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Commonwealth Games, Birmingham 2022

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I'm not clear on who designed the 'new' Perry Barr station. I suspect that the 'rusty metal' appearance is intended to be a nod to Birmingham and the Black Country's metal bashing industrial heritage. Rather like Antony Gormley's 'Rusty Man' in Victorian Square. If so, I can appreciate the allusion. But I would have liked another colour, blue perhaps or green.

I have yet to see the station for myself, but when I do I'll take some pictures.
 
MWS said:
Drove passed the station this morning, it looked ok. It seemed to be redder than in the online pictures of it I've seen.

It's a big improvement than what was there previously, at the very least it's easy to see.
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That sounds promising. I was shown the short cut underpass from the old station direct to the university. It was quicker, but it was exceptionally nasty. Some colours are difficult to photo / video accurately.
 
Stokkie said:
That sounds promising. I was shown the short cut underpass from the old station direct to the university. It was quicker, but it was exceptionally nasty. Some colours are difficult to photo / video accurately.
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If it's the walking underpass I'm remembering then, yes, it was never a very nice place :laughing:
 
If you can get there because , not only tramwork incompetance . but also the chaos caused by the Games
 
I've noticed that having done their best to ignore the city since the demise of Pebble Mill, the BBC have shown a little more interest in the city recently i.e. the Back In Time series and there was a repeat of 'Birmingham Irish I Am' last night on BBC Four. Is this due to the publicity surrounding the Commonwealth Games? I don't live in Perry Barr and I'm not a Birmingham tax payer but anything that adds to the city's presence on the world stage and its long term prestige is surely a good thing and, although obviously important, the games should not be judged by bean counters purely in immediate financial terms.
 
The road leading to the Aquatics Centre is closed now with a roadblock and several officials to check no-one gets through! I presume residents have passes.
At least a few of the local roads have been improved and there's a new traffic island, even a few small trees!
rosie.
 
Sad news that the venue for the Triathlon, Powells pool in Sutton park, was plagued by a visit from about 200 yobs throwing bricks and rubbish into the water and targetting nearby boats in the boatyard.
Apparently overwhelming the Games security and the police by their numbers.
 
Martyn said:
I've noticed that having done their best to ignore the city since the demise of Pebble Mill, the BBC have shown a little more interest in the city recently i.e. the Back In Time series and there was a repeat of 'Birmingham Irish I Am' last night on BBC Four. Is this due to the publicity surrounding the Commonwealth Games? I don't live in Perry Barr and I'm not a Birmingham tax payer but anything that adds to the city's presence on the world stage and its long term prestige is surely a good thing and, although obviously important, the games should not be judged by bean counters purely in immediate financial terms.
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Yes, I think it must be Martyn. On BBC Radio 4 tonight @ 8pm there is another programme that should be worth a listen "Brum Britain", in which comedian, Darren Harriott "salutes the city's achievements and celebrates some of it's stars, including Ozzy Osbourne and Julie Walters".

The BBC's positive news on the Games (which they are covering), contrasts starkly with ITV's Central News last night, that shockingly chose to focus on carbon emissions from the athletes traveling to the UK for the Games, being estimated "to be more than 14 million kilograms". Those figures came from an ITV Central Investigation and were based on their own calculations :rolleyes:. Why bring the Climate Crisis up and link it to a major sports event now? Are they hoping to alert potential protestors to this (by making it their main news item), so that they will feel compelled to demonstrate in Birmingham? Would they prefer athletes and spectators to stay at home? Is it because the BBC, rather than themselves are covering the event?
 
Sorry John, but not everyone thinks the games are a wonderful thing. An expensive show aimed at puffing up politician's and athlete's self esteem and causing chaos in the town. Just like the olympics in london a few years ago.
 
Is anyone going to see part of the baton relay?
It is coming near where I live on Wednesday. In fact our Tai Chi session has to start and finish early as our instructor is, in his words, "doing a session for some bigwigs" when the baton is at Swanshurst Park.
 
mikejee said:
Sorry John, but not everyone thinks the games are a wonderful thing. An expensive show aimed at puffing up politician's and athlete's self esteem and causing chaos in the town. Just like the olympics in london a few years ago.
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I see your point Mike, I just didn't think it was a great news topic for Central News to lead with last night. Given the decision has been made to hold the event, I would have thought they could have left the Games alone, rather than seek a reason to question it being held, so soon before it is due to begin. The time to have raised this issue, was surely before the decision was made (the same calculations, could have been made then)?
 
John
I do agree that it seems as if central are being a bit petty. But , from my point of view, the BBC hacwxfloodex the channels the last month or more with sport, football, tennis, athketics, rugby etc. Pushing many other programs out so that if you think you have recorded something, it turns out you've recorded people kicking, hitting, throwing balls or running round a track. And thi. s is not just in thr traditional Saturday afternoon but all the time. It is not as if it is just the actual events, but lits of pontificating by aged (though often younger than me) ex members of the sporting community
 
mikejee said:
John
I do agree that it seems as if central are being a bit petty. But , from my point of view, the BBC hacwxfloodex the channels the last month or more with sport, football, tennis, athketics, rugby etc. Pushing many other programs out so that if you think you have recorded something, it turns out you've recorded people kicking, hitting, throwing balls or running round a track. And thi. s is not just in thr traditional Saturday afternoon but all the time. It is not as if it is just the actual events, but lits of pontificating by aged (though often younger than me) ex members of the sporting community
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I thought I had recorded the final of Great British Sewing Bee but it was Wimbledon:mad:
 
mw0njm. said:
i like some sports but do think the beeb should put it on the red button for them that are interested as its not every body's cuppa. View attachment 171893
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Agreed. All of the concessions that are made for huge sporting events in cities, also come with a lot of incovenience to those whose work days must continue, along with detours and more that add several hours to the time away from home, but for no more pay.

A few years ago, my employer, BCIT institute's campus near Vancouver was closed for the duration of the Winter Olympics held in Whistler and other local venues. The kitchens that supply the cafeterias and local Burnaby Hospital, created food for the athletes.
The campus was assigned as a parking lot/hub for passenger vehicles and buses to and from the venues and no one was allowed to work on site. I think that the organizers over-estimated the need, because I stopped in at my office to pick up resources a few times and the campus was basically a ghost town.

To have time off during the games, we'd worked an extra hour or so for long enough before the games to still have paid time off.

On another note, I came a cross a post on Birmingham Live, that announced the "return of King Kong" for the Commonwealth Games, all be it in an "upsized" version. As a kid, for some years I'd seen the original King Kong figure at the back of a lot on the left side of the road on my way from Digbeth to Stratford Road, close to the Camp Hill Fly Over. I wonder how many others remember it too.
 
There is a king Kong thread

King Kong Statue

We had a bloomin great King Kong gorilla in the centre in the 1960,s , then it went out to camp hill as an advert for Guess what KING KONG motors.. Then what happened to it ??
birminghamhistory.co.uk birminghamhistory.co.uk
 
MartinS said:
My Mom was always glued to the cricket test matches that were about as much fun as watch paint dry! There had to be deathly silence in the house in case she missed the commentator utter a word!
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Test Match Special, compulsive listening for many. Your mom would have enjoyed listening to this years record breaking Test at Edgbaston. Bet she loved old Jonners !
 
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