WME Flickr Focus - August 2023

Place your bets everybody - the roulette wheel of photostream progress has been loaded up with potential additions so let's see whether we land in the red or in the black. August 2023 has been a month of notable arrivals but can you guess which of my esteemed galleries leads the way?

Anybody who'd put all their casino chips on WME Warwickshire has just fluked themselves a major payout I suspect, for the county of the bear and ragged staff remarkably finds itself with a bumper haul. Hatton Locks and Haseley must be held responsible for this sudden change of fortune, hence you can contemplate various views of wheat fields, dining orbs and sleepy churchyards. St Mary the Virgin does not let us down! 

Also getting on something of a winning streak is the mostly dependable WME Birmingham. The Jewellery Quarter sparkles and shines thanks to Pope Street, the Pig & Tail pub and GD Parry's stonecutters workshop - rumour has it I needed to check what a lapidary was - then we should acknowledge the assistance from Holder Road over in the Hay Mills/Yardley hinterlands. Another appearance for Stan's Transport Cafe in Handsworth feels bittersweet now that said greasy spoon has alas ceased trading - no more belly-busting breakfasts there anymore...

Edged into third place but nevertheless grateful to be on the podium is WME Staffordshire. Himley has to take most of the accolades for this (cue Churns Hill Lane, plus a sailing craft near the Great Pool) but Hardingswood Junction near Kidsgrove ensures some coverage from the Potteries and beyond. Greyhound Lane in Lower Penn isn't overly exciting but every little helps, or so the saying goes.

What else has been occurring? Well... deep breath... WME Wolverhampton helps itself to Heath Town's lovely Holy Trinity almshouses; WME Telford tackles Hadley heritage and collects Red Lees over in Ketley; WME Walsall admires the Aldridge treetop canopies along Hobs Hole Lane; and the quiet coupling of WME Coventry and WME Solihull wish to be remembered to you. Coventry claims a CADCAM factory gate on Burnaby Road, Radford whereas Solihull lands a Highwood Avenue bus stop. What are you putting your money on for the September stakes I wonder? Until then, enjoy the pictures. 

Camp Hill Locks and Digbeth

With a spare Saturday morning at my disposal, I decide to take another bite out of Birmingham's waterways by covering the Grand Union Canal from Small Heath to Bordesley Junction, following up by revisiting a couple of my favourite Digbeth watering holes...

- Small Heath Signage -

It's Saturday 19th August 2023 and I begin at a railway station I haven't visited for absolutely ages, namely Small Heath. Situated on Golden Hillock Road just off the ever-busy A45, it first opened in 1863 as a stop on the Great Western Railway line between London Paddington and Birkenhead. It's fair to say the station has seen better days and only two of its four platforms are in active use, although with the sun out things aren't perhaps quite as grim as I remember from the last time I was here. A covered stairwell with hints of period detail leads up through the rudimentary booking hall (ticked office closed on Saturdays) and out onto the street as I eye up pictures of the Birmingham Hotel complex opposite. 

- The Marlborough -

Golden Hillock Road also serves as my access point for the Grand Union Canal as I join the towpath at Bridge 89 amongst swathes of subversive street art. The section I'm about to cover was historically known as the Warwick & Birmingham Canal prior to it becoming amalgamated with other lines to form the Grand Union in the late 1920s. Anderton Road Bridge is but a very short distance away and I briefly detour back up to the pavement so as to inspect a classic terracotta lost pub. The Marlborough has a grand 1900 edifice complete with clock tower and M&B insignia, not forgetting a mention for Tetley's Bitter too - it was converted into flats a few years ago but still dominates the corner with Montgomery Street. 

- Camp Hill Top Lock -

Returning to my canal remit, I pass quietly beside the Vincent Timber Yard and then beneath Small Heath Bridge with the railway line for close company. Camp Hill Top Lock is positioned in the shadows of an old viaduct and there is the distinctive spectacle of Bordesley's Holy Trinity Church adding its presence to the backdrop. There are six locks in total and the line jinks right at one point, progressing through the sequence of Bordesley Middleway bridges and via a wide winding hole arrangement. Graffiti is omnipresent and many of the balance beams are daubed with Animal Rising slogans. 

- Camp Hill Bottom Lock -

Bridge 93 ducks under the Coventry Road as I inch ever closer towards the backstreets of Digbeth. Bordesley Junction is very much a location for the canal purist and it is here that the line splits, one part going to Warwick Bar and Typhoo Basin whereas the other bit heads for Saltley via Garrison Lane. I survey Camp Hill Bottom Lock just before the junction's turnover footbridge - the message here appears to be "if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem" - then take my leave at Great Barr Street. It's fair to say that walks like this won't be everybody's cup of tea but for fans of post-industrial landscapes it can be fascinating!

- The Spotted Dog -

Heath Mill Lane offers its assistance en route to High Street Deritend with the cluster of bars in and around the Custard Factory looking all set for a bumper afternoon. Checking that Mr D9's favourite Pepsi signage is still intact at the long-closed Deritend Fish Bar, I aim for the traditional hospitality of the Spotted Dog on Alcester Street. This pub is rooted in the Irish community and never lets me down, hence a perfect glass of Holden's Black Country Mild (costing a mere £2.50, a bargain if ever there was one) is soon all mine. The side snug has many posters relating to musical performances and the tables are decorated with beer bottle candles laden with wax drippings. I love this place and much of the conversation revolves around the seemingly endless ongoing roadworks for the Midland Metro extension.

- Plum Porter in the Anchor -

I have similar high regard for the Anchor on nearby Bradford Street, even if it isn't perhaps the beer mecca it was in its total pomp. Perched on the junction with Rea Street, it could hardly be any handier for Birmingham Coach Station which explains why my favourite room has Midland Red bus stops and a vintage 'Coachroads of Britain' National Express poster, not forgetting a wooden screen that divides it from the main bar. Ale-wise I can't resist the Titanic Plum Porter even though there is a Blonde Brummie trying to vie for my attention instead. A packet of salt and vinegar Tayto crisps is the cherry on the cake as far as I'm concerned, the only blot on the landscape being news that Wolves are losing at home to Brighton. Ah well, you can't always have everything - cheers!

Llandudno... then Blakedown?

Sometimes the quirks of my explorational output produce some unusual combinations, and I doubt there are too many blogposts out there that have paired together the North Wales seaside resort of Llandudno and the small Worcestershire village of Blakedown. That odd coupling is exactly what I have in store for you now as I recount two recent summertime excursions...

- The White Rabbit -

After a prolonged spell of fairly disappointing weather, it has started to feel like summer again over the last few days. The sun was certainly shining on Monday 7th August 2023 when the Beardsmores and I joined the Emerald Club pensioners for an old-fashioned day trip to lovely Llandudno. The coach was very comfortable and the outward journey largely serene, save for a bit of congestion around Stoke - the main issue, at least for Stephen, was having to listen to Daniel O'Donnell non-stop for the best part of three hours but what else do you expect when most of the passengers have Irish connections. Arriving in Llandudno just after midday, we get our bearings with assistance from some Alice in Wonderland carvings including the White Rabbit as positioned in North Western Gardens (off Mostyn Street). 

- Enjoying the views from Llandudno Pier -

Another of Llandudno's prime attractions is the town pier, a Grade II listed structure which stretches 2,295 feet into the Irish Sea. Said to be the longest pier in Wales, it first opened to the public in August 1877 and offers some spectacular views looking out along the elegant seafront promenade or over towards the Great Orme. There are several little kiosks along its length and a domed pavilion at the far end, not to mention amusement arcades and kiddies teacup rides. We don't witness any wild mountain goats on this occasion although they have been known to wander down from their craggy home and take over the town's streets.

- The Grand Hotel -

Overlooking part of the pier is the Grand Hotel, keeping close watch on holiday happenings from its North Shore location whilst a Punch & Judy show is entertaining young and old alike - that's the way to do it! Feeling peckish, we seek out Wetherspoons sustenance courtesy of the Palladium, a converted former theatre which has been operating as a pub since 2001. The building is very impressive inside and out with a Baroque-styled exterior and plenty of period details, such as the retained prestige boxes where the stage used to be. Even though we'd intended to miss the lunchtime peak, the place is still packed out and we're fortunate to find a spare table. Gammon is mysteriously absent from the menu and there seems to be an egg shortage too but we manage to get ourselves fed and watered, whereby I'm rather partial to my pint of Conwy Brewery's Beachcomber blonde ale.

- The Mad Hatter -

More seafront strolling helps our meals go down, aided and abetted by that staple indulgence of a 99 ice cream - just beware of divebombing seagulls trying to steal a flake or two! We go along the prom as far as the Washington Hotel, passing the Venue Cymru conferencing arena en route (the Welsh Open Snooker tournament was held here earlier this year). Artworks depicting Orme tramcars and grizzled goats brighten up a selection of shelters while the Mad Hatter ensures the Alice in Wonderland theme continues. After a happy few hours of sun and sea, we board the coach home and endure even more of Daniel O'Donnell's extensive repertoire, albeit interspersed with occasional Foster & Allen tunes as a blessed relief!

- Churchill & Blakedown Signal Box -

Let's fast forward now to Friday 11th August 2023 when - minus any further musical input from 'The Boy from Donegal' - I'm aiming closer to my usual patch by undertaking a Worcestershire walk. Blakedown is a Wyre Forest District village of roughly 1,600 inhabitants which straddles the A456 Birmingham Road between Hagley and Kidderminster. It also has its own unstaffed railway station with trains running every half hour or so; I gather selected pictures of either platform but my favourite feature has to be the Churchill & Blakedown Signal Box, a heritage item that had been threatened with demolition in 2012 but was thankfully repositioned on the other side of the level crossing and now serves as a community meeting place.

- Blakedown Village Stores -

Many of Blakedown's amenities are clustered along the A456 including the C of E Primary School (with little pupil figurines standing sentry outside) and St James the Great Church which seems very keen indeed to advertise the fact it is open daily. The village store is based in Crumbs complete with post office provision, and there are a couple of high end hair salons dotted about too. I contemplate venturing the three miles it would take to get to Belbroughton but soaring temperatures are already making me somewhat sticky, hence I only get as far as Hackmans Gate before deciding to turn back.

- The Swan -

Whether I'd made it to Belbroughton or not, Blakedown's brace of boozers were always going to be claiming my custom so I start off with the Swan, billing itself as a country pub and eating house. Having gained recognition in the 2023 Good Beer Guide, I have high expectations of this one and the Hartlebury Hooker is certainly on point as I squirrel myself away in a low-beamed cubby hole. My attendance hasn't escaped the notice of the resident dog however, and I soon have canine doe eyes plaintively staring at me hoping that I'll share my packet of scratchings. Some gentle stroking placates said pooch before I relocate up the road into the Old House at Home for a Wye Valley HPA and the lunchtime news bulletin. Both pubs struck me as nice community locals I'd be happy to frequent more often.

- Hagley Station Footbridge -

Duly refreshed, I bid farewell to Blakedown by steadily plodding along the A456 past Webbs Garden Centre and Stakenbridge Lane into West Hagley. You can probably guess what I've got in mind here, and the King Arthur Bathams pub will predictably crop up for Best Bitter and my cheese, onion and black pudding cob fix - it doesn't get any better than that! I always like popping back to Hagley Station from time to time, surveying the lattice footbridge and booking hall in the summer sunshine, and then it's simply a case of letting the train take the strain as I make my way home. Wales and Worcestershire? All in a week's work!

Cosford and Codsall with the Chip Foundation

Isn't it strange how easy it is to ignore places on your own doorstep? The Royal Air Force Museum in Cosford is a case in point, situated just a handful of miles northwest of Wolverhampton and yet the only member of the Chip Foundation who'd ever been there was Ken, and even his visit was many moons ago. Absorbing aviation exhibitions therefore await us on a day that will also allow us to sample some ale-related stopping off points on the Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury railway line...

- Meeting Trackosaurus at Wolverhampton Station -

Pilot's Log: Monday 31st July 2023 and the mission has been scrambled so as to celebrate a certain elder Beardsmore's milestone birthday. Yes, John turned 80 earlier in the month so the trip is being conducted in his honour, starting by spotting one of the Jurassic Wolves dinosaur specimens guarding the ticket barriers at Wolverhampton railway station. Mr B Senior isn't quite old enough to remember when the likes of triceratops, stegosaurus or raptors prowled around the planet but 'Trackosaurus' seems friendly enough with its elongated green neck. Several such sculptures have appeared across the city as a fun trail for the school holidays. 

- Lockheed SP-2H Neptune -

The 10:15 Shrewsbury train is the departure we require with Ken and Nick on hand to ensure a full Chip Foundation quorum. Cosford Station is a reasonably basic halt serving both the museum and its accompanying operational RAF base; one old railway building has become offices for a paintball company while an adjacent shed acts as The Coffee Stop cafe. Once we've alighted, it's still another half mile walk to the museum's main entrance and we're taken unawares by shooting practice at the rifle range. Thankfully none of the gunfire is trained upon us and we can safely begin to investigate some external exhibits including a Neptune aircraft used for maritime patrol and anti-submarine reconnaissance in the 1950s.

- Nick braces himself for engine thrust -

The museum site comprises four principal hangars, some of which date back to the wartime development of Cosford as an airbase. Admission is completely free although one of the halls is currently hosting a Horrible Histories display which you do have to pay for and is already attracting an expectant throng of excitable kiddies. We give that a miss and instead zero in on the National Cold War Exhibition, documenting the tensions between East and West during the second half of the 20th Century. Naturally there are eyecatching examples of some of the aircraft involved - Britain's V Bombers being the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant - plus tanks, land vehicles and an ominous collection of missiles. It's frightening to look at these deadly items and wonder how the technology must have progressed even more in current conflicts. 

- Soviet Leader Russian Dolls -

The Cold War ensemble is based within a highly distinctive purpose-built repository that has won design awards and first opened in 2007. Aside from the planes and associated vehicles, we're fascinated by the military memorabilia on show from the large Russian dolls depicting Soviet leaders (Stalin through to Gorbachev) or a recreation of Checkpoint Charlie as part of references to the Berlin Airlift. Ken remembers having a Volkswagen Beetle car himself back in his motoring past, then there are uniforms and the RAF gift shop to consider. We reckon 'Biggles Beardsmore' would look quite spiffing in a leather aviator's helmet!

- Hangar-ing Around? -

Next we visit the other two hangars which respectively concentrate on 'War in the Air' (with an emphasis on famous British and German warplanes) and 'Test Flight' (aircraft developed in secrecy so as to further the nation's technological prowess). One of the museum volunteers tells us about the Boulton Paul Defiant Mk I with its innovative gun turret, used mainly during night-time operations and manufactured in Wolverhampton. There are Messerschmitts, an Avro Lincoln bomber and a Fairy Delta 2 to peruse amongst many, many more. We easily pass a couple of hours and might have stayed longer were it not for a train cancellation.

- Birthday Boy in the Station, Codsall -

As it is, we're committed to catching the 13:12 to Codsall despite the risk of getting utterly drenched by heavy downpours that have suddenly set in. News of test match wickets lifts our soggy spirits, as indeed does the prospect of high quality quaffing at the Station pub where Holden's consistently serve up excellent ales. Nick and I both partake of the Summer Buzz seasonal special brew (laced with hints of locally-sourced honey) while John fills us in on a Cornish holiday revisiting his childhood home in Truro. As you might expect given that it is situated in the former station house, this is a boozer adorned with railwayana and we particularly like the carpet with its GWR logo patterns.

- The Crown (Joule's) -

The Station doesn't serve food on Mondays (or at least not on this particular Monday) so we need to head elsewhere for our lunchtime scran. The Bull is a longstanding Banks's number in the heart of Codsall village centre and has a reasonably priced menu for us to choose from; cue various portions of gammon plus a fishy deal for our kingly colleague. John used to play dominoes here as part of the Wolverhampton District Friday Night League although it takes him a little while to recognise the place. We are all pronounced very satisfied with our meals so we happily trot straight across The Square into The Crown, recently refurbished by Joule's of Market Drayton (albeit it doesn't look vastly different to how they'd got it before). Halves of Slumbering Monk, Blonde or No. 37 Summer Tonic keep us out of mischief as we occupy a high-benched partition backed with antique book covers - 'Vital Things for Lively Youngsters' looks like a tome our venerable birthday boy could do with reading!

- Danish Dynamite at the Old Vicarage -

The Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury railway line lends itself to beer exploration with notable taverns in Oakengates, Wellington and Shifnal as well as Codsall. Two of the more recent additions to the scene are a couple of impressive micropubs. Love and Liquor is literally straight across the road from the Crown Joule's and is Wolverhampton CAMRA Branch's Staffordshire Pub of the Year. Enville Ale is on top form here as we await news of a pitch inspection at The Oval; it sounds as though play should recommence shortly with England hoping to level the series. The second newish micro can be found in Bilbrook (not a station any of us have ever alighted at until now) where the Olde Vicarage stands next to Holy Cross Church. Fixed Wheel's Danish Dynamite is a golden treat sitting at a low table with Blondie and Beatles artworks for company, and there's just enough time for a leisurely call into the Woodman on Duck Lane prior to the train home. Cheers!

"God's Country" According to Mr D9...

Everybody probably has their own concept of the place they call "God's Country", that special locality which appears to have been created via divine intervention. For me it has to be the Black Country of course but a proud Yorkshireman would no doubt extol the virtues of the East Riding or the North Yorkshire Moors, for example. In Mr D9's case, the moniker is reserved for Bromsgrove and its immediate vicinity - cue a Hub Marketing Board escapade to find out more...

- Ozzy Rehomed -

It's Friday 28th July 2023 and this trip is something of a bonus given that board members had largely written off the prospects of a July get-together. Birmingham New Street is our 10:30am rendezvous location with Secretary WME being very keen to see 'Ozzy', the newly-renamed Commonwealth Games bull sculpture which has happily found his permanent home on the station's main concourse (by the Grand Central escalators). As you might imagine, quite a large crowd has gathered hoping for selfies and hints of tail-swishing with BBC Radio WM undertaking an outside broadcast. Ozzy's new title references the legendary Black Sabbath singer Mr Osbourne and was bestowed following a public vote. 

- The Bournville Cafe -

After that spot of bovine bothering, we catch the 45 bus along the A441 Pershore Road into Stirchley via Edgbaston Cricket Ground and the Birmingham Wildlife Centre. Bournville Lane offers the neighbouring historic facades of the local swimming baths and a branch library; both are Edwardian edifices although the library (which opened in 1905) predates the pool by five years. Mr D9 and I have been blessed with brilliant breakfast locations thus far in 2023 - think Jack & Ada's or the Brockmoor Café - and further greasy spoon heaven can be found at the Bournville Café, an establishment oft frequented by the much-missed Peter Allen. Painted corner lettering whets our appetites for a £6.50 large breakfast complete with black pudding and fried bread, a definite indulgence which we fairly wolf down. 

- Driving Demo on the 20 at Northfield -

In his day job, Chairman D9 has been responsible for putting together the timetable for the new number 20 route, which links the Queen Elizabeth Hospital with Bromsgrove and partially replaces the withdrawn 144A service. We want to put his scheduling to the test so we make our way to Northfield and hop aboard for a ride along the Bristol Road recalling former driving colleague Eric 'Hearty' Carty care of a suitably Reggae-influenced Youtube playlist. Beyond Longbridge roundabout, the bus weaves a merry dance using Edgewood Road as a gateway through the estates of Rednal and Rubery; the A38 then takes the strain into the edges of Bromsgrove where the Miller & Carter at Marlbrook heralds a right turn down to Catshill. 

- Royal Oak, Catshill -

Mr D9 might be very familiar with Bromsgrove's outlying suburbs but these are not areas the Secretary knows well at all. Catshill is effectively a totally new discovery for me so I pay close attention along Gibb Lane, spotting a Co-op housed in what appears to be a former pub. A current watering hole is next on our agenda, this being the Royal Oak on Barley Mow Lane - cue a refreshing pint of Titanic's Iceberg pale ale each. WME Whirlwind has been on the end of several darting reversals this year so it's nice to land a few retaliatory legs when securing a comprehensive 3-0 victory, poor old D9 Destroyer feeling rightly downcast at being outplayed on his old patch. Don't take it too personally old chap!

- Watching Cricket at the Crown -

In fairness, the Chairman soon cheers himself up by plotting our progress towards the second pub of the day. Meadow Road leads us past Chadsgrove School, the local social club and a seemingly abandoned Clearway Coaches depot in forming our approaches to the Crown, a Greene King offering on the main Stourbridge Road. Positioned on what historically would have been Catshill's village green with the Battlefield Brook to the rear, this proves a nice enough haunt at which to catch up on the latest Ashes cricket action - the England bowlers are making useful inroads at The Oval in the final test match of the series. The pub building has quite a long roadside frontage and is said to date from the 19th century. 

- Catshill Garage -

Onwards we trot with a further stretch of Stourbridge Road introducing us to Christ Church, the principal place of worship for the parish. As handsome as the church is with its sandstone hues and Early English stylings, we're arguably more smitten with Catshill Garage because of its vintage 1970s Texaco pumps - there's no accounting for taste sometimes. The Chairman's careful planning requires a pit stop at the Plough & Harrow where we interrupt the barmaid's cigarette break so as to obtain the necessary glasses of Theakston's XB ruby ale, I think she just about forgave us for our impertinent interjections. Nevertheless, we squirrel ourselves away in a secluded bay window snug just to be on the safe side!

- Fairfield Finds, minus hair -

With Catshill now conquered our focus shifts to the nearby settlement of Fairfield which awaits us on the other side of the M5 motorway. Amenities include Fairfield Villa Football Club and a First School but it won't surprise anyone to declare that we're mostly interested in the Swan, an upmarket Marston's concern where poor old Mr D9 gets stung a hefty whack for two pints of Banks's Sunbeam. Tasteful throne armchairs add a mellow relaxed air to an interior that mostly concentrates on dining positions while the beer is certainly very drinkable in helping to justify the pain inflicted on the bald one's wallet. Talking of that increasingly hairless scalp, it finds other distractions in the form of a yard chock full of overgrown vehicles.

- The Duke of York -

So far so good but with the public transport gods being a fickle bunch, you're only ever one botched connection away from disaster. Having earmarked the 318 route for a helping hand to Sidemoor, we stunned to see the bus flashing past us at least five minutes earlier than billed. Needless to say we're not best pleased, especially as we now face an hour-long walk rather than a five minute journey. Were it not for the fact we've got our hearts set on an archetypal flat-roofer, we would have switched plans entirely; the Duke of York is however essential and has the kind of lid that's more horizontal than a steamrollered pancake. Hi vis workmen and crusty banter ensure an earthy backdrop to our compensatory Carlings, giving us a clear winner in the Pub of the Day awards. 

- The Bromsgrove Bus Station Closet -

Fate hasn't quite finished its meddling yet and news reaches us that a number 20 bus has broken down, thus delaying our intended return to Birmingham. A contingency splash and dash in Bromsgrove town centre means the Red Lion gets an airing, earning our custom with its no-nonsense nature and a nightcap from the Banks's portfolio. Hub Marketing decorum dictates that the Chairman must pose by his favourite bus station closet - no sign of any WARP trip snowball fights today - and the homeward 20 belatedly echoes to the sound of more Reggae classics, singing along to the likes of 'Let Your Yeah Be Yeah' and 'Unite Tonight' all the way to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The odd bus mishap apart, it's been excellent fun from start to finish so Bromsgrove truly merits its God's Country label. Cheers!