The Bull enjoyed an intense period of adulation during the Commonwealth Games as the Birmingham Public took the Bull to their hearts. Standing tall next to the Central Library, the Bull became the main attraction in Centenary Square. I visited the square several times with the family. Whether you were young or old everyone loved the Bull. However, rumblings about its future began to surface as we learnt that it was not going to be a permanent fixture. There was an open debate what would happen after the Commonwealth Games were over. My blog account of that first day when the bull was moved to Centenary Square after that amazing opening ceremony, shows how much it was loved. There was much discussion about the future and the decision was to keep the Bull on show till the end of September.
The Bull at the peak of its powers during the Commonwealth Games
On the hour during the games, there was an amazing display from the Bull. The animatronics included leg movement, shaking of the head and smoke coming out of the nostrils. All this ceased as the team who operated the internal levers and controls moved onto other contract work in the UK. The Bull remained standing proud and was admired by the many visitors who came to Birmingham. Then not quite at the end of September, the Bull was moved from the square. It quickly transpired that its new home was a piece of waste ground in Ladywood near to the Birmingham canal navigations. There were coverings over the structure to protect it from the elements. Protection is needed as the Bull is of mixed construction with a metal outer skin, but internal organs made of foam and electronics. Within its centre was a telehandler, a type of tractor that enabled the bull to be moved around.
The Bull behind barbed wire
So how is the Bull these days? My pictures reveal life as a Bull in Birmingham after the Commonwealth games. The Bull stands alone by the canal behind barbed wire, covered with a tarpaulin. There is a single security guard on duty. My pictures show it is lonely and that people do not know it is around. My picture of the lonely bull with the couple passing by captured the imagination of Instagram and it was featured by BirminghamLive bringing its plight to the attention of the whole of Birmingham.
Behind bars and do not touch.The lonely Bull in the Car Park
This was one venue that I was not able to book onto during the #keytothecitybrum project and therefore my visit was a few weeks after the Commonwealth Games.
Simon blows the whistle on whistles
Simon Topman, managing director of 150-year-old ACME Whistles greeted our small group with the words “You are part of the leftovers”. No, this is not a reference to a meal or a restaurant, rather Simon was referring to the “Key to the City”. During the festival, the Whislte tour only took place on Wednesdays, and as I was soon to realise, only small groups could be taken around the factory premises. Therefore, I was one of many that could not get on a tour during the Key to the City dates. I was determined to complete the full set of venues with my key and so I was more than happy to attend and proud to be one of the “leftovers”.
Luxury seating and display cabinetsThe beautiful waiting area
Whilst we waited for Simon to appear for the tour, we had coffee and biscuits in the upper meeting room. The place reminded me of my grandmother’s sitting room with so many fascinating memorabilia on display. There were items from the two wars, recent links to the England football team and the late Queen’s Jubilees. The furniture was wonderfully luxurious, and the focus was all about whistles.
A tub of whistles
There are several accounts on the Internet about the ACME whistle tours led by Simon, and these have elevated the experience to a legendary status. What does this account add to a thoroughly entertaining 2 hour tour of the factory? To start with, Simon is a first-class raconteur and a master of storytelling. We learnt about the history of the whistle and how the business started. It all began with Joseph Hudson and his invention of the police whistle in the 1870s and the company have not looked back since.
WW2 bomb damage from shrapnel
Dipping whistles in the tankWhistles ready for electroplatingSoldering the whistleReady for solderingPolishing WhistlesReady for a polishThe making of the WhistleBrass whistlesDifferent manufacturing processes of the making of the Whistle
For a photographer, the tour was a delight and I had fun taking pictures of the various factory scenes that unfolded. At the start of the tour we surveyed the bomb damage in the ceiling from WWII. Then we entered the working factory. Each area provided an interesting viewpoint of the making of whistles. What was intriguing was how the light changed throughout the grand Victorian building. The shiny surfaces of numerous whistles resulted in a host of pictures. There were several macro-opportunities of the whistles themselves. The people who worked at the factory were the stars and I hope they did not mind being photographed as their contributions to the manufacture of the whistles was interesting. I took pictures of the different processes that took place in the production of both the metal and plastic ACME whistles. I took the opportunity of photographing Simon and was taken aback when he informed me that not that many people ask to take his photograph during the tours. But like a professional actor, he quickly posed with both whistles and rackets. I would love to spend the day photographing all the people working in the factory. There is so much that is happening that deserves to be recorded.
Rattle and Whistle.
Then the tour was over. I looked at my watch 2 hours had sped by. The fee for the tours goes directly to charity and the factory has strong links with a local school for children with special educational needs. I brought one of their silent dog whistles and three of their authentic Titanic whistles which is another story that Simon tells so well. It is worth just booking on the tour to hear about how the original whistle was used on the Titanic and its reprise in the successful film.
The Tiled entrance hall with a bell in the corner
I left by the front door, admiring the beautiful tiling and other tokens of a long successful business in the world of whistles. Outside the Victorian building looks resplendent and has seen many events during its lifetime. Simon informed me that the front street was to feature in the new ITV series written by Lenny Henry called “Three little birds”. I forgot to mention to Simon that this was an opportunity to market a new whistle to commemorate the Influx of immigrants from Jamaica. Such a whistle would prove to be very popular at carnivals and other celebrations!
The entrance to the Whistle Factory
There are many accounts on the Internet about the legendary Whistle Tour led by Simon Topman and I have put some of the links below.
The Raja Monkey restaurant in Hall Green has an international reputation in the world of curries and again was one of the more unusual entries in the #keyofthecitybrum project. I was nearing the end of my key quest and I was wondering how to organise a visit to the restaurant. Unbeknown to me, Sandy and Sian were very interested in having a meal at the restaurant and so we booked on the Thursday when the opening ceremony to the Commonwealth Games was taking place. We arrived to a warm welcome and shown to our seats. We remarked on the décor of the restaurant which gave it a middle eastern look. Then we received our special menus for the #keytothecitybrum. Both Sandy and Sian went for the traditional curry option whilst Jim and I went for the special menu.
The Special Menu
The special menu had an Indian food base but was heavily influenced by Bangladeshi food preparation. There were three courses and when the food arrived the waiters explained in detail the source of the food. There was also a lot of pride in what they were serving.
To StartTo FollowTo Finish
At the end, Sandy and Sian said “one of the best curries they have had”. We reflected that the restaurant has a wonderful family atmosphere. The food was superb with excellent service. Thanks to #keyofthecitybrum for allowing us to discover this wonderful establishment.
LightEntranceShadows
A wonderful meal @rajamonkey and highly recommend visiting the restaurant.
The sign of a good meal.
My Journey with the Key If you wish to review my journey then I have published all my visits on my blog as follows.
Aston Hall is a beautiful Grade 1 listed building near to the Aston Villa football ground and is considered to be a leading example of a building from the Jacobean era. When I arrived at the Hall, a wedding party was setting up. Two Lamborghinis drove up and parked outside the hall. They provided great photographic opportunities.
Fast Cars in front of the Hall
I went into the house and as it was an early Sunday morning I found that I had the place all to myself. I have been to the Hall several times and always find it fascinating. So many highlights including the room where King Charles 1 stayed during the Civil War. The staircase where there are the remains of cannon ball damage in the wood which have not been repaired. The Long Hall always takes your breath away with its simple magnificence. I made my way to the staircase which leads up Dick Garretts room. Dick Garret was a servant accused of stealing food and then took his life in the Attic room named after him.
Canonball damageThe Long HallCivil War memories
Just before Dick Garretts room there is a grandfather clock and to the left a door followed by another door which has a lock. My key opened this door which opened quickly and noisily. Once through the door, there are several rooms that you are able to access. You enter the first two which are unfurnished and then the last one that is furnished with bed, mirror and writing desk. I realised that I was all by myself in this secret area. Aston Hall is supposed to be the most haunted place in Britain. Not only is there the ghost of Dick Garret but a Grey Lady that is seen around the Hall. Fortunately, I did not encounter them or any other ghosts.
The room with the entrance to the secret chamber.Empty roomShadowsThe door with the lockQuestions?Items on the table
Or was the ghost already there, I will never know?
The High Vis festival this year was at the Tea Works on Canal street. The wide open setting allowed for a range of Graffiti artists to ply their trade on the surrounding walls. I went to the festival with my family on the Saturday afternoon.
In ProgressDetailsAnnatomix at workPenguinFinal touchesColourful
The street art painters were in good form as well, with many ready to chat with you and let you know what they were painting. All the walls were in action and several artists were already working when we arrived. Seeing Annatomix painting was a bonus. The family were keen to get back to the shops and I only discovered her working on her scorpion design on the way out. There were many different art works on display but due to timing, most of them were works in progress. I will go back later in the week to check out the finished artwork. Stay tuned. The queues for the children’s art painting were slow moving and we did not get a chance for the grandchildren to try out some painting. There was just a high demand in that area and we will be ready for next year.
Redbull gapTaking offMind the gapTake a lookWatch out skaters aboutThe rail
We loved the skate boarding and the energy around the place. The skate boarders were excellent and there was the opportunity to get up close and see them in action. There was a gap which the skaters jumped over before turning around on the ramp. All the skaters negotiated the RedBull Road gap successfully and there was also a rail to skate along as well. The boarders are very skilful and also fun to photograph.The High Vis event is organised by Graffiti Artist and I am already looking forward to the next event in 2023.
Tea WorksDiscussing techniquesTea WorksResident DJPenguinPlanning the next stepsDiscussions
After two abortive attempts to get to Touchwood, one at the wrong time and the other at the right time (but too near the stores opening time), I arrived at the ideal time. Midnight is when the centre allowed #keytothecitybrum holders to enter the shopping centre. As you can imagine, this is not an easy time for most people and as I walked down a dimly lit alleyway in Solihull next to McDonalds, I started to get second thoughts.
In a dark dark street….
The after-hours entrance is not a solubrious placeI as I walked down to the gates and pressed the intercom. A voice kindly welcomed me to the venue, but I had to wait while they did their evening checks around the centre. After 10 minutes I was admitted. In the meantime, two other key holders had arrived. It was a dark foreboding alley, and I was apprehensive as they approached but then reassured when I saw their blue boxes holding the key.
Out of hours entrance to Touchwood
Once inside the main shopping hall, the security people took us to the information kiosk. The key opened a locked box on the desk. Inside were sachets of Cadbury’s drinking chocolate which the security team used to make mugs of drinking chocolate for their visitors. We were then allowed to wander around the deserted shopping centre with our cups in hand. It was a surreal experience.
Box on the deskDrinking ChocolateDrinks on the way
All the shops looked like there were in stasis just waiting for the people to arrive. The area around the cinema was interesting without people around. I think it was the lack of voices and general noise that made the centre feel so different. I loved the Polestar car showroom where all the cars had their headlamps full on. The Apple shop did not have queue outside it but of course it was not open! The restaurants had the chairs upturned ready for cleaning. I spent a good 45 minutes looking around, taking selfies, and looking around the empty shops. Time then to go home and get to bed after my late night visit!
No Queues at the Apple Shop LOLNight time driving in an empty shopping centreNo noisy working machinesCineworld is empty!DarkEmptyNo one aroundThe selfie had to be done.
My Journey with the Key If you wish to review my journey then I have published all my visits on my blog as follows.
I, also, found myself getting caught up in this rollercoaster of a celebration of the motorway junction. Following on from my recent visit to the junction, IgersbirminghamUK organised a photographic meeting for the week of the celebrations. Just under 40 photographers arrived on a Sunday morning to be briefed on the planned photographic walk under the M6. The group photograph was a popular picture and was even featured by the national IgersUK Instagram page. All the photographs taken during the walk may be found under the Instagram hashtag #igbuk_meet_spagjunction. There are some very good pictures that show the relatively unseen world underneath the Spaghetti Junction.
IgersbirminghamUK participantsThe quietness of the canal with the Junction in the distance (selected for the BBC England’s Big Picture).A view of the columns holding up the Motorway.Nature is reclaiming the area underneath the Spaghetti Junction.
The events of the meeting were recorded by the BBC and the report by reporter Laura Mcmullan featured interviews with me and other photographers. Following the publication of the BBC news item, I was invited by the University of Birmingham to write an article on what lies below the Spaghetti Junction from a photographic viewpoint.
Broken glass in Salford CircusDiscarded and broken shopping trolley.
Although I was busy with the organisation of the meeting, I did have time to take a few pictures myself as featured in this blog. I wonder what the place will be like in another 50 years. Meanwhile, I know that I will be passing over the Junction in the future as I hurtle in and out of Birmingham.
The Wythall transport museum is a treasure trove of bus memorabilia and it was recommend to the IgersbirminghamUK team as a place to hold an Instameet following a feature on BBC Midlands Today. The man behind the museum is enthusiast Denis Chick and he was there to greet us as we arrived at the Museum. Denis is Vice Chairman and Press Officer and there is nothing he does not know about the collection. His enthusiasm for the place is unlimited and we received a warm welcome. This was a limited numbers IgersbirminghamUK meeting as Denis already had a booking with a classic car display taking place. When we arrived the cars were already getting ready for the display. The sun was shinning off the highly polished bodywork. We could not have asked for better weather for a day out at the Transport Museum.
Denis Chick in front of one of the restored buses at the museum.
Many of the IgersbirminghamUK regulars were present plus one or two new faces. We had a quick introduction to the day, a group photograph and then we set off to explore the cars and buses. The museum houses over 90 buses. Many of the famous names of the past are there including Midland Red and the WMPTE blue and cream buses. There are other transport buses from around the West Midlands including representation from local independent operators. All the buses are in operating condition and sport a wonderful array of colours.
A busy day of classic cars and buses at the Museum
The IgersbirminghamUK participants were able to roam around the three hangers that housed the vehicles, and many photographs were taken. It was a dream location. Reflections in the windows and mirrors made for many great compositions. The small details in and around the buses and other memorabilia meant that as photographers we had a great time as we snapped away. I particularly liked all the emblems and old signs.
The no 11 busSetting off for a bus ride around the area.Petrol Cap (they don’t make them like this anymore!)Stop signal in the drivers cab.Lovely Chrome work radiator.Authentic scale model buses to purchaseMidland red
In line with the current green agenda, the museum has a collection of battery electric road vehicles. This includes 30 electric milk floats and bread vans. These vehicles were operated by companies such as the Co-op, Midland Counties and Birmingham and Handsworth Dairies. Once again like the buses, the milk floats were very photogenic and there was always a volunteer around to talk about their previous history and how they went about restoring them.
A line up of electric milk floats.
The exhibits were photographed all over from the overall bus to the minute details of the inside and the wheels and other interesting components. The spectrum of colours was a delight.
The bonus to the visit was National drive-it day. This is when all classic vehicle owners are encouraged to get their vehicle on the road. There were several car clubs present and the range of cars was so varied.
My first car was a Hillman Imp. Great to see this model.A line up of classic carsA Ford Mustang
A big thank you to Wythall Transport Museum for hosting us. Thank you to Nicky Butler part of the IgersbirminghamUK team for putting together the day but unable to join us. To John Convey of the Igers team for helping on the day. Thank you to all the participants who came along. These are my own personal photographs and if you wish to see some of the marvellous pictures taken then follow the link #igbuk_meet_wythall. If you are interested in our previous IgersbirminghamUK instameets then follow the links to show the variety of photographic subjects that are covered. The Exchange meets IgersbirminghamUK Moseley Instameet – IgersbirminghamUK
Selfie with instructions on how to great the public on the buses.
Oozells square in the westside of Birmingham is unremarkable other than the IKON gallery which is on one side of the square. The IKON is a highly acclaimed contemporary art venue and when you have finished looking over the latest exhibits, take a well earned rest in Yorks coffee shop. However in the months of March and April the square erupts with cherry blossom and becomes one of the most photographed squares in Birmingham. I also took many photographs. The square was featured in a BBC news and my photograph was included. I have also added a few more of my own in this post.
A favourite reflection is produced around the water featurethe blossom turns and ordinary square into the extraordinary.A traditional view of the blossom with the IKON in the background.Another traditional view of the blossom in the square.
Instameets are friendly photographic get togethers where you meet like-minded people for a social chat and take pictures. The meetings are also held at fascinating venues around the West Midlands. My usual patch is IgersbirminghamUK or the Westmidlandsphotocollective. Both hold meetings at venues which provide a multitude of photographic opportunities. Igers_staffordshire is a group that hold Instameets around the Lichfield area. The venue for this meeting was the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. The Arboretum occupies a large swathe of land just North of Lichfield and is well signposted off the A38. However, it is a place that I always pass by and think to myself that is somewhere to visit in the future. When Igers_staffordshire advertised the event then I quickly signed up. The meeting started in the car park which is one of the strategic places in the Arboretum. Whilst entry to the site is free, car parking is strictly controlled and must be prebooked. The entrance and the welcome buildings guide you through to the main body of the Arboretum. I was greeted by the organisers and it is easy to work out who the photographers are as you will not miss the tripods, backpacks and cameras on display. Once through the entrance we made our way to the most commanding monument which is the Armed Forces Memorial. It is not difficult to miss as it sits as a raised structure with an attractive circle of trees. We posed on the steps for the picture of the group and then started exploring.
The inside of the Armed Forces Memorial
You find yourself pulled towards the Armed Forces Memorial, up the steps and into the inner parts. It borrows heavily in architectural design from the Greeks and Romans. It is impressive, and it was here that I met Kenneth who is a volunteer at the National Memorial Arboretum. We got talking about the Arboretum and Kenneth outlined some of the major features about the place. He showed me where a shaft of sunlight shines through the gaps in the southern walls onto the central bronze wreath on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month #Armistaceday. Kenneth does two days volunteering and is out in all weathers, greeting visitors. His welcoming smile and enthusiasm help visitors to get the most from their visit. Kenneth is one of many volunteers who I met during my time at the Arboretum. I explained to Kenneth about my ‘100strangers’ project and he agreed to being photographed. This picture shows him standing in the centre of the #ArmedForcesMemorial near the central wreath with the #cenotaph in the background.
Kenneth, Volunteer
Next, I set off to visit the rest of the Arboretum. There were several memorials that I passed along the way including those to the Iraq war and The Polish War memorial. I did like the Irish Infantry Grove. The paving stones are set out with a map of Ireland. From there, I wandered into the trees and was taken with the numerous discs with messages on them. There is so much to take in and this blog only touches the surface. I posted several sets of pictures on Instagram.
Looking through and remembering
The first is a set of lines and colours that made an impression on me. The #shotatdawn memorial by artist #AndyDeComyn was particularly moving. Consisting of stakes in the ground representing the young men shot by firing squad. There are several other memorials captured here.
Stakes and shadows
Shot at Dawn Memorial
rows of crosses
The Armed Forces Memorial
Royal Navy Memorial
Lines and Colours
My other reflection from my visit was the numerous Connections in the Arboretum and this is the link for this series of photographs including pictures with permission of soldiers remembering people behind the names. The sun and the rain connect with the memorials to enhance their stories.
Afternoon sun shines on the Royal Navy Memorial
Remembering and reflecting
Reading the names
Water droplets
A shaft of light
Connections
It was a moving day out and I covered a fair amount of the Arboretum. There is still much more to see. These are the best of the pictures although there were many more to discover. Several of the memorials have been cleverly designed to catch the natural elements such as the sun and rain providing reflections and opportunities for carefully taken pictures that bring out the best in their design.
Royal Air Force Memorial
On the Eleventh hour….
Blue is the colour of the Sea
The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Memorial
A shaft of light
More lines in the Memorials
Finally a big thank you to @igers_staffordshire for organising this instameet. I also met such great fellow photographers. Follow #igersstaffordshire_nma for all the pictures taken by the group on the day.
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