December 24th – Back on the bike in Brownhills, I had to pop up to Walsall Wood on an errand at tea time. I stopped on Anchor Bridge to try and capture the lights on the new flats there – not brilliant, but it conveys the frenetic last-minute traffic and bright lights.
A little bit of electric night in Brownhills.
November 3rd – intrigued to note that the Kings Hill Methodist Church in Darlaston is still undergoing extensive work to convert it to flats 12 months after the conversion started. This is clearly no cheap, quick fix – the work has involved relining the roof, with all the tiles removed and replaced, skylights added, and I was pleased to note today all the lead stolen from the front gables had been carefully replaced.
It’s been fascinating to watch this transformation and I’m keen to see the results. What I thought would surely be some bodge has turned out to be respectful, skilled and so far, very sensitive to the original building.
Meanwhile, the metal poppies in the railings of the adjacent park are a wonderful touch, especially at this time of year.
September 8th – I’ve been a bit disappointed with the new housing development on the site of former tower block Bayley House in Brownhills, between Lindon Drive and Catshill Junction.
Unlike much of local housing development by Walsall Housing Group, it’s very boxy, plain and red brick, and aesthetically mediocre, at best. Secondly, the overgrown canal bank, trees and hidden, overgrown sculpture – which could have been made a feature – have been ignored. Lower floor dwellings in that building must be horridly dark.
I’ve heard it said a local canal group are planning to tend the sculpture, but that isn’t the point: if you pump a few million into developments, a few finishing touches and nods to decent aesthetics cost next to nothing.
Unusually for WHG, this is very poor.
July 9th – I wasn’t particularly late back, but the golden hour seemed to settle in early, on a peaceful, mirror calm Catshill Junction. The new flats have balconies now, but still no sign of anything being done with the scrub and statue on the canal bank.
On the towpath side, the buggers don’t seem to stop mowing at the moment – I’ve never known a year like it. It’s almost as if the moment an interesting flower pops up it must be cut down.
It never used to be like this. I’m convinced it’s just so the Canal and River Trust can look like they’re pro active whilst ignoring real infrastructure issues.
May 20th – I had reservations about the fate of the Kings Hill Methodist Church, next to the park at Kings Hill, Darlaston – but it looks like they were needless.
The former church, having closed several years ago, was sold to a developer, and planning approval sought to convert it into flats. I was expecting some horrid rush job, but it’s been taking a long time, and seems to be very thorough. As I passed today, the roof was in the process of being relaid using the same tiles. That’s a big roof and can’t be cheap.
it’s nice to see such a curious and historic building getting some love after so many years empty.
February 23rd – A harsh day to ride to work into the wind. It started out sunny and bright, but it quickly became overcast, but then brightened again, It was hard work, and I stopped to take a phone call in The Butts, Walsall. The former school here has been converted into dwellings, and seems to have been done quite sympathetically. I think the exterior doors would have been better in wood or a darker colour, and the white boarded detail in the water tower jarrs; but otherwise, a great repurposing of a very interesting, surprisingly ornate building.
December 2nd – High above Town Wharf in Walsall, a curiosity.
On the flat roof of one of the new apartment blocks, a plastic goat. I’d heard it talked about by Dan Slee a couple of years ago, but never got around to looking for it until I saw someone talking about it on Facebook last weekend.
The question is ‘why?’ but probably should more be ‘why not?’
Walsall still has the capacity to surprise and delight…
December 1st – I keep passing this, and often wait at the lights looking at it – and every time I do it irritates the hell out of me.
On the Pleck Road junction in Walsall, where it meets Ida Road and Rollingmill Street, there is a new build block of apartments. Blessed with an aesthetic only a mother could love, it’s not the physical ugliness that bothers me – but the finish of the woodwork, external plumbing and hardstandings.
If this is what the outside quality is like, one can only wonder about the inside…
November 29th – Feeling better, we headed up Church Hill for a spot of atmospheric stuff. Taking photos in a solitary fashion everyday makes the process mundane; I’d forgotten the joy and mischief of working with someone else. And up on Church Hill at night, you really need someone else for security. It’s bloody dark.
Yes, there is a Late Night Feelings thing going on – well spotted. That’s for Pedro Cutler.
Go on, I dare you, tell me this place isn’t beautiful;. Just try it.
Eager to see the results, we got on our bikes, and rode home.
November 7th – It had been an awful day with two dreadful commutes, on in heavy rain, the other in a wet darkness inhabited by very, very crazy traffic. Heading towards Brownhills over Anchor Bridge I stopped for a breather and realised I had a good angle on the new flats. I realise the architecture is a love/hate thing but I really like them, but they’re almost impossible to get a decent photo of.
This didn’t come out too badly.
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