Date: Saturday 07 May 2011
Another trip and it is just the RP's, so I catch the 08:39 National Express West Midlands Service 276 to Stourbridge Junction, where I jump on the local London Midland Service to get to Smethwick Galton Bridge, where just after 09:30 I meet up with Mr WME who catches the train form Wolverhampton. After meeting up and saying our hello's, we make our way to Platform 4 and get aboard the next London Midland train which takes us to our first destination of the day, Solihull. Upon arrival in Solihull, the good weather we have recently had decides to hide and we are treated to a deluge of rain. Whilst trying to avoid the huge raindrops, we make our way to the bus station outside the railway station, and find out that the bus we have to catch, the S3, doesn't actually depart from the railway station so Mr WME decides we have to get into the town centre, walk to the town centre in this rain - no way, we are catching the bus, so we duly catch National Express West Midlands Service 76 for a short ride into Solihull Town Centre.
After a couple of minutes aboard the 76, we arrive in Solihull where we get off the bus and find our stop for the S3. We have a little time to wait for our next journey, so Mr WME decides to find a Barclay's and after a few minutes of searching, he has to use the machine at the HSBC. I've decided to wait in the dry and wait in the shelter, but I did pop in the National Express West Midlands travel shop and pick up the latest version of the Sandwell and Dudley map, even though I had to navigate my way through the waterfall that is in place above the doorway to the shop. It is not long to go before our Central Connect S3 turns up, this is supposed to be operated by an Optare Solo with a branding for the "Signature" network, but we are presented with a "Bus2work" bus. We make our way from Solihull and it takes just over half an hour and we end up at our second destination of the day, Hockley Heath. We alight just before the terminus, and make our way to the village centre, with Mr WME taking pictures of "The Barn", a Beefeater establishment and The Harvester along the way. After crossing the road numerous times to avoid getting soaked by passing cars and big puddles we arrive by the canal and next to "The Wharf Tavern", a pub that we were supposed to be visiting and enabling us to watch the F1 Qualifying for the Turkey Grand Prix, but this was shut. We walk up towards the village centre again, and with the rain still pouring down upon us, we have to abandon a planned canal walk and it is decided to catch the X20 to Shirley, so that we can find somewhere to watch the qualifying which Mr WME had planned for viewing to watch at 13:00, I should have informed him beforehand that the qualifying was on at 12:00 this week, but he knows a possible pub in Shirley to watch it.
Not long to wait as our Johnson's Service X20 turns up and it isn't long before we arrive at Shirley. It is just before 12:00 and Mr WME knows finds the pub that we can go into and hopefully watch the qualifying. It is just a short walk past the shops and we arrive at The Red Lion, from the outside it doesn't look like it will be a nice pub to visit, but we enter and I am surprised to find a splendid decorated pub with the appearance much much better than the outside. We order our drinks and find a table which happens to be in front of one of the many televisions situated in the pub. A quick word with one of the barmaids and she duly comes by our television and turns it over to BBC2 and we are just in time for Q3. The usual suspects go out in the first round, and between qualifying sessions, we decide to order lunch and we both go for the home made curry. Q2 starts and Schumacher finally makes it through to Q3 and our dinner turns up in time for Q3, but one of the regulars, Brian, pipes up "Who cooked this? It's flamin' hard!" Good timing Brian as we are just about to tuck into our dinner. Brian gets a replacement, I think he opted for the turkey, and we tuck into our dinner. Q3 and home made curry, with no complaints from me, and Vettel takes his fourth pole of the season with Webber second and Rosberg makes an unusual appearance in fourth, Hamilton is fourth and Button a lowly sixth, a bit of work for him to do in the race. Qualifying over, and looking out of the window it seems to have stopped raining, even though the cloud is lurking about ready to drop some more later in the day.We make our way back into the main street's of Shirley, where we decide to catch National Express West Midlands Service 5 to Widney Manor. It is not long before we arrive and as we alight by the railway station, we decide to take a few photographs. We are on the platforms and our train to Dorridge is making its way into the station, but we are on the wrong platform, a very quick dash across the footbridge, and luckily we both make it onto the London Midland train but we miss first class, which everyone else has also decided to do on this train, and we catch our breath for the short journey to Dorridge.
A few photographs are taken around Dorridge station by Mr WME, and after the photographs are taken we make our way to the front of the station where we see our usual bar in Dorridge, "The Forest Hotel". I had bought the last round so this one would fall to Mr WME, and an expensive one it would be too, we make our way indoors and a wedding party had just turned up and the bar was choc-a-bloc, so with a while before our bus was due it was time for a little walk around Dorridge (and hopefully, our next visit to Dorridge it will be someone else's round at the hotel). After our little walk, we make our way to the bus stop for our next bus, we are due to catch the S2A, but it is a little confusing that this service in both directions serve the same stop. Our bus turns up and after making sure we have the correct bus, it is another service operated by Central Connect and the "Signature" brand. Our signature branded bus turns up this time and we board and make our way to the back, the bus clean and complete with leather seats, giving us a comfortable ride, even though the seats were a little slippy. Service S2A is a nice little service using country roads, giving us splendid country views. We arrive at our next destination, Balsall Common, a place that Mr WME and myself have visited before, so we know where we are heading and it is a 10 minute walk through the village and we head down towards Berkswell railway station. Situated close to the station are two pubs, and we pass "The Brickmakers Arms", a pub we visited on our last visit, and give the other pub a try, one right next to the railway station, aptly titled "The Railway". After Mr WME's escape from the Dorridge round, he gets this one and we take a seat and update our notes and the barmaid flicks through the sports channels to find one of the many football matches taking place today, but she has no joy and has to contact somebody to find out which channel it is on. Time for a cheers photo, see left. After a little rest it is time to make a move and we walk a few steps to the Berkswell railway station where there is currently new platform buildings being erected, replacing the old station house and we are timing things right today, as it is not long before our London Midland train turns up, at least we haven't got to dash to get to the other platform. We only have to stay on the train briefly as the next station is our next destination, Hampton-in-Arden.
We have an hour before the next train is due, so we have a little walk around the village and we arrive at "The White Lion", a pub that we have visited before with Mr UKBuses, where after we order our drinks, we make our way into the long room and take our place by the window, where the clouds have given way to reveal a blue sky. Mr WME takes a seat and I then take mine, with my chair deciding to swallow me up as I rest my behind on the very soft cushion. I manage to escape and take my seat properly, remembering to take note of what happened when it is time for our cheers photo. We enjoy our time in the pub with some very nice background music, we then realise that the music is being sung in French, with the singer at one point saying "Allo", I respond back and the music must have been a live track as the audience decide to respond to me with cheers! Time for another cheers photo, see right. Mr WME makes a visit to the toilet ready for our walk back to the railway station, whilst he is doing this, the singer decides to sing in English. It is only five minutes before we arrive at the station and we have about just over ten minutes to wait for our next train to take us into Birmingham. The ten minutes flash by and our London Midland Train arrives, and we head off into Birmingham, via Birmingham International and Marston Green along the way. We have a minute or so to wait before a slot becomes available at New Street Station, so it is a good job that Mr UKBuses isn't on board, and we arrive at the station. We make our way into Birmingham going past The Shakespeare in New Street Station, and as we make our way up to Victoria Square, we pass another pub called "The Shakespeare". We make our way through Victoria Square, and head to Cambridge Street, the location of our next public house, but as we make our way there, we pass another pub called "The Shakespeare", which is located next to the Birmingham College of Food (at this point we decide to make sure that we never meet up in Birmingham in a pub called "The Shakespeare", as it may cause confusion). We have a little walk down Cambridge Street, and just behind the Birmingham ICC is "The Prince Of Wales", a splendid looking pub from the outside, but as we enter we realise the pub is quite small on the inside. Whilst Mr WME orders the drinks, I head for a bladder stop, wishing that I followed Mr WME's example in Hampton-in-Arden. We have a quick drink here, and after we finish we make our way to Broad Street to get our next bus.
We arrive in Broad Street, and we don't have to wait long before our next bus turns up, a National Express West Midlands Service 9, which will take us just past Halesowen to get us to our next public house. There are a few people on the bus, so we make our way upstairs and luckily find a seat and we head under the five ways underpass, and down the Hagley Road, spotting that they have demolished the old Five Ways Shopping Precinct. We carry on down Hagley Road, and we find out that The New Talbot has been shut down, and we pass through Bearwood, where as we head into Quinton, The Dog has been refurbished. We are halfway along on our journey and it is not long before we end up in Halesowen, and we get off the bus just after Halesowen to make our way to our next pub. As soon as we get off our bus and head down the road, a passing car toots me, and pulls up. It is my big brother who asks us if we want a lift anywhere, I think it would be cheeky to ask him to drop us off around the corner, so we have a short walk and end up at our next pub, The Hawne Tavern, a pub that Mr WME and myself have been to a couple of times in the past, but it was never open for me to sample, but at last I actually make it inside. A pub that was well worth the wait and unlike The Prince of Wales, The Hawne Tavern looks small from the outside, but it turns out to be a TARDIS, as it looks quite roomy on the inside. Drinks ordered and we make our way into the lounge and rest our legs. This pub has appeared in The Good Beer Guide a number of times and the company is quite pleasant, with a gentleman on the table next to us joining us to talk about the local beer festivals, as Mr WME has been to a few festivals in his time, I leave it for him to have most of the conversation. Time for a quick cheers photo, see left, before we leave, it is time to make our way.
A short walk is taken to the main road, and we turn up at our stop, with a few minutes to wait for our next journey. It is a shame that my brother doesn't make an appearance now and we could get a lift into Lye, our next destination for a visit to one of the local pubs. Our NXWM Service 9 appears and it is only a short journey of about ten minutes and we arrive in Lye, and we alight on the main High Street, where we decide to take a short cut to our next pub, and just as we pass "Jim's Gym", we cross the road where opposite is "The Holly Bush", and we have timed it right, as Mr Rain decides to make another appearance. We opt for a quick drink in The Holly Bush, and as we sup our halves, we watch a bit of Doctor Who Confidential, and it is time to make our way to the bus stop, located just after the Lye Cross, so a short walk is required and the rain is still coming down, albeit slower than the downpour this morning. As we approach the cross, we spot a NXWM Service 9 bus, so a quick sprint to the stop is required, but thanks to the red light, we don't miss this one, and within five minutes we arrive back in Stourbridge, where we decide to end the day with a drink inside "The Duke William", not far from the temporary stands in Birmingham Street. Between catching the bus in Lye and arriving back in Stourbridge, the rain is coming down faster, so we run all the way from Birmingham Street to Duke Street and arrive a little damp in The Duke. This pub has only been open under its new guise for just over a year, but since opening, I've never really seen this pub empty and luckily we find a spare table (just), to rest our feet and end the day. It seems that The Duke is one pub that Stourbridge people enjoy and the pub has recently opened a small brewery at the back of the premises, a good story and this pub is bucking the trend of the moment and is actually wanted and is avoiding the ever increasing number of local pubs to close, long may it survive. We end the day chatting about the trip and it seems that we have the same taste in our usual awards of the day. We both agree that the "pub of the day" goes to The Hawne Tavern, whilst the "barmaid(s) of the day" goes to a late runner and is working behind the bar of The Duke.
It is time to make our way to Stand F in Birmingham Street, where both of our buses will arrive to take us both home. The rain is coming down heavier since we have been in The Duke, so it is a sprint, rather than a jog, to get to Birmingham Street, and Mr WME's NXWM Service 256 turns up first to take him back to the land of Wolverhampton, and not long after my Black Diamond's Service 276A arrives to take me back home to dry off (a sprint across the park is required before I have the chance to get dry). Overall another good day out, with the rain not dampening our spirits, it was due after our recent long spell of sun, but it could have waited another day or so. Despite the wet start and finish, I think Mr WME will agree that this day out was another good day out.
After a couple of minutes aboard the 76, we arrive in Solihull where we get off the bus and find our stop for the S3. We have a little time to wait for our next journey, so Mr WME decides to find a Barclay's and after a few minutes of searching, he has to use the machine at the HSBC. I've decided to wait in the dry and wait in the shelter, but I did pop in the National Express West Midlands travel shop and pick up the latest version of the Sandwell and Dudley map, even though I had to navigate my way through the waterfall that is in place above the doorway to the shop. It is not long to go before our Central Connect S3 turns up, this is supposed to be operated by an Optare Solo with a branding for the "Signature" network, but we are presented with a "Bus2work" bus. We make our way from Solihull and it takes just over half an hour and we end up at our second destination of the day, Hockley Heath. We alight just before the terminus, and make our way to the village centre, with Mr WME taking pictures of "The Barn", a Beefeater establishment and The Harvester along the way. After crossing the road numerous times to avoid getting soaked by passing cars and big puddles we arrive by the canal and next to "The Wharf Tavern", a pub that we were supposed to be visiting and enabling us to watch the F1 Qualifying for the Turkey Grand Prix, but this was shut. We walk up towards the village centre again, and with the rain still pouring down upon us, we have to abandon a planned canal walk and it is decided to catch the X20 to Shirley, so that we can find somewhere to watch the qualifying which Mr WME had planned for viewing to watch at 13:00, I should have informed him beforehand that the qualifying was on at 12:00 this week, but he knows a possible pub in Shirley to watch it.
Not long to wait as our Johnson's Service X20 turns up and it isn't long before we arrive at Shirley. It is just before 12:00 and Mr WME knows finds the pub that we can go into and hopefully watch the qualifying. It is just a short walk past the shops and we arrive at The Red Lion, from the outside it doesn't look like it will be a nice pub to visit, but we enter and I am surprised to find a splendid decorated pub with the appearance much much better than the outside. We order our drinks and find a table which happens to be in front of one of the many televisions situated in the pub. A quick word with one of the barmaids and she duly comes by our television and turns it over to BBC2 and we are just in time for Q3. The usual suspects go out in the first round, and between qualifying sessions, we decide to order lunch and we both go for the home made curry. Q2 starts and Schumacher finally makes it through to Q3 and our dinner turns up in time for Q3, but one of the regulars, Brian, pipes up "Who cooked this? It's flamin' hard!" Good timing Brian as we are just about to tuck into our dinner. Brian gets a replacement, I think he opted for the turkey, and we tuck into our dinner. Q3 and home made curry, with no complaints from me, and Vettel takes his fourth pole of the season with Webber second and Rosberg makes an unusual appearance in fourth, Hamilton is fourth and Button a lowly sixth, a bit of work for him to do in the race. Qualifying over, and looking out of the window it seems to have stopped raining, even though the cloud is lurking about ready to drop some more later in the day.We make our way back into the main street's of Shirley, where we decide to catch National Express West Midlands Service 5 to Widney Manor. It is not long before we arrive and as we alight by the railway station, we decide to take a few photographs. We are on the platforms and our train to Dorridge is making its way into the station, but we are on the wrong platform, a very quick dash across the footbridge, and luckily we both make it onto the London Midland train but we miss first class, which everyone else has also decided to do on this train, and we catch our breath for the short journey to Dorridge.
A short walk is taken to the main road, and we turn up at our stop, with a few minutes to wait for our next journey. It is a shame that my brother doesn't make an appearance now and we could get a lift into Lye, our next destination for a visit to one of the local pubs. Our NXWM Service 9 appears and it is only a short journey of about ten minutes and we arrive in Lye, and we alight on the main High Street, where we decide to take a short cut to our next pub, and just as we pass "Jim's Gym", we cross the road where opposite is "The Holly Bush", and we have timed it right, as Mr Rain decides to make another appearance. We opt for a quick drink in The Holly Bush, and as we sup our halves, we watch a bit of Doctor Who Confidential, and it is time to make our way to the bus stop, located just after the Lye Cross, so a short walk is required and the rain is still coming down, albeit slower than the downpour this morning. As we approach the cross, we spot a NXWM Service 9 bus, so a quick sprint to the stop is required, but thanks to the red light, we don't miss this one, and within five minutes we arrive back in Stourbridge, where we decide to end the day with a drink inside "The Duke William", not far from the temporary stands in Birmingham Street. Between catching the bus in Lye and arriving back in Stourbridge, the rain is coming down faster, so we run all the way from Birmingham Street to Duke Street and arrive a little damp in The Duke. This pub has only been open under its new guise for just over a year, but since opening, I've never really seen this pub empty and luckily we find a spare table (just), to rest our feet and end the day. It seems that The Duke is one pub that Stourbridge people enjoy and the pub has recently opened a small brewery at the back of the premises, a good story and this pub is bucking the trend of the moment and is actually wanted and is avoiding the ever increasing number of local pubs to close, long may it survive. We end the day chatting about the trip and it seems that we have the same taste in our usual awards of the day. We both agree that the "pub of the day" goes to The Hawne Tavern, whilst the "barmaid(s) of the day" goes to a late runner and is working behind the bar of The Duke.
It is time to make our way to Stand F in Birmingham Street, where both of our buses will arrive to take us both home. The rain is coming down heavier since we have been in The Duke, so it is a sprint, rather than a jog, to get to Birmingham Street, and Mr WME's NXWM Service 256 turns up first to take him back to the land of Wolverhampton, and not long after my Black Diamond's Service 276A arrives to take me back home to dry off (a sprint across the park is required before I have the chance to get dry). Overall another good day out, with the rain not dampening our spirits, it was due after our recent long spell of sun, but it could have waited another day or so. Despite the wet start and finish, I think Mr WME will agree that this day out was another good day out.
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