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January 13th – Whilst pottering down the Wednesbury Road, I noticed a curio I’d not been aware of before – a pine tree, or conifer, growing in the front garden of one of the terraces that now form the Girls School there. It’s very, very tall, and has progressively had the lower branches trimmed away. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this in an urban environment before – and why, in all the years it must have existed, have I never noticed it? A real oddity.

January 13th – it was a hectic, draining day. I had a meeting in Brownhills, then had to got to the doctor, then on to work. My infection has returned and my stomach was bad again, ever since finishing the antibiotics. It was about 11:30am as I cycled to work in Darlaston. Heading through Walsall town centre for a change, I passed this pair of Victorian semis that used to be neighbours of the now demolished Mellish Road Church. They’re actually very interesting, as they were just saved from demolition – the subsidence that caused the closing of the church affected them, too; but better construction and less weight helped them survive. They’re a very good illustration of the effects of subsidence – in this case caused by limestone caverns – as outwardly, they look straight, but when studied, there isn’t a single true line anywhere on them. A testament to the tolerance of Victorian building techniques.

January 12th – I noted back before Christmas that following another of Walsall’s infectious arson attacks, the Miners Arms pub in Rushall was being demolished. Well, operations appear to have ground to a halt and work stalled. The formed pub sits truncated to the first floor, debris littered around it and on the lawn of the health centre next door. The people demolishing this building seem to have got bored and wandered off. Hardly professional.

What an eyesore.

January 11th – I also passed the old Three Crowns Pub in Kings Hill today. Once, this pub would have bustled with the workers from nearby factories like Servis. Now, it seems to be the home of Martin Inspection, and still seems to be in use – the lights are often on when I pass at night. I think this is a lovely building, with some very interesting details. Sadly, it has no architectural or historical value, so I suspect it will eventually be lost, maybe when the old Servis site next door gets redeveloped. 

January 11th – Darlaston was gorgeous again this morning. Just in front of the swimming baths, looking down the former railway cutting that is Victoria Park, I admired the long shadows of winter. I was reminded of the lyric to The The’s ‘Perfect’…

Here comes another winter, of long shadows & high hopes,
Here comes another winter, waitin for utopia,
waitin for hell to freeze over.

Matt Johnson wrote that in the recession and depression of the early 1980’s. It feels like history, politics and culture are stuck on repeat at the moment.

January 11th – The good weather continued today, commuting this week is a joy to the heart. Trundling through Walsall Wood, I passed Barrow Close. This relatively new estate of apartments and houses was built on the site of the old Chillington Manufacturing site – formerly Thacker Barrows. Yes, few people know, but Walsall Wood was once the heart of manufacturing for the traditional builder’s wheelbarrow. Chillington took the money and moved to Walsall, but still thrive, thankfully.

Comically, a local tried to tell me a while ago that the name Barrow Close had been chosen as there had been a burial mound nearby… er, no.

January 10th – A little further on, and a vista opened up I hadn’t noticed before. This is why I love Walsall. The light caught the dome on the Sikh Gurdwara at Wellington Street, framed perfectly by it’s surroundings. Every generation and every group brings their own architecture to the Black Country, and the Sikhs are no exception. This is why I love this place. A new face for every angle, every angle a new view. Catching the light like a jewel.

January 9th – Walsall Wood’s attachment to football is deep and ongoing. Home to a popular local club, the outdoor all-weather pitch provided by the council at Oak Park is also very, very popular. This is a great facility, and the floodlights can be seen for miles around. On nights like tonight – returning from the deepest Black Country on a dark night – the hubbub and cries of the players let me know I’m not far from Home.

January 8th – I rested today. The 40 miler I cycled the day before had probably been a bit over-ambitious. I needed to rest, and the stomach was still a bit troublesome. I’d wanted to explore industrial areas at night for a while, and headed off to Aldrige to see what I could find at 5pm. On the way, I passed the Costcutter store on Salters Road. That is some extreme green lighting. I wonder if it serves a purpose, or if it’s just there for effect? It’s bloody hideous, frankly.

January 7th – Up at the former RAF Hednesford, it was as peaceful as ever. Families pottered about with kids on bikes – perhaps new ones from Christmas. Dog walkers exercised their companions and it all felt like I’d never been away. I was tired – it had been a battle to get here in a cold wind, and energy reserves were low. Not all the tears running down my cheeks climbing through Wimblebury had been caused by the wind.

I reflected on a time that this place would have been a sea of wooden huts, noise and hubbub, bustling with RAF trainees preparing for war. I suddenly became acutely aware of our position as beneficiaries of their victory. History catches you, sometimes.