BrownhillsBob

August 1st – A ride out to Burntwood took me along the Anglesey Branch. I’ve been meaning to mention for a while now that if you’re out cycling, watch out in the dry weather for patches of very dry sand. Deposited by heavy rain, when it dries it’s like hitting black ice and will easily have you off the bike. This patch near Wharf Lane, Brownhills isn’t too bad, but some of the patches that gather in road margins and at junctions – particularly when mixed with gravel and other road debris – can be evil. The motorcyclist term for these hazards is ‘marbles’, because that’s exactly how it feels when you ride into one. Take care.

July 31st – Darnford Bridge Farm sits in the middle of a short, unnamed, decaying, unadopted cut through between the A51 Tamworth Road and Darnford Lane, just on the eastern side of Lichfield. Wedged in between a golf driving range and Lichfield Rugby Club, the farm has been derelict and abandoned for some time. I have no idea who owns it, or why it lies decaying as it so sadly does. The fabric of the farmhouse and building still seems quite good, and efforts have been taken to ensure security. Wonder what the story is?

July 31st – Harvesting of the oilseed rape crop was nearly complete at Home Farm, Sandhills, when I passed by on the canal. I watched for a while as the hugely sophisticated John Deere combine harvester neatly cut and threshed out the seed from the husks and chaff of the plant, spitting out the chopped remnants to be ploughed back into the soil. This is a very efficient machine and they are very expensive to buy. Note that the familiar comb wheel at the front isn’t used during the cutting of this crop, it’s neatly severed by a cutter at the front and falls onto a screw mechanism behind. A work of engineering genius.

July 30th – A 65 mile journey around the canals of Birmingham and the Black Country. Heading from Goscote, to Wolverhampton, down to Stourbridge, up to Netherton and through the tunnel to Oldbury, Birmingham, Great Barr and home. Only a couple of miles wasn’t on the canal. Check out my route over on the main blog. There’s also some video of my experience traversing the Netherton Tunnel.

July 29th – I note that the former Superalloys site in Brownhills is now undergoing construction work to build expansion premises for Castings PLC. This is welcome news for Brownhills, as this is the last major manufacturer in the area. I can’t help wondering, though, that as the site of an old chemical works (hence the local name ‘The Chemical’) and then a scrapyard, what must lie beneath the soil. This land has been vacant for three decades, and it’s good to see it brought into use. Lets hope the construction crews are paying attention while they’re digging.

29th July – Didn’t have time to go far today, so took a late afternoon run up to Chasewater (more of which on the main blog over the weekend) via the canal. Noticed on the way that there’s a new landing stage at the back of Millfield School. Anyone know why it’s there? Not noticed it before, and seems like a large investment by somebody just to moor a narrowboat?

Hi Bob On your rides, maybe you have not yet seen the interesting sight at Fisherwick on the Elford Road out of Whittington. It is the re-built entrance gates (uprights) that were originally at Fisherwick Hall. When Network Rail constructed the new 4 track line they had to dismantle to stonework and it was re-erected (I would think at a high cost). It has loads of ancient graffiti scratched into the stonework, It is located at WS14 9JL. There is a picture on Google Maps. Opposite Hademore Farm. Don’t cross the new road bridge over the rail line, it is in the old, now dead end road. If you have not already seen it – Enjoy. Greetings from sunny Accra.

Ah, the gateposts. I don’t think they were moved, but I may be wrong. They have a fascinating history, which is related to the old brick wall on the left heading to Elford. The picture on google maps has some commentary on it from me:

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4646639?source=wapi&referrer=kh.google.com

The picture s from 2007.

I was planning to (and still will!) feature these, but some stuff you save for a thin day, if you know what I mean. Staffordshire is littered with such odd historical remnants, like the former explosives factory the other side of the track.

Thanks for the heads up

Bob

July 28th – It was the kind of hazy, warm, mellow evening one dreams about. Heat haze shimmered off the roads, and as I cruised down Shire Oak Hill into Brownhills I took in the the view, and reflected on how much it had changed since I was a lad. There used to be flats and maisonettes here, almost as far as the eye could see. It was never as green as it is now. We don’t realise just how verdant Brownhills is now, it’s gorgeous.

July 28th – returning from shopping in Lichfield, I drifted back through Chesterfield. This charming, old hamlet sits just south of Wall, on the other side of the A5/M6 Toll. The architecture here is stunning – this massive farmhouse is remarkable. Imposing and solid in that way that only Staffordshire farmhouses can be, I’ve been fascinated by it’s gables and complex rooflines for years. A handsome building.

July 28th – I know I keep returning to this. but it’s rather fantastic. The fields right now are just on the edge of harvest, and are positively glowing with gorgeous colour. Here at Harehurst Hill, near Wall overlooking a wheat field on a fine sunny afternoon, I seem a million miles away from the cold and chills of last winter’s dark commutes. Oh, for an endless summer…