In a bid to stop my geocaching batting average dropping further (I’m trying to get it back to one found per day) I decided to nip out to Walsall Wood where there was a little Adventure Lab comprising the usual five locations which would involve around a one and a half mile walk – just about right for my current fitness level.
To get to Walsall Wood involved a few bus trips, namely the 94 to Birmingham; the X51 to Walsall and finally a number 10 to Walsall Wood.
All went to plan and I even had time to visit a corner shop in Walsall to buy the usual traveller’s junk food – crisp, chocolate bar and a bottle of pop before making my way to Stand J for the final bus.
I got off at a stop which looked like a good place to start my little walk and was soon on the Daw End branch of the Wirley and Essington Canal and my first location.
A short walk along the canal got me my second before backtracking and going the other way to number three.
It was along this stretch that it started to rain – not too bad but enough to get me somewhat wet before it stopped.
The final two locations were visited and the required questions answered correctly.
At the final location, the bus stop for the start of my return journey was nearby and after a short wait, the Number 10 turned up to take me back to Walsall.
I had also clocked up 1.7 miles walking.
Instead of catching the X51 back into Brum, I walked the short distance to the railway station. In preparation for Saturday’s expedition, I needed to visit our first station on the ittinary, Marston Green, to check if there is a ticket machine on the platform.
The 12:50 train to Birmingham International would take me there without having to change.
At my destination, I discovered that there was no ticket machine.
On Saturday, I’ll be okay as my pass will cover all our journeys but Dainton will need a ticket which we were hoping to pick up at the station.
However, at 05:30, the ticket office will not be open (opens at 08:00) so, according to the West Midlands Transport website, we can get his ticket on the bus. For only £8.90 an nNetwork Daytripper ticket will allow travel on any bus, tram or train in the West Midlands area – bargain.
As I alighted from the train at Marston Green a 72 bus pulled up outside so I walked straight off the platform and onto the bus.
At Chelmsley Wood, I waited for the 96 which would drop me at the end of my road.
As the bus near my final destination, it turned left instead of the usual right. I pressed the button and prepared to get off at the next stop. I’d have a slightly longer walk than if it had gone the usual way. As the bus pulled up I asked the driver why he had gone the wrong way.
“We don’t go that way any more”, he explained.
“Since when?” I enquired.
“Since this morning” he replied.
“Oh!”
Back home I checked the many online timetables but they all had the 96 going down Lanchester Way (the ‘normal’ way). There are some bus route changes coming in on Sunday, but even they show the same.
I did send a message to West Midlands Travel but have yet to receive an explanation. Oddly, later in the day, someone posted a picture of a 96 returning the Chelmsley Wood the ‘wrong way”.Checking on bustimes.org, it would appear to have been the same physical bus and therefore driver.
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