Tag: leicester

September 7th – I catch the train from Nuneaton to Leciester sometimes with a chap called  Igor. Igor is into all kinds of bikes, both bicycles and motorbikes. This madcap Lithuanian likes his steeds rough and ready: he rides a battered, but well-maintained fixed wheel most of the time, but on special occasions, for example Critical Mass rides, he gets out his tall bike. Home made from two frames, this is a classic of the genre, and it is ridable with practice. Tall bikes are great fun, and beloved of urban cyclists who often knock them up for kicks… just another wonderful tribe in the patchwork of the cycling scene. They did once have a practical use: European lamplighters used to make them to make their duties faster and easier. A lovely thing, and a really nice chap, too. Bonkers and wonderful at the same time.

June 14th – Just around the corner from the fascinating building featured in my previous post is this magical, and very Leicester view. Across the playing fields and pitches of the Nuffield Heath and Wellbeing Centre, part of the University, one can see the wonderful rooftops of Clarendon Park and Knighton. I last took in this view last November, and the seasons have changed its character, but not the essential beauty. I rather like this city. 

June 14th – I have no idea what the origins of this building are, but I suspect it to have been a school of some sort. Today found me in Leicester… cycling back to the station from the outskirts, I headed past the University. Just before it, on the junction of Wellford Road and University Road, stands this fascinating building. Clearly expanded during it’s lifetime, it’s now the Freemans Common Health Centre, and I think it’s rather wonderful. Particularly eccentric is the rather odd bellcote and weathervane. Positioned somewhat peculiarly, to me it looks precarious and about to overbalance, although upon close scrutiny it’s clearly as sold as a rock. 
A fine building. 

April 26th – I love the backstreets of Leicester. The terraces here have a lovely, period feel and I adore the busy, community air. At 4:15 in the afternoon, sounds of music, kids playing, the smells of foods cooking. Urban life in all it’s forms. Following on from observations by Kate of Lichfield Lore and good pal [Howmuch?], today I spotted the built-in boot scrapers I had never noticed before. I just love the grace of the old corner shop, too. This was housing built to provide homes for the working class, by the industrial oligarchs. Oddly, I think they did quite a fine job.

April 23rd – In Leicester again, whilst cycling to work through the surprisingly sunny, summery suburbia, I spotted this gorgeous 80’s ladies road bike. Looks like 6 or 7 gears with down tube shifter, beautiful, pristine condition Raleigh Mixte frame, steel wheels. This is a gorgeous bike, and somebody loves it. A real gem, I just love that style of frame. My only beef would be with the untaped bars – bet they’re agony on a cold day…

April 20th – Britain is obsessed with it’s refuse. I say obsessed, but only to a certain extent. We become very energised about having it taken away – debates rage about recycling, bi-weekly collections and fines. Oddly enough, we never seem too bothered about where our rubbish goes after it’s collected, so long as the landfill or incinerator isn’t near us or something we love. Walsall Council gets a fair amount of stick for it’s waste service, but I feel it’s generally unfair. We have wheelie bins, and decent schedules. Here in Leicester, rubbish is left out in different coloured bags the night before, where foxes and cats rip it open and spread it around. Bags frequently split on handling and their contents litter the road. The residents of Leicester, like those of Birmingham, would love a service as clean and reliable as that in Walsall.

March 30th – When I have to work in Leicester, I always get off the train if I can at South Wigston. The place I visit is actually closer to Leicester, but the journey from the centre isn’t very nice, to be honest.From South Wigston, on the other hand, it’s a delight. The station – whose desolation I loathe – is tucked away in the backstreets. Hitting the High Street of this suburb, about 200 yards away, it’s a busy, active and buzzing little town. There are some interesting shops, and it hums with activity. I visited a pub here once, a good few years ago now, after my train had been cancelled. It turned out the guy running it was from Brownhills. Odd, really, as at the time The Royal Exchange in Walsall Wood was being run by a couple from South Wigston…

March 26th – Beauty can be found in very unexpected places. As I got off the train into a sunny South Wigston, in Leicester, these gorgeous grape hyacinths were growing up a piece of grass that’s usually wasteland. Mixed in were  primroses, polyanthus and what seemed to be some kind of violet. This station is is normally just one away from being the rectum of the UK rail system, only beating Lichfield Trent Valley because it has ramp access to bot platforms. Usually it’s desolate, untidy and lonely, often threatening. Today, it was a little oasis of purple and joy…

November 10th – An awful journey to work. It rained very heavily, and when I got to Lichfield Trent Valley station, my train was 30 minutes late, meaning I’d miss my connection and have to travel onwards to Leicester rather than South Wigston. Wet and miserable, my train finally arrived 45 minutes late, and I got to Leicester at about 9:30am, from where I had a lengthy journey by bike to my destination. By this time, the weather was clearing, and the sun trying to come out. I was in a unfamiliar city, and the cycling felt good. Perhaps it wasn’t all bad. The weak sun glistening off the wet roofs of Knighton made them unexpectedly precious. I arrived at work very late, but unexpectedly exhilarated – you can’t beat cycling.