July 11th – I made an escape, of sorts.

The rush now over, I had loads of errands and calls to make in the Black Country, and I took the opportunity to make them on my bike – nothing better after a stressful period at work than a sunny afternoon in the industrial heartland I love. Wednesbury, Moxley, Great Bridge, Lanesfield, Netherton and lots of canals made for a great day – including an excellent portion of hake and dumpling from the excellent Carribean takeaway in Great Bridge.

`Talking of bridges, between Moxley and Toll End, I spotted this one; the eagle eyed will note that this decaying, derelict railway crossing – The Hempole Bridge – is almost identical in construction to the railway bridge over the canal near the Pelsall Road in Brownhills, which is a listed structure, due to it’s rarity. Note the same blue Freakley Brothers bricks; the pattern in the cast plates, the pre-girder hot-rivet and cast truss metalwork. 

Sad to see it lost.