WME Flickr Focus - December 2022

Christmas was the usual festive whirlwind of utter mayhem and I've now got a little bit of routine administration to attend to before we can say hello to 2023. Consulting my trusty abacus, the numbers reveal that the West Midlands Exploration photostream received exactly 600 photo arrivals over the course of 2022, thus bringing the grand total to a not insubstantial 6,078 published pictures...

December's contribution focused almost exclusively upon one particular gallery, except for a minor outburst from WME Staffordshire (a footpath mileage marker near Whiston, but we don't need to get excited about that). No, apart from that single item, Exploration Extra absolutely dominated proceedings as if on a mission to banish the slumbers that had kept it devoid of additions until November.

Encouragingly, many of EE's fresh items see me dipping into my 2021 archives with May and June of that year making especially useful inroads. For example, the Rail Rover 2021 album has been boosted by the presence of Barrow upon Soar (notably featuring Deep Lock on the Grand Union Canal), then there are extractions from my Kendal family holiday with a focus on castle ruins, mysterious yards and River Kent wildlife. Still with 2021, the Derby Rams Trail registers strongly thanks to the likes of 'Bee Happy', 'Captain Strong' and 'Rambo'.

There have been prized pluckings from earlier in my back catalogue too: I've raided Edinburgh 2017 for David Hume's statue plus Iona Bar branding, whereas the same year's Chelmsford cricket escape provides County Ground vistas and a trio of pub signs (the United Brethren, the Plough and the Riverside). The first ever Warwickshire-watching getaway Stephen and I joined forces for was at Chester-le-Street in 2010 so I'm pleased that Durham's Shakespeare pub has taken its rightful photostream place, and my oldest upload of the whole year is a 2006 sighting of preserved Daimler BON 474C at BaMMoT.

I can therefore consider 2022 a job well done in terms of the Flickr side of things so in 2023 I'll simply aim to keep chipping away as best I can whenever the chance arises. I've been taking digital photos for over 20 years now - my 2002 equivalent self would never have believed that! - and though I'm still very much an amateur with a point-and-click approach I've nevertheless relished documenting the West Midlands in my own peculiar way over that time. Here's hoping there is plenty more to come...

Ho Ho Hubs: Bilston and Blackheath

After illness robbed us of our intended Redditch Rumble two weeks ago, Chairman D9 has regained full fitness in readiness for the Hub Marketing Board Pre-Christmas Party. Normally December would herald our Awards Gala but the Hub calendar is still at the printers and the noble Charles Pemberton Rowbotham III can't be exhumed due to a gravediggers strike in Market Drayton. Nevertheless there is still much fun to be had in the realms of Rowley Regis...

- Wintry Hickman Park -

Like most of the country, the West Midlands has experienced a cold snap of late and there is much slippery stuff to contend with underfoot come Friday 16th December. Chairman D9 has stipulated an afternoon Bradley rendezvous so the Secretary has a free morning to utilise - how about some Bilston pictures then? A Midland Metro tram ride to The Crescent is followed by a slither around Hickman Park, a flagship area of open space gifted to the town as a tribute to the industrialist and MP Sir Alfred Hickman after his death in 1910. The park's facilities include an open air stage (which sadly has suffered a spate of vandalism), a sporting arena, wildflower meadows, and a restored original shelter dating back to the park's 1911 launch. 

- Bilston Town Hall -

Picking his way carefully across ice-capped pavements, the Secretary next tackles Bilston High Street which is pleasingly busy with festive shoppers. Bilston will never be the most glamorous of locations but it does seem to inspire fierce loyalty among the locals, and the market always seems to be bustling with activity. Major's has queues of folk flocking to partake of their legendary orange battered chips but it's the nearby Town Hall that attracts WME attention; built in 1873, it was the seat of local government activities until the County Borough of Wolverhampton was established in 1966.

- A Bulls Head Beginning -

Mr D9 advises of his impending Bradley Lane arrival and the tram soon whisks us off towards West Bromwich where we can catch a 3A bus bound for Blackheath - the route covers the Lion Farm estate and Newbury Lane. Alighting on Throne Road, we make a beeline for the Bulls Head at Whiteheath, a former Marston's boozer that's become a Bar & Grill affair with 1980s tunes on the big screen music channels. A swift pint of Carling each provides solid if unspectacular lubrication but our main concern is previewing the Hub Awards nominations, deciding which greasy spoons, bald spots and dives should be in the running when the winners are announced on a future bash.

- A Moore Mural -

Ideally we'd like a helping hand TUAG link into Blackheath but the curse of D9's timetables strikes again and there isn't a bus in sight. No matter, the walk gives us chance to play the day's silly songs, whereby 'What Are We Gonna Get 'Er Indoors' by Dennis Waterman and George Cole gets upstaged by Larry Grayson's 1975 ditty 'Who's Stuffing Your Turkey This Christmas?' - festive classics both we're sure you'll agree! Our first pub target in Blackheath itself is the Knights Quest (historically known as the George & Dragon) where the lunchtime carvery is being packed away at the end of service. A nice tartan-patterned bay window seat helps us warm back up again before we relocate to the Little Beech on Halesowen Street; this one is the Beech Tree under a slightly reworked moniker and has a Covid Heroes mural that features a depiction of Captain Tom Moore. 

- Santa Steering on the 4H -

Also on Halesowen Street is the Cyder & Cobb micropub as visited by the Secretary and our royal correspondent after the Dudley Winter Ales Fayre last month. A second sampling isn't out of the question albeit the place is packed full with a works do, meaning our best option for sitting down involves risking frostbite by occupying the pavement tables outside. We wouldn't ordinarily recommend al fresco drinking in subzero December temperatures but Vocation's Naughty & Nice Chocolate Stout is not to be missed - liquid heaven! Being out here has other advantages too, namely that we can keep abreast of any bus comings and goings, thus we make a sprint for the 4H as soon as it comes around the corner. 'Santa' willingly obliges for a driving demo as we descend Gorsty Hill Road into Coombeswood.

- Christmas Cheer in the Lighthouse -

At Mr D9's request, we've come this way so as to look in on the Lighthouse, literally shining out like a beacon in the encroaching evening darkness. Secretary WME forges ahead to get the round while the Chairman is distracted by clay post bus stops, but the resultant glasses of pristine Enville Ale meet with universal approval. Gary Woo the marketing mascot makes his Hub Christmas debut as we savour the good-natured atmosphere and Black Country banter. The pub is effectively perched on the hill above the Dudley No. 2 Canal's Gosty Hill Tunnel with a pathway opposite leading down to the south-eastern tunnel portal. 

- And the 2022 Pub Games Champion is... -

We don't fancy towpath trekking in the dark so the return 4H nips us back up to Blackheath for a darting decider in the Three Diamonds Bar off Horner Way. A studious glance at the maths suggests D9 Destroyer and WME Whirlwind are tied level on 17 legs apiece across the whole year so whoever wins this contest will be crowned our 2022 champion. Fuelled by Carling, it is Destroyer who ultimately finds the oche more to his liking on this occasion with Whirlwind struggling to unleash any devious checkouts. Four unanswered legs ensure that the balding one conclusively takes the title - well done sir!

- A Four Ways Finale -

Solace for the Secretary is served up care of a definitive Desi experience at the Four Ways, our closing port of call for the day. The pub has a rather quirky sense of humour as evidenced by the barrel-clutching figure on the car park or a parade of model zoo animals in the kiddies play area. Our primary concern is food and the £15 Mixed Grill sharing platter is ideal for our appetites, comprising chicken tikka, hariyali tikka, lamb kebab and wings, plus mint yoghurt and other relishes - very tasty indeed! All that then remains is for us to head homewards with assistance from the 4 and a tram so I'll finish by wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

The Festive Forage 2022

Ding Dong Merrily On High! It's that time of year when Santa finalises his lists of who's been naughty and who's been nice, when reindeers go into training for their round-the-world flight, and elves work overtime on the toy production line. December also of course means that Nick and I must stage a Festive Forage, our annual yuletide pub spectacular which this year will focus upon Birmingham...

- Percy the Party Penguin -

Nick and I have both been very well behaved indeed during 2022 so we're permitted to meet up on Saturday 10th December for some festive fun. A Grand Central rendezvous means we can confirm the precise location of Birmingham's brand new Wetherspoons (the London and North Western) on New Street's station concourse; it's predictably packed so we'll save it for a future trip and instead focus on Smallbrook Queensway street art and the Penguin Parade sculpture trail. 'Pullover Penguin' awaits us on Hurst Street outside the Hippodrome and looks warmly wrapped up in her woolly jumper. We then have the challenge of negotiating shopping malls and escalators in order to find 'Percy the Party Penguin' on Primark's top floor; his dapper snowflake-themed attire makes the hunt worthwhile. 

- It's Penguinning To Look A Lot Like Christmas -

Prior to Percy we'd also had the pleasure of navigating/getting totally lost in Selfridge's trying to track down 'Buddy the Elf Penguin' near the toy department - admittedly we were somewhat distracted by giant teddy bears, yellow bull models and inflatable Father Christmases. Buddy eventually does receive his photocall and we complete the set courtesy of 'It's Penguinning To Look A Lot Like Christmas' in Rotunda Square (note the colourful folk-flavoured patterns as inspired by Matryoshka dolls). The Frankfurt Christmas Market is getting into full swing along New Street so we decide to dodge the growing crowds by catching the Midland Metro along its Westside Extension via Broad Street and Five Ways. 

- Edgbaston Village Tram Terminus -

Metro operations through to Edgbaston Village actually began back in July albeit this was my first opportunity to see it for myself; I'm particularly impressed with how the tunnel beneath Five Ways roundabout has been made a tram-only space. We alight alongside the Hagley Road and have a brisk walk around the block, checking out Highfield Road and The Oratory Church - the latter was founded by Saint John Henry Newman and has served the Catholic community since the 1850s. An opening drink would be nice but the Ivy Bush (on Monument Road junction) doesn't necessarily appeal to those of us with regal standards to uphold. No matter, we simply rejoin the tram to the Library stop and nip into the ever-reliable Prince of Wales for some Korvak's Verdict dry stout and a munchies-busting cob. 

- "What is this curious concoction?" -

The Prince of Wales is a long-time favourite of ours anyway although we are impressed by its Black Country Ales makeover which has created a lovely relaxing bolthole nestled away from the festive throng. We do briefly brave the Christmas Market hurly-burly once more en route to Piccadilly Arcade where I'm keen to introduce His Majesty to the Dig Brew Beer Club, a craft bar that proved an absolute revelation on a recent Hub Marketing adventure. The rudimentary upstairs seating area makes for quite a culture shock after the relative comfort of our opening haunt, while the 23-19 kettle sour similarly takes some getting used to with its raspberry, vanilla and pink salt tartness - Nick has never drunk anything remotely like it previously.

- Springwell Pils in the North Taproom -

With the tram on hand to funnel us through the shopping hordes, we quickly decamp to Snow Hill Queensway where the North Brewing Company launched their new taproom at the tail end of November; setting up in Birmingham marks a first foray away from their Yorkshire roots and the result is a distinctly modern drinking experience amidst sleekly glazed office-type surroundings with the tram tracks passing right outside the front door. A cooling fault means some of the craft lines are temporarily out of action but we're more than happy to partake of Springwell Pils and park ourselves on a bench end for half hour or so. Culinary enthusiasts may be interested in the resident Little Bao Boy street food concession, busy with orders for temptingly-filled steamed buns. 

- Balloon Dog, Birmingham Children's Hospital -

A typical Festive Forage is nothing if not a day of contrasts, so we follow the contemporary almost clinical nature of North with the Davenports-derived reboot that has brought new life to the Queens Head on Steelhouse Lane. We remember coming here when it was known as the Jekyll & Hyde (which placed much emphasis on gin parlour glamour) so it's intriguing to see how reverting to the pub's historic name has melded with that sense of paying homage to a famous Birmingham brewing institution. The current Davenports brand certainly seems keen to maximise such provenance and we're very willing to see how their Vanilla Porter stacks up; an enjoyable half ensues, sitting in a covered courtyard admiring plastic lemons as you do! Our penguin exertions from earlier prove fine preparation for further sculptural discoveries down by the Children's Hospital, where a giant red balloon dog has joined The Big Hoot's 'Florence Nighting-Owl' and 'The Bear That Cares' from The Big Sleuth.

- Beaming Broadly in The Bull -

Mindful that we don't want to miss the World Cup quarter final football match later in the evening, we finish off at a couple of Gun Quarter mainstays we always hold in high esteem. The Bull on Price Street is the reigning Birmingham CAMRA Pub of the Year no less and I'm delighted to see it retains an extensive crockery collection timelessly hung above the bar counter. Ale-wise it has to be Church End's Gravediggers Mild in superb condition, moreishly smooth with a nice roasted edge. Just around the corner lies the Gunmakers Arms, taphouse for the Two Towers Brewery which means we have a tricky choice between Hockley Gold, Complete Muppetry and Jewellery Porter - naturally the darker brew gets the nod. The pub does much to celebrate local artists and photographers plus has a regular programme of live music, what's not to like? Dusk has descended upon Bath Street as we take our leave and that's another Festive Forage filed for posterity - cheers!

Willenhall Whereabouts

Friday 2nd December 2022 had been reserved for Hub Marketing action in Redditch only for the Chairman to submit a last gasp sicknote that means our Worcestershire plans must be postponed until the new year. In Mr D9's illness-enforced absence, the Secretary is left to his own Black Country devices...

- The Locksmith's House -

Ably stepping into the breach is Willenhall, a market town that has long been associated with the manufacture of locks and keys thanks to firms such as Yale, Chubb, Legge and Squire's. Historically this important trade began as a cottage industry during the 19th century and the Locksmiths House on New Road still offers an insight as to the original tools and equipment utilised by the Hodson family circa 1904; the museum only opens occasionally these days, mainly for pre-booked tours or special events, and is overseen by the Black Country Living Museum as their sister site. 

- Willenhall Lock Workers Memorial -

Further evidence of Willenhall's proud industrial past can be found near the Dale roundabout. First installed in 2015, the Willenhall Lock Workers Memorial has a central black granite tablet accompanied by individual bricks bearing the names of those being commemorated; the wider garden here looks out towards the Royal George while the Malthouse nearby has been put up for sale by pub chain Wetherspoons. My curiosity next takes me to Bath Street so as to see what has become of the former Willenhall Leisure Centre - the answer is that it is now an events venue and function suite called The Willows, looking rather smart it is too!

- Roy Birch DIY -

Willenhall Market Place evokes many fond memories for me of childhood Saturday morning shopping excursions, albeit the number of stalls has dwindled somewhat in recent years. The Bell Inn (no longer a pub) and the Memorial Clock continue to be familiar features, the latter having been unveiled in 1892 as a tribute to local doctor Joseph Tonks. Lower Lichfield Street reminds me of another mainstay, namely Roy Birch DIY's and General Hardware which alas is hosting its Grand Retirement Sale. The shop has been a fixture here since the mid 1960s so it'll be strange to think of it passing into history.

- The United Kingdom -

The morning skies remain resolutely grey as I proceed via Temple Bar, passing the Mount Olive Apostolic Church in the process - the chapel resonates as a landmark from formative rides on the 525 bus. Monmer Lane, Lucknow Road and a brief portion of Wyrley & Essington Canal towpath combine as my approach route into Lane Head where I have a choice between two pubs, decisions decisions! The cottagey appeal of the United Kingdom beats the Bridge on this occasion and I'm rewarded with a pristine pint of Wye Valley HPA (even though this is badged as a Marston's establishment). Draped England flags and windows painted up with footballer illustrations ensure the World Cup theme is very pronounced although Santa Claus and the Grinch do offer a nod to the forthcoming yuletide festivities.

- Church Road, Short Heath -

I can't quite believe it's been nearly ten years since I last set foot inside the United Kingdom so I'm pleased to see the bar area feels largely unchanged with a nicely traditional feel. HPA supped, Short Heath then awaits for glimpses of Holy Trinity Church, the Royal British Legion Club and the various terraced houses of Coltham Road. Wesley Road bend is home to the local Methodist Church while the Ezekiel Lane junction is guarded by the Swan pub and a building supplies yard (Graingers I think). I've known this area most of my life and it's great being back seeing some of my old haunts round by where my aunt used to live. 

- Rucker and Cob -

One prime target I'm definitely keen to revisit is the Duke of Cambridge, an atmospherically creaky Black Country Ales boozer further along Coltham Road. The lounge is a lovely setting for a well-earned pint, admiring a sepia gallery of Willenhall places of worship down the ages. Backyard's Rucker is a tasty tawny bitter that offers plenty of rugby-inspired bite, just ideal for pairing with an ever-essential cheese and onion cob. Shafts of sunlight break through the clouds as I while away a happy hour or so of quiet contentment, adding in a Derby Brewing Mercia IPA for good measure. The 41 and 69 buses see me safely homeward, and even though it wasn't the anticipated Redditch runout I still made the most of the day - cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - November 2022

Is FIFA World Cup 2022 fever sweeping the nation yet? I'm not entirely sure about that but have managed to distract myself from the Qatar-based football showpiece long enough to bring you my statutory monthly digest - yes folks, please do contain your excitement...

If the WME photostream were a sports tournament then Exploration Extra has snuck in via the back door with a very late bid for qualification. We've heard nothing from the gallery all year and then suddenly come November it springs back to life as if it has never been away. Amongst a dozen fresh arrivals I'm pleased to see more items from Arnside (2010 family holiday memories of Ye Olde Fighting Cocks plus the village's railway station) and Alsager, which gets my Rail Rover 2021 album underway thanks to the local war memorial. A batch of bus pictures includes the 2C at Ruabon, the 25a at Oxford and a vintage BCT Daimler visiting Acocks Green Garage.

Any photostream competition would automatically have WME Wolverhampton installed as the heavy favourite, and it maintains the usual rate of progress with a handful of additions. Tettenhall and Tettenhall Wood have both been among the scorers, expertly assisted by Woodcote Road, whereas Woodcross stakes its claim upon the Horse & Jockey public house on Robert Wynd. A Bushbury street sign representing Wood Lane probably ranks as my least exciting offering of the month but even this isn't quite as boring as that 0-0 stalemate vs the USA. 

As well as WME Wolves has performed, it is upstaged on this occasion by a stellar showing from WME Dudley. Wordsley has emerged as our star striker, setting its sights on the Golden Boot by powering home goals involving Rectory Street, the New Inn and the former Wordsley Hospital grounds. Stourbridge Locks have maintained a steady supply of ammunition too (numbers 3, 7 and 8 especially) plus there's a second welcome appearance from the X96 bus at Wollaston. 

The other competitors have been suspiciously quiet and are presumably saving their energies ready for a full tilt at glory. WME Staffordshire and WME Worcestershire have at least got in on the action, providing Wombourne nativity characters and Stourport canal locks respectively,  and that just leaves WME Birmingham scoring a solitary consolation goal in the form of the Woodman's dartboard; sadly the pub has closed down recently, a casualty of the cost of living crisis and ongoing HS2 development. What sporting drama might unfold in December?