Scandal of Stourbridge sidelined - all Birmingham's fault (very nearly!)

STOURBRIDGE RAILWAY REMAINS FORGOTTEN, as roads clog with traffic.

• The railway runs from Worcester to Derby via Stourbridge and Dudley town for 120 Kms.
• 56 Kms is ready built but is unused or partly used for 56 Kms between Stourbridge and Burton on Trent.
• Freight trains run from Port Talbot to Round Oak Steel, next to the Waterfront, next to Merry Hill.
• Elsewhere, passenger trains and freight trains run on the same track.  Why not our forgotten railway?
• Not even the Metro trams from Dudley town will use that railway into Stourbridge Jct station.
• INSTEAD, the trams will divert off it into Merry Hill when they should remain on the railway into OUR town.
• The wealthy Merry Hill owners are given a £1 billion asset tramway to make them even richer!
• That is the spectacular scandal of taxpayer generosity to the rich.
• This is the stupidity of wasting a total of some 100 Kms of railway in the West Midlands while we all get stuck in traffic jams and the Climate emergency worsens - by 40 years of Metro idiocy.

ACTION suggested to get out of the 44 year old disastrous tram rut paralysis:

1. If work cannot be stopped from taking the tram off the railway onto the Dudley No 1 Canal embankment at Merry Hill, stop it destroying even more nature to accelerate Climate catastrophe.  Therefore, ...
2. Terminate the Dudley Tram at the Merry Hill tram stop at Merry Hill NOT in Cottage Street, Brierley Hill.
3. In fact, far more sensible to keep the tram on the railway from Cinder Bank roundabout to connect it with the national railway network at Stourbridge Jct.
4. The freight trains will have to run at night.
5. The billions planned for more tram extensions must go to give everyone the totally Fare-Free Public Transport that I have had for the last 17 years.

Two of these trees remain after four felled for the Merry Hill tram stop:

 6 glorious white trees.jpg

Their foolish plan shows the scale of the destruction and idiocy:

 WBHE plan for Merry Hill.jpeg

This map shows what is still left for railway TRAINS, not trams to be reinstated:

 Railfuture's full map.pdf

Positive, practical, sensible Climate compliant action here:

 Bus and businesses at the centre of a virtuous circle

Some fun at the expense of the bigwigs, here:

 Trumpland Transport in the West Midlands since 1981

Many thanks

The Epitomy of Incompetence

The idiots in charge put the BCIMO Innovation Centre and VLR test track (now in administration) on the site of the former Dudley Railway Station with its continuously welded track and concrete sleepers.  It was more recently used as the Dudley Freightliner Depot until the 1990s when it closed.

This principal mainline railway between London and Edinburgh via the road congested Black Country, then was to become the Metro tram extension from the first mainline railway converted to tramway.  After nearly 20 years of trying, this first mainline to tramway was finally achieved in 1999 when it opened for trams instead of trains!  This then led to more decades of them trying to put a tram extension on the Black Country Mainline Railway through Dudley instead of trains, would you believe!

After many cock ups, work having to be redone and failures, the Dudley Tram is expected to finally arrive at the VLR Innovation Centre and test track in time for Christmas 2025 - but, after all that, this will still be only for the first half of the 10.7 Kms extension!  The leader of Dudley Council, Cllr Fred Hunt, had told me in the mid 90s, in all seriousness, that the tram would arrive in Dudley by the year 2000!!  He, like all his fellow councillors in 40 years of failure have NEVER wanted trains reinstated, only trams!

What utter and complete idiots.  What a shambles.  Unbelievable stupidity by professional transport experts and politicians.  Taxpayers' money shoved down the drain - never for TRAINS only trams between London and Edinburgh through the Black Country!

BCIMO has failed

See Dave's email to me, below.

This is a major financial and transport scandal and a wicked waste of many tens of millions of pounds.  Quite apart from wrecking the London to Edinburgh mainline railway through the heart of the Black Country.  All because of their foolish obsession with trams on railway lines and taking over or duplicating bus routes!

I suggested, in 2014, that they built their VLR Innovation Centre at the former steel site at Moor Street, Brierley Hill.  They could then have used the 3 Kms track up to Pensnett High Street.  But they knew best and ignored me!!

"Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation, who operate the Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley, has fallen into administration."

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: david parsons <dave0861@outlook.com>
Date: Sun, 6 Jul 2025 at 16:06
Subject: My prediction has come true.
To: Tim Weller <timweller1@gmail.com>

Hi Tim.

I thought that would inform you that, the VLR centre at Dudley which was built on the Former BR Freightliner depot and blocking the former South staffs trackbed  from ever being used as a through Rail route from Stourbridge to Lichfield have gone into receivership.

Once promoted by Dudley council leader P Harley & former mayor A Street at a cost of millions as being the future for innovative light rail technology in Dudley has been a white elephant.

Having finished its one and only main contract of development and testing the VLR vehicle for Coventry town centre has currently closed its doors due to lack of orders.

As I have said in my previous emails this was an exercise in throwing money down a drain, it was never needed, there are already other test sites in Britain like at Long Marston for testing and development of light rail infrastructure and vehicles etc.

Most builders of light rail vehicles such as CAF or Stadler have their own research facilities and the point of an independent company to do the same research makes no sense as there is not enough projects to go round that justifies light rail development.

It will now be interesting to see what happens next to this site, most of its test track is in a 949 yard tunnel under Dudley, not really ideal for examination of a vehicle if something goes amiss.

Of course the next waste of money will soon be the arrival of the Metro in Dudley.

This project persistently runs out of financial funds every few miles it's completed & despite funding in the chancellors last fund review, may still not reach that gem of a place to travel to Cottage St Brierley Hill.

Interestingly last Friday, I chose to walk from New st station, to the figure of Eight pub in Broad Street  Birmingham & left my mate outside the station to catch the tram.

I got to the Figure of Eight pub first.

Enough said I think.

Campaign for Better Transport has allowed two mainline railways to be converted to tramways (and much else!)

Campaigning has helped to shape transport's rich history. For instance, in the 1970s, under our old name of Transport 2000, we helped see off plans to halve the British Rail Network from 11,000 miles to just 5,000. I am looking forward to exploring the impact of campaigns like this, as well as high-profile anti-road campaigns, bus campaigns and more.

First 16" wheel Brompton bike on 'The Three Castles Walk'!

This was my crazy idea to cycle on a Brompton folding bike on the exact line of the footpath to take in every stile, gate and footbridge to cycle or walk between the three castles I had never heard of before!  One problem was its length of 19 miles over remote but beautiful farming land and countryside.

The inspiration for the attempt was a small concertina map, laminated on both sides, at a large scale of the route between Skenfrith, White and Grosmont Castles in Monmouthshire.  I had only just come across it and paid the £5 for its shirt pocket size.

By Brompton because I had been borrowing my sister-in-law's six-speed folder for a little cyclo-cross.  It was great, for its small size, for lifting over stiles and gates.  But even better to quickly get over the boring tarmac between the footpaths.

I set off at 3.30 pm and, almost immediately in Skenfrith, I had a local man saying he greatly respected my attempt at doing the round.  What a nice guy and a great encouragement.

Later, on the ride/walk, I met a man who, on hearing what I was up to warned me of a gorge coming up.  "If you want to leave the bike it will be safe in the shed."  His niece and her husband had done the 19 miles in eleven and a half hours.

On a tarmac stretch, a 92-year-old guy was very slowly walking with two sticks to feed polos to his horse up the lane.  We had a lovely chat for 10 or 15 minutes about life and events.  He spoke about having had enough of life but knowing he had no control of such things.

I arrived at White Castle at 7.30 pm, to make 4 hrs of hard labour.  I used the bike to cycle round for the best site, out of the wind, for the night in my bivy bag.  A niche in the castle wall of the Outer Ward was ideal.  On the other side was Offa's Dyke path.

What a good night's sleep I had!  No sleeping bag but I has sufficient clothing to put on, got up only once and slept until 8 am.

DAY 2

A sheep farmer on his quad bike got my explanation for seeing my very different bike.  He had never seen anyone using one before.  Later on, I abandoned the ride when confronted with a steep bank above a lane I had to surmount, to then lift the bike over the stile.  I was tiring quickly after my exertions of the previous day and decided to cycle back to the start on the road and to turn the walk/cycle into a three-stage affair.  I had proved it could be done on a bike but I was undecided whether the bike was more of a help or a hindrance.  A great help in cycling back to the car!

I crossed two such narrow footbridges that on one I had to fold up the left pedal and push the bike in front of me!

The rest of the day was visiting the church, finishing my Robert Harris novel and exploring Skenfrith Castle and village.

DAY 3

Not nearly such a good night's sleep in the car for stupidly not bothering with my sleeping bag, right beside me!  I used the bivy bag again - not a good idea!

The bike took me to where I needed to cycle up the path and tracks to Grosmont.  It was a pain on the uphill sections but brilliant down hill!  On the road at Grosmont I had a chat with three walkers which was fun.  7 am start to 10.30 to that point, a little short of Grosmont itself.  Then an easy uphill incline on the tarmac, and fast down into Skenfrith.

Three days of no punctures or accidents and the most amazing, desolate, wild countryside!  A 2 mins shower at Grosmont!

NEXT TIME:

One stage left - from Grosmont Castle to where I left off the previous day.  But then, with the bike again, it will be up to 380 metres to the high point of the 'Three Castles Walk'.

I'm left wondering if I'm up to having a long day of 11.5 hrs and not bothering with the bike.  Should I try it?  I had 13.5 hrs at the end of May for my final Donald summits.

Johnnie Moore and the Gaza Humanitarian Aid Foundation

Many thanks, Paul for your invaluable thoughts and new email address.  The following may be of interest to you and Ruth.  Do put me right with your own insights, please.

The following may be of interest.

On 29 June, 'Sunday' on Radio 4, first item, covered Israel's war on Gaza.  It seems that some evangelicals believe the Lord's coming is linked to the fulfilment of Israel taking land and the warfare that is inevitable in the unHoly Land before Christ's return.

On the programme, an excellent woman, a former co-Chair of Kingston Liberal Synagogue and recently suspended from the Board of Deputies of British Jewish, spoke so well.  She said she really loved Israel, was a proud Zionist but was deeply critical of the actions of the current government which was being governed by the extremists in the governing coalition.  She said she is speaking up against the horrendous actions that are taking place in Gaza because of the extremist elements in the Israeli Coalition.

The evangelical Christian, Johnnie Moore is Executive Chair of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Delaware, spoke to the BBC, as did the author of 'Before the Religious Right', Prof Gene Zubovich who said,

"Johnnie Moore is a protege of the religious right man Gerry Falwell.  Moore believes in religious Zionism.  Most evangelicals believe that the restoration of Israel/Palestine to the Jewish people must precede the Second Coming of Christ.  The technical term for this is premillennial dispensationalism.  They believe that history is divided into distinct eras or dispensations and they also believe that a lot of suffering will take place before the millennium.  Hence the premillennial part.  So because evangelicals believe that the restoration of Israel/Palestine to the Jewish people must precede the Second Coming of Christ, they have historically supported Zionism.  Evangelicals view the events of the Middle East and the conflict that is happening there as a confirmation of their prophecy over the End Times.  So their theological beliefs have very much driven their Zionism."

"Johnnie Moore is very close to Donald Trump."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002f6n9

Third annual walk or cycle of the major Black Country Active Travel Route

Invitation to walk or cycle a magnificent, nature rich cycle-walkway!

Please join our Nature walk/cycle for health and future on:

Saturday 2 August at 10 am.

Meet at the Woodland Trust, Himley Plantation car park.  See blue 'P' on the screen shot map, below.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/himley-plantation/

PART OF THE 20 Kms BLACK COUNTRY ACTIVE TRAVEL ROUTE on two former railway lines:

It runs from Fens Pool Avenue, Brierley Hill to the canal towpath in NW Wolverhampton.  The route is good, going north from Dudley's boundary with South Staffordshire, near Himley Hall.  From there, it is a smooth, free draining surface, of even tarmac in places.

2 miles (3 Kms) walk for coffee at The Platform in the old Wombourne railway station.  Then 2 miles back or 3 miles back via canal towpath coming off at Swindon to walk along Himley Lane to the car park.

Or, cycle to Wolverhampton on the same railway path, under the guidance of Chris Barnett for the next coffee stop in the former, revamped railway station, now a cafe, at Tettenhall.  Then cycle back.

The fog of war, the hatred and violence generated by violence.

Hamas is controlling their people, rewarding those who kill Israelis, syphoning off the food aid and selling it at inflated prices, living in grand homes and killing Gazans themselves.  Hamas are bounty hunters.

Hamas shoot at their own civilians at a distribution centre in Rafah.  They treat their people like thieves and take the food off them.

On 7.10.23, Hamas put Israeli babies in ovens to kill them that way.

Circumnavigation of Earls Hill and Pontesford Hill by 16" Brompton bike.

Circumnavigation of Earls Hill and Pontesford Hill, Shropshire by 16" wheel Brompton bike.

On bridleways and one footpath with a kissing gate at either end which meant lowering the saddle to squeeze through.  As a friend has found on the 20 Kms Black Country Active Travel Route, a folding bike works perfectly well.

The bike is more compact, even unfolded and that makes it easier to lift over stiles, not that there were any on my route today.

The worst section was near Pontesbury Rocks, a BMC approved rock climbers' site but, not between 1 March and 15 July when Peregrine Falcon are nesting and bringing up their brood.  On that section, rocks on the path meant carrying the bike unfolded, holding the useful triangle part of the frame (by the seat post).

MY CONCLUSION:  Brompton Cyclo-cross works brilliantly well!

PROTEST: Our side is responsible for a 21 month holocaust

Our side is responsible for a 21-month holocaust of tens of thousands of mainly women and children from our military products supplied to our major, powerful, friend and ally, Israel.

"destruction or slaughter on a mass scale"  Google definition of holocaust.

Our side ended the March ceasefire.

We broke the Peace Agreement with Hamas when air strikes resumed by the Israeli Death Force.

Very many more innocent citizens, medics, aid workers and journalists have been slaughtered since then.

One of two films made in Gaza, banned by the BBC as being anti-semitic and prejudiced against our side, is to be shown on Channel 4 this evening.

Louisa Compton, Channel 4’s head of news and current affairs and specialist factual and sport, said in a statement: “This is a meticulously reported and important film examining evidence which supports allegations of grave breaches of international law by Israeli forces that deserves to be widely seen and exemplifies Channel 4’s commitment to brave and fearless journalism.”

Protest to your MP that boycott, divestment and sanctions must now be imposed on Israel.

Our evangelical friends want the lot - from the river to the sea and more!

TRANSCRIPT

Yesterday, 29 June 2025, Radio 4's 'Sunday' covered Israel's war on Gaza.

"500 people killed and 4,000 injured.  Those are the casualty totals stated by the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza for people waiting to get aid from the American and Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation."  Thought to be registered in Delaware but, from the address given, it was not found there.

Some evangelicals believe the Lord's coming is linked to the fulfilment of Israel taking land and the warfare that is inevitable in the unHoly Land before Christ's return.

An excellent woman, a former co-Chair of Kingston Liberal Synagogue and recently suspended from the Board of Deputies of British Jews, spoke so well.  She said she really loved Israel, was a proud Zionist but was deeply critical of the actions of the current government which was being governed by the extremists in the governing coalition.  She said she is speaking up against the horrendous actions that are taking place in Gaza because of the extremist elements in the Coalition.

The evangelical Christian, Rev Johnnie Moore who is Executive Chair of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, Delaware, was referred to.

Author of 'Before the Religious Right', Gene Zubovich said,

"Johnnie Moore is a protege of the religious right man Gerry Falwell Snr (from the 1970s).  Moore believes in religious Zionism.  Most evangelicals believe that the restoration of Israel/Palestine to the Jewish people must precede the Second Coming of Christ.  The technical term for this is premillennial dispensationalism.  Evangelicals believe that history is divided into distinct eras or dispensations and they also believe that a lot of suffering will take place before the millennium.  Hence the premillennial part.  So because evangelicals believe that the restoration of Israel/Palestine to the Jewish people must precede the Second Coming of Christ, they have historically supported Zionism.  Evangelicals view the events of the Middle East and the conflict that is happening there as a confirmation of their prophecy about the End Times.  So their theological beliefs have very much driven their Zionism."

"Johnny Moore is very close to Donald Trump ... He picks and chooses who gets invited to meetings with Trump.  So somebody with a lot of access and political power in the way of connecting evangelicals to the Trump administration."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002f6n9