Tag: roads

#365daysofbiking Dead and buried:

September 16th – A grim, drizzly afternoon and a late escape. I went to see if there were any remnants of an ancient burial mound called Offlow near the hamlet of Swinfen, trapped in the A38-A5 interchange triangle, just south of Lichfield.

Apart from a rise in the general landscape, there was nothing but a cellphone transmitter, but I expected that as history says that Offlow was lost over a century ago to farming.

I returned via Lichfield over the Bridleway over the A38 up past Harehurst Hill, near Wall. The main road – pretty much a motorway in all but name – has left a much larger impact on the land than Offlow ever did – which is a bit sad.

May 4th – I’ve noticed over the ;past few days that engineers have been examining a lot of local roads since the cold, wet winter left many in a parlous state.

Walsall Council on the whole have been very good at dealing with damage, but more can always be done. Here in Darlaston on a number of streets – but most noticeably Station Street and Darlaston Road – technicians have taken periodic core samples to see how thick the road surges is and what it’s composed of. 

This helps with resurfacing, and knowing how much to plane away before laying new tarmac.

When the sample is taken, the perfectly round hole left is filled, leaving this curious scar.

Looks like we’ll be getting some better road surfaces in Darlo soon, then…

April 10th – My respect and thanks are due to Walsall Council, who in very short time indeed have assessed the weather decay of parts of Green Lane between Walsalll Wood and Shelfield, and resurfaced completely a couple of stretches.

The bit here, resurfaced during the day  whilst I was at work, was bloody awful on a bike. It’s way better now.

Thank you.

March 29th – On a practical level, the bad weather is taking an awful toll on the lanes. Here, near Springhill this backlane like many has a ridge of wash down mud in the centre, and the tarmac either side is fracturing into potholes and covered in loose detritus and marbles that are slippery and prone to stealing your grip.

The roads now will be in a parlous state, and without much money to repair them, I fear for the condition of minor lanes like Whittaker Lane here in years to come.

We really need to tackle this very serious road safety issue.

March 24th – One thing I am liking very much at the moment is the improvement works to the Shire Oak Junctions. At 8pm on a Saturday it was of course quiet, and the asphalt glistened in the light in the damp of a short, passed shower. But the new surface, more intelligent light operation and better lane markings have made a real difference, and queues along the A461 – particularly at peak times are significantly reduced.

When Streets Corner is also complete, I expect the difference will be really noticeable. 

Well done to all concerned.

March 11th – If you’re riding Bullmoor Lane between Hilton and Chesterfield, in the back lanes near Shenstone, beware of mud and … other stuff.

The farmland here has been up for sale for a long time, but now seems to have an owner and they seem to be improving the soil. Slurrey tankers appear to discharge into a large red mobile tank from which a crop sprayer is replenishing it’s supply before returning to it’s smelly, but important task.

Nice to see, but man alive it makes a mess on the nearly roads

December 28th – It’s rare I’ve seen roads this hazardous.

Many of the backlanes as I returned at sunset, where gritters can never be expected to reach were thick with lurking black ice. On the ice stud tyres with lower air pressure I was sure-footed but careful; in a car or on a motorbike, hitting this at even moderate speed and braking would have you in the hedge.

Fine on the bike, when dismounting several times I slipped on foot.

This is of course the kind of weather we used to get every winter, but in recent years have been relieved of, so take care folks, particularly if on two wheels.

I know the forecast was to warm up overnight with rain, but this is dense, thick ice that will be well lubricated with meltwater in the following 24 hours.

Take care folks.

August 15th – I had to nip out on an errand at sunset. The day had been fraught with a busy morning and a visit to the dentist in the afternoon, which always terrifies me, so it was good to get out and get my calm back.

Passing down a blocked off High Street, I realised they were finally resurfacing the road; none of the poncey micro asphalt or surface dressing here; they were planing a huge amount off ready to lay a new layer of blacktop.

About time too.

Fascinated, I watched the operation for a short time; wagons, tankers, diggers and engineers came and went with almost military prescision, right there under Morris’s nose. He had his back to them due to the noise, but I could tell he was enjoying the spectacle, if not the peace.

An interesting and welcome thing.

February 21st – Unfortunately, I forget my camera so just one picture for today, and that’s not brilliant, sorry.

I had to nip into Tipton on a day with an evil southwesterly, and crossing theBlack Country New Road at Moxley, I was once again captivated by that marooned, beautiful church – like Wood Green, and a host of others in the conurbation, urban churches are often extant on odd islands or spurs as road systems grow around them.

Thirty years ago, this view would have been completely different.

I love that these wonderful buildings are preserved and they’re like lighthouses to the past in the changing landscape.

November 1st – It’s coming on winter. That was cold, and a shock to the system, for sure.

Now commuting in both directions mostly in darkness, the cold and the nights are drawing in. Already seeing evidence of the communal madness that commences with the darkness every year, this run up to Christmas is my least favourite time to be on the road on a bike.

Stay safe everyone, and wrap up warm – it’s getting chilly out there.