We all know the saying about bulls in china shops wreaking havoc but could a wolf - or rather a Woolf - in a Pie Factory create similar levels of destruction? We're about to find out courtesy of this four-pub crawl covering Tipton, Woodsetton and Coseley...
- We Am Tipton -
Trip Log: Friday 24th October 2025 and - if you haven't already guessed it from the intro - my accomplice for this outing is none other than Jane, the WME blog's resident Woolf. We meet as scheduled at Wolverhampton railway station for the 12:18 stopper which is delayed ever so slightly by a late-running freight service. Tipton is only ten minutes away with its station at one end of Owen Street; a welcoming mural helps set the scene with a nod to the Black Country dialect's aversion to grammatical correctness. The Birmingham Main Line Canal splits into two at Factory Junction so we can explore portions of both the Old and New elements, Factory Locks being part of Thomas Telford's improvements as designed into the New Main Line.
- Steak and Kidney Pudding -
Emerging onto Hurst Lane, we go straight for the pub jugular with a highly-anticipated visit to that legendary purveyor of good grub the Pie Factory, also known as Mad O'Rourke's. A stern cut-out of a cartoon cook (armed with a rolling pin) instructs us to wait to be seated before we are ushered towards the main dining area. Any free tables here are fair game so we sit beside Oven No. 3 with shields for Old Hill Hog Pie on the wall and light scatterings of sawdust on the floor. The menu is pretty much as I remember from previous memorable encounters whereby I always opt for the Steak & Kidney Pudding, a glorious gravy-smothered dome of splendid suet accompanied by a basket of battered chips. Miss Woolf avoids creating too much carnage by opting for the 100% Bullocks Steak Pie served with a puff pastry lid.
- A Fine and Dandy Chin? -
Lumphammer Ruby Mild (in a dimpled glass) and Aspall's Cider are our respective tipples to wash down such pie perfection, but will the desserts be as good as the main courses? There's only one way to find out and that's by sampling both the rich chocolate sponge and the sticky toffee steamed puddings, plus Jane gets her wish to be provided with a bonus flake! Even for a confirmed greedy guts like myself, it's a challenge to eat every last morsel but for traditional fare you really can't go wrong. It's customary of course to pose as Desperate Dan complete with his stubbly chin, while a collection of cleavers and mincers looks rather ominous.
- Pugilistic Practice -
Returning to the towpath at Factory Junction - but this time with more emphasis on the Old Main Line - we proceed to Tipton Green to see William Perry's statue in Coronation Gardens. Known as the 'Tipton Slasher', this renowned prized pugilist was a national champion bare knuckle fighter back in the 1850s - should I be concerned that Jane seems to be practising her own boxing moves all of a sudden? To placate her, we nip into the Slasher's former HQ, otherwise known as the Fountain Inn next to the Owen Street canal bridge. Golden Glow or Inch's Cider is the upshot as we chat about manga and cake whilst inspecting a few portraits of the said Mr Perry; he seems to have a flat nose so might have took some punishment.
- Drinking Dragons Blood -
A breezy shower can't deter us from next wandering into Woodsetton so that Jane could add the Park Inn to the growing list of brewery taps she has now sampled. The home of Holden's does not disappoint, especially with the 5.6% abv power of Dragons Blood adding its own heavyweight presence to proceedings. The Holden family purchased this pub back in 1915 and have therefore been custodians here for 110 years, with the fourth generation currently overseeing beer production. A brief interruption on churchy business doesn't detain Jane for long so we can soon discuss our opinions on this year's Great British Bake Off series.
- A Flat Cap Finale in the New Inn -
Three down, one to come as we continue into Coseley via Vicarage Road West. I have a habit of doing the Park Inn and New Inn in tandem so why not combine them again? Ward Street thus beckons for our second Holden's haunt in succession, and this one seems very popular with families (the kids delighted to have broken up for half term I suspect). More Aspalls meets more Golden Glow in the little mocha-toned side snug where we can model the WME flat cap and peruse vintage maps of Staffordshire prior to local government boundary shufflings. All that remains is to avail ourselves of the X8 bus back to Wolverhampton - a grand afternoon!
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