May 25th - First cygnets I’ve seen this year, I think from the swans from the new pool at Clayhanger. Four bundles of grey fluff, and a proud ma and pa at Catshill Junction. A fine, Jellicle cat with ideas above his ability. Curiosity from the swans, who’d eat puss alive if he tried anything silly. A brief, Mexican standoff, then Jellicle realises he’s been spotted, feigns disinterest, and wanders off.
A very hasty series of poor pictures, but I loved the little fellow and his lofty ambitions. I passed him later, snoozing in the hedge and dreaming the dreams of the great hunter.
March 19th - I was cycling back along the canal for a change. Spring must be in the air, as cats have started to be more noticeable of late. Indolent indoor wallahs in the winter, you see lots more about as the season changes.
I spotted this fine marmalade chap drinking water from the canal at Catshill Junction, appropriately enough. Cats seem to prefer natural water to the stuff from the tap, and this must be a sign the canal is clean.
The elegant, nonchalant balance and casually draped tail are wonderful.
November 17th - A trying day, for various reasons, but a rather good sunset. I’d been busy all day and hit home as darkness fell, before shooting out again. A day when I really couldn’t catch my breath, when it was suddenly taken by the sunset over the canal at Catshill Junction. A harbinger of a cold night, it was beautiful, and I wished I’d see more of it. Ah well, there’s always tomorrow…
October 20th - I knew it was going to be a good ride - and I had no idea why. The bike felt good beneath me after some long-awaited fettling. The wind was low, the air keen, but pleasant. I had energy in my bones. I felt good, the light was starting to get good. I came up from central Brownhills, over Catshill Junction and off towards Chasewater. The golden hour was lighting up the autumn colours. It was peaceful and beautiful. It may only have been a short spin, but this is what cycling is about, and no mistake. I felt that something good was just about to happen…
June 26th - Catshill junction has a complex history. A three-arm junction with roving bridge where the Daw End Canal meets the Wyrley and Essington, it was a major toll point for the canal system. The ‘narrows’ here (there are a pair, a third isn’t needed) were where toll masters in the long gone Tonnage House would record the weights of the boats and their cargoes, and charge accordingly. Now, there are nice footpaths, limpid, soft waters and greenery. It’s a lovely, peaceful spot. As teenagers, we challenged each other to jump the narrows here - not seen anyone do that for a while.
Overlooking it all is a sculpture, placed here when the towpaths were upgraded in 2007. Sadly, it’s completely inaccessible to all but the most fearless bushmen, and the fine detail in it is lost from afar. Another bit of ill-judged, pointless public art.
June 22nd - Moon daises are doing well this year. A relative of the more common lawn variety, and also of the ragwort from earlier in the week. The buds, if picked when young, are peppery and hot. This patch are on the canal towpath at Catshill Junction, Brownhills. I tried to get a picture from the banks of the M54 in Telfoed this week, but couldn’t get a good angle; they are carpeted with these delightful flowers.
May 16th - I notice the exterior works on the two remaining tower blocks in Brownhills are nearing completion. On Humphries house, seen here from Catshill Junction, the worker’s platform lifts are being dismantled. I’m still not fond of the colour scheme: Most of the building has been painted brilliant white, with the north-eastern faces a slate blue. I think it’s hideous, and looks unfinished. I note the two new flues running up the southern wall, which are from the new biomass communal heating plant… an interesting idea. Let’s hope it’s more reliable than the similarly ‘revolutionary’ underfloor heating installed when the flats were built.
Last time I posted on this subject, I was jumped on by someone whose relatives were apparently overjoyed to be living in these flats. Funny how the fiercest advocates of these design disasters never actually live in them themselves…
May 4th - Now, here’s a thing. I’ve cycled past this remaining fragment of wall lots lately, mainly to go and see if the swans had had hatched their eggs yet. It stands at the canal side between Catshill Junction and Anchor Bridge, and I think it’s the last evidence of the Iron Foundry that was here at the turn of the century. The foundry didn’t exist in my lifetime - there were industrial units here in the old buildings. I think one may have been a non-ferrous casting shop. There was also a plant hire company and an accident repairs firm. These were all razed in the 1990’s and Chandlers Keep built - a close of new build housing, named after one of the last businesses here, a boat company. Oddly, this 3 meter section of engineering brick wall, with ancient graffiti declaring approval for Aston Villa, remains.
July 4th - Anyone reading my work would think that I am completely against public artworks. This isn’t the case, there are plenty which I like, but this sculpture at Catshill Junction is not amongst them. A clearly very detailed piece, it has been placed on a canal bank on the far side of the junction where it cannot be seen clearly enough to discern the detail. Further, it’s overgrown and looks unloved. How much did we spend on this, and what was the point?
