Former tram stop on Chester Road

Birmingham, like many of Britain's towns and cities, once had an extensive tram network. Like most places the tram network was closed down in the 1950s by short sighted transport and city planners who thought the motor bus was the way forward. Now little remains of the once city wide network. However here and there are unexpected traces and survivors.

At Wylde Green near Chester Road is a former shelter for tram passengers. The trams reached here in 1908. The shelter (rather more ornate and substantial than the type of shelter provided for modern day public transport users) still bears the name "Erdington Tramways" which can just about be made out (though Photoshop can help here) below the clock. After the trams were closed down the building was taken over by the gas board. Nowadays it is a barbershop.

 

Cathedrals (1) : Derby

The Cathedral Church of All Saints Derby was originally built in the 14th century on the site of an earlier Saxon church. The oldest surviving part of the church, the three storey tower, dates from the 15th. The church was rebuilt in 1723-5 with everything apart from the tower replaced.

However the church was, at the time, a parish church. It did not gain cathedral status until 1927. The cathedral was extended with a new retrochoir built in the late 1960s.

Model Week : Il-28 approaches completion

Project #087, an Ilyushin Il-28, is now nearing completion with most of the painting done and clear sections added. All that remains is a little finishing here and there, decals and varnishing. I will then start the next kit straight away, i only completed 2 kits last year which is the lowest since i restarted making kits in 2009 so want to improve on that score. I doubt we'll ever return to the likes of 2012 when i completed 16!

Middleton, Wishaw and Canwell

Nothing like making up for lost time! Today I drove to the Warwickshire villages of Middleton and Wishaw and Canwell on the edge of Sutton Coldfield. All pretty close to where I live, the lockdown has reminded me that i don't necessarily have to travel on a train to go somewhere nice. Although i obviously can't wait to resume my rail adventures.

You can see my photos of the three villages here, all have nice parish churches.

Lounging in Lichfield

This morning i headed up to Lichfield, a city not too far from where i live but for some reason i don't visit as much as i could/should. I took some photographs of the superb cathedral and two of the parish churches in the city as well as some other buildings.

I was also able to buy a latte from a cafe selling takeaway coffees. I sat on a bench near the cathedral with my first latte since March, a reminder of happier and simplier times. Maybe they will soon return. You can see my photos of Lichfield here.