Rambling, farther afield from Coventry

Hi all , even though at this point in time there is no other member signed in, so I will talk very quietly. A Story ******** This morning, I enjoyed a lovely coffee & muffin with my friend at Finnegan's coffee café in Greyfriars Green. As you would expect of me, using public transport of course to get there & return home as did my friend. At home, I learnt that my daughter-in-law was taking Pam into Coventry this afternoon for a bit of shopping. Having learnt where they were going, I decided to slip out of home & secretly turn up & pretend to bump into them in Coventry. Little things please little minds, hey! What they definitely did not know was that I had overheard them talking about going onto Fosse Park in Leicestershire. So once again I slipped away, & at 3pm, boarded the X6 to Leicester via Fosse Park. (not so easy on Saturday as it is a ninety minute service interval, instead of hourly as in the week) I was at Fosse Park by 3.40, where, I did have to make phone contact with Pam, but my reward was a treat in Macdonald's, as well as a relaxed return home with the family. The last X6 bus on a Saturday leaves Fosse Park at 6.15pm to return to Coventry, for anyone that needs to know that. As silly as it is, the fact that I am forced to use public transport for getting myself about generally, I enjoy a task test like today. Made more a pleasure by the fab weather, as well as travelling on a new single decker bus, with high seat backs & safety belts. Going through the village of Burbage on the bus, passing some pubs where I have nice memories of dinners & so on, I could have been on a Shearings tour bus. Even better as the fare was free with my bus-pass. Have a lovely rest of the weekend all. X6 Timetable Link

I know exactly what you mean Philip. Though for the most part this year I have restricted myself to Coventry there are lots of little pleasures knowing that I can go places on my scooter that buses and cars can't reach. And I can stop to take pictures whenever I like: double yellows are not something I have to contend with. I am wondering if they will allow my mobility scooter to join the Sky Ride tomorrow? There must be lots of different angles I can get from the Ring Road.

Hi Philip As somebody who cycles or walks everywhere I find public transport extremely useful for the longer journeys (especially with my bus pass so no queuing for train tickets either). On Saturday I was at Edgbaston for the cricket courtesy of bus - train - bus and it took about an hour with no problems about parking etc and roughly the same time coming back. We were on the bus into Birmingham while most people were still trying to get out of the car park. A great day out apart from the sunburn. The problem is if we don't use some of these services enough we may lose them, so please do

So pleased to read your experience that you enjoyed. You are spot on about use it or lose it. Our circle bus route a case in point. The section between Eastern Green to Allesley, I was often the only passenger, which is why it is that section that is completely closed. I used that section of the former 360, so as to connect with Tile Hill railway station, but the Ricoh train service has come to my rescue. It only takes nine minutes from the Ricoh to Coventry station. That service is now being well used from Nuneaton, so much so that the service frequency is expected to be increased before the end of this year.

Hi Old Lincolnian, Hi all There are two railway routes leaving Birmingham for Stratford, one via Dorridge, which I am very familiar with, but also one via Henley in Arden. It is this line that I have spent time on today visiting Shirley, Hall Green & Whitlocks End, all of which are included in the West Midlands area. The lovely weather has made today a real treat. Having travelled well throughout my life, it is so enjoyable discovering little gems right on our doorsteps. I cannot quite envisage starting package holidays to Whitlocks End, but a blade of grass is much the same wherever it is. Whitlocks End I may tomorrow continue further along this line & visit Earlswood, which is just inside the West Midlands county. Earlswood Lakes, station is outside the West Midlands, so I will see what I can find as to visiting the lakes. Our very own Midlands lake district. PS Please remember, that at present it is only bus-passes issued by Centro that are valid on trains, which also can only used on trains travelling inside the West Midlands county.

Hi all I enjoyed breaky here today, The Larder Cafe, Atherstone with family.

Hi M.R., It was my son's birthday, so a few of us met for breaky at ten, before I ventured further on aboard the 11am to Crewe. I was using a day-rambler ticket, which cost me £16.55. My breaky consisted of scrambled egg on toast with a couple of slices of bacon. Very nice. I walked to the Ricoh, I mean Coventry Arena", as my rambler ticket started from 9am, whereas my bus pass does not start until 9.30am. The walk is quite convenient, as I used the footbridge from Hen Lane to the Arena car-park which took me straight to the Nuneaton bound platform. Perfect on a dry day, but not on a wet day. Showing footbridge location to the Ricoh. Telling you something else, I have used my bus-pass more than ever this last six months, only had two rambler tickets, because my bus-pass covers such a huge area on the trains throughout the West Midlands anywhere. I can tell the difference with my walking now from back in April. My breathing & ease of movement is better than I can remember. Walking to the Ricoh yesterday is about a mile, my only rest being on a seat about halfway for five minutes. I left my home at 8am, arrived at the Ricoh for 8.20am. Treated myself to a Greggs coffee, which was £2 including a sticky bun. I gave the sticky bun away to a lady with a child, as eating that would have ruined my breaky. I then sat in the sunshine, protected with my factor fifty, supping a very nice coffee, at Costa-del-Ricoh. Even saw a buzzard hawk. My train to Nuneaton was bang on time at 9.11am.

Hi all Today, being a very wet day, did not put me off my out & about ventures. I selected what I call dry routes, which paid off as I did not get a soaking at any point, in fact I kept mostly very dry. I was out from 9am, only coming home at 5pm. I will share a few pictures of the Shakespeare line as it is called which stretches from Spring Road to Stratford via Henley in Arden. These pics, recorded on my ancient cam-phone I hope give something of the delight that I felt, sat eating my piece, even though it was raining heavy. The station, Shirley, partly maintained by a team of volunteers looks just as though we were viewing in the fifties, except for the bright red colour. The canopies did not leak as can be seen, the platforms dry, in spite of very heavy rain. I say bright red colour with tongue in cheek, because this line was operated jointly, the Midland & GWR who shared the line for many years. Warwickshire railways web-site history notes. Last of all, a picture from that fabulous railway web-site, of Grange class loco at the head of an express charging through Shirley.

Hi all Continuing my thread of visiting stations along the Shakespeare line, Hall Green was my choice this morning. Hall Green has special memories for me of happy times with extended family who live there. Some times we don't realise how good times have been. Final picture from sixty years ago, of a the equivalent of my train today, a stopper! The picture from the fabulous Warwickshire Railways web-site.

Hi all An errand to Birmingham on Thursday morning, a rainy, misty day until later in the afternoon, I had a couple of free hours in the middle of the day, so I popped to Dorridge again to record some pictures. A friend on You-Tube is considering modelling Dorridge & asked me for some pictures of the area. Dorridge is an interesting subject to model as it has so may typical railway features. The above picture shows a Chilterns three coach train to Leamington, which is held in the up loop. The reason being shown above as a Cross-country express to the south coast passes it at speed. Dorridge has two relief down lines that pass to the right of the platform in the next picture, which is facing in the opposite direction. They can both be seen in both of the above pictures, the one nearest to the platform also behaves as a holding siding for the frequent shuttle service that operates through Birmingham Moor Street. If I was considering a fresh start on a new model, Dorridge would be quite high on my list of preferences. It offers so much operating interest for as well as frequent passenger trains, freight trains are seen thundering through the station. So much so that this freight caught me out, being almost on top of me before I could get my cam-phone out I have always enjoyed watching railway operations, which are an expression of logic, as well as critical path technology, CTP as it was one time known.

Hi all My out & about today took me to Galton Bridge for a photo take as well as delivering a parcel to a friend in Shirley. I have not forgotten our fish & chip time, Midland Red, at Dorridge, but I have to tell you how nice the fish & chips are from Shirley. Yum & yum. My picture of where the suspension bridge over the canal joins the brick arch over the West coast mainline. The next two pictures are views from where I sat munching a small portion of Cod & Chips from Shirley I do realise that these are not everyone's idea of idyllic views & relaxing, but this is so much of my comfort zone. I even changed trains at B'ham international so that I arrived at Coventry station at a time to coincide with my memories of leaving school in an afternoon. What a sad case I hear so many of you say. I saw Flying Scotsman loco in Tyseley yard but not well enough to record a picture, as I went by on a train from Shirley.

Hi all I had some lovely company today during my bit of volunteering. A four year old & his granddad enjoyed a trip to Stourbridge. A change of circumstances meant that I had a lot of free time today, so what a delight to see the delight enjoyed by this couple. I will post a couple of pictures. I knew today was going to be a good day, as when we boarded the No 9a to the railway station, there sat on the bus was a favourite forum friend. It doesn't get any better than that.

Morning all I hadn't a clue as to where I was going yesterday morning, when a neighbour asked me when walking past me in our cul-de-sac. Even after devouring my coffee at Conroy's, I still didn't know where I was going after. The first bus coming along Corporation St. was going to the railway station. Upon arrival there, the first train was going to B'ham. A tram was waiting to depart from New St., so before I knew where I was going, I was well underway, even though I still hadn't a clue as to where it was. I got off the tram at Jewellery Quarter, where the first train was going to Worcester. After paying the bolt-on return fare, the next thing I am at Kidderminster. I was intrigued when seeing this in an inspection saloon, so I went along to inspect. After learning that it was all being prepared for a wedding reception, I stopped recording pictures. Just as well when I saw the pig roast being loaded into the open restaurant car. The food in the inspection saloon was just for guests who had travelled some distance for the wedding. What a wonderful way to celebrate a wedding. So, from not knowing where I was going, I was more than content to treat myself to the Severn Valley pack mini-lunch, which included a glass of house red. It was lovely. I was meeting members of my own family later in the day, so I returned via B'ham international where I boarded the X1 to the Elms pub. What was so brill was that including my bolt on fare & my SVR lunch pack, my days outing had cost me the grand sum £6.20. Whack that! Have a nice day, all.

Evening all A Story ******** One day last week, (I wanted to say once upon a time), I boarded an Arriva Wales train at B'ham International. Very comfy. At the point of boarding, my idea was to go to Smethwick & then to change trains & on to Kidderminster. After leaving B'ham New St, my ticket (bus-pass) was inspected, which was fine. I asked the conductor how much to carry on to say Wrexham. With my railcard, he told me "£12.40", because I only had to pay extra from Wolverhampton. "Yes please" my reply. I had a lovely time there, the train that I came back on like all the others bang on time. I decided to break my return journey at Shrewsbury, where I had a bite of tea, after getting care home clearance for a late evening return home. I didn't want to get on the wrong side of matron. Anyway, including the Ninky Nonk to the Ricoh, I was home for 8pm, a friend who had been shopping, gave me a lift up from the Ricoh to home. What a fabulous value trip. Now, if I carry on telling you where I have been today, that will need another topic, because today has been a bus day into Leicestershire. I do hope you like that. ps. Thank you, M.R. Brill!

Good afternoon all Fridays having been invented for fish & chips, my search for perfection has taken me to Shirley (on the Shakespeare line) where Shirley Station Fish Bar is a delight. Certainly the best tried so far anywhere. A small cod & chips for £4, in a takeaway tray, which I devoured under the station canopy. If the weather had been too poor for outdoor fish & chips, the café next door is excellent, where I enjoyed a chicken curry earlier in the week. You will be pleased to know that the return journey only took six trains, two trams plus three buses. The forum team stop at nothing for perfection. rn