Tag: Close

#365daysofbiking Finally telling the truth

Saturday November 14th 2020 – Snatched photos of a grim, blustery evening, but I’m glad to see after a long period without hands, the Brownhills Parkview Centre Clock – erected by public subscription on the then Council House in 1914 – is now telling the correct time again.

It’s never been a reliable timepiece and for most of my lifetime it’s either been broken or incorrect, but in recent years this rather lovely old thing has been well serviced and has been pretty accurately chiming the hour across the town, be it busy weekday noons or somnambulant summer midnights.

I’ve always found the council house impressive but a bit ugly, built in very orange terracotta, but it is an impressive landmark, now overshadowed in colloquial directions by the metal miner on the nearby island.

The lovingly nicknamed ‘three faced liar’ is another of my constants that I look to for stability – even if inaccurate. It’s as much Brownhills as the common or the canal.

So glad to see it fixed,

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April 16th – Running an errand to Chasetown, near St. Anne’s Church I spotted this fake owl, someone had mounted high in a roadside tree.

I have no idea, really I don’t: that took serious effort to get up there (and I’m still not sure how it was done) and from the bird poo splashed on it, it’s not really scaring birds.

An oddity, for sure…

September 7th – Hopwas Hays Wood. A downhill from the north tip I’d not done before. Difficult, unexpected, exhilarating. I’ve pussyfooted around with this damned bad foot too long. Time to wig out.

I’ve also not done any ride cams for ages, and have a bit of a project on the boil. More later.

This is filmed real time, max speed about 35mph. Music the gorgeous “Close Behind’ by Calexico. In the western classic I’ll never direct, the hero and heroine ride off into the sunset to this music.

May 10th – A late afternoon run out on a very dull, miserable day. Brightened considerably by the performance of the wee rabbits up on the canal bank by the Lichfield Road.

Again, a little chap, but not the same one. He froze when he saw me coming. Sadly, he seems to have a sore on his back, but he looks fit and healthy otherwise. And he has a fine set of whiskers for a little ‘un.

This one is for that there  Linda Mason.

January 11th – The good weather continued today, commuting this week is a joy to the heart. Trundling through Walsall Wood, I passed Barrow Close. This relatively new estate of apartments and houses was built on the site of the old Chillington Manufacturing site – formerly Thacker Barrows. Yes, few people know, but Walsall Wood was once the heart of manufacturing for the traditional builder’s wheelbarrow. Chillington took the money and moved to Walsall, but still thrive, thankfully.

Comically, a local tried to tell me a while ago that the name Barrow Close had been chosen as there had been a burial mound nearby… er, no.