UB40 launched Musical Routes at Hall Green Station back in November 2021

(Late News). Near the end of November 2021, surviving members of UB40 were at Hall Green Station to unveil the first Musical Routes sign. The project is the brainchild of the Birmingham Music Archive founded by Jez Collins. While Birmingham We Are's Elliott Brown was at work that day, on the following Saturday morning, he got a few photos of the sign, with the thawing snow.

dndimg alt="UB40 Hall Green" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/UB40 Hall Green Station WMR.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />UB40 launch Musical Routes at Hall Green Station. Photo courtesy of West Midlands Railway. Friday 26th November 2021.

Saturday 27th November 2021

After hearing about this in the local news, the day after UB40 was at Hall Green Station, I walked here, before heading to catch the no 6 bus on the Stratford Road to the City Centre.

View from the footbridge of Hall Green Station. I normally get on from Welby Road (there is a path from Brooklands Road).

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In the station car park is the new Musical Routes sign below the new West Midlands Railway sign for Hall Green Station.

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The map of Hall Green features Moseley & Kings Heath, Sparkbrook, Springfield (Sparkhill) and Hall Green. The map shows locations where famous Brummie musicians first started out, such as Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, UB40, Ocean Colour Scene, Bev Bevan and Laura Mvula.

dndimg alt="Hall Green Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Musical Routes HGS (Nov 2021) (3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Overnight had been some late November 2021 snow, but by the time I went out, it was thawing. The Musical Routes sign is near the disabled car parking spots.

dndimg alt="Hall Green Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Musical Routes HGS (Nov 2021) (4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Heading out of the Hall Green Station car park towards the Stratford Road, to catch a no 6 bus. It's been a while since I last caught a train from this station (due to cancellations as a result of a shortage ot train drivers and other reasons). 

dndimg alt="Hall Green Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Musical Routes HGS (Nov 2021) (5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

National Express West Midlands is just a bit more reliable now than West Midlands Railway.

There will be other Musical Routes signs at other railway stations around Birmingham, but as yet, have not seen any more (or had time to visit any of them, other than my University and Perry Barr station rebuild updates).

Photos taken by Elliott Brown can also be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

Some more rainbow crossings

It's not just in Birmingham's Southside that you will find rainbow crossings. All around the UK. Such as in Taunton in Somerset. As well as closer to home in Solihull, and in Royal Leamington Spa in Warwickshire. Happy New Year 2022. Not done many posts recently as they don't seem to get published by Jonathan as fast as Daniel's get's up, and nothing much to post.

Taunton, Somerset

Near the end of the first South West holiday at the end of August 2021 (Devon and Somerset). On Saturday 28th August 2021 in Taunton, Somerset, heading to the Museum of Somerset, we entered Goodland Gardens (near The Bridge and River Tone). Saw this rainbow path. No cycling is allowed down this path. Stopped for coffee nearby at The Shed.

dndimg alt="Rainbow Crossing Taunton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Pride Taunton (Aug 2021) (1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Solihull, West Midlands

On Sunday 19th December 2021, heading to Cineworld at Touchwood in Solihull, to watch Spider-Man: No Way Home. A little early, so took a side path to the rear entrance near Manor Square. Found this rainbow path between Touchwood and the Solihull Council House. I don't think there had been a crossing at this point before.

dndimg alt="Rainbow path Solihull" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rainbow crossing Sol CH 19122021.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

It had been a few months since I last got a train, so on Thursday 30th December 2021, I bought off peak return tickets in the Chiltern Railways app, and travelled down to Leamington Spa again, on the Chiltern Mainline, for a bit of walk around the Town Centre, and to have a coffee at Caffe Nero. On The Parade I spotted a rainbow crossing between Jephson Gardens and Pump Room Gardens. It was raining on and off, and took these from Pump Room Gardens later on the walk back to the station.

dndimg alt="Rainbow path Leamington Spa" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rainbow crossing Leamington Spa 30122021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Rainbow path Leamington Spa" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Rainbow crossing Leamington Spa 30122021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown can also be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

Library of Birmingham ready for volunteers for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

From the 6th September 2021 until December, people who applied to be volunteers at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games can show up for an interview (if they have been invited). They will go to the Library of Birmingham. The Library Cafe and half of Level 2 have been taken over. Photos taken by Elliott Brown on the 4th September 2021 before closing time.

Let the Games Begin! Enter via the door at Centenary Square, to what used to be the Library Cafe at the Library of Birmingham.

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

As you can see Birmingham 2022 has taken over the space of the Library Cafe.

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

As well as the Mezzannine floor (which is above the Library Cafe space).

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Commonwealth Games banners have been placed inside of the Library foyer area on the ground floor.

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Head up the escalators to Level 2. Note that the you might have to walk up the escalator from Level's 1 to 2, or use the lifts.

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Be at the Heart of it. If you are applying to be a volunteer, head this way to your interview. Good luck.

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Information about the Legacy Programmes and the Queen's Baton Relay. The relay last went into Birmingham's Centenary Square during 2014 (ahead of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games).

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Meet the mascot, Perry the Bull.

dndimg alt="Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCCG2022 LoB 04092021 (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown can also be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

'Gratitude' - A tribute to NHS staff and key workers held in Chamberlain Square, Birmingham

Elliott Brown, a regular contributor at Birmingham We Are, got chance to experience Gratitude, a tribute to NHS staff and key workers, before it was moved to Manchester. The tribute consisted of 51 sculptures and was curated by creative ambassador Dame Zandra Rhodes.

If you missed the event, don't worry you can still enjoy Elliott's gallery with us here!

Gratitude was an event held by Wild in Art in Chamberlain Square, at Paradise Birmingham, which ran from the 20th to 30th August 2021. It has now moved on to Manchester and will then move on to Edinburgh and London. It pays tribute to NHS staff and keyworkers during the pandemic.

There were 51 "Lockdown Oscars" displayed in Chamberlain Square close to the Chamberlain Memorial.

The display had mirrors around it and it was curated by creative ambassador Dame Zandra Rhodes.

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dndimg alt="Gratitude" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gratitude Chamberlain Sq 20082021 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The gallery below includes 22 photos taken at Gratitude Lockdown Oscars.  Enjoy!

dndimg alt="Gratitude" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gratitude WiA CS 30082021 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

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dndimg alt="Gratitude" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Gratitude WiA CS 30082021 (22).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

'Gratitude' has now moved to St Peter's Square in Manchester.

In Autumn 2021, the sculptures will be auctioned with proceeds going to NHS Charities Together.

Wesleyan was one of the main sponsors of the event.

Photos taken by Elliott Brown can also be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

Model Boating at Bournville Lake at The Valley Parkway

On regular Sunday's the Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club meet to use their remote controlled boats on Bournville Lake at The Valley Parkway, near Bournville Lane. The club has a history going back to 1900, although has been on this site since 1926. On Sunday morning, 15th August 2021, the club was back. Also some archive photos from 2017 and 2018.

Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club

The Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club, also called Bournville Model Yacht & Powerboat Club, was founded in the year 1900 as the Bournville Model Yachting Club at Rowheath Park. By 1926, George Cadbury Jr (son of the late George Cadbury who died in 1922) commissioned an area of marshland on the now famous Bournville Village Trust, to be reclaimed, and a concrete pool of even depth was created. The surrounding park is called The Valley Parkway by Birmingham City Council. The club has their own Boat House on site, and regularly meet on Sunday mornings for model yachting, and Sunday afternoons for model power boating. They sometimes also meet on other days for model boating.

26th March 2017

That Sunday there was model RNLI  powerboats on Bournville Lake at The Valley Parkway.

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Valley Pway Bville (Mar 2017) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Valley Pway Bville (Mar 2017) (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

4th October 2018

On a Thursday morning walk through The Valley Parkway, I only managed to get one photo of a model yacht in the lake. See the project gallery for more photos. They don't usually sail the model yachts on Thursday's. At weekends they regularly meet on Sunday mornings for model yachting, and on weekdays, they meet on Wednesday mornings, and sometimes Tuesday afternoons. It's the power boat sessions that meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Valley Pway Bville (Oct 2018) (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

15th August 2021

A Sunday morning walk along Bournville Lane, to see if I could see any activity from the Bournville Model Yacht Club. Luckily, there was a whole bunch of them out at Bournville Lake, with a lot of model yachts, as you can see in the gallery below. The members seem to be mostly retired men and women.

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dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown