December 20th – Returning through Shenstone, I popped into the village to the shop on an errand. Coming back down the village, I was reminded what a handsome pub The Railway is.
The extension in the foreground was once a chapel, then a butcher’s shop, but is now part of the stone-flagged lounge and has a large window it’s great to sit by and watch the world go by.
A lovely pub I’d almost forgotten about.
December 18th – I did return however in mist which was pretty eerie – coming back from Shenstone I was wary of ice but the biggest issues were remarkably daft driving (overtaking on a bend in reduced visibility?) and a huge pothole I narrowly missed in Cranebrrok Lane.
My muse, Shensone Station, looks excellent in mist with it’s metal halide lights, and rolling into an ethereal Brownhills from Shire Oak in the orange glow of sodium streetlights was pretty beautiful too, despite the traffic.
December 16th – Saturday was an awful day in many ways. Blighted by very poor weather and an unpleasant attack of IBS, I slunk out in the evening and headed up to Shire Oak to deliver some Christmas cards.
I was unwell. The bike had a mechanical problem that was driving me nuts. The traffic was unpleasant, and conditions worse.
I gave up, went home, and retreated to a warm, soothing bath.
December 15th – In Walsall Wood for a takeaway, and the church looked beautiful with the Christmas tree in front like that. I was tired, it was late, and a snatched mobile phone picture.
I was glad of the ice tyres, though: there was black ice everywhere and it was a cold, hard night.
December 11th – After getting one or two bits of shopping in, it was dark so I went up onto Pier Street Bridge to take in one of my favourite views with an added snowy flavour.
What’s interesting about these images is one is taken with an iPhone, and the other with a pretty decent camera. Apart from the dirty lens on the phone camera, you’d barely tell the two images apart for quality.
How technology marches on…
December 9th – Lichfield Food Festival was huge, and very busy. I dined on tasty burgers, sweet treats and some rather divine curry goat. I bought cheese and treats and enjoyed a busy afternoon in the city, feeling very festive in the dying light. It was much better than I expected and I had a great time.
Sadly, all the food took it’s toll and the ride back was arduous. But as ever, Lichfield at Christmas was a joy. I’m glad I went, but a bit more snow would have made it perfect.
December 8th – As I approached the supermarket at Burntwood, there was a sadly short but very enjoyable whiteout. The snow was heavy, fast and think, and all of a sudden, my ride was transformed from a normal shopping errand into an adventure.
The snow stopped pretty quickly, but left a decent enough cover that made a familiar night-time view at Anglesey Basin beautiful and gave e an interesting and challenging ride back to Brownhills.
December 8th – The forecast had been for heavy snow during the day, and whilst it had been cold, the anticipated white stuff only presented a dusting by the time I headed over to Burntwood as night fell. I was quite disappointed if I’m honest, but I headed out into an impressively blue night to try the snow tyres for the first really icy outing of the year.
They were, as always, excellent, as were the views on the way, which made the ride much better than expected.
And then, something quite unexpected happened…
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 3rd – A quick, snatched photo taken while on an errand to the shops, my only bike ride of the day. It was much, much warmer, and quick damp: The sorry of oily, greasy, muddy day that leaves everything filthy and wet without raining properly. It was dismal.
At the moment I’m up to my ears in financial stuff for work, as I am at this time every year, but this year it’s worse as we’ve been busier and there’s lots more of it.
I slid out as darkness fell, and took some photos around the Pier Street footbridge that I though would be good. They are all grainy, out of focus mush.
Which could equally describe my brain right now, too… still, soon be over.
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