December 12th – Telford was stunning too; from the station which looked like a winter wonderland, to the old bridge now with one of the ramps to the Staples store removed to the cycleways which were packed ice and easily navigated on the studded tyres.
Only problem was many of the laurel trees that line the paths were weighted down to breaking point with snow and were hard to get past.
December 12th – Off to Telford in the early morning in temperatures pushing minus 6 with a fresh fall of snow the night before. Blake Street Station looked oddly eerie in the dawn light and pure white, and as the electric 323 train rolled in past a familiar view of the Sutton Mast going in the opposite direction, the pantograph pickup arced continuously and noisily due to the ice on the catenary wires.
A mesmerising sight, I couldn’t help wondering if ithe 25,000 volt arc degraded the pickup carbons or just burnt of the ice.
Something you don’t witness too often, that.
December 7th – Out and about on a sunny, bright but windy day in Darlaston, and I was passing through the parks I love now that winter is now in full effect.
Mostly the leaves and flowers have gone, the majestic trees are bare and growth has stopped – yet the colours are still lovely and there’s still a barren beauty, and above all, peace.
The long shadows, sunlight and crisp air always make Victoria and Kings Hill Parks beautiful – every year I hate it’s approach, but every year I again learn to love winter.
December 6th – Well, this’ll be the end then. So long, it was… memorable.
I was working away today, and whilst stood on a cold, dark platform at New Street Station in the early hours I realised that this would in all probability be my last journey ever with London Midland Trains. It’s not been a wholly enjoyable relationship, to be honest with you.
I’m not going train negative, it’s just that the local operating franchise changes on this Sunday coming to West Midlands Trains Ltd.
The transition will be hardly noticeable of course – the same staff, the same trains, probably the same crap service – but the current rolling stock will get new graphics and it’ll feel new for a bit. In reality, it’ll be same old ordure with a different multinational putting it’s own brand of polish on the turd.
I’m concerned about the future. West Midlands Trains have been allowed to bid on increased passenger density, and I fear they’ll ban cycles. I’m concerned about some of the services I use, and whether this new team of profit-hoovers will actually tackle the staffing issues that have dogged the outfit since, well, privatisation.
Then there’s the question of new trains. Will we ever get any? With other franchises in trouble (East Coast in particular) I’m not positive.
As I watched the appropriately delayed, cut short Lichfield Service disappear into the blackness of a drizzly, windy winters night, I felt it wasn’t so much goodbye, as same old mess, different logo.
December 5th – A very dark, grey and overcast day without anything really to commend it.
And then, just when you think there’s no beauty, these little fellows on a roadside verge, clearly oblivious to the season.
I think they were there specifically to cheer me up…
December 5th – In Telford again, and the work on the footbridge replacement has taken an interesting turn. On the west-side steps, curling around the bridge pillar, a tortuous square spiral ramp is being built in scuffed and wood.
I assume this will be to take the place of the existing ramp, which must be in the way of the new structure, which is to be built closer in towards the station buildings.
That’s quite some ramp and it’ll be fun riding a bike up and down that…
December 4th – Although it suddenly got warmer over the weekend, I’ve taken the plunge (late this year) and fitted ice tyres to a couple of my bikes as I do every winter.
Slightly fatter than my normal road tyre of choice at 35mm, these have a pronounced tread more akin to a cross tyre, with 4 radial bands of carbide-tipped spikes that bite into ice and packed snow.
Last week was cold, but mercifully, due to the dry spell, not too icy, but a close shave with a frozen puddle concentrated my mind. Although noisy and draggy, these tyres won’t slip easily on ice and wash down slime and will make me feel more secure on those dark, icy commutes.
If you’re out on the roads in a cold spell, here are my tips for safe cycling, even if you don’t have winter tyres…
Take it easy, folks.
December 1st – Visiting Walsall Wood on an errand on my way home, I stopped to admire their excellent Christmas tree in the grounds of St. john’s Church, which is always a personal donation by the local councillors, which is jolly nice of them.
The church also looked lovely in the cold night.
The Wood is absolutely lovely at night… even more so at Christmas.
December 1st – It was still very cold on Friday evening, and again taking the canal to Walsall Wood – this time from Aldridge – I was reminded of the perils of black ice. Hitting this frozen puddle at speed, in the dark? I didn’t take a spill, but I did feel the back wheel slip.
Ever year there’s a little warning to be more sensible.
Take care if you’re out when it’s frosty, folks…
November 30th – Heading home that evening I hit the canal at the Black Cock Bridge and rode into Brownhills in peaceful, cold darkness.
I stopped to have a go at one of my favourite muses – Clayhanger Bridge by night – and by removing the bike light, putting it on full and shining round, I don’t think I got a bad pic.
That’s ice on the canal, by the way.
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