It tastes like very weak Carnation an makes awful tea - but was VERY popular in Brum and is still consumed by many long term residents.
The tram is much more up to date.
Ir is fair to say that the Midland "Metro" (that is tram in real money) was less than roaring in the area of success. It ran from an uninspiring back street in Wolverhampton ...
... through a lot of gloomy ex-industrial landscapes to ...
... a gloomy near subterranean terminus in the darkest outposts of Snow Hill station, barely in central Brum!
This was way back in 1999 but things are much better now.
First the tracks were extended to New Street station ...
... although to encourage inter-modal integration, the stop is called Grand Central.
W est Bromwich
W ednesbury
W olverhampton &
W ider
Then came the extension to Edgbaston Village ...
(Health warning : the "Eastside" extension is not yet built!)
... (don'y laugh - of course it is NOT a village but it does have loads of very trendy coffee shops and eateries.
It seemed to take an age and a half to get there.
Sadly the farmer's cow herd had gone in for milking when this picture of the village green and tram stop was taken.
And again at last, after months of delay, trams are going somewhere useful in Wolverhampton.
But, unlike in Manchester where tram timetables are protected by the Official Secrets act. you do get proper full timtables.
Trams stop right outside the recently refurbish station building ...
... and the next stop is for the bus station.
Again, to encourage integrated travel the bus station stop is called Pipers Row!
And so we move to the under construction extensions. That to the "Eastside" starts at a junction on Bull Street where currently trams veer right into Corporation Street.
From Bull Street the new line drops down to Digbeth ...
They then will find their way through currently blasted heath ...
... so serve what will probably be a very empty HS2 terminus near the historic Curzon Street terminus if the original line from Euston.
Artist's impressions make it all look very beautiful.
The trams will run beyond Curzon Street to a "temporary" terminus at High Street Deritend,
But the routes and opriyons on-line are beyyomd fbb's intellectual prowess at this time of year. Suffice it to say is that there is a long term aspirations for a much bigger extension further east ...
Maybe.
The other suburban extensions is to be from Wednesbury to Brierley Hill ...
... but currently aiming at Dudley as a first effort. Generally, this section, like the original tram route, is being buikyt on the track bed of the former railway between Wednesbury, Dudley and beyond ...
Work has started at the Wednesbury end ...
... and in Dudley ...
... where a super-smashing new Interchange is under construction.
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There are some words of wisdom that are beyond fbb. He reckons that hope could not grasp a Haynes Manual for his Citroen Picasso motor car. In fact, some years back he was given a lovely Haynes Manual ...
... but the old man is, once again unlikely to be in a position to make use of it, fascinating though it be!
W ords of
W isdom
Most of the letters (Epistles) in the New Testament of the Bible and, in many ways, the Haynes Manual from practical living for a Christian. Some of the writings deal with problems that, in detail, do not apply in 2023/2024 - yet the general principles can be very useful.
Not all letters were written by Paul. Two carry the name of one of Jesus' disciples, Peter (The Rock). Three are penned by John and one by James.
Tradition suggests that this particyukar James was one of four siblings of Jesus' (human!) family.
The tradition goes back a long, long way and is probably right by unprovable. No historic context is given by the author. just the name; but the tradition is old enough to be acceptable!
James' book is one of the most practical in the whole Bible and its practicality is generally timeless. Here are three snippets to consider.
ANGER
THE DEVIL
PATIENCE
Too long for brief blog is a dire warning about the dangers of ...
THE HUMAN TONGUE
... so you might like to read James Chapter 3. It is a challenge, especially to those who are occasionally charged with being self-opinionated and arrogant - adjectives that could never be levelled against the mild, easy going fbb - of course.
But the Bible and Christianity can be so very practical - practical to the point of being embarrassing because the writers, and God their inspiration, seem to know the human personality ...
... and where it needs sorting out.
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Next X ABC Blog : CHRISTmas Eve
Digbeth is the ultimate terminus of the current Eastside route, not a point on route. But it cannot now proceed through the Curzon Street site until 2026, so will not reach Digbeth until much later this decade. As a result, a temporary terminus is now required near Moor Street, as this press release describes https://www.wmca.org.uk/news/plans-brought-forward-to-open-first-section-of-birmingham-eastside-metro-extension/
ReplyDeleteI still remember working in Birmingham in the early 70s - everyone ordering a tea in the canteen and being asked 'Pas or stera, bab?' (for best effect, say it out loud in a broad Brummie accent!)
ReplyDeleteA very happy Christmas to you and yours, fbb, and to everyone who reads this.
PS - someone answered 'Pasteurised please, I don't want that paralysed stuff!'
ReplyDelete