Churches (232) : St John the Baptist, Halesowen

The parish church of St John the Baptist in Halesowen, once part of Worcestershire but now in the West Midlands, dates to the late 11th century. The church was built in the 1080s, on the site of an earlier Saxon church. In the 14th century the original tower fell down and was replaced along with a rebuilding of the nave. The south aisle was also widened and a porch added. The north aisle was rebuilt in the 15th century adding a chapel to St Katharine.

The church is built from red sandstone ashlar apart from the upper tower and spire in grey-green sandstone.

Passing through Kenilworth

Non-stop.

Lapworth and Hatton

Last Saturday i went to Lapworth and Hatton stations in Warwickshire, both stations i have visited many times before (indeed Lapworth is probably my favourite station of all) but i needed updated imagery for my forthcoming book on Warwickshire railway stations (probably due out in 2026). 

It was a good thing i went too as both stations have recently seen a lick of paint and some other minor refurbishment so all of my many old photographs from these stations are now out of date! You can see the up-to-date photos here.

Modern Collins (9) : A Necessary Dealing

A Necessary Dealing by Roy Lewis is part of the Eric Ward series of novels set in the world of finance and corporate business. A tale of corporate politics, takeovers and... murder, though this does not occur to quite late into the story.

The plot is good, fitting together very well though it is slow to get going (and heavy going though those more familiar with higher business concepts may find it easier) and sometimes can be a little dull. 

Ultimately, the story is intelligent and rewarding to those with patience.

Churches (231) : St Matthew, Cheltenham

The parish church of St Matthew in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire is Victorian. It was built in the late 1870s as a permanent structure to replace an earlier iron church. This earlier iron church had been opened due to the poor condition at the time of St Mary's church in Cheltenham which had been closed for restoration. After St Mary was re-opened, the congregation was found to be too large for the old church and after plans to demolish and enlarge St Mary's were refused so St Matthew's was built as an additional church.

The tower and spire were added in the early 1880s but the spire was removed in 1952, the tower was also reduced in height in the 1970s. The church has a wide nave with four bay aisles with clerestories. The church is in the Early English Gothic Style and is built from coursed rock-faced limestone with an ashlar dressing.

Sears to nears

It has been some time since i bought a new typewriter so here is one which arrived yesterday, a Sears Chevron. Now, Sears is a big American retailer so this machine was a badged machine which they sold similar to the Boots and WH Smiths machines already in my collection. Indeed, the typewriter is based on a Messa ABC 2000. The typewriter works very well and is very loud and crisp in operation, which i of course like.

Another one bites the dust

Project Deblogification continues, this time the diesel and electric rolling stock blog (originally called TOPS Tastic) which has now been replaced by a new section on my website, which you can see using the link. Not all of the content has been transferred across by any means but more and more will make the switch and be updated as it is so over the following months.

That just leaves two blogs left to replace and that will be done by October. This blog, Knell Lane, isn't going anywhere though! I need this blog to tie everything together.

Harrow-on-the-Hill

After my trip down to Heathrow by train, i had time to visit somewhere else in London and wanted to go somewhere new. So, i went up to Harrow-on-the-Hill in the north west of London. I climbed up the hill (which is pretty steep) to see the famous school at the top and St Mary's church. You can see my photos here.

Modern Collins (8) : Condition Purple

Collins Crime Club novels, especially in the latter decades of the series, often featured quirky and genteel amateurs but "Condition purple" by Peter Turnbull is a hard police procedural set in Glasgow. 

We follow a team of worn down detectives piecing together the evidence from the murder of a prostitute and uncovering a trail of vice, drugs, hopelessness and ultra violence.

This is a great read, a tasty bit of crime with a well thought out trail of evidence. Strong yet flawed characters add to the quality of the read.

Heathrow... by train

I went down to London yesterday, the main reason being to travel to Heathrow on the Heathrow Express. There were some cheap (relatively anyway) tickets available for the train from London Paddington so i took the chance to give it a try, even if i'm not flying anywhere! I visited two of the stations at Heathrow, i'll do the rest and the Underground another time. You can see my photos here.

Churches (230) : St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, London

The church of St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe is in the city of London. The name comes from when King Edward III moved his royal wardrobe from the Tower of London to a location near to the church when it was part of the royal residence Baynard's castle.

The original church was founded in the late 12th century or earlier, being first mentioned in 1170. The church was one of dozens lost in the Great Fire of London in 1666, it was redesigned by Sir Christopher Wren and rebuilt in 1695. The church was badly damaged in the Blitz but rebuilt in 1961. The original interior was lost and has been restored with surviving items from other destroyed churches.

The building is in the Baroque style and made from red brick with a Portland stone dressing. The nave has aisles with five bays. There is a west tower with a weathervane on it's steeple.

Passing through Surbiton

Train action on the edge of London.

Modern Collins (7) : The Other Devil's Name

"The Other Devil's Name" by Elizabeth Ferrers features that staple of English crime stories of the mid-20th century, the amateur detective. In this case it is retired botany professor Andrew. 

The action takes in a quiet English village in which there are a lot of deaths, plus blackmail and other dark secrets!

This isn't a fast moving book and is rather gentle in terms of tone and sleuthing. A steady pace is perhaps to be expected as most of the characters are retired! An enjoyable little story with some masterful story telling.

Earlswood Lakes et cetera

Yesterday i went to Earlswood on the edge of Warwickshire to update my photos at The Lakes railway station and also see Earlswood Lakes again, the reservoirs of the Stratford Canal. In the end i went a bit further than planned and also had a canal walk along the Stratford Canal up to Dickens Heath in Solihull. You can see my Earlswood photos here and my canal photos here.

Churches (229) : St Michael and All Angels, Horsenden

The parish church of St Michael and All Angels in Horsenden (near Princes Risborough) in Buckinghamshire dates from the 15th century. It was built on the site of an earlier church from the early 13th century. The nave and tower were demolished in 1765, the current west tower was built in it's place and the chancel extended to become the replacement nave.

The rector of the church from 1737, Edward Stone, is best known by being the discoverer of aspirin! He is buried in the churchyard.

Stafford test

A Class 730 on test departs Stafford.

Modern Collins (6) : The Bishop's Pawn

The Bishop's Pawn by Ritchie Perry is a spy story despite it's inclusion in the Collins Crime Club series (though espionage can often involve a lot of criminal activities of course!) 

So, a spy drama and a good tough one too about a defecting cleric from the other side of the Iron Curtain being mixed up with wartime secrets of SS atrocities and missing gold.

The British agent Phillis is a good character, sardonic and hard living - and receiving a fair amount of the rough stuff from the enemy. This flawed character gives the story a good edge and makes it very readable, an excellent story.

Whitchurch

I felt like travelling somewhere new this weekend so headed up to Shropshire and the market town of Whitchurch which is on the line between Crewe and Shrewsbury. What a lovely little town it is too, the church of St Alkmund (also thought to be where the Saxon saint was first buried) is particularly fine especially inside. You can see my photos here.

Churches (228) : St Nicholas, Kenilworth

The parish church of St Nicholas in Kenilworth, Warwickshire has uncertain origins though the oldest surviving parts of the church are Norman. The church was adjacent to the former abbey of St Mary and also Kenilworth castle. The earliest mention of the church is from 1285. It is likely the church was built earlier in the 13th century.

The church was widened in the 14th century with a south aisle added to the nave, the spire on the west tower and an octagonal belfry were also added to the church during this period. Much of the church is in the Decorated Gothic style. Later on the chancel was extended with a two bay aisle added to the south. The spire was rebuilt after storm damage in the 19th century.

The church had a number of royal visits after the Reformation and the closure of the abbey. Queen Elizabeth and King James I are both known to have visited the church.

Royal Scot

A pleasant surprise while i was waiting for my train at High Wycombe, Royal Scot brings a rail tour through.