March 12th – Despite it being a lovely, misty afternoon, the photoraphy was surprisingly lousy. I did, however, get a pleasing photo in of a very challenging view: Ogley Hay from Shire Oak Hill.

I love this view, but like all the views from Shire Oak, it’s difficult to capture in a photo due to too much stuff being in the way in the foreground; the view of Walsall to the southwest is cluttered, as is the view of Lichfield to the northeast. To the northwest, the view of Brownhills is actually enchanting to me, but translating it to an image never quite works.

I’m quite pleased with these, although the haze distorts them a little.

March 12th – I landed at New Street at an unusual time, between trains. The station was heaving, and I wasn’t enjoying it, so hopped on the first service leaving in my general direction, to Four Oaks. Leaving there to cycle home on a hazy, sunny afternoon, I noticed the cycle parking there was pretty well used, with some nice bikes that were well locked.

That GT 29er is a lovely bike.

British Transport Police clearly take security seriously here, as there’s warnings about decoy tracker bikes and locking yours up with at least two locks.

One assumes this has been a theft hotspot – I can’t recall ever seeing such dedicated warnings anywhere else locally.

That aside, it’s a decent shelter, with good racks. Well played, Centro. Let’s have some more, please.

March 11th – On the way home on a sunny, spring evening, with a low sun shining long over Aston. The train stopped and was held for a few minutes, dwelling on a service coming in the other direction before the points could change – as often happens. The doors were open, and I was stood in golden light, frozen. 

It’s a snapshot of Birmingham, and why I love it so.

March 11th – Today, I zipped through Hall Green. I’ve been passing this store for probably five years or so now, and I hate to admit it but the name irrationally annoys me every time I see it – and I have no idea why. ‘Wine Lord’ – what does it mean? Is it a crap play on ‘Time Lord’? Is it not a pun? I have no idea. Like hair salons, off licenses now seem to be developing a trend for really daft, jokey names. This can’t end well.

As to Chicken Etc…

March 10th – I love it when, for a short time every spring and autumn, my homeward commute coincides with the golden hour. Even more so if it does so during a period of good weather. This evening, I returned from Shenstone specifically to catch the station and two towers in the beautiful light, and hopefully see the sunset over Ogley Hay and St. Jame’s Church. 

Neither disappointed. I’m loving this spring.

March 10th – I’ve not seen anything like this before. Today, I was travelling from Acocks Green to Tyseley, as I often do. One of the routes I take includes a shortcut down an alley that used to be Rockwood Road, which crosses the railway between Alexander Road and the Birmingham City Mission. On the footpath, just as you leave the railway bridge, there’s an pecuiar, improvised bollard made of cast iron and steel, about a foot high and 8 inches diameter. It bears the legend ‘Great Western Railway Co. Boundary 1888’.

It doesn’t take the brain of Sherlock to work out what it is, but why? I’ve never seen railway property delimited like this before. Further, I must have passed this scores of times without noticing. How did such a trip hazard survive 126 years? Is it listed? Are there more? Is it important historically, or just a curio?

Comment invited.

March 9th – I passed through Lichfield on a bright, warm, sunny Sunday afternoon, and the place was bustling. People were queueing for ice creams, browsing in the shops and just taking the air. It was an absolute joy to be there.

Interestingly, there were a huge number of bikes around the city – people really seem to be increasingly turning to bicycles these days for leisure trips at least.

A fine thing to see that lifted my spirits.