January 18th – A very cold, hazard-ridden commute as I got used to riding on ice – all be it with ice tyres – again. It takes time to reassure yourself that they actually work.
The road gutters and towpaths had some lurking black ice and it was rather cold.
Still only an IC1 on the fabulous Dry Marland canal ice scale though….
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January 17th – Signs of spring continue to seep into my daily commute.
On a bright, sunny, blue-sky morning fresh, alder catkins are growing, ready for spring next to last year’s fruit – female catkins which grow to become Coe-shaped and release seeds in winter, in the same was as pine cones.
Catkins are some of the first tree blooms of spring, and always a welcome sight.
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January 17th – It’s rare I’m negative about anything over much, but the new footbridge at Telford Station is an utter design failure and in my opinion, a fiasco.
Still very much unfinished, the build quality in places is very poor, the finish terrible and when I arrived mid morning, both lifts had failed.
With no lift on the westbound side, and the utter design failure of no ramp, I had to shoulder my bike and carry it up the steep steps.
The old bridge had no lifts – but ramps both sides. Although not good in a wheelchair, they at least were continuously available. If the westbound lift fails here now, wheelchair uses are stranded.
The situation is so bad there is now a hastily drawn up plan for calling for help if the lift fails.
The powers that be have spent 10 million pounds to make the situation far, far worse for wheelchair users than it was before they started, ostensibly to improve things for them.
Telford and Wrekin Council and Network Rail should hang their heads in shame.
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January 16th – I was tired, it was late and cresting the Black Cock Bridge wearily I suddenly realised there was a hazard about: Hitting the higher ground towards Brownhills coupled with the semi rural nature of Green Lane, I could see in places the familiar sheen of frost.
The road was gritted well. But towards the kerbs and in places the grit hadn’t yet reached, ice lurked.
A warm winter has made me complacent. Time to be careful.
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January 15th – Long exposure photos continue to fascinate me, and at Catshill Junction the night sky looked a gorgeous, reflected-sodium oranger in these 30 second images taken by popping the camera on timer and sitting it on the bridge rail.
This is a classic and favourite local view of mine but I never tire of photographing it.
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January 14th – And on my return that evening, it was similarly cold but still.
The ‘new’ Silver Street pedestrian bridge fascinates me. I love the shapes in the framework, the views it offers and even the sound it makes as you walk and ride over it.
Although it’s. 11 years old now, I never tire of photographing it at night.
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January 15th – Painfully early morning, and it was cold. I needed to drop something off in Pelsall on my way to work, so crossed Clayhanger Common via the old Spot Path.
In the strange, ethereal pre-daen light it was almost beautiful.
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January 10th – A grey, damp and misty day made for trying journeys to and from work, with frenetic, inattentive traffic and poor visibility with a somewhat patchy, unpredictable kind of fog.
There was no escape, but diving onto the canal at the Black Cock Bridge for the last run to Brownhills was a welcome respite from the tension.
Clayhanger bridge wasn’t terribly mist-shrouded, but the hazy air made for a great twist on one of my favourite local muses.
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January 10th – The signs of life continue in the still overall very mild winter; pansies and the first snowdrops – not here a week ago – in Kings HJill Park, Darlaston.
It’s great to see them, they really bring a splash of welcome colour to a grey world.
Just hope we don’t get a cold snap to set them back – after all, last spring was very late. Let’s have an early one this year, eh?
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January 9th – On the canal near the overflow at Clayhanger someone has tethered a fibreglass pleasure boat. I’m not sure if it’s being lived in or not, but seems to be. However, when I rode past in the dark this evening, one end had been untied and the craft had swung out into the water.
I don’t know who owns it or what it’s doping there, but someone clearly cares for it. I am becoming aware that waterways are currently hosting a number of unfortunate folk who would be homeless but for their often down at heel boats.
An odd one.
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