Reviewing East Birmingham

Thursday 24th March 2011: Centro’s rolling programme of bus network reviews has now turned it’s glare squarely onto East Birmingham and North Solihull, so once again I summoned myself into action in order to sample existing routes prior to the forthcoming changes…

BACKSTREET BRUM: On the trail of hidden gems with my opening stroll round to the Bull Ring. Up past the Mailbox and I find myself on Gough Street where the Craven Arms has an attractive corner frontage and the Gough Arms is just up the road. The Peace Garden and the remains of St Thomas' Church are poignant reminders of wartime on Bath Row, then Great Colmore Street contributes St Luke's Church and the Colwyn pub.

- The Craven Arms, Gough Street -

DIGBETH & EASTSIDE: The backstreet theme continues as I dig deeper into Digbeth and Deritend. Digbeth is becoming a regular haunt but this was the first proper opportunity I'd had to do a full trawl of the place, weaving my way back and forth beneath railway bridges and past industrial units. My discoveries include the Spotted Dog, the Old Wharf, the Waggon & Horses and Birmingham Central bus depot before New Canal Street takes me up to Millennium Point and the imposing edifice that is Curzon Street Station. A roam around Eastside features a derelict factory on Cardigan Street and the former Moby Dick's pub on Penn Street, then I have a quick look at the Digbeth Branch Canal for a shot or two of Belmont Row Bridge - fascinating!

- The Old Wharf, Oxford Street -

THE 26: All of this on-foot exploring is all well and good but it was about time I got down to business with the buses. The 26 is a route that perennially seems to get tinkered with – I first caught it as the Bromford Bridge Lynx, then as a Metrobus to Kingshurst, and now the service is set to be withdrawn and replaced by the 14 (through Duddeston) and an extended 72 (through Bromford). I board the route just past Moriarty's (formerly the White Tower) for a ride through Duddeston, Saltley and Alum Rock. It's depressing to see the old LDV factory looking mournful on Drews Lane, whilst the boarded up Bromford pub only adds to the gloom. The bus then negotiates Bromford Drive to terminate by the Racecourse pub in the shadows of the M6 motorway.

- The 26 calls on Bromford Drive -

BROMFORD BRIDGE: The Bromford estate is never going to be my favourite place in the world but it is still useful to call by from time to time. The Racecourse pub is also boarded up but at least the building is still intact for a photo, unlike the pub that used to be on Collingbourne Road. I thought it wise to make sure I got some photos of the Bromford pub whilst I was in the area, who knows if it will still be around next time I return?

- The Racecourse, Bromford Drive -

HODGE HILL & SHARD END: More local exploring now with a couple of places I was quite keen to revisit. Hodge Hill gives it's name to a Birmingham parliamentary constituency yet there doesn't seem to be that much to it, Shard End or Ward End being more of a focal point for local facilities. The main features are Hodge Hill Common, an important area of open green space, and the Hunters Moon pub. Bucklands End Lane brings me down to the Raven at Stechford, itself a nice landmark, and then I proceed up to Shard End where a key regeneration project is underway to transform the shopping parade into an urban village centre.

- Hodge Hill Common -

KINGSHURST & THE 54: Back to the buses with another route that is set to disappear from Sunday. Currently linking Birmingham and Kingshurst via Washwood Heath Road, Buckland End and Kendrick Avenue, the 54 is set to be incorporated into a streamlined frequent 55 service (serving Buckland End and Shard End) whilst the new 59 will take over the Kingshurst connection. Today's journey on the 54 is brief, from Shard End shops down to Fordbridge Road terminus via Morrisons at Castle Bromwich, but is handsomely rewarded with a precious photo or two at the turning circle. I can't resist having a little mooch around Kingshurst whilst I'm here, hence adding in shots of the Mountfort and the local precinct.

- The 54 at Kingshurst terminus, Fordbridge Road -

CHELMSLEY WOOD NORTH: I still have a couple of photo opportunities in mind and my schedule is starting to look tight. From Kingshurst I need to get a wriggle on, dashing up past the Toby Jug and into Smiths Wood estate where I lose my bearings slightly amongst a multitude of cul-de-sacs, crofts and closes. I eventually navigate my way through to Lanchester Way just in time to capture the 663 bus on camera. This route is operated by Central Connect and is due to be renumbered as the 53, although it will continue to link Smiths Wood with Erdington via Shard End, Stechford and Nechells.

- 663 at Lanchester Way -

THE 689: I'm on the home straight now as a well-placed 966 link enables me to get to Park Hill School in time for the 3pm 689. This is another Central Connect route, and a rather convoluted one at that, which currently links Park Hall and Sheldon via Shard End, Lea Village, Glebe Farm and Garretts Green. Under the review it will be replaced by the new 99 route from Lea Village to Acocks Green - I'm not entirely sure about this idea as from what I saw the 689 was an appreciated local community route where the other passengers and the driver all seemed to know each other.

LEA HALL: I enjoyed my 689 journey despite the various meandering twists and turns, alighting in Garretts Green for a picture of the old Chestnut Tree pub (being turned into an Indian restaurant) and then a sprint to Lea Hall Station. Here I have one final route to account for - the 13 - which linked the station with the City Centre via Whittington Oval, Cockshut Hill, Yardley, Heartlands Hospital and Bordesley Green. The service will be replaced by a combination of the 73 (extended into Birmingham from Heartlands Hospital) and the new 59 (covering Whittington Oval en route to Kingshurst), a move that means Lea Hall Station will no longer be a bus terminus although the 59 would provide some future photographic options.

- The 13 at Lea Hall -

With that closing photo in the bag, I board my 16:22 train home and reflect on a tremendous day of exploring and another raft of network changes. I remain yet to be convinced about the full merits of these reviews, but at least the day provided what will surely go down as one of the exploration highlights of 2011...

Walsall Gets Its Chips!

Wednesday 23rd March and with the cricket season fast approaching there was just enough time for the Chip Foundation to cram in one final winter pub crawl, although there was definitely a springtime air for our tour of Walsall, Rushall and Bloxwich...

WRENS NEST: But first, here's something a little bit different. Well not that unusual as such, just some solo exploring before I met up with Nickolenko. I decided to have a look around the Wrens Nest near Dudley, a somewhat notorious estate but with an adjacent nature reserve that has much geological importance. My finds concentrate on more recent features than the fossils as I sought out photos of Summer Road shops and pubs including the British Queen, the Caves and the King Arthur.

- The Caves, Wrens Nest -

WALSALL: With an unscheduled but necessary dash I greet Nick at 12 noon and we make our way to Coseley Station for the direct train to Walsall. We grab a bite to eat and enjoy the impressive surroundings of St Matthews Church before embarking on a little wander around Chuckery (where the Walsall Arms pub was strangely shut despite opening hours to the contrary) and Highgate - I'm pleased to say that the landmark brewery has been saved from closure, excellent news indeed.

- St Matthew's Church -

CALDMORE: Our first sample of the day comes courtesy of the White Lion on Sandwell Street, notable for its sloping bar-room floor with one door marked as the shallow end and another as the deep end. We initially wanted some Highgate Dark Mild but it wasn't quite right (the barmaid almost threw up after tasting it for herself), so some Timothy Taylor's Landlord was quaffed instead as we perused old photos on the wall and the latest issue of Kils & Kins, all in all very enjoyable.

- 'Nickolenko' in the White Lion -

WALSALL: Back into town having been summoned by Mr Beardsmore who has arrived promptly at the bus station. We make our next port of call the Black Country Arms, one of Black Country Ales' flagship houses where there is an extensive range of beer to choose from. I stay local with Spring from the Backyard Brewery whilst Nick settles on some Downton's Dark Delight and Stephen gets left behind when we sit upstairs. We sup up happily but things go a little awry when we try to find a follow-up pub, neither the Wheatsheaf nor the Fountain being open in the middle of the afternoon.

THE BUTTS: Despite Stephen's best attempts to cripple himself, we get back on track with the Butts Tavern, a backstreet local not far from the arboretum. I wasn't sure what to expect here but the place took me by surprise - it was busy and very friendly with a proper community atmosphere. Again there is a varied ale selection but Burton Bridge's Bramble Stout quickly got my vote as we sat in the ESPN room in some comfy chairs by the pool table. This was a nice spot for some conversation and we were joined momentarily by a chap, the landlord I presume, for a little bit of cricket chat.

- The Butts Tavern -

RUSHALL: It was now time to explore wider Walsall some more so we catch a very full 10A bus up to Daw End Lane, I'm surprised the driver let us on! Our target was the Manor Arms situated on Park Road near to the canal and Park Lime Pits nature reserve. The pub has been a favourite of mine for a while now thanks to it's considerable charm, history and quirkiness - there isn't a bar counter as such, the pumps come straight out of the wall. Some Ringwood Old Thumper slips down very nicely as we debate how to define the Black Country. I don't think we succeeeded there but we did agree that the Manor Arms has a very appealing location just that bit off the beaten track.

- The Manor Arms -

BLOXWICH: A combination of the 8 and 908 delivers us safely to Bloxwich as evening sets in, the 908 having got us out of a potential pickle when we might have been stranded in Pelsall - I might have to fine tune the bus radar in future. With a spare hour or so we are enticed into The Bell, a pub that has some very nice traditional features such as green leather seating and a period smoke room but I wouldn't necessarily class it as a real ale place to visit. I think the Bell has the potential to be an absolute gem, especially given the character of the interior, but at the moment it seems perfectly happy being a decent local serving Banks's.

- A Bunch of Bears in The Bell -

TURF TAVERN (Tinkies): We pause for a takeaway tea on a bench in the Memorial Gardens and then the day has one final treat in store. I wasn't completely convinced by the Turf Tavern when I first visited a few years ago, but this time around I was totally won over. Nestled in amongst a row of terraces, the outside of the pub does look shabby but inside it was well-presented, almost like entering a museum. The welcome was very friendly and the beer excellent (Pardoe's Bumblehole is virtually guaranteed to always score highly as far as I'm concerned), and I thoroughly relished sitting on our wooden slatted bench seats having a natter despite the fact I was rapidly losing my voice. Everyone made us feel very much at home with customers saying goodnight as they left and it did feel like a throwback to a bygone age yet still very relevant to today. In short I thought the Turf was great, a place that deserves to be cherished and supported.

What a way to finish then, not just in terms of this single outing but when thinking about our winter exploits as a whole: Sedgley, Coseley, Gornal, Darlaston and Wolverhampton then all culminating here. The cricket will undoubtedly take our attention over the coming months and I hope the summer yields it's own fine memories as we get out and about supporting the Warwickshire Bears...

In Search of Old Oldbury

Friday 18th March: Following the success of our Smethwick outing last month, Andy and I joined forces once more for another slice of Sandwell shenanigans. This time our target was the Oldbury area as we hoped to uncover some hidden history...

WEST BROMWICH: As with our last trip, a 10:30 start gives me scope beforehand for some solo exploration. Spon Lane will do nicely, weaving around to find photo targets such as the Cricketers Arms on Kenrick Park and the Windsor Castle on the Lyng. Perhaps the most saddening discovery was the Forrester's Arms on Ault Street, a traditional little pub that has been reduced to a festering shell.

- The Forresters Arms -

After a little wander along West Bromwich High Street it's over to the bus station where Andy arrives armed with a vintage A-Z and a guide to historic Oldbury. We decide to recapture some history straight away with Mr D9 on hand to provide his own brand of transport re-enactments...

- The D9 leaves West Bromwich -

OLDBURY CANAL LOOP: We alight by Sandwell & Dudley Station and set to work investigating possible remnants of the former Oldbury Carriage Works before concentrating on the old loop canal that once encircled Oldbury town centre. Church Street Bridge provides a very big clue and from here we can follow a brambly track round to Birmingham Street - it's overgrown and litter-strewn in places but fascinating all the same.

- Church Street Bridge -

OLDBURY TOWN: Birmingham Street landmarks include Church Square, the Junction and the Bull's Head, whilst the junction with Halesowen Street has some little shops such as Aplin's and Lucy Thompson's which hint at what the town centre would've looked like before the arrival of the infamous Sainsbury's Savacentre - the supermarket probably saved the town from economic meltdown but wiped away so much heritage in the process. Along Church Street we find the Waggon & Horses, the public library (recently closed with services moving to Jack Judge House) and the architectural curiosity that is Sandwell Council House, I'm not convinced about on the appeal of that one!

INDUSTRIAL DECAY: Next up Andy introduces me to the site of the former Hunt Brothers foundry off West Bromwich Street, now just a flattened zone with only the occasional fragment of a gatepost or a manhole cover to tell of what went before. We also spot potential further canal remains and can't resist a bit of a scramble for a closer look. Various thorns and nettles did not deter us although Andy was concerned he might get a rat up his trousers!

OLDBURY PUBS: All this ferreting about had made us thirsty so it was time for a pint or two. The sounds of Elvis drew us towards the Junction, where Mr Presley certainly proved he was a 'Good Luck Charm' when the Guinness was on at £2 a pint (even Mr Wood would've been happy with that price!) The Waggon & Horses was also well worth a visit for some Enville White and a proper pub interior, although sadly we didn't get to see the resident ghost. A brief encounter with the Savacentre is required (yes, the bladder was calling) and then we're free to catch the 87 where Andy's bald spot turns green during another D9 demonstration.

- The D9 out and about in Oldbury -

TIVIDALE: One of Andy's old stomping grounds and the setting for a couple more pub visits. We braved the Albion despite my misgivings about setting foot inside a place that has a Baggies shirt on it's pub sign, then decamped to the safer territory of the Wonder down by Tividale Park, a nice Marston's local with a decent drink of Pedigree.

- The Wonder at Tividale -

BRADES VILLAGE: The 87 is working well for us, saving our legs with a few short hops as we head off to tackle the Brades. There used to be some heavy industry around here as Andy recalls how the local factories would have different clocking off times to avoid overcrowding from homerushing workers. The Brades Tavern is a fine landmark building that provides us with a handy bite to eat along with the chance to watch the Cheltenham Gold Cup.

CANALS CONTINUED: Having recovered somewhat from our earlier exertions we decided to do a bit more canal exploring. We join the towpath of the Old Main Line at Brades Bridge and keep a close eye out for any arms or wharves that might link up with the loop we’d covered this morning. Given its supreme status as the ugliest place I’ve thus far visited, Oldbury Junction is having an annoying habit of cropping up in my adventures. The pleasant sunshine did little to lift the pervading gloom of this desolate spot, but at least Andy can now say he's encountered ‘the Soviet Swimming Pool’ and survived. The Titford Canal provides welcome relief as we slog it into Langley, pausing briefly to admire Titford Pumphouse, Engine Street Bridge and the former railway line into Langley Green.

- Titford Pumphouse -

LANGLEY: Saying goodbye to the Titford, we venture into Langley and partake of a swift half each in the Crosswells and the Model. The Crosswells was another decent local at one end of Langley High Street, whilst the Model has had a bit of a makeover since Rog and I visited and now looks very smart indeed.

- Intrepid adventurers at the Crosswells Inn, Langley -

Going full circle back to Oldbury, we can't resist tracking down one of Mr Wood's alleged former haunts. Birchfield Lane was once home to Oldbury Garage, the depot site now partly occupied by the One and Two Halves pub. We believe Mr Wood briefly worked at Oldbury in his previous existence, so it seems highly likely that he would have visited the Manchester Stores as the local of choice for the old drivers. The pub was certainly busy today, barely a seat to be had.

- The Manchester Stores, does it look familiar Mr Wood? -

We decide to complete the day's proceedings in the same manner we finished off the Smethwick trip, hence it's a final call to the Jolly Collier and a well-earned closing pint (in this case Burton Bridge's Four Founders, named in honour of the four gentlemen who effectively formed CAMRA 40 years ago). We say our farewells and I make my home, detouring into Bilston especially to sample some live jazz in the Trumpet, an excellent way in which to set the seal on another fantastic day out. Cheers!

An Unwanted Vanishing Act

I'm extremely annoyed to report that the West Midlands Exploration galleries are currently unavailable due to the apparent disappearance of the entire Fotopic service where the site has been hosted over the last six years. I noticed that the galleries had vanished well over a week ago but initially hoped that this might be a temporary glitch. Sadly there still hasn't been any news whatsoever and with every passing day it looks increasingly unlikely that anything will resurface.

Whilst all my photos are backed up safely enough to start again if necessary, it is frustrating to think that my various commentaries and correspondances might have gone completely. The issues are affecting all Fotopic galleries so it's not just WME, and I must admit I've lost a lot of faith in the company given that there have been no explanations forthcoming thus far. I am therefore currently investigating other options for maintaining a web presence, including having a little play around on Flickr, so it might be that I set myself up with a new base in the not too distant future. In the meantime I shall leave all my blog links intact just in case better news arrives, and I apologise to any of you who were hoping to view the existing photos. Hopefully WME will be back in some form or another before too long...