Two October Outings

Back-to-back trips to report on now as a daring double sees me join the Beardsmores in Cannock Chase District - hello Hednesford! - before Nick acts as my Leamington tour guide for a circuit of Whitnash and Woodloes. Here is my summary from a terrific if breathless couple of days...

- The Family Firm? -

Let's start with Friday 8th October 2021 and what we've since christened 'The Chaserider Challenge' - I'm slightly out of the loop on bus operator developments these days and hadn't twigged that the D&G Group had taken over Arriva's Cannock and Stafford network, I must try harder! The number 70 conveys us from Heath Town to Cannock via New Cross Hospital, Featherstone, Cheslyn Hay and the Longford Estate (sadly with a Co-op where the Ascot Tavern used to stand). A street market is bringing some welcome life to Cannock town centre as we spot an ornamental elephant statue and Beardsmore Lighting, a long-standing family business that apparently has no connection whatsoever to my two accomplices. 

- JB on the John Smith's -

As commendable as Cannock is, the main focus of Friday revolves around Hednesford so we catch the 26 Circular across through Chadsmoor and alight by the railway station. Coal mining was historically the major industry in the Cannock Chase area so a Davy lamp-style sculpture outside Hednesford Library remembers the local pits, while over 3,500 miners' names are recorded among the bricks that encircle the town clock flowerbeds. Initial refreshment is sought from the Hen House on Eskrett Street but I'm not particularly keen on the house pale ale; my pint of Gravitas in the Hedgeford Lodge Wetherspoons is altogether better and Mr B Senior does enjoy his John Smith's even if the picture above suggests otherwise!

- Serious about Sausage Rolls -

Stephen and John seem to be engaged in their own private battle to outscowl each other on the blog pictures, and in this case we see Beardsmore Junior studiously contemplating his sausage roll lunch. We needed that snack when waiting for the Heddins Ford to open at 2pm; situated in a former bank building that also served as a bookmakers for a while, this is now a micropub overseen by the Backyard Brewhouse from Brownhills. The 1898 Dark Mild is very much my kind of tipple - deep, malty and in excellent condition - as the barmaid joins in our discussion about the dialect differences between Willenhall, Walsall and Wednesbury. 

- The Duck, Chadsmoor -

Our homeward bus is at twenty past four which leaves us a brief window of Chadsmoor opportunity. The Duck is the obvious candidate due to its off yellow appearance and proximity to the Moss Street bus stops. We weren't expecting much in here but it does us fine for a quick slurp of Boddingtons in a no-nonsense local, plus I can snaffle cheeky snaps of the nearby doctors surgery and a Methodist chapel. The return 70 behaves itself so Stephen and I can fulfill our evening fixture at the Tettenhall Cricket Club Quiz. Team Bears put in a sterling performance but a cautious approach to the final 'Wipeout' round sees us pipped to the victory by the Scrambled Eggheads - we'd still have taken second place at the start. 

- Leamington's Stagecoach Depot -

Ordinarily Friday's antics would have provided more than enough fun and frivolity but no, this is a special week and Saturday 9th October is on standby to continue the fun. Leamington Larks are thus on the agenda as I meet Nick outside the spa town's Art Deco-fronted railway station, and the U1A is then on hand to whisk us off to Warwick Gates for a glimpse of the relocated Stagecoach bus depot. Having admired some of the parked-up fleet through the mesh railings, we nip into the adjacent Royal Horse for an Abbot Ale aperitif. Although this is very much your standard Hungry Horse chain experience, they have made an effort with their Halloween decorations hence a multitude of cobwebs, witches faces and comedy spiders. 

- A Portuguese Pose? -

The pubs come thick and fast along the Tachbrook Road as a Heathcote - Windmill - Urban Fox combination keeps us very busy. The former is preparing for a 50th birthday celebration so we refrain from helping ourselves to the Swiss rolls; the middle of the three has a traditional bar room with two dartboards; and the latter used to be called the Wheatsheaf prior to a craft makeover - the Napton Blackcurrant Cider makes for a refreshing change. Halves are the way to go when you've got so many watering holes close together and we hadn't even factored in the Joiners Arms on Shrubland Street, a boozer that turns out to be a little pocket of Portugal complete with its own community shop selling rice, Filipinos chocolate bars and mystery meat.

- A Hodcarrier Half -

Every once in a while I suspect Nick gets possessed by the restless spirit of Mr D9, and the sight of the Brunswick Hub must have stirred an unexpected liking for dives. The Jet on Brunswick Street attempts to deafen us with hip hop at high decibels although a drop of Guinness in the borstal-like beer garden is perfectly acceptable. Nick then exceeds even that when the number 1 bus connects us to the South Farm estate for the Hodcarrier, a 1970s hulk of a building on Coppice Road. The regulars form something of a barfly barricade but it's friendly enough in principle and the cask ale offering is appreciated, as indeed is a soundtrack featuring Mott the Hoople ('Roll Away The Stone') and John Kongos. 

- St Margaret's, Whitnash -

Bit by bit we've inched our way into the heart of Whitnash where St Margaret's Church was founded in Saxon times and boasts a C15th sandstone tower. Also conjuring up a sense of the old village is the Plough & Harrow, a building that harks back to agricultural days (as indeed do some nearby thatched cottages). Leeds Pale Ale and a doorstep dog statue are the defining elements of our visit, and the canine theme continues at the Bulldog on St Margaret's Road - this is a sports-centric establishment with several screens to keep us more than up to date with the Saturday football scores. The parade of shops across the road meanwhile include Whitnash Carpets, the Orchard Corner and Johnny's Plaice.

- The Woodloes Tavern -

We save our takeaway indulgences until we've traversed Leamington town centre on the 1, pitching into Woodloes on the northern fringes of Warwick. The Woodloes Park Fish Saloon supplies the requisite roe and battered sausage, sustaining us for our raid on the Woodloes Tavern which ably adds to our estate establishment collection. The basic external appearance can be deceptive as this is nicely furnished and we can't fault the quality of the Timothy Taylor's Landlord. Intercepting another 1, we finish off at Leamington's Boiler Room which counts as a newer venue that launched last year. Halves of Affinity accompany Nick's inspections of a pizza menu where every dish is name after a different artist, and the whole town centre feels abuzz with activity. A nice way to round off an epic double header!

Shirley Not?!

October has historically been the month when Nick and I attend the Solihull Beer Festival, making our way across to the Royal British Legion Club on Union Road to partake of the various cask wares. Covid has meant the event can't be held there this year so the intended beers have been redistributed around local pubs instead, giving us all the excuse we need for an afternoon in Shirley...

- A Princely Peaky Blinder? -

Friday 1st October 2021 brings tidings from Birmingham Moor Street where an unexpected heavy shower makes for a soggy 11am rendezvous. Our spirits can't be dampened too much though, not with the prospect of an opening Guinness half in the Peaky Blinder on Dale End; flat caps are very much to the fore here, both on the bar staff and several mannequin heads dotted about. Murals inside and out pay homage to the popular BBC television series with its gangster characters such as Tommy Shelby and Aunt Polly - Nick tries his best to fit right in!

- A hoppy half at Halton Turner -

Shirley is calling but not before a Digbeth distraction has us in research mode. Not only do I want to get pictures of even more street art (including tigers, Birds Custard containers and plenty of exotic faces), I'm keen to work out where the Halton Turner craft brewery is based. The railway arches of Trent Street provide the answer and our nosiness is rewarded by a cheeky sample of Waitangi Dawn, a cracking IPA-styled brew infused with New Zealand hops. Parts of Digbeth and High Street Deritend seem to be one long traffic jam at the moment due to roadworks for the preliminary construction phase of the Midland Metro Eastside extension. 

- D9 Driving? Anybody can do it! -

We couldn't leave Digbeth without dropping in on the newly-reopened White Swan, happily resurrected in all its terracotta Bradford Street glory. The pub has long been a marvel of Minton's tiling and we particularly like the bar surround lettering inviting us to consume fine ales "in cavalier fashion" - a half each of Fixed Wheel's Blackheath Stout is rather restrained in that sense albeit the beer is excellent. We then intercept the number 6 bus for a steady trundle down the ever-vibrant Stratford Road, noting the multitude of Asian greengrocers in Sparkbrook, Sparkhill and Springfield as Nick tests out his D9-esque steering skills.

- Shirley Shopping Scenery -

The leafier environs of Hall Green act as a prelude to Solihull territory whereby the municipal demarcation point comes shortly after the Robin Hood roundabout. Shirley essentially seems to comprise another extended string of Stratford Road shops interspersed with a sprinkling of watering holes and I'm pleased my old favourite the Red Lion still looks every inch the 1960s timewarp. We spare that our custom today in favour of the Craft Inn, one of a growing chain of independent tasting rooms (the sister establishment to outlets in Sutton Coldfield, Worcester and Bearwood to name a few). Hailing from Southampton, Tap It's 'Sweet Caroline' is a milk stout we'd not encountered previously but it soon gets granted HRH's royal seal of approval.

- The Parkgate Precinct -

Shirley has had its ale fortunes transformed in recent years thanks to the emergence of new venues, and is no longer the derided destination Nick and I were teased for contemplating when exiting the Solihull Beer Festival in 2013. The Parkgate retail development opened in 2014 with Asda as its anchor store; JD Wetherspoons' The Pump House is located here and there is also provision for a branch library and a remodelled British Legion entrance. One of the units is home to the Shaking Hand, a modern micropub that features in the 2021 Good Beer Guide. We stop by for a rather good Chummy Bluster Best Bitter (Gun Brewery).

- Ale Hub, Longmore Road -

And now for somewhere to make a certain Mr D9 very jealous indeed! Escaping from the constant grind of the A34, we pick out Longmore Road in order to investigate the Ale Hub, converted from an empty Martin's Newsagents shop next to the Asterwell Pharmacy. Of the four cask offerings I plump for Burton Bridge's Festival Ale whereas Nick makes a connection with Reverend James. Places like this just go to show what can be done in a run-of-the-mill suburban setting, and I'm keen to visit the other Ale Hubs in Dickens Heath and Worcester (St Peters) should the opportunity present itself. 

- Basking in an Indian Summer -

Early evening sees us descend upon Solihull town centre after another helping hand from the number 6 bus. Station Road is a hive of hostelries now that upstarts such as Sommar and the Indian Brewery have moved in alongside the White Swan and the Flute and Flagon; both of the new-ish ventures require our attention so we savour an 'Aged' stout in the Sommar Tap before succumbing to the allure of butter chicken curry at the Indian Brewery - Nick even demonstrates his prowess at reading Punjabi, those years working in public libraries were not wasted! A final wildcard has us chancing the Grenville Club, our CAMRA allegiance gaining us access for a divine drop of Darwin's Origin whilst watching Bristol v Bath rugby. Having set the world to rights we catch our trains home, supremely satisfied at our Shirley sojourn - cheers!

WME Flickr Focus - September 2021

September was an eventful month in more ways than one, and it would be remiss of me not to instantly acknowledge Warwickshire's superb achievement of winning the County Championship - a well deserved Bears success whereby I can confirm that Stephen was suitably delighted! The WME Flickr photostream can't match that for high octane excitement but there have been a few thrills and spills among the recent new arrivals...

In an unexpected turn of events, WME Shropshire emerged from the pack to become our undisputed chief accumulator of new photo content. The little hamlet of Badger was instrumental in this feat, supplying stocks of lily pads, vintage road signs and Badger Dingle streamside scenes as I plundered my July 2020 archives to good effect. Two Ludlow local bus services also made the cut so a shout out to the 701 and 702 routes outside the town's Assembly Rooms.

The runners up spot was claimed by WME Birmingham which itself can be satisfied with a steady few weeks. Aston made itself heard thanks to lock-based street art and a Swan & Mitre pub sign, likewise Balsall Heath Library undergoing May 2010 repair works. Baltimore Road near Hamstead is one for the street sign purists while the Alcoa Sports Ground is a location I'd forgotten about, hidden down the back of a cul-de-sac between Wylde Green and Walmley.

Bronze medal position went to WME Wolverhampton largely on account of some Aldersley additions. Cycle route pointers, a Green Lane bus stop and Aldersley Avenue made their respective debuts alongside an appearance for the 514 bus setting down passengers in November 2009. Avondale Road muscled its way into my Whitmore Reans album too in maintaining my fixation on all things tiled and ceramic.

The usual squabble over the minor placings turned out thus - WME Warwickshire called in on Atherstone to attend to the Maid of the Mill pub and the Coventry Canal locks; WME Dudley dolloped in a Swan free house lamp from Amblecote; WME Sandwell spotted the 438 bus calling at Cape Hill; WME Staffordshire snapped up a Bednall marker in Acton Trussell; and finally WME Telford took a peek inside the wonderful All Nations at Madeley - cheers!

Hub Marketing 2021: Leaping Into Lye

Now that our esteemed Chairman has returned to full fitness, the Hub Marketing Board can convene the meeting we'd originally scheduled two weeks ago. The hostelries and taverns of Lye are on standby to receive our custom, so brace yourselves for bald spots, discounts and an encounter with a famous feline...

- Treatos Are Served -

Friday 24th September 2021 and our first challenge is to get ourselves across to Stourbridge to meet that celebrity cat. Mr D9 dodges any cob forfeits by arriving promptly at Bradley Lane while Secretary WME survives a brief brush with The Hawthorns, meaning we soon saunter into Stourbridge Junction in search of resident mousecatcher George. He isn't on his usual ticket office seat so we eventually track him down on platform 1, studiously ignoring us until the Chairman's pack of Dreamies provides the necessary persuasion - let it not be said that the bald one isn't above acts of blatant bribery when a ginger furball selfie is required!

- The Queensway, Pedmore Fields -

Leaving George to roll about in some platform mud, we press on into Pedmore Fields via Old Ham Lane and Drew Road. The local JET petrol garage is attracting constant queues as motorists try to stock up amidst concerns over fuel shortages, hence the Queensway pub gives us an ideal vantage point for watching the unfolding pump procession. Keenly-priced respective pints of Carling and John Smith's put Mr WME into early discount contention as we watch a bit of the Racing Channel and trade some Pick of the Pops predictions. The front bar here is smartly furnished in making for a good start to the day's quaffing business. 

- Stevens Park, Wollescote -

From Pedmore Fields we weave a trail through Wollescote, taking in the leafy surroundings of Stevens Park - this is one of three public open spaces gifted to the area by Ernest Stevens, the others being in Quarry Bank and Stourbridge. Wollescote Hall is the park's Grade II-listed centrepiece, dating from the C17th and latterly used as a Social Services base by Dudley Council. We tiptoe through the trees and out towards Brackendale Way, playing our silly song selections as we go; it remains to be seen whether the excitable strains of Margarita Pracatan have ever echoed across these grassy expanses before but they certainly have now!

- Checkout Craftiness in the Hadcroft -

Our other dubious ditty choices both concern decimalisation, whereby Max Bygraves seems very much in favour but Wilfrid Brambell bemoans the potential loss of old-fashioned counting skills. Our mathematical prowess is duly put to the test at the Hadcroft when we stage our latest darts contest. D9 Destroyer takes the opening leg and seems to be fixated on leaving himself 19 for each and every checkout, a ploy that backfires when WME Whirlwind snatches a double 17 finish that leaves all onlookers truly flabbergasted. Perhaps the Secretary feels inspired by the Banks's Mild or the melodious tones of Petula Clark, either way he wins 2-1. 

- A Foxy Bald Spot? -

The Lye area was once known for having over fifty watering holes within half a mile square. There aren't quite as many nowadays even if we still have plenty to keep us occupied, our next example being the Fox on Green Lane for a dose of backstreet Banks's complete with a Peaky Blinders undercurrent. One swift Amber later we head around the corner to check on the Hollybush, just down from Lye & Wollescote Cemetery (sadly for D9 the old closet was removed a few years ago). Elsewhere, the Railway is closed despite having undergone extensive renovation and the Windsor Castle is now home to the Printworks Brewery after the Sadlers name was bought up by Halewood International.

- Sir Cedric Hardwicke Tribute Filmreel -

Lye Cross is the intersection of the A458 Stourbridge Road/Lye High Street with the A4036 Pedmore Road/Dudley Road, a notorious bottleneck prior to the bypass being constructed. The junction has been chosen as an appropriate setting for a sculpture celebrating the life and works of locally-born Sir Cedric Hardwicke, an acclaimed stage actor whose many film credits include roles in 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame', 'The Ten Commandments' and 'The Ghost of Frankenstein'. Lye railway station resolutely remains its usual mundane self, improved by the replacement of a concrete footbridge but the grey plank ticket office ensures a continuing sense of ugliness.

- Beat Brewery -

Secretary WME has been keeping a close eye on the clock for the last half hour and his intentions become clear once an industrial estate wriggle reveals the Beat Brewery premises. A relatively recent arrival to the West Midlands beer scene, the Lye taproom was established in 2018 after the brewery relocated from Somerset. 4pm opening sees us eagerly partaking of Metalhead Stout and Jungle Drum Machine American Pale, all accompanied by a ginormous grated cheese and onion cob - a Madness soundtrack is evidence of the company's music preferences, one of the other craft brews being named Skaburst. 

- Lye Cross -

We've enjoyed a stellar afternoon already but we couldn't leave Lye without sampling the Shovel, one of those must-visit Black Country hostelries it would be sacrilege to avoid. The stand-out ale here is Bath'ums, a cheeky collaboration between the pub and the Ambridge Brewery - it certainly hits the spot! A final glance at Lye Cross precinct then precedes a ride on the 7 up Thorns Road, spotting the aforementioned Quarry Bank version of Stevens Park followed by the Koyla Kitchen (the overhauled Thorns box boozer that operates as a sports bar-cum-steakhouse and has nothing to do with Koala bears). 

- D9 Drives Home -

A Delph dash will round off the day nicely, and for once we won't be making the pilgrimage to the hallowed Bull & Bladder. No, the Chairman has his heart set upon doing the Roebuck on Amblecote Road, an ex-Ansells number if Detective D9 is to be believed. The Golden Glow is on form here as we check the bus times and realise we've got a small window for a Corn Exchange curtain call. It's certainly been an action-packed blast and homeward haulage duties go to the number 8 route via Merry Hill, Woodside and Dudley. Cheers!