Welcome to / Thank You for Visiting Birmingham sign on the Coventry Road near Sheldon Country Park

Drivers or people on buses might see this sign on the A45 Coventry Road, between Solihull and Birmingham. Having just passed Birmingham Airport, and heading into Sheldon. Birmingham City Council in recent years has been using it to advertise athletics sporting events. Comparison from summer 2017 to autumn 2022.

You can get to the Welcome to Birmingham / Thank you for visiting Birmingham sign on the Coventry Road in Sheldon, by either walking down from the Hobs Moat Road / Sheaf Lane junction, or exiting from the Sheldon Country Park (the path from the perimeter walk near Birmingham Airport). The X1 bus also stops near here. You can of course also see it from a car on travelling on the bus, or coach. You would probably have come off the M42 at Junction 6 (for Birmingham Airport and NEC), and heading for the Swan Island on the Coventry Road, or to Birmingham City Centre via the Smal Heath Highway?

 

Birmingham Athletics

Birmingham Athletics adverts seen in July 2017. Five years after London 2012, Team USA once again trained at the Alexander Stadium, while Team Jamaica trained again at the University of Birmingham. This was ahead of the London World Athletics Championships 2017.

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Be Bold Be Birmingham

The Be Bold Be Birmingham poster from Birmingham City Council, seen on the Welcome to / Thank you for visiting Birmingham sign, seen during October 2022, with an image of the Bullring bull. A couple of months before it had an image relating to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, but only saw it from a car. I had caught a 72 bus from Sheaf Lane, Sheldon to Marston Green Station Interchange, walked through the Sheldon Country Park, past the Airport Viewing Area, to the Coventry Road exit near the sign. Would have caught an X1 bus from here, but too long a wait, so just walked back up to catch a X2 back to Solihull Town Centre.

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Photos by Elliott Brown

National Express West Midlands: Birmingham Pride buses

Whenever there is a Birmingham Pride parade, National Express West Midlands always has at least one bus in rainbow colours. They have been doing this since at least Pride 2018. And you can catch it in regular service during the year as well.

National Express West Midlands proud to support Birmingham Pride 2018

Enviro 400 - 4879 - BX61 LNZ

On the 12th July 2018, I caught this National Express West Midlands on the 24 service, from Broad Street (near Five Ways Island). And got off at Colmore Circus Queensway (near the Colmore Building). 

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dndimg alt="Birmingham Pride" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BPride%202018%20Colmore%20Circ%20(Jul%202018)%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

National Express West Midlands - be proud of who you are

Enviro 400 - 4905 - BX13 JWE

First spotted on the 11th May 2019, on St Martin's Queensway outside of the Bullring, on route 47. It had been used for Birmingham Pride 2019.

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I next spotted the "be proud of who you are" bus on the 20th August 2019, in Digbeth. It was on bus route 60, while I was on a no 50 bus.

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On the 9th February 2022, I saw the "be proud of who you are" bus on bus route 97, it was on Moor Street Queensway.

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On the 1st April 2022, the "be proud of who you are" rainbow bus was on bus route 24, on Colmore Row, opposite of the Grand Hotel.

dndimg alt="Birmingham Pride" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BPride%202022%20Colmore%20Row%20(Apr%202022).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photography by Elliott Brown

Miniature Railway Wythall operated by Elmdon Model Engineering Society at The Transport Museum, Wythall

It wasn't just heritage buses at The Transport Museum, Wythall. On the August Bank Holiday Mondat 29th August 2022, visitors could pay to go on the Miniature Railway Wythall operated by Elmdon Model Engineering Society. The locomotive in use was called Blanche from the Penrhyn Railway. Kids seemed to have enjoyed it.

Miniature Railway Wythall operated by Elmdon Model Engineering Society

Shortly after getting off the car park shuttle bus at The Transport Museum, Wythall, I saw the station Elmdon Halt from the Miniature Railway Wythall.

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The first time I saw the miniature railway in action, was while looking at various heritage buses parked up. Was a grassy bank, and saw the miniature steam train Blanche come around.

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I was in The Power Hall, and briefly popped out when I saw this footbridge, shortly afterwards saw the miniature train heading around on the tracks. It went past the heritage buses, as well as a picnic bench area with bouncy castle and slides for kids.

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I was later in another bus garage on site, near the milk float collection, popped out and saw this tunnel. I did not wait around to see if the miniature steam train would come out of it. So back to the milk floats and buses it was.

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Before leaving, and after coming back to Wythall from a free bus ride, and ice cream. Saw the miniature steam train at Elmdon Holt, before we got back on the car park shuttle bus, to return to the Phoenix Group car park.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/MRW%20Elmdon%20TMW%2029082022%20(10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos by Elliott Brown

Visit to The Transport Museum, Wythall over the August Bank Holiday Monday 2022

On previous Bank Holiday weekends, I'd seen heritage buses from the collection of The Transport Museum, Wythall on the Alcester Road (south of the Maypole in Hollywood) or at Bristol Street or Suffolk Street Queensway (near The Alex Theatre, but CAZ stopped that). Finally went on the August Bank Holiday Monday 2022, plus rode a bus on a loop via Earlswood.

The Transport Museum, Wythall is located at Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcestershire, B47 6JA. On the Event Days of the August Bank Holiday weekend, Sunday the 28th and Monday the 29th August 2022, visitors could park their cars at Phoenix Group and get a free shuttle bus to the museum. Visitors could also get a free bus from the Maypole or from Wythall Station. As it was an Event Day, there was also free bus rides around the area. They used to also have buses going towards The Alexandra Theatre, but I'm unsure if they still do this since the Clean Air Zone came into force in 2021.

 

Car Park Shuttle buses

Bus route 758 from Phoenix Group to The Transport Museum, Wythall. We went on Travel West Midlands 4001 both ways, from the car park to the museum and back later that day. It was the first low floor bus in the fleet, also had seats to lift up for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

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Other buses on the Car Park Shuttle route 758 included West Midlands Travel 4613, National Express West Midlands 4321 and West Midlands Travel 2462. I'd earlier seen NXWM 4321 passing the Becketts Farm Flower Field on shuttle bus duties. And later saw it coming back on a Midland Red bus from a half hour bus ride to Earlswood and back.

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Midland Red

This Midland Red bus was no 1902 with Mercian branding. Was parked next to a Birmingham City Transport bus, no 486.

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Midland Red West 544 was one of the buses used for free bus rides on the Event Day.

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Midland Red 4255 was in a new exhibition. The Barn Find Exhibition. Buses and old milk floats found in barns, and left unrestored, as they were as they were discovered.

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More Midland Red buses in the garage to the north west of the site. No 5399, plus a couple of others to the left.

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As we exited the milk float exhibit, saw this Midland Red bus, for route M33 Malvern Link.

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In the repair shed was some familiar buses. An unidentifed Midland Red bus on the left and to the right, one destined for Gloucester on the X72.

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Time for a free bus ride. The 13:15 was supposed to go to Beoley via Alvechurch, but the driver did not know the route. So the bus we went on went from Wythall towards Earlswood and back on a half hour journey. It was Midland Red 5767.

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On leaving Wythall on the car park shuttle, saw from the top deck, Midland Red 5656, originally the Birmingham London Motorway Express on route ME1.

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Birmingham City Transport

Seen inside of The Power Hall was these Birmingham City Transport buses. You could sit in 0-9926 and have your photo taken with it.

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Seen outside of the engine repair shed was this pair of Birmingham City Transport buses 3009 and 486. Out so people could have bus rides on them.

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Birmingham City Transport 486 later spotted on Chapel Lane, heading back towards the museum. From the Midland Red bus we were on, which was on Hill Lane at the time. Our bus on the half our round trip towards Earlswood and back to Wythall via the A435.

dndimg alt="Transport Museum Wythall" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCT%20486%20TMW%2029082022.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

It's been almost four years since I've seen Birmingham City Transport 2548. Inside the repair shed, licence plate missing at the front.

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West Bromwich Corporation

This West Bromwich Corporation bus was one that you could go inside. And was parked up next to a Birmingham Fire Engine, in The Power Hall.

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Walsall Corporation

Bus no 56 from Walsall Corporation was inside of the repair shed.

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Bus no 116 was in the Midland Red repair shed. This is the first time since I last saw it at the Birmingham Bus Bash in Cannon Hill Park in 2017. I previously caught it on the road in Bromsgrove back in 2013. Some of it's wheels was off.

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Wolverhampton Corporation

This trolley bus was from Wolverhampton with overhead pantograph. The conductor would have to move it with a pole. It was seen in The Power Hall.

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West Midlands Travel

This West Midlands Travel bus no 4527 was parked outside on the Event Day.

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Various including Midland Red, Birmingham City Transport etc

A variety of different buses from around the West Midlands in this garage, including several Midland Red buses, Birmingham City Transport, West Midlands Travel and Travel West Midlands. The no 47 bus stood out for me, no 2811, as I may have ridden this bus back in the 1990s or early 2000s. The Metrobus was withdrawn from service in 2010.

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Photos by Elliott Brown

Riding the West Midlands Metro in Zone 1 between Edgbaston Village and Jewellery Quarter

The Westside Metro extension between Centenary Square and Hagley Road opened on the 17th July 2022. Then there was the heatwave. Elliott got a chance to ride it on the 23rd July 2022, on an off peak day ticket in the My Metro app, for Zone 1 only. Starting from Edgbaston Village, passing Five Ways and Brindleyplace. And on towards St Paul's and Jewellery Quarter.

A trip from Edgbaston to Jewellery Quarter via the City Centre, on the 23rd July 2022, to see King Kong return, then pop to The Golden Square, and get a tram back to the Colmore Business District for another visit to the 18th floor balcony at 103 Colmore Row. And one final tram journey from Victoria Square to Brindleyplace.

On the 20th July, I'd travelled to Broad Street to get photos of my first trams in service, but left riding the tram until the Saturday.

 

Edgbaston Village Tram Stop

I got the no 1 bus from Acocks Green via Moseley, which was diverted twice, including the scheduled diversion (due to Church Road being closed as The Vale is a Birmingham 2022 athletes village). Eventually got off the bus at Calthorpe Road and walked round to Harborne Road, then up the new Edgbaston Village Walk to the newly opened tram stop on the Hagley Road. It wasn't too long to wait for the tram to arrive.

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Zone 1 is from Edgbaston Village to Jewellery Quarter. There is three other zones from Jewellery Quarter to Wolverhampton St George's.

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West Midlands Metro tram 21 arrives, heading past Morrisons, and headed to the platform I was waiting at.

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The tram was pretty empty from the first stop, another photographer got on board, but he got off at Five Ways (the next stop).

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dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Edgbaston%20Village%20TS%2023072022%20(10).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Five Ways Tram Stop

After heading through the Five Ways underpass between Hagley Road and Broad Street, the next stop would be Five Ways Tram Stop.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="https://www.freetimepays.com/uploadedfiles/WMM%2021%20Broad%20St%2023072022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

The Superfreak street art was seen from tram 21, on the wall of Atlas Intercity, and near Islington House (was formerly Zara's).

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Superfreak%20Broad%20St%20WMM%2021%2023072022.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A few days before on the 20th July 2022, I caught a no 24 bus and saw tram 22 on a test run towards Edgbaston Village, it was heading down the Five Ways underpass from Broad Street.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2022%20Broad%20St%20200072022.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Before that, I'd got my first photos of a tram arriving at Five Ways Tram Stop, that would be West Midlands Metro tram 42. They need to manually change the display, as this one still said Edgbaston Village, but was heading to Wolverhampton St George's.

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Even More Brum! Seen on Five Ways Tram Stop before I took my first tram photos on Broad Street.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brum%20Five%20Ways%20TS%2020072022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

On the 15th July 2022 they were applying the vinyls a couple of days before the line opened. Got this nice shot of Five Ways Tram Stop with the Five Ways Entertainment Complex.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WME%20Broad%20St%2015072022%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Brindleyplace Tram Stop

Back to the journey on the 23rd July 2022, the next stop on Broad Street was Brindleyplace Tram Stop. Right outside of a restaurant called Qavali. Another tram went past.

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dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2021%20Broad%20St%2023072022%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

In front of the driver, was a National Express West Midlands bus, no 6104 (not sure of the route number). Heading for Edgbaston Village Tram Stop was West Midlands Metro tram 40.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2021%20Broad%20St%2023072022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Later that day, I'd caught my third tram, this time from Town Hall Tram Stop at Victoria Square, and got off at Brindleyplace Tram Stop. Was on tram 21 again, as tram 42 was heading for Wolverhampton St George's. Note that both trams said Edgbaston Village. Those tram drivers need to manually change the  digital destination display!

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2021%2042%20Brindleyplace%20TS%2023072022%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="West Midlands Metro" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMM%2021%2042%20Brindleyplace%20TS%2023072022%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

On the 20th July 2022, I headed up to the Secret Garden on  Level 7 at the Library of Birmingham to see if I could catch a tram on Broad Street. I managed to capture West Midlands Metro tram 43 heading for Edgbaston Village Tram Stop.

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By the time I left the library, I walked up Broad Street and saw tram 43 departing from Brindleyplace Tram Stop. There is still people riding e-Scooter's on Broad Street, near the trams and buses.

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Library Tram Stop

Back to the journey on the 23rd July, the tram arrived at Library Tram Stop for Centenary Square. This was when it started to get a bit busier.

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The tram went past the statue of Boulton, Watt & Murdoch, as well as the Birmingham 2022 Megastore.

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I also saw from the tram window, the Library of Birmingham and the Commonwealth Games flag pins.

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No 24 bus journey on the 20th July, as West Midlands Metro tram 39 (University of Birmingham livery near The Exchange) dpearted for Edgbaston Village (not Wolverhampton).

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Town Hall Tram Stop

On the 23rd July, my second tram trip was from Jewellery Quarter, got off at Bull Street (standing room only). Then walked up Colmore Row, to use my Key to the City for a third time at 103 Colmore Row. A 20 minute wait, before getting taken up the lift to the 18th floor balcony again. Took the opportunity to get the trams passing through Victoria Square, including tram 39 (University of Birmingham adverts) having just departed Town Hall Tram Stop.

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Not long after West Midlands Metro tram 42 (Nourished adverts) went past Victoria Square House towards Town Hall Tram Stop.

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After leaving Town Hall Tram Stop on Paradise Street, it passed Perry the Bull on it's way to Library in Centenary Square (crossing over Paradise Circus).

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Earlier, on my first tram towards St Paul's, the tram passed Victoria Square with this view to the Birmingham 2022 Fan Zone and 103 Colmore Row.

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After leaving 103 Colmore Row, I went to Town Hall Tram Stop for my third and final tram trip of the day (towards Broad Street, Brindleyplace Tram Stop).

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The Paradise Street side of the Town Hall now has Birmingham 2022 banners, as workmen got the building ready for the opening of the games.

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Tram 21 arrived, the tram I'd caught earlier that day. 103 Colmore Row, Foreign Exchange (Queen Victoria), Iron: Man and a tram. Finally!

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St Paul's Tram Stop

I ended my first tram journey on Zone 1 at St Paul's Tram Stop. I'd caught West Midlands Metro tram 21 at Edgbaston Village. It was closer here to get off and then see King Kong on Great Hampton Row. Also the tram was started to get a bit fuller than earlier stops.

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The new King Kong was a short walk away from St Paul's Tram Stop, from Constitution Hill and Great Hampton Street, to Great Hampton Row in 'King Kong Park'.

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Jewellery Quarter Tram Stop

After a quick look at King Kong, a walk towards The Golden Square, and checking out the Jewellery Quarter Festival, before a coffee stop at Costa Coffee on Frederick Street. Then a walk up Vyse Street to catch my second tram back into the City Core. Into Jewellery Quarter Station, then across to the tram stop platforms.

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On the railway side, I saw West Midlands Railway 172004 (and an unidentified Class 172 at the back) heading in the direction of Birmingham Snow Hill Station.

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My tram had arrived, West Midlands Metro tram 39. It was a bit full, so standing room only, and I got it to Bull Street. Later saw it from the 18th floor balcony at 103 Colmore Row (see further up this post for those photos).

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Photography by Elliott Brown