building is highly distinctive with its Portland stone facade and hints of a church organ. We make this our teatime haunt, accounting for gammon, burger and ham, egg and chips respectively, then seek out the New Headingley Club on St Michael's Road which we'd only spotted earlier that morning. The club proves a fine choice for a relaxing lounge natter over a Guinness or an M&B Mild, although Mr B Senior is subsequently gutted to discover that our hotel bar has closed early and he can't have his nightcap cans of John Smith's - cue much chuntered consternation!

- A Rhinos Farewell -

John is still bemoaning such smoothpour deprivation when we reconvene on Monday morning for our final Headingley breakfast. I stretch my legs before the journey home and top up the WME photo quota with a Leeds Rhinos mural moment honouring Kevin Sinfield on Ash Road; St Stephen's Parish Church in Kirkstall and Headingley railway station make similar late bids for archive inclusion, then its time to munch more motorways in the Beardsmobile. Those five days flew by in a flash and we're already looking forward to our next instalment of Warwickshire-watching spectatorship - cheers, and Come On You Bears!

Hub Marketing 2022: Shrewsbury

Among the underlying threads of Hub Marketing history is a liking for undertaking Shropshire sessions in the springtime. Market Drayton, Bridgnorth, Oswestry and Ellesmere have all graciously hosted us at this time of year during trips gone by and now it is time to put the county town itself firmly in the spotlight with a shuffle around the suburbs of Shrewsbury...

- Spotted at Shrewsbury Bus Station -

It's Friday 13th May 2022 and the weather is set fair as our intrepid adventurers board the 9:44 Holyhead train at Wolverhampton, the Chairman having successfully staged his statutory mad sprint along Railway Drive. Mr D9 just about gets his breath back by the time we arrive in Shrewsbury and marvel at the station's grand stone frontage, built in 1848 with an imitation Tudor style in mind. Raven Meadows Bus Station is nowhere near as spectacular but serves its function well enough with an initial bank of stands (A to M) plus some outlying shelters. Arriva are the main operator on show although we do see fleet representation from Lakeside of Ellesmere, Celtic Travel and Minsterley Motors, not forgetting a certain bald spot!

- Harlescott Level Crossing -

Our plan is to explore sections of the local town network, starting with the number 25 towards Harlescott Tesco. Arriva £4.50 DaySavers are duly purchased as we navigate Castlefields (New Park Road) and Ditherington (noting the Tasty Food takeaway and Mount Pleasant Road). The Harlescott end of the route comprises Gloucester Road past the boarded-up Anchor Inn, York Road and then the retail park off Brixton Way prior to the Tesco terminus. There seems to be rather a lot of traffic around, some of which must be due to the superstore but the Harlescott Lane level crossing might also be a factor. Trackside cottages with butterfly decorations catch our eye but we need to get a hurry on when the barriers start sounding because the Crewe train is about to come through.  

- Something Sheepish for the Secretary? -

Our immediate mission is to obtain some breakfast, in which case Rashers Cafe on Ennerdale Road comes up trumps with fortifying Full Englishes to set us up well for the rest of the day - Mr WME is particularly thrilled to get fried bread and black pudding. We last visited Harlescott nearly nine years ago and our abiding memory was of sheep sculptures that Mr D9 naturally tried to sit on. Happily the flock is still there, garishly coloured overlooking the Tesco car park but the Chairman's continued attempts to clamber on top still prove in vain - he simply can't get his leg over anymore! We likewise have to admit defeat when trying to claim the Harry Hotspur, a peculiarly pointy Banks's estate boozer named after a distinguished knight who was killed at the Battle of Shrewsbury in 1403 (and therefore nothing to do with the current England football captain). Alas the pub shows no sign of lunchtime life and is being engulfed by new housing developments - it might open later perhaps or has it stopped trading? 

- Harlescott Grange Community Hub -

We don't dwell on that Harry Hotspur disappointment for long though, not with other Harlescott discoveries waiting to be made. Leafields brings us into Harlescott Grange complete with its own community hub and neighbourhood park before Bainbridge Green offers access to the Grange Primary School. Retracing the 25 bus route on foot via Wendsley Road, we reach the Steam Wagon for our belated opening drink of the day - cue Purity's Mad Goose which we sup whilst gazing out towards the BBC Radio Shropshire studios. Further refreshments then come courtesy of the Heathgates, a prominent roadhouse guarding a notorious roundabout, and the Compasses Inn on Long Row. The former sees D9 Destroyer earning a narrow darts victory fuelled by Theakston's tarmac whereas the latter is a scruffily basic backstreet find that harks back to the heydays of domino leagues and brown upholstery. 

- Driver D9 poised on the 27 -

After a nod to the Coach (an old hostelry on the main road through Ditherington), we catch the 24 back into town and soon switch onto a Bayston Hill-bound 27, allowing Mr D9 to display his reversing prowess when exiting the bus station. The bus does well to nimbly extricate its way through mounting Friday afternoon gridlock by trundling down Wyle Cop and powering along Belle Vue Road. The route runs half-hourly via Meole Brace (Moneybrook Way) and a brief portion of the A49 Hereford Road, albeit we bail out well before that and the Bayston Hill terminal loop shall have to remain a mystery to us for the time being. 

- Bass at the double in the Belle Vue Tavern -

Indeed, it was the sight of the Belle Vue Tavern that prompted our decision to alight, lured in by the vintage Shropshire Ales signage and the promise of Draught Bass. The famous red triangle more than lived up to its billing in a very presentable establishment complete with sepia scenes of yore and cribbage tabletops - I can confirm that the Secretary did not drink both of the pints in the picture although he was sorely tempted to! Havelock Road has some genteel terraces climbing up and over the railway bridge, linking onto Montague Place where a swarm of bees have attached themselves to somebody's garden hedge. For once Mr D9's concerns about getting stung don't relate to any discount deviousness.

- Reabrook Precinct -

Our early evening target is the Reabrook Estate, a small self-contained residential area that nestles between Hazeldine Way and Sutton Farm. The main amenities here are clustered together in a distinctive Whitecroft Road precinct where each unit has rounded oval-shaped windows, very reminiscent of the late 1970s. A Sainsbury's store at one end is accompanied by a newsagents, a fish bar, an Indian spice restaurant and - crucially for us - the Saddler's pub which certainly meets the Chairman's brief for droolworthy architecture. Keg Tetley's Smoothpour won't trouble our 'Beer of the Day' rankings but it makes for reasonable enough quaffing as we prop up the bar awhile and keep abreast of the IPL cricket coverage. 

- Measuring up for a frantic finale -

From Reabrook we weave a merry trail into the town centre with the Chairman insisting that the pub accelerator be pressed firmly to the floor. Halves are essential if we're to squeeze every last drop out of the day, meaning that the Boars Head and the Bulls Head both receive flying visits for more Tetley's and Banks's Amber respectively. Honourable mention has to go to the Cross Foxes, one of the Secretary's all-time favourite Bass houses which is packed to the rafters and is the very definition of the word 'unspoiled'. The fun has to end somewhere and our final port of call becomes the Tap & Can, a craft bar literally next door to the station. Tumblers of Tiny Rebel's Press Start Mosaic & Mandarin Meringue make for a memorably murky conclusion, and the train ride home has us catching up on Popmaster. Cheers!

Covering Coventry with the Chip Foundation

The Chip Foundation team have been promising Ken a birthday outing for the best part of three years but alas Covid concerns scuppered our plans in both 2020 and 2021. The adage 'third time lucky' certainly applies in this case as 2022 conjures up a suitable trip with which to celebrate Mr May's missed milestones...

- The New Coventry Station -

Friday 6th May 2022 is the date we've decided upon and Ken has requested Coventry as his preferred destination, meaning we can see what has become of the city's railway station. The new main entrance is now fully functional with its dramatic red and grey frontage dominating the Warwick Road end of the platforms. Fans of 1960s brutalism will be pleased to note that the previous equivalent is still very much in use, and with the redeveloped boulevard outside being a vast improvement on the dingy old Station Square, Coventry is gradually getting itself a transport gateway to be proud of.

- Ford's Hospital Garden -

A quartet of pubs are waiting to claim our custom but before those we entertain ourselves with the seeing of sights old and new. Coventry's year-long tenure as the UK City of Culture may be drawing to a close but the impact of that prestigious title should hopefully live on for a long while yet. Our route into the city centre involves Greyfriars Green where we can say hello to 'Trigger', a horse sculpture originally fabricated from scrap material in the 1980s. The Wave Waterpark has a strong whiff of chlorine in the air and then Greyfriars Lane offers glimpses of Ford's Hospital, a historic almshouse complex that was founded in 1509 and restored after the Blitz. The hospital's cottage garden looks an utterly enchanting oasis of calm today. 

- Godiva rides at noon -

The top end of Greyfriars Lane brings us out onto Broadgate bang on midday, which means we're in prime position to see the famous Godiva Clock in action. Every hour on the hour, the lady in question emerges naked on horseback from the right-hand doorway, eliciting glances from Peeping Tom who peeks out of his separate window above. We all manage to catch the entire spectacle apart from Mr B Senior who is otherwise distracted and only sees Godiva's buttocks disappearing back into the mechanical innards. Thankfully the nearby statue of the same mythical maiden doesn't move anywhere so John can still admire her at his leisure. 

- A Pool Meadow Mural Moment -

Our cultural mission continues with an essential visit to Coventry Cathedral where we afford the bombed-out ruins our full consideration - seeing evidence of the devastation that war can wreak only makes us ever more heartbroken about current events in Ukraine. With a nod to Ecce Homo and the former Girdler's Chapel, we press on to Pool Meadow Bus Station hoping to find further artworks. Having accounted for the 2 Tone mosaic with Mr D9 last December, my focus this time is on the 'In the City of Coventry' mural along the far flyover wall (near the National Express garage). Four faces from the world of entertainment are emblazoned either side of the underpass - we recognise Terry Hall from the Specials and Hazel O'Connor but Manjinder Virk the actress has us stumped. We don't watch enough Midsomer Murders! 

- Nick comes over all Peculier! -

We've definitely earned our first drink of the day so we steadily make our way to the Town Wall Tavern, quietly nestled on Bond Street behind the Belgrade Theatre. A tiny snug known as the Donkey Box might have been a squeeze for all five of us so we sit in the main bar, fascinated by a frieze of 1960s record sleeves. Sandie Shaw, Cleo Laine and Charles Aznavour are all represented as Nick savours some Theakston's Olde Peculier and Mr B Senior gripes about his Guinness. Ken and Stephen meanwhile are keeping half an eye on the cricket score from Old Trafford where Warwickshire are struggling to prise out any Lancashire wickets. 

- Chip Stop at Broomfield Park -

The chaps have been very appreciative of the scenery thus far but Upper Spon Street with its stench-filled subway is a tougher sell, and its hard to put a positive spin on the appearance of Meadow Street's grotty flats. Nevertheless, we cross the River Sherbourne into Spon End and collect a chip shop lunch for munching in a nearby park, Stephen naturally providing his usual pose with fork in hand. The Broomfield Tavern has been expressly requested by Nick so we simply have to do it, even if flaking paintwork makes some of our party wonder if the place is about to fall down. Ted the resident St Bernard sniffs us out the moment we enter and the conversational nature of the pub soon wins us over, as does the excellent beer. Riverside Stout (Froth Blowers Brewery), King Rat and Holden's Mild are all confirmed to be in top condition as Ken and JB debate the secrets to having a successful long life. 

- The Spire Bar -

Two more watering holes will round off the day just nicely, so we brave the stinky subway again to take in some of Spon Street's medieval architecture. The Hops D'Amour micropub only received a Hub Marketing visit prior to Christmas but has since been crowned Coventry CAMRA's Pub of the Year so a second viewing is very much in order; Shiny's Wrench Stout meets Brass Castle's Northern Blonde here as we enjoy the former sewing shop surroundings whilst nattering about cricket, life and the universe. The trip concludes at the Spire Bar off New Union Street, a distinctive venue located at the base of Christchurch Spire (the tower is all that remains of a landmark place of worship that was another casualty of the Blitz). Operated by the local Dhillons Brewery, much of the seating is outside on perspex-clad beer booths. Nick evokes his Grolsch-drinking past by partaking of Ghost Town Lager whereas Ken and Mr B Senior both speak very highly of the Camden Pale, and Stephen prays for a Bears bowling breakthrough. With that we troop back to the railway station and the day is done - cheers!

A Landywood Loop

Post number 900 on the West Midlands Exploration blog is finally here, and we've rolled out the big guns in order to properly celebrate such a milestone moment. Yes folks the Beardsmores are back as we embark on a gentle tour of Landywood, Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley...

- Inspecting the Wyrley Branch -

It's Friday 29th April 2022 - nearly sixteen whole years on from my very first blogpost - as Stephen, Mr B Senior and I board the Chaserider 71 at Heath Town for a journey into South Staffordshire. The route is quite twisty around Long Knowle and Essington before performing an extended wriggle around the estates of Great Wyrley (Wardles Lane, Telford Avenue etc). Cheslyn Hay is our alighting point so that we can a) catch glimpse of the Salem Church and its associated Sunday School, and b) join the remains of the Wyrley Branch Canal at the nature reserve off Dundalk Lane. 

- The last of the April blossoms -

The old canal used to run for 3.5 miles from Sneyd Junction to Great Wyrley Colliery and has been mentioned in previous blog dispatches. On this occasion we cover the section south to Strawberry Lane, passing stern 'No Day Ticket' missives from the Shifnal Angling Club. The various pools prompt fishing analysis from Beardsmores young and old as we try to pinpoint the location of Gilpins Basin. The lanes of Landywood then beckon, noting Upper Landywood Methodist Church (on Streets Lane) and then arcing past the Malt pub, a local snooker club and a primary school with Holly Lane ultimately emerging onto the A34 Walsall Road. 

- The Wheatsheaf, Walsall Road -

An hour's worth of leisurely walking interspersed with cricket score updates from Taunton (Warwickshire aren't doing well) brings us to the Wheatsheaf, a Greene King roadhouse with a hint of Brewer's Tudor about it. We decide to make this our lunchtime stop, hence we scour a Flaming Grill menu when plumping for respective skillets of Hunter's chicken or 8oz gammon, all served on a sizzling bed of chopped onions. Mr B Senior forgoes any barbecue sauce but there's no chance of him turning down a pint of John Smiths, and some Australian rugby union action from Perth helps take Stephen's mind off the Bears' woes in Somerset. 

- Landywood Station Sign -

It can be tricky these days to tell where Landywood stops and Great Wyrley starts, the two communities having almost become blended together over time. Wharwell Lane begins our post-lunch investigations, noting Harrison's Sports & Social Club with what appears to be an absolutely immaculate bowling green. Hilton Lane supplies us with St Andrew's Church (very 1970s I'd say) closely followed by Andys' Ale House micropub, setting for our second drink of the day. Nailmakers Clout Stout is the obvious choice of tipple for me here but Mr B Senior takes pot luck on whatever the other customers are having and ends up with a 5.5% glass of Dancing Duck's Abduction, significantly stronger than his usual preferences. Thankfully the ale meets with his approval and there's no lasting damage as we survey Landywood railway halt.

- Stephen champions Cheslyn Hay -

The last leg of our loop will take us full circle back to Cheslyn Hay via Landywood Lane and High Street. Stephen gamely models the village sign, stoically hiding his disappointment as we get further bad news about Warwickshire batting collapses, and there's quite a slope up past the Co-op to reach the Salem Church again. Our return 70 bus is due at twenty to five which gives us ample time to finish off in the New Talbot, a bustling community boozer just across from the war memorial obelisk. Enville Ale - or more John Smiths if you're Mr B Snr - helps us settle in among golfing notices and 1990s Premier League re-runs plus it's great to see a pub so lively on a Friday afternoon after all the travails of the pandemic. The bus home behaves itself and my 900th posting is in the bag - cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - April 2022

Blogpost number 900 is almost upon us - just one entry away in fact - but before we get there you've got to endure another of my monthly photostream summaries. April's progress was definitely of the steady variety with Rail Rover considerations taking precedence for a while, so here's what has arrived over the last few weeks...

Far and away our lead contributor this time is WME Dudley, which has been ploughing a distinct Kingswinford and Lawnswood furrow for itself. Pub sign pictures representing the Swan, the Park Tavern and the Woodman all make themselves right at home alongside Kingswinford's ex-police station, a Ketley Road farmhouse and selected streetscapes along Lawnswood Avenue. Leys Bridge on the Stourbridge Canal at Brockmoor rounds off Dudley's April haul.

By its usual standards WME Staffordshire has had a fairly quiet 2022 so far but it bounces back to form thanks to assistance from Lower Penn street art. Graffoflarge's endeavours along the South Staffs Railway Walk have yielded further pooch portraits along with exotic ladies and a potential giraffe sighting - it's always worth a wander to see if anything new has been painted. A bandstand-esque structure in Longton's main shopping centre is my other new Staffordshire item of note. 

WME Wolverhampton meanwhile is rarely far away from a decent photo haul and is rapidly closing in on a century of additions for the year. Taking it deeper into the 80s are snapshots from Ladymoor (Gills' Meat Products), Loxdale (the former primary school and a Midland Metro stop sign) and Linthouse Lane (farm fields looking towards Essington). The award for novelty nugget of the month goes to a chef caricature spotted outside Macrome Road's cafe.

Less productive yet worthy of mention are WME Birmingham and WME Warwickshire. Brum has raided the Jewellery Quarter once more for Rectory storks and an old fire station, and the Gate pub off Ladypool Road similarly squeezes into photostream contention. Warwickshire by contrast concentrates on lovely Leamington Spa with reference to the Pig & Fiddle and the Woodland Tavern, not forgetting a brief glimpse of platform 2 at the town's railway station. 

April's stragglers might not be hitting the numeric heights but each of the galleries concerned has reason to be cheerful. WME Worcestershire makes its very first contributions of the year by summoning Bromsgrove's Ladybird and Kidderminster's Park Lane Weavers from the pub file archives. WME Solihull and WME Shropshire both supply a solitary squeak to prove they haven't gone into total hibernation - Solihull's is Lady Lane Wharf on the Stratford Canal near Earlswood, Shropshire's is a Ludlow platform view. That then is all of April's activity accounted for, with hopefully more to come in May...