Bradley then Burton

It's been a lively old week for I've not one but two outings to bring you news of. Firstly came a slice of Hub Marketing action on Chairman D9's Bradley doorstep, followed by a visit to the Great British Beer Festival (Winter) being held at Burton Town Hall...

- The White Hart -

Try as we might, Mr D9 and I haven't been able to arrange a full-scale Hub adventure thus far in 2023 so a Black Country evening exception is designed to keep the minutes book ticking over. A couple of hours after work is all we need to set the world to rights, hence we convene at Loxdale tram stop for a brief blast around Bradley (effectively an offshoot of Bilston). Pint one arrives courtesy of the White Hart, a Salop Street stopping point with the flattest of flat roofs imaginable. Black Country Ales had this for a few years but don't own it anymore, meaning we make do with Carling when watching teatime quizzes such as Tipping Point.

- Bradley Baldness -

Impressed by the Chairman's knowledge of obscure table tennis trophies, we proceed to the Triangle on the corner of Bank Street and Highfields Road. Previously the Bradley Snooker Club, this is now a Desi-style Bar & Grill although it does retain a green baized table or two. More Carling is the order of the day here, noting a curious bubble wall of a water feature (not exactly a fishtank) and watching belated highlights of New Zealand v England cricket action. By half past five the light is rapidly fading but a certain bald spot shines bright like a beacon when Mr D9 gets distracted by the Sarad General Stores vintage shopfront.

- Banks's Amber in the Great Western -

Venturing via Ash Street into Daisy Bank, we're disappointed to hear that the local community centre building is being earmarked for demolition. This facility began life as a Sedgley Board Schools establishment and also housed a branch library for many years, although it has been empty for a long time and is now beyond repair. On the pub front, the Golden Lion and the Great Western could both be classed as no-nonsense traditional boozers; the former is busy hosting a wake whereas the latter is gearing up for the Barcelona v Manchester United match. A pint of Amber by the Great Western's dartboard certainly hits the spot before we exchange Hughie Green and Frank Carson silly songs en route to the Old Bush, our ultimate landing location for a Carling conclusion. Not a bad little crawl and a nice way to catch up again. 

- The Mighty Wurlitzer Awaits -

As for the delights of Burton and its national celebration of wintertime ales, His Majesty Nick will be my esteemed accomplice over in East Staffordshire. Friday 17th February is decreed as the date in question so we catch the 10:12 Nottingham-bound train over from Birmingham and hope that we'll be allowed into the festival without having booked in advance. Thankfully our early attendance does the trick and we're soon among the happy throng revelling in the Victorian Gothic magnificence of Burton Town Hall. Pride of place on the star-spangled stage goes to a Wurlitzer organ which Martin Atterbury will be playing at various intervals.

- Spoiled for choice! -

And so to the beers themselves whereby Colchester's 'Brazilian Coffee and Vanilla Porter' is a suitably luxurious appetiser. The initial A-Z range of ales are showcased in the main hall with a further selection of Champion Beer of Britain contenders in the Lingen Room to the rear. Nick becomes besotted by the brine in sampling Mumbles 'Oystermouth Stout' and Atlantic's 'Sea Salt Stout', enjoying the saline tang both times, whereas I account for the 3 Blind Mice 'Milk Worm' and a Durham 'Dark Angel'. We're usually drawn towards the darker ales anyway so we're absolutely in our element with so many stouts and porters to pick from. A perch on the upper balcony is ideal for architectural admiration and taking in the organ acoustics once the Wurlitzer is unleashed upon such classic tunes as Spanish Eyes, Get Me To The Church On Time and Don't Bring Lulu. 

- Brews of the World -

Our £8s-worth of tokens steadily gets spent as I make sure I've enough money leftover for Tollgate's 'Ra Ra Rasputin', an 8.5% supercharged stout that could have me discoing all the way back to Wolverhampton if I'm not careful. Nick is more restrained by comparison - ending on Titanic's ever-lovely 'Chocolate and Vanilla Stout' - then as Mr Atterbury dabbles with the Dambusters March, we take our leave to see what wider Burton has to offer. The Coopers Tavern is always a firm favourite, dispensing Bass from the barrel and otherwise being a Joules timewarp of a hostelry, while Brews of the World is altogether more modern but similarly excellent. Fixed Wheel's Start Gun Stout rewards our endeavours here as we position ourselves in the far corner for soft teal seating and chunky candles. 

- Nick comes over all Constitutional -

Having toured Burton on a few previous occasions we're keen to mop up any establishments that may have eluded us and a crucial omission until this point had been the Old(e) Royal Oak on the town's Market Place. Not only is this now an outlet for Fownes' Dwarfen Ales (brewed in Brierley Hill) but it just so happens to be the local CAMRA branch's 2022 Pub of the Year; that's all the excuse we need to partake of the rather powerful Korvak's Executioner, a 6% sledgehammer of a Bourbon Stout so we wisely stick to merely having a half. Although we have a plan in mind, we are receptive to a surprise or two along the way - cue the Burton Constitutional Club on High Street with its links to the great and good from brewing history. High ceilings and roll calls of bowls champions make for a remarkable sense of refinement, little wonder then that our royal correspondent feels so much at home!

- Tower Time -

I should place on record that the Cons Club do a fine drop of Draught Bass having been serving it continuously since 1911 (that's the year the club was founded). The Tower Brewery meanwhile can't trace its history back quite that far - only to 2001 in fact - but it more than merits a wander along the Wetmore Road. Based in an old water tower at Walsitch Maltings, their tap opens every Friday evening from 4pm to midnight and is a treasure trove of beguiling breweriana. A closing half of Tower Bitter brings the curtain down amidst conversation about chainsaw-wielding Beardsmores and King Charles III's Coronation preparations, and the 18:52 train ably gets us homeward. Bravo Burton, bravo Bradley - cheers!

Looking Around Lawley

Aside from one meltingly-warm Wellington wander at the height of last summer's heatwave, I've largely neglected the Telford & Wrekin Borough area over recent times. Keen to ensure that 2023 has a suitable trip in the bag, I nominate Lawley as a place which has undergone major changes during the last few years...

- Arrival at Telford Central -

It's Friday 10th February 2023 and Wolverhampton railway station sees me boarding one of the shiny new Class 196 trains that have been introduced on the line between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury. These are certainly a significant upgrade on the previous Class 170 fleet both in terms of spaciousness and passenger comfort - I'm impressed! Alighting at Telford Central at about quarter to ten, I traverse the striking span of Silver Swallow Bridge (an award-winning structure that was officially opened by the Princess Royal in September 2020) and connect onto Ironmasters Way in the shadows of the Telford Plaza office complex. 

- Poignant Poppies -

Plotting a path past the Law Courts and across by the Telford Bridge Retail Park, I home in on Lawley courtesy of West Centre Way. When I last visited back in November 2013, many of the neighbourhood amenities were just bedding in or still under construction so it's interesting to see what else has happened during the intervening decade. Lawley Square is now very much established as the village's shopping focal point with Morrisons as its anchor store while a medical practice and the Anytime Fitness gym are also key features. One essential discovery has to be the Lawley & Overdale War Memorial, a jet black shard festooned with cascading poppies that stands within a landscaped patch behind the Grazing Cow pub. 

- Newdale Pool -

Getting my bearings along Gresham Drive, I confirm that the Lawley Village Day Nursery is fully operational (and extremely yellow) before arriving at Newdale Pool. This perhaps isn't quite the beauty spot I'd anticipated although getting my pictures on an overcast February morning doesn't necessarily do it justice either. The Hutchison Way long distance footpath passes through here as part of its 17-mile journey from Wellington to Newport, although I'll only cover a very short stretch past the on-trend houses of Barclay Fold and Birchfield Way. Lawley's considerable expansion shows no signs of stopping as Taylor Wimpey (Thornberry Hill) and Barratt Homes (Rose Meadow) both have ongoing homebuilding developments.

- Lawley Village Store -

With the march of modernity seemingly all around me it's easy to forget that Lawley actually has a lot of history; the area was predominantly a mining community with collieries and railway lines, then it grew again as part of the 1960s/70s Telford New Town whereby Glendale starts to reveal some of the older suburban housing stock. The village green has an ornamental duckpond guarded by a tall clock column while the primary school has courage and respect buzzwords emblazoned on its perimeter railings. Still on Glendale, a bungalow minimart is very different architecturally to the fancy units I saw earlier and acts as the backdrop to a turning circle utilised by the number 11 bus. 

- St John the Evangelist Church -

Further evidence of Lawley's longer-term existence can be found on Dawley Road where St John the Evangelist Church has been serving parishioners since the 1860s after being built on land donated by the Coalbrookdale Company. The tin shed church hall looks in reasonably good condition and serves as a base for local groups - Scouts, Beavers and the Women's Institute etc - then The Crescent introduces me to a small garage/second hand car dealership (A.C.H. Autos) and the Church of the Latter Day Saints. Lawley Drive completes my outbound circuit by offering glimpses of a community garden complete with a help yourself herb plot.

- A Curious Copper Cow? -

Returning to Lawley Square and Gresham Drive, I can't resist sampling the aforementioned Grazing Cow where a bovine sculpture in the beer garden ushers me inside. Purpose-built new pubs can be a rarity these days and this Marston's example is still in its relative infancy having first opened its doors almost exactly ten years ago. As you may expect, it focuses on family dining and fills up pretty quickly once lunchtime service gets going. I merely want a simple pint and the Pedigree is up to standard, paired with a packet of pork scratchings in time-honoured fashion. The interior is comfortable with traditionally-styled touches and an apparent liking for scatter cushions so I'm glad I dropped by.

- The Bulls Head -

Further refreshment options await me in nearby Lawley Bank (or is it Dawley Bank?), hence the gentle gradient of Station Road brings me out by a tribute to Lt Clifford Jenson, a hero American pilot who lost his life here in a 1944 plane crash. The Wrekin View and the Bulls Head vie for my attention so why not try them both; the former lives up to its name by giving vistas of the famous natural landmark whereas the latter is very much a community local with an emphasis on pub games and Sky Sports. A Carling in each ensures I won't go thirsty and with that I troop along Milners Lane into Telford town centre and catch my train home. Cheers!

Waterways Walks: The Titford Canal

An interesting if lesser-known component of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, the Titford Canal might reach a dead end but it is certainly worthy of exploration. Rising from grim Oldbury Junction up through a flight of six locks, it ultimately terminates at Titford Pools beneath the M5 motorway. If that brief description hasn't whetted your appetite, let's see if this Waterways Walk report does the trick...

- Lock 6 near Tat Bank Bridge -

It's Saturday 4th February 2023 as I set out from Sandwell & Dudley Station on an overcast but relatively mild morning. Broadwell Road has me bypassing Oldbury town centre as I home straight in on the waterways, joining the Old Main Line at Stone Street then swiftly connecting onto the Titford Branch at the ever-offputting Oldbury Junction. As concrete monstrosities go, I'm becoming surprisingly fond of this location with its peculiar aura buried in the bowels of the M5 carriageway. I've covered the canals here before so I know what to expect and soon get to grips with Oldbury Bottom Lock (No. 6) on the approach towards Tat Bank Bridge.

- Titford Pumphouse -

The Titford Canal was originally constructed in the mid-1830s and acted as a feeder for the BCN Smethwick summit; indeed, it remains the highest point on the Midlands canal network, reaching a height of 511 feet above sea level in places. There are six locks in total on a flight collectively known as 'The Crow' in reference to a former owner of a once-nearby chemical works. Oldbury Top Lock is found adjacent to Titford Pumphouse, a Grade II-listed structure which has been operational since the 1850s and still functions as a pump today, although it also serves as the headquarters and meeting place of the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society. The pumphouse guards the junction with what remains of the Tat Bank Branch, an offshoot which is no longer navigable and does not have any towpath access. 

- Jarvis Bridge -

Beyond the pumphouse, I update myself on the situation as regards the increasingly-derelict Langley Maltings (still very much at risk after suffering serious fire damage in 2009) and then confirm that the Bridge pub has been replaced by a modern apartment block. The canal arcs around to Uncle Ben's Bridge at the lower end of Langley High Street then effectively divides into two from Jarvis Bridge at Wolverhampton Road. One spur bears right in the direction of Birchfield Lane whereas the other continues straight on towards Titford Lane and Whiteheath. I take the latter option as a team of Canal & River Trust volunteers busy themselves with extracting rubbish out of the water using rods, nets, magnets and much dexterity! 

- Titford Pools with M5 accompaniment -

In total the Titford Canal is around 1.2 miles in length with Titford Pools being the reward for anyone who covers the full distance. I won't pretend it's the prettiest of locations but there is something curiously fascinating about having a motorway unceremoniously straddling a small reservoir. Historically the two terminal spokes would have become the Portway Branch and the Causeway Green Branch respectively, although both links were abandoned from 1954 onwards. I therefore pick out a footpath through soggy open spaces to emerge onto Titford Lane and thence select Titford Road ready for a look around Langley.

- Solvay Solutions -

Langley is an area I've often found to be photographically productive and the chance to add to my archives is one I will relish. The local primary school is a fine target with vintage Sandwell Council signage while the Solvay Solutions site off Trinity Street has a particularly impressive security lodge (the factory is noted for the production of phosphorus-based chemicals). I've reached that point of proceedings where I'm just about ready for a pint although the Coal Shed - previously known as the Model - doesn't claim my custom on this occasion.

- The Crosswells Inn -

That's because I've got my eye on the Crosswells Inn, invitingly perched next to the village clock at the top of Langley High Street. They're gearing up for the start of the Six Nations rugby tournament (hence the England flags) and I happily settle in the front bar supping Enville Ale and Adnams' Ghost Ship while the giggling strains of a kiddies birthday party emanate from the function room. Langley High Street has lost some of its old-fashioned appeal due to an influx of takeaways although there some examples of traditional painted signwriting e.g. Premier Cars and Elaine's Discount Stores. Finally, I round off this Titford Tour at Causeway Green's Old Dispensary micropub, polishing off a hefty chunk of pork pie and an excellent pint of Oakham Inferno - cheers!

Royal Reconnaissance in Sutton Coldfield

King Henry VIII was the monarch responsible for granting Sutton Coldfield its Charter of Incorporation way back in 1528, ever since which the town has had the right to refer to itself as 'royal'. Naturally for someone of a regal persuasion, our very own Nick is only too happy to subject the area to his sovereign brand of scrutiny as he makes his first blog appearance of 2023...

- Hill Village Road -

Saturday 28th January 2023 heralds an outing that should be majoring on micropubs if all goes to plan. Nick and I therefore converge upon the Cross City line for our connection north of New Street before making Four Oaks our first principal stopping point, noting the presence of exclusive gated communities and a prominent Methodist Church. A gentle meander around Mere Green has us doing a Lichfield Road - Hill Village Road loop, all in the shadow of the TV transmission tower. A couple of quaint cottages lurk amidst otherwise unremarkable residential surroundings although we do note the strangely-named Funky Bear, a Thwaites pub that has had quite a makeover since I last saw it in its White Lion days. 

- Ale Hub, Mere Green -

Nick is not averse to the occasional bout of funkiness but we have other targets in mind today, hence the bottom end of Hill Village Road conveys us to the Ale Hub pretty much bang on 12 midday opening time. The barman is just finishing off his cleaning routines then obligingly lets us inside to partake of Church End's Fallen Angel, which at 5% abv makes for a rather potent aperitif. The beer is served in very good condition as we ponder an extensive gin menu and gaze out upon the traffic ballet that is Mere Green's main roundabout; the bar is certainly well positioned overlooking a busy junction so hopefully they drum up a healthy amount of trade. At time of writing there are six Ale Hubs in total, this one being part of a portfolio that includes outlets in Kingswinford, Droitwich, Worcester, Dickens Heath and Shirley, all of which have sprung up since the autumn of 2020. I really like what they do and wish them well. 

- Leviathan Brewing is Open! -

From Mere Green we intercept an X5 on its way down from Roughley and briefly encounter Sutton Coldfield town centre. This is only a passing visit because we're soon on the trail of a microbrewery, hence venturing along Coleshill Road to locate the Reddicap Industrial Estate. Casting our eye among the workshop units, we can't see anything obvious until a little metal cask offers this all-important invitation: "Come in, We're open". I must admit I wasn't overly familiar with Leviathan Brewing beforehand but they've definitely made an impression now, thanks to a distinct liking of all things heavy metal. His Majesty Nick is equally beguiled by blackened walls and framed Black Sabbath photographs as we peruse an extensive beer lineup. 'Master of Poppets' catches the imagination as a 13.4% barley wine but we play it safer with 'Voodoo People' stout, a creation that blends five malts for a smooth dry tipple.

- Aspen Gold in the Brew House -

Isn't it amazing what you can find on an ordinary Walsall housing estate these days? Streetly's Boundary Way block of shops on the Hundred Acre isn't the most promising setting for a Good Beer Guide entry - one end of the precinct seems to be fortified with giant pencils protecting a nursery school against invaders - but this is precisely where the Brew House calls home. Our tick here is reward for a kamikaze sprint to catch the 77 bus over from Sutton, and Nick has just about got his breath back in order to obtain our pristine halves of Aspen Gold (from the Arbor Brewery). One half of the pub is adorned with pumpclips while the other pays homage to musical masters such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, The Yardbirds and Cream. FA Cup goalflashes are flying in as the regulars keep track of their betting accumulators, and it all goes to show what wonders can be achieved with an empty shopping unit.

- Something plummy at Cask & Craft -

Delighted to have bagged the Brew House, we wait for the next 77... and wait... and wait. Just when we think we might have to rename this blogpost 'Stranded in Streetly', the bus belatedly does turn up and we're on our way into Boldmere. Hoping for some teatime sustenance, we chance the Bishop Vesey Wetherspoons only to find it packed to the rafters; a coachload of Leicester City supporters celebrating their victory at Bescot have descended upon the place so we won't be sampling the special Burns Night haggis burgers today. Instead we'll simply trot over the road into Cask & Craft, an independent bottleshop and beer bar with surreally psychedelic wall patterns. The downstairs fridges are proving popular with can aficionados while we adopt a first floor perch for quaffing of Titanic Plum Porter and Wild Beer Millionaire Milk Stout, the latter having an appealing salted caramel edge to it. 

- Boldmere Bear -

A check of the train app tells us it is time to make tracks, as it doesn't do to keep His Majesty out after his bedtime - Nick presumably has to get back to a well-loved royal teddy which has been the subject of recent media revelations. Boldmere Road yields a flurry of dusky pictures with an emphasis on the Big Sleuth bear stationed outside the Harvester, and with a close eye on the clock we make it hastily to Chester Road Station for our trains home. Three micropubs and a brewery tap makes for an excellent day's work with each of our chosen watering holes offering much to be commended - they certainly get Nick's stately seal of approval. Cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - January 2023

I don't like to set myself any New Year's resolutions where the WME photostream is concerned - it only takes a technological malfunction or a busy few weeks of other distractions and I can easily fall way behind on the numbers. Besides, the 600 photos I'd added in 2022 will be a tall order to follow but that hasn't stopped January from trying to make early inroads...

There's only been one act in town these last few weeks for Exploration Extra has maintained its pre-Christmas domination by keeping a vice-like monopoly on all incoming activity. My Kendal 2021 album has proven particularly prolific by gorging itself on items as diverse as Homebase stores, Methodist chapels and even cuddly rabbit dolls, all while displaying an ongoing fixation with the town's yards and passageways. Sizergh Castle's glorious gardens add a botanical note to Cumbrian proceedings too.

Elsewhere in the Lake District, there have been sparks of life from Arnside 2010 thanks to a daring raid on Ravenglass featuring the Holly House Hotel, an Acme fishing boat and some railway signs. Keswick Cricket Club and a couple of archive Kendal extracts (Stramongate Bridge and the Highgate Hotel) have likewise boosted the numbers. Still up north but on t'other side of the country, Durham 2010 gains from the inclusion of Newcastle's Black Gate plus a sighting of St James' Park football ground.

Rail Rover Weeks are usually a worthy contributor whenever Exploration Extra updates come around, and in this case both the 2017 and 2021 editions have accumulated arrivals in the form of Leominster platform murals and Nantwich bridge plates (on 2017) followed by Sileby thatched boozers, Ruabon running-in boards and Leicester suffragette murals (for 2021). Indeed, that Leicester selection also offers a nod to sporting heritage in the vicinity of Filbert Street and Welford Road, albeit although I spotted a tiger I didn't find any foxes.

My remaining additions have been a jumble from almost here, there and everywhere. Sheffield's Penny Black pub brings Yorkshire into the mix, as does the S6 bus at Hillsborough Interchange; the Hoghton Arms (as was) in Southport counts for a Merseyside morsel; Welshpool primes us with memories of a lost Powys pub care of the Mermaid Inn; Swindon Station's underwhelming frontage weaves in a rare Wiltshire specimen or two; and last but not least, down in Dorset we have the small matter of Weymouth with its vintage bus events, lifeboat and the Nothe Tavern. February should in theory break Extra's stranglehold and then I'll be back to supplying you with actual West Midlands content. Until then, enjoy the photos...