Month: February 2012

Bob, I believe the fake windmill is at the home of the Humphries family whose local business started out in the demolition industry and now includes a builders’ and timber merchants and recycled buliding materials.

Thanks for that. Mike Parkes on Facebook said also ‘Built in the 80’s by Mr Humphries owner of Monway Builders Merchants’ – it really is an odd thing.

February 21st – There is a place in New Street Station, Birmingham, that is only known by a select few: those who use the lifts. This happy club includes cyclists, wheelchair users, those of limited mobility and service personnel. The platform access is so shambolic that only on two platforms do lifts connect to the concourse above; for the remaining five, you can only go downward to a connecting subway. This makes every platform change an absolute joy. If you actually want to get out, and land at, say, platform 2, you have to go down to the subway, and come up via tone of the two lifts connecting to the concourse through other platforms. These two lifts are very busy and the wait can be considerable. The connecting subway is dark, dingy and contains lots of horrid, dark corners. But never mind, it’ll all be better soon… and there will be jam for tea, too, I’m told.

February 21st – It seems I’ve got a change of scenery for a few days. Off to Telford early today, and the weather – after a distinctly wintery dip yesterday – seemed really springlike this morning. Heading to Shenstone station along Lynn Lane, I noticed this row of bare trees. Spring will be nearly over by the time they green up, but I’m sure, somewhere in those weathered trunks, sap has started to rise. I notice bulbs are coming up and growth is tentatively commencing for another year. This thought cheered me as I sat on the train…

February 20th – It had been a long time since I’d explored the old part of Wednesbury, and it still retains its old character. The steep alleys steps were still worn, and the handrail shiny with use. It was a really grey, overcast day, a far cry from the day before, but the views and rolling urban landscape as fascinating as ever. I like Wednesbury. Not as much as Darlaston, but Wednesbury always feels out of time and place. It may not be handsome, but it’s full of interesting stuff.

February 20th – Wednesbury has a life-size, fake windmill, and not many people know about it. I have no information on the edifice, or its origins, other that in sits in a garden near the top of Church Hill in the centre of town, is only about a decade old and exists as a kind of modern folly as far as I can tell. I investigated it today – I spotted it a good few years ago, but I had to go to Great Bridge today and had time to spare, so thought I’d go hunting. More on the main blog in the next few days.

You can’t actually get close to it – it’s in the garden of a remarkably ornate, somewhat architecturally eccentric house, and is only really visible in winter when there are no leaves on the trees. I’m told the owners don’t welcome enquiries, and the property is shut behind very tall, secure gates. Anybody have any more information? 

where can i get on to canal towpath for a long ride in Lichfield please.

Whereabouts? I need a bit more information than that. Lichfield has no canals at all, although the Lichfield & Hatherton came through 50 years ago, but is now disused and not a viable cycling route. Nearest canal comes is Fradley or Whittington, both a few miles away? Where are you starting from?

February 19th – Here at Whitemoor Haye, near Alrewas, there’s an example of a hidden menace stalking Britain’s crops, but it’s rarely mentioned. Everyone loves swans, the graceful, beautiful white birds that populate rivers, canals and parks. However, they have a darker side. Aggressive and voracious of appetite, these large birds with no real natural enemy are multiplying in number at a huge rate. In spring, they gather in huge groups – this is just a tiny one – on fields of very young crops, then proceed to decimate them. Swans love the green shoots of fresh growth, and will gather on any flat field. Farmers will zigzag tape barriers over crops to prevent the hungry birds from landing, but success is limited. After all, you can’t be unkind to such gorgeous birds, can you?

February 18th – I had a blast around Shenstone, Wall and Stonnall, and really blew the cobwebs away. Reaching the tiny hamlet of Chesterfield, I realised how nice it looked at sunset. The architecture here really is understated and gorgeous. It’s a shame that a couple of houses further up the village to wards Wall seem to be unoccupied…