Dawson and Timmins, the co-founders of the Shakespeare Memorial Library

On the 28th February 2023, two blue plaques were unveiled at the Shakespeare Memorial Room, Level 9 of the Library of Birmingham. One of Samuel Timmins (it was placed in Elvetham Road, Edgbaston) and George Dawson (outside the room at the Skyline Viewpoint room). There is also an exhibition on from Everything to Everybody Shakespeare, for visitors to see.

The Heroic Age in Birmingham History

The Heroic Age in Birmingham History is part of the Everything to Everybody Project. It started on the 27th February and runs to the 12th April 2023. A collaboration between the Jewellery Quarter Research Trust and Everything to Everybody. They have worked together to explore the formation of Our Shakespeare Club and the people behind it. Free entry.

A quick look at this exhibition on Saturday 4th March 2023, was a lot of people in there, only really came up for the George Dawson blue plaque, which wasn't outside the room that day. There is images of Dawson, Timmins and Bunce on three of the walls up here. There was books in the glass display tables.

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A return visit to the Shakespeare Memorial Room on Thursday 16th March 2023, this time got the room to myself. Mission accomplished this time, as I got the George Dawson blue plaque, now on the wall outside of the room that he inspired. Probably best to see it during a weekday, compared to a Saturday (closed on Sunday's).

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Link to Everything to Everybody 

Birmingham City Council page on The Heroic Age in Birmingham

 

Samuel Timmins

Samuel 'Sam:' Timmins (1826-1902) lived at 18 Elvetham Road, Edgbaston. Also called Elvetham Lodge. Timmins was a co-founder of the Shakespeare Memorial Library. Timmins was a learned industrialist, lover of libraries and literature. The blue plaque from the Birmingham Civic Society was unveiled in the Shakespeare Memorial Room on the 28th February 2023, and was placed a few days later on his former home in Edgbaston. Seen on the 4th March 2023.

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George Dawson

On the 4th March 2023, the George Dawson blue plaque was not yet screwed to the wall outside of the Shakespeare Memorial Room, but the existing tablets, from the old Central Libraries, and the previous blue plaque up here for Marie Bethell Beauclerc were on the wall.

dndimg alt="George Dawson" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/E2E%20Shakespere%20LoB%2004032023%20(6).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

I waited a couple of weeks for them to put the blue plaque up, and returned on the 16th March 2023. George Dawson (1821-1876) was a champion of the Civic Gospel, promoting responsible local government and education, arts and culture for all. He inspired the world's first great Shakespeare Library. Dawson bust has been up here on Level 9 in the Skyline Viewpoint room since it opened in September 2013, but the glass case for that and the other marble busts is a recent addition.

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Previous post on the Shakespeare Memorial Room

 

Photography by Elliott Brown

Victoria Square - Public Realm Works - March 2023 update

Since January 2023, most of Victoria Square has been closed for more repaving of the square. The Floozie fountain has been turned off. Mostly the area in front of the Council House to the River statue, and the area below the Youth statue. The bit near the Town Hall was done in previous years. In 2022 they returned the Iron: Man statue and Floozie in the Jacuzzi fountain repaired.

21st January 2022

The River and Youth statues in storage, while the fountain was repaired. It was back working in time for the Commonwealth Games that summer.

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10th February 2022

The Council House got a jet wash, while a spot in Victoria Square was being prepared for the return of the Iron: Man statue by Antony Gormley.

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28th February 2022

The Iron: Man is reinstated in a new position in Victoria Square, months before the Commonwealth Games, having been in storage for around five years.

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9th April 2022

Paving completed around the Queen Victoria statue.

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The River statue by Dhruva Mistry has been lowered back into it's basin. It was removed, back in September 2021, ahead of the repairs to the fountain.

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23rd April 2022

St George's Day with a massive flag on the Town Hall. Not long before the fountain was turned back on. The paving here looked tired after 30 years.

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11th June 2022

View from 103 Colmore Row, during Key to the City. The River and Youth fountains were back on. As you can see the paving around the fountain had yet to be done, this would have to wait until early 2023, due to events coming up, such as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games that summer. It was at this time that the Queen Victoria statue was transformed by artist Hew Locke (Foreign Exchange).

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23rd July 2022

During the Commonwealth Games, local street artists painted over the old paving, as can be seen from 103 Colmore Row (during Key to the City).

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13th August 2022

After the end of the Commonwealth Games, Victoria Square was returned back to normal. This would not last long before PoliNations was installed here.

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8th October 2022

After PoliNations ended, this was the last time Victoria Square was fully opened, before the return of the Birmingham Frankfurt Christmas Market. Before that was Diwali on the Square in October. Work to resume renovating the square, only started up again at the end of December 2022.

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12th January 2023

A few weeks after the end of the last Frankfurt Christmas Market closed, most of Victoria Square was fenced off again for repaving works.

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22nd January 2023

The route past the Town Hall and Iron: Man statue is open from Victoria Square towards Chamberlain Square.

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Hoardings have gone back up again around the Council House, Council House Extension, Museum & Art Gallery again, the renovation and rewiring works will take until sometime in 2024.

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Near Starbucks, Colmore Row and Waterloo Street. Pedestrians can enter the path either side of this gate. It is the construction site entrance.

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A view to the Council House entrance. It will be closed until the renovation works here are completed by 2024.

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8th March 2023

From the bottom of Victoria Square, a view to the Council House through a gap in a gate. The lower paving looks almost complete.

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A view from Christchurch Passage, past one of the Sphinx guardian statues. Can't see much here other than the steps.

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During the week is workers on site, so didn't want to get my camera over the high fence, this is the path from Colmore Row / Waterloo Street, through the top of Victoria Square towards the Town Hall and Chamberlain Square.

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12th March 2023

From the top of Victoria Square, near the Council House. There is a gate and high fence, so bit hard to see what is going on up here.

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The 1993 paving has been removed and they are repaving from the Council House towards the top basin of the River and Youth fountain.

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The stone spheres / balls appears to have been removed. Is a lot of repaving needed here.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Avanti West Coast: Riding the Flying Scouseman to Coventry

I got the Avanti West Coast Pendolino service from Birmingham New Street to Coventry (it was going to London Euston) on the 23rd February 2023. Journey took around 20 minutes, with only one stop at Birmingham International. This train the Flying Scouseman was named in the Liverpool Echo Name a Virgin Train competition in 2017. The name remained after Avanti took over in 2019.

Coventry Station

Arriving at Coventry Station on Avanti West Coast Pendolino Flying Scouseman 390 148 on the 23rd February 2023. Mainly to have a look around the new Coventry Station concourse (the old 1960s building remains as is Grade II listed). Caught at Birmingham New Street, this train was going down the West Coast Mainline towards London Euston. The train stopped at platform 2. After my walk around Coventry (via War Memorial Park and the City Centre), I got Cross Country Trains back to Birmingham New Street (standing all the way, no free seats).

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The previous time I'd been to Coventry Station was on the 12th June 2021, where I saw Avanti West Coast Pendolino 390 010, with the 'Welcome to Coventry' sign. That day I got Avanti down to Coventry from Birmingham New Street, and later back with this train.

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Birmingham International Station

I previously saw Avanti West Coast Pendolino 390 152 at Birmingham International on the 3rd September 2022. But that day got London Northwestern Railway back to Birmingham New Street. This Avanti service was heading for Edinburgh at the time.

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Birmingham New Street Station

Seen from platform 4c at Birmingham New Street was Avanti West Coast Pendolino 390 135 at platform 5 (5b) on the 19th June 2021.

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While at platform 3 (3b) that day was Avanti West Coast Pendolino 390 122.

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A pair of Avanti West Coast Pendolino's Class 390 recorded at Birmingham New Street, from the Moor Street Link Bridge on the 17th October 2021.

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At Birmingham New Street on the 20th August 2020,  I saw Avanti West Coast Pendolino 390 127 in the new livery. Earlier that year before the pandemic began, they were still white, after the end of Virgin Trains in December 2019.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Centro Regional Railways livery on 323221

Eventually the Cross City Line fleet of the awesome Class 323 EMUs will be replaced by the new Class 730 EMUs. In December 2022 West Midlands Railway 323221 was repainted in classic 1990s yellow and green livery of Centro | Regional Railways. BWA's Elliott first photographed it at University on 11/02/2023, then rode it from Birmingham New Street to Shenstone and back on 15/02/2023.

Centro Regional Railways 323221

West Midlands Railway repainted the Class 323 unit 323221 in the 1990s livery of lime green, yellow and white with Centro and Regional Railways logos at the Soho depot. It returned to service on the 19th December 2022.

Birmingham We Are contributor Elliott Brown first spotted it at Selly Oak near the Worcester & Birmingham Canal a day later (near Selly Oak Shopping Park on 20/12/2022), but was unable to get a photo of it.

Several other attempts to see it including a trip from Five Ways to Longbridge (and back to Kings Norton on 21/12/2022), then Birmingham New Street to Aston (and back from Duddeston on 01/01/2023), finally Bournville to Birmingham New Street one way (on 28/01/2023), didn't catch it.

 

Previous liveries over the years

London Midland 323221 at Aston Station during August 2012.

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London Midland 323221 at Witton Station during September 2012.

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London Midland 323221 at Bournville Station during January 2015.

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West Midlands Railway 323221 in London Midland livery, late December 2017, at Birmingham New Street Station. The franchise changed that month.

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West Midlands Railway 323221 at Chester Road Station during December 2018.

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West Midlands Railway 323221 at Selly Oak Station during August 2019.

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University Station - 11th February 2023

On this day I went to the Selly Oak Shopping Park and walked up the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to catch a train one way from University to Birmingham New Street. And I finally got 323221 arriving on a service to Redditch! It was quite awesome to see. The station here is still not complete. At the front that day was 323204.

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The platforms here feel extra long, but don't walk past the no pedestrians sign at the end.

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Sometime in the future you will be able to use both sides of the new station building, but it is still not open or complete.

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First full view of the back of 323221 in it's "new" Regional Railways livery.

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These units still had this livery into the Central Trains era, but was changed to a darker green, yellow and white livery under London Midland from 2007 to 2017.

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Eventually when West Midlands Railway took over in 2017, they got a orange and white livery. They are due to be replaced by the new Class 730 Aventra with orange and purple livery sometime in the future, by 2024.

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Video clip on Youtube here West Midlands Railway 323 at University.

 

Birmingham New Street Station - 15th February 2023

A few days later, I went to Birmingham New Street to get the train to Shenstone in Staffordshire, to see the Annatomix mural. And guess what, Centro Regional Railways 323221 showed up at platform 8! So I got on it and had a half hour ride to Shenstone. While there was 11am emergency alarms tests at the station, but departed a few minutes later.

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The Class 323's have a big gap between the platform if they are curved, so MIND THE GAP.

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The refurbished interior is unchanged from when West Midlands Railway did up the entire fleet from 2018 to 2021.

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My walk around the village of Shenstone gave me time to get back to the station and back on West Midlands Railway 323221 in Regional Railways Centro livery, and back to Birmingham New Street. Arriving at platform 12.

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Shenstone Station - 15th February 2023

Between Sutton Coldfield and Staffordshire as usual is all the fields, and after that Shenstone is the first station outside of the WMCA. Got off West Midlands Railway 323221 at Shenstone. It was a bit bright from this side as I exited the station. Couldn't initially saw the Annatomix. A half hour walk around the village, found three pubs, and several old churches.

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The station building at Shenstone probably dates to 1884 but isn't listed, sunlight to bright from this side, was better to see from the car park.

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Up the steps to Lynn Lane, for a half hour walk around Shenstone.

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After the walk, back to Shenstone Station. The Annatomix was in the bike store area on platform 2. This time 323221 was at the back, with 323207 at the front, still I decided to get on 323221 again for the half hour train ride back to Birmingham New Street from Shenstone.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Railway" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMR%20323221%20Shenstone%20Stn%2015022023%20(4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

323207 passed under the Lynn Lane bridge.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Railway" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMR%20323221%20Shenstone%20Stn%2015022023%20(5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Six carriages on three car sets linked together. The WMR livery contrasts with the Centro Regional Railways livery behind.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Railway" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMR%20323221%20Shenstone%20Stn%2015022023%20(6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Yellow doors with the Centro logo, press the button to open the doors when it lights up.

dndimg alt="West Midlands Railway" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WMR%20323221%20Shenstone%20Stn%2015022023%20(7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photography by Elliott Brown

Sustrans: Local Heroes - Jane Sixsmith, Ellie Simmonds and Lenny Henry

At the beginning of February 2023, Sustrans unveiled a new set of statues at Osler Street Play Area in Ladywood. Of Local Heroes - Jane Sixsmith MBE (former hockey player), Ellie Simmonds OBE (former Paralympian swimmer) and Sir Lenny Henry CBE (actor, comedian, presenter etc). They are Portrait Benches on the National Cycle Network across the UK, now including here in Birmingham.

Sustrans on the National Cycle Network

Explore Birmingham using the National Cycle Network.

Local Heroes are sculptures that are part of a series celebrating local heroes, chosen by communities across the UK.

For more information visit: Sustrans Portrait benches.

These were created to celebrate Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

It was reported by the BBC - article here: Sir Lenny Henry sculpture boosts Birmingham community park. And by the Birmingham Mail: Lenny Henry 'moved' as sculpture unveiled at park - alongside Jane Sixsmith and Ellie Simmonds.

 

Osler Street Play Area, Ladywood, Birmingham

In Birmingham the three statues were unveiled on the 1st February 2023 at Osler Street Play Area (or Osler Street Park) in Ladywood. Close to Clark Street, Reservoir Road and Osler Street (plus close to Edgbaston Reservoir).

They depict local heroes: Jane Sixsmith, Ellie Simmonds and Lenny Henry.

dndimg alt="Sustrans Local Heroes" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Local%20Heroes%20OSPA%20(Feb%202023)%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

 

Jane Sixsmith MBE

Jane Sixsmith is the first British female hockey player to compete in four Olympics. She retired from international hockey after scoring over 100 goals, winning 165 caps for England and 158 for Great Britain. Her honours include an MBE, an Olympic bronze (1992), European Cup gold (1991) and a Commonwealth silver medal (1998).

dndimg alt="Sustrans Local Heroes" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Local%20Heroes%20OSPA%20(Feb%202023)%20(5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Ellie Simmonds OBE

Ellie Simmonds is a British former Paralympian swimmer. She competed at the Summer Paralympics in 2008 in Beijing, winning two gold medals aged 13. She won further gold medals at the London 2012 Paralympics and the Rio 2016 Paralympics. She set a 400m freestyle world record in London 2012, and a 200m medley world record in Rio.

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Sir Lenny Henry CBE

Lenny Henry is an actor, comedian, singer, presenter and writer from Dudley. He co-founded the charity Comic Relief in 1985, and was knighted in 2015 for services to drama and charity. More recently Lenny acted in Amazon Prime Video's Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and Netflix's The Witcher: Blood Origin.

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Some more views

The approach on the path from Osler Street.

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The Exploring Birmingham Using the National Cycle Network sign.

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The sign with the three statues.

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The view from Clark Street, just having left the path.

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Clark Street view with all three statues. The view towards the main entrance of Edgbaston Reservoir.

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Photography by Elliott Brown