BrownhillsBob

#365daysofbiking Common ground:

November 18th – I visited the really very good craft fair at the community centre and then went for a trundle over the commons and around the cycle trails of Brownhills – including the new part of the former railway between the Swan Pub and Miner Island. It was a lovely, golden, sunny afternoon and although chilly, not excessively so.

The fungus on the common was still showing well, but the star of the walk was the old railway, which the volunteers of Back the Track have been making a wonderful job of. The tunnel effect of the trees that line the old railway cutting is really rather remarkable, especially in the hazy sunlight.

It’s good to be reminded of just how beautiful even central Brownhills can be.

#365daysofbiking Reflections:

November 17th – I returned to Brownhills on the canal and that was much more rewarding. Although the sunset wasn’t anything significant, the reflections on the water and the light around bridges made for some lovely views.

You really can’t beat riding the canals at dusk.

#365daysofbiking Mist opportunity:

November 17th – A spin up to Chasewater after some mechanical jobs on the bike didn’t quite reward me the way I’d hoped: There was a mist settling and I was hoping for either an inversion or a gorgeous sunset – but neither occurred, just a hazy, soft dying of the light.

Even a ride up the former pit mound to take in the view was uninspiring, sadly.

I made my return through CHasetown, and as always, the high street is brilliant at night. Even when there are few people around, it looks busy. I’ll never work that out.

Nice to see also that at Chasewater, the water levels are slowly recovering.

#365daysofbiking Chains changed:

November 16th – Heading back to Brownhills and home, I stopped to look at the view of Silver Street now the building works are finished here. Around 200 new, modern dwellings on what was 12 year dead wasteland and an abandoned marketplace. The change from desolation to signs of life and habitation is remarkable. Every time I see it, I struggle to take in the massive change here.

Change for the better.

About 6 years ago I speculated that this then desolate, windswept, empty place was haunted by the ghosts of civic failure. They have been exorcised, and gradually, almost imperceptibly, there are signs of life developing in my old town again. The people that live in these houses now will use the local takeaways, pop for a paper, a haircut and use the high street out of convenience. No, it’ll never boom like it did, but this trade fillip has to be welcome.

Finally, Brownhills is becoming unshackled from the system built housing misadventure of the sixties. All we need to do now is finally rid ourselves of the blight that is Ravens Court…

#365daysofbiking Paint the whole world with a…

November 16th – After the old chap who ran the lawnmower shop in Brownhills retired, the shop stood empty for a while, before being renovated. It actually became, in time, an upmarket baby boutique called Nancy & Harlows, which seems very popular, and I wish the proprietors all the best in their venture.

What is a little unusual about the restoration is that as part of it, local artist Rory Northall was commissioned to paint a mural on the gable end of the building. This colourful artwork features the children in his family in age order, each holding a balloon with their initial on, Pooh Bear and Eeyore, a rainbow, blue sky, and the stars and moon. The moon itself forms the seat of a young girl in a pink dress with angel wings, and requires no further explanation.

The artwork is stunning, colourful, beautiful, well executed and popular. And I think it looks best after dark, which is how I caught it on an evening errand ride around town.

A lovely thing I’ve meant to feature here for ages. My compliments to Rory and the good ladies who had the imagination to commission such a wonderful thing.

#365daysofbiking The experiment continues:

November 15th – More camera experimentation, this time the other direction from Catshill Junction Bridge.

I’m interested in the way this camera picks up stars in the sky, and the colouration.

Tat’s not a bad result to me for a handheld phot in near pitch darkness.

#365daysofbiking No ifs, The Butts:

November 15th – Riding home again on a late one, I swung a shortcut through the area of North Walsall called The Butts. One of my favourite parts of town, I love the dense, busy terraced streets, frantic rooflines and the way it all looks so warm and homely at night. There are real architectural gems here, and also usually cats, wandering dogs, people taking the air.

Sadly I don’t come here as often as I perhaps should do, as the dense parking makes for many a close shave on a bike, but it’s so worth it fro the brisk, handsome urbanity.

#365daysofbiking Clarity:

November 14th – I’m finding the Canon G1X a bit of a conundrum: The smaller, more limited G7X was a lot easier to take low-light images with, but the pictures were not as good in my opinion. I had expected to flow from one camera to the other seamlessly, but that’s not been the case.

But I’m learning. And there’s nothing wrong with that.

On this warm, breezy but glass-clear evening, I couldn’t resist hopping up onto Catshill Junction Bridge for a shot of the moon over the canal, before heading back to Brownhills.

#365daysofbiking Ooh matron:

November 14th – Coming home from work, late. Diving off the main drag onto the canal at the unfortunately named Black Cock Bridge, which takes it’s name from the adjacent pub, The Black Cock.

Subject of schoolboy humour for over a century or more, this steep, precarious canal crossing probably hasn’t got many years left in it’s current form. decidedly too steep for many vehicles, weak and narrow, it’ll be interesting to see what happens to The Black Cock Bridge in the long run, as the geography has changed so much since the bridge was built that and undebridge with an aqueduct would no be more suitable.

In the mean time, at night, it’s wonderfully photogenic.

#365daysofbiking When you spot it:

November 13th – One thing I love about working in Darlaston is the architecture of this hidden gem of a town. And the thing I love about the architecture the most?

The constant spotting of things you’ve not noticed before.

Whilst photographing the lovely paper poppy display at the Town Hall, I turned round to look at the handsome, four-square post Office. But my eye fell to an anonymous doorway at the side, and a sign advertising … Darlaston Air Training Corps.

Never have I noticed that before.

On this day, how very appropriate that I should.