March 26th – I escaped work early, and despite a fearsome wind, headed down to Kings Norton on the train and cycled back up the canal, and through the Sandwell Valley.
At Kings Norton station, this poster and one of the worst photo editing failures I’ve seen in ages.
Just what is going on with the spokes in that wheel, and are images of bicycle wheels so sparse that you have to badly photoshop your own?
April 25th – This one’s for Trevor in Oz. You may miss life here when it’s sunny… but not on a went Friday afternoon.
A horrid ride. They guy soaking me in the last 10 seconds just clinched it.
The audio is the remarkable ‘Rain Dances’ by 1970s prog-jazzers Camel. Recording used at normal speed.
September 4th – It’s not often realised, but Walsall has a specific place to park motorbikes. It’s at the bottom of Tower Street, down past the entrance to the Gala Baths, right outside the Civc Centre.
Note that on the other side of the flowerbed, there’s a handy bicycle park. Both have nice rails to lock up your steed.
If you’re a local news aggregator in possession of a funky moped, you can use either, it’s been legally tested.
This has been a public information post.
June 26th – Interesting to see that the unusual solution to bicycle parking employed at Leicester station is now heavily oversubscribed. The station operators expanded to two more carousels, and have now had to put some in the car park, too. It seems almost as if when you create a pleasant, secure facility, people adapt their habits, and use it.
I do hope the people at Birmingham New Street have seen this.
Sadly, a minority still don’t seem to grasp the mechanics of these stands.
May 7th – Ach, the sadness of things. This elderly bike – a GT – isn’t a bad steed, but is in poor condition. I noticed it this morning leaning forlornly against the bike racks at Blake Street station. The rear mechanism hanger had sheared, and something looks like it has smashed in the derailleur. The bike had clearly been abandoned for the train. Sad.
That ruined someone’s day, I bet.
April 12th – I love Moor StreetStation in Brum. Not only is it a lovely, light airy and atmospheric station, but on the whole the staff are more relaxed and customer focused than their competitors. Coming through tonight, I noticed some inconsiderate muppet had locked their bike to the security railings by the ticket barrier inside the station. If this had been a Virgin Station, the bike would have been removed and it all would have been rather tetchy. Here, they sellotape a warning notice to the bike, which considering it’s not actually a trip hazard, makes sense. That’s a nice approach.
Their spelling is about as good as mine.
December 14th – I spotted this interesting old bike captive in the old mill by the canal in Walsall today. It looks about 70’s vintage – it’s a large frame, drop-handlebar tourer. It was clearly a high quality machine, as the front wheel is secured with the old style butterfly quick release – these were only fitted on the highest end bikes. I’d really like to rescue this forlorn steed, yet have no idea who the mill, or the yard around it, belongs to.
July 12th – first of a couple of days in Leicester. I hop up to Lichfield Trent Valley and heft my bike on the train – a short change in Nuneaton gets me to where I need to be quite quickly. The London Midland Euston bound stopping trains recently introduced on the West Coast Main Line – Siemens Desiro 350’s – are much better for cyclists and wheelchair users with plenty of space, little fold out tables and wide internal clearances. So much easier than the older, cramped 170’s Arriva Cross Country use on the Leicester line. Shame they aren’t looked after more carefully. Would a decent cleaning regime really go amiss?
May 24th – Change trains at Birmingham New Street at 8:55am for a 9:05 departure to Telford. This is the reality of using trains with a bike. Bear in mind that for all the millions spent, nothing seen in this film will change with the revamp of the station. The unreliable lifts, the dingy, menacing subway, the cramped, overcrowded platforms. The revamp will just give a ‘retail opportunity’ for big business.
I love travelling by bike and train, but this tries my patience. Life shouldn’t be this hard. Part 2 to follow.
The soundtrack is Artie Shaw’s ‘Special Delivery Stomp’, the music that plays in your head whenever you’re late for anything…
BrownhillsBob's #365daysofbiking 