Review of 2022 : December

So, December ended with a flourish. It started with a train then bus trip to Offchurch, followed by another such trip to Southam. Then there was another trip to Wolverhampton, this time by tram and exploring the fine city more.

After Christmas came a couple of trips around the city centre including lots of street signs (a new obsession this year). Then today, the last day of the year, there was some train travel around the West Midlands (there will be a full blog post about this in a day or so).

That was 2022 then. Song of the month was "frozen falls" by Yatte, artist of the year was Trevor Something and tomorrow we start everything again from scratch. Happy new year!

Offchurch

St Gregory's, Offchurch

St James, Southam

Wolverhampton

Review of 2022 : November

Winter approached, the weather deteriorated as did the railway service. I was able to see the new Class 196 though and visited Wolverhampton. Next came my final trip to London this year, taking in one of the ends of the Elizabeth Line, as well as a trip into Kent to visit Headcorn and Harden.

I returned to Berkhamsted after a number of years since my first visit, having another canal walk. Finally, there was a trip to Dudley. I haven't been since i was a small child!

Song of the month was "true love" by Corp 86 featuring Oceanside 85.

Class 196 at Birmingham New Street

Berkhamsted

Dudley Priory

Headcorn

Review of 2022 : October

Autumn is here, and the rail system also becomes more difficult to use due to industrial action, unfortunately not something that is going to get better any time soon. I headed to West Bromwich on the tram instead, then the week after did a canal walk into central Birmingham. Later on in the month i headed to Loughborough and also did another canal walk. I also drove to Kenilworth to see the ruins of the abbey and the parish church.

I went to London to do my second Hidden London tour of the year, this time to Shepherd's Bush. Later in the month was a trip to Nottingham, including another canal walk. Finally there was a trip to Matlock.

Song of the month was "in the music" by Holoflash featuring Chelcie Gette.

Birmingham canal

Loughborough

Nottingham

Shepherd's Bush

Review of 2022 : September

The summer ends but the travels do not. The adventures began with Merseyside and then a long-awaited trip to the Barrow Hill Roundhouse railway museum in Chesterfield, this was well worth the wait. To get to Barrow Hill i had to go train then bus, this method would be used again later in the year and will help greatly extend the range of places i can go to. It's not as easy as using the train though as you need to plan in advance so you know when to get off!

Next came a canal walk along the Stratford Canal to Preston Bagot from Wootton Wawen. Finally, i did the train then bus thing again and visited the village of Clifford Chambers.

Song of the month was "things will never be the same again" by TLF featuring Jaki Nelson.

Barrow Hill

Clifford Chambers

All Saints, Preston Bagot

Stratford Canal, Wootton Wawen

Review of 2022 : August

The month's trips began with a return trip to Atherstone. Then came a return to Wales, to Machynlleth to be exact, the furthest west i've been for some years! The Commonwealth Games was in Birmingham in August, i had a trip on the metro extension to Edgbaston and also checked out the iconic Bull which featured in the opening ceremony!

I returned to Stafford for a rail orientated visit and finally back to Little Kimble in Buckinghamshire.

In other August news i finally received my new car. Although Lapis the new car is truly wonderful, it was sad to see the old car go after 14 years (plus two years when my Dad owned it) but happily the car appears to have been sold on to enjoy new adventures.

Song of the month was "Make me scream (nostalgia remix)" by Roxi Drive.

Commonwealth Games bull

Atherstone

Little Kimble

Machynllech

Review of 2022 : July

We are into the second half of the year already, where did all the time go? The trips in July began with a return to Lower Heyford, this time also walking to the adjacent village of Steeple Aston and also doing a walk along the Oxford Canal. Then came a trip to the south east, visiting Tonbridge and Leigh in Kent.

Later in the month i returned to Claverdon, my previous trip had been in winter so it was nice to see it in warmer weather. With the rail strikes beginning i ended the month with a trip to Marston Green and some plane spotting at Birmingham Airport!

Song of the month was "in the night" by Daniel Hugh featuring Emily Zuzik.

Claverdon

Birmingham Airport

Steeple Aston

Tonbridge

Review of 2022 : June

We reach the mid-point of the year. The adventures in June began with a trip to Fiskerton and Morton in Nottinghamshire. This was followed by an open day at the Statfold Barn Railway near Tamworth. This was the second time i had been to this wonderful little railway.

I headed back to Princes Risborough next, this time to also visit Horsenden, in fact a key feature of this year's adventures has been to go a little further away from the railway to some interesting places. Finally, i had a bus trip down to Halesowen and Quinton.

Song of the month was "make me scream" by Roxi Drive.

Statfold Barn Railway

Fiskerton signal box

Horsenden

St John the Baptist, Halesowen

Review of 2022 : May

Another busy month. May started with a rail orientated trip to Stafford. Next i went to Lapworth and walked the Stratford canal to Lowsonford. I visited Wales again, this time going to Abergavenny.

Next up was the SVR Diesel Gala, always a highlight of the year. I headed up to Cheshire next and visited Nantwich and also did a canal walk. Finally, i went on a bus trip instead of a rail trip for a change and visited Yardley.

Song of the month was "I'm already gone" by Trevor Something.

SVR Diesel Gala

Abergavenny castle

Stratford Canal

Nantwich

Review of 2022 : April

It starts to warm up, and April was very busy indeed. It started with a trip to Kettering, followed by Gobowen. Then came my first trip to Guildford for a couple of years (due to Covid), i visited a lot of new stations in Surrey and along the North Downs.

I headed up to Wythall and visited the transport museum there for the first time, i've wanted to visit it for some time and it lived up to my expectations, very good indeed. Finally, there was a trip to Kemble.

A notable event in April was ordering a new car to replace my trusty but now ageing Fiesta which i had had for fourteen years. However, i would have to wait until August to get the new car!

Song of the month was "crystal ships" by Michael Oakley.

All Saints, Kemble

Chilworth signal box

Preeshenlle United Reformed Church, Gobowen

Wythall Transport Museum

Review of 2022 : March

March saw my first trip to London of the year, in fact there were two trips! The first was to do a Hidden London tour of Moorgate. I had waited to do this tour for a long time, the first time i had booked it it had been thwarted by the original lockdown. It was a good tour and worth the lengthy wait. This was followed by a trip to Longton near Stoke-on-Trent.

Then it was down to London again, a multi-day trip that included plenty of railways and Poplar Dock. Finally, there was my first trip to Stratford-upon-Avon for some time and a walk along the Avon.

Song of the month was "end of time" by Alex Vechietti featuring Cybertronix.

Longton

Moorgate

Poplar Dock

Stratford-upon-Avon

Review of 2022 : February

January saw my first trip to Wales for some time, i obviously enjoyed it so much that i returned to Wales in February. I visited Chepstow right on the border, even crossing the river into Gloucestershire. Sandbach was the next trip, a place i've heard of due to it's M6 motorway service station, but in fact it is a rather nice town in Cheshire.

The final trip this month was to Craven Arms in Shropshire which, like Chepstow, had a rather nice castle. I also began my new obsession with Birmingham's old metal street name signs, throughout the year i have continued to hunt them down!

Song of the month was "take my chance" by Roxi Drive.

Chepstow and it's castle

A boat at Chepstow

St Mary's, Sandbach

Stokesay castle, Craven Arms

Review of 2022 : January

The year 2022 then, when the disruption caused by Covid faded away but new darker clouds were on the horizon. However, this review will focus on what i did and where i went in 2022 not international politics! To see the review for 2021 click here, earlier years can be seen in the tag cloud below.

The year's travels began with a local trip to south-west Birmingham including Kings Norton. The first trip out of the city was to Newark Castle including the river Trent. Tewkesbury and Ashchurch was next.

I haven't been to Wales much over the last few years apart from Cardiff. This changed in 2022 with a number of visits, starting with Newtown. The final trip in a busy start to the year was to Bulwell.

A great start to the year then. Much more was to come. Song of the month was "dark rider" by Nina.

Newtown

Kings Norton

Newark Castle

Tewkesbury