• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

The Valley pub, Billesley

TomReyno

New Member
Hello everyone. I grew up on a road called Chinn Brook, in Billesley. Right next to Chells Grove. My mom & dad moved there from Hollybank road after my grandad passed away and my mom took the house over. I always remember the valley, as a kid my mom/dad went there as did my grandad and a lot of other family too. Sadly, as I grew older it got closed down and vandalized mercilessly. My only memories will be me & my mates playing 'tracking' in there but I did have so many fun days there. I know a lot of people that used to go in there, families, and I'd like a picture of it. So if there's a kind soul out there with one, please would you mind sharing it? I've searched google, there was a thread on here called 'old billesley' but the picture isn't there.

One funny story of me at the valley as a kid was I climbed over the rail, walls/rail preventing anyone from falling into the nettles and rubbish below. I thought I was clever and let go - then fell in the stingers and cut my finger haha. Everyone at the pub had a good laught at me! Those were the days :)

Thanks for any helpful info!
 
Hi Tom

Here's another one for your collection.
 

Attachments

  • Yardley Wood Yardley Wood Rd Valley.jpg
    Yardley Wood Yardley Wood Rd Valley.jpg
    192.9 KB · Views: 169
HaunchLaneClr.jpg

Here's a picture taken outside of the "Valley Pub". Haunch Lane / Yardley Wood Road around 1957 showing the 13 / 18A bus terminus (The 13 used this for buses running back to Yardley Wood Garage) The basic 13A went down Trittiford Road)
 
That's a great picture roly, takes me back. (That's the year I joined the army).
That right hand gas lamp, does it, also, have "mystery objects" hanging from it ?
I seem to remember there were prefabs in the area left of picture.
 
That is fantastic! You guys are brilliant! Love the website with the pubs on, times I've rode past the shoes with my mates along the canal :). Its hard to think the valley once stood there, brilliant pic @phil, thank you!
 
That bus stop sign seems to be red in the photo.
(The old memory fails me again).
Did "red" denote a fare stage ?
 
Maypolebaz:

The red coloured discs meant a compulsory stop for buses whereas the blue were a request stop. The red discs were often used for safety reasons. I recall a red stop outside the entrance to Sarehole Mill. No one ever seemed to get on or off a 29A bus, but it was there due to the blind corner on the very narrow road (at that time?). The bus could not go until the conductor gave the 2 bell signal. There was another one, of memory, half way down (I think Sun Street - memory plays tricks after sixty years away). This had the effect of slowing the bus down on a very steep (by Birmingham standards) long straight hill. Mind you, the crews had it worked out to a fine art: the bus was stationary for a second or two. :biggrin:
I am sure many other places, of this nature, existed in the city, I just don't remember them all. :friendly_wink:
 
Maypolebaz:

The red coloured discs meant a compulsory stop for buses whereas the blue were a request stop. The red discs were often used for safety reasons. I recall a red stop outside the entrance to Sarehole Mill. No one ever seemed to get on or off a 29A bus, but it was there due to the blind corner on the very narrow road (at that time?). The bus could not go until the conductor gave the 2 bell signal. There was another one, of memory, half way down (I think Sun Street - memory plays tricks after sixty years away). This had the effect of slowing the bus down on a very steep (by Birmingham standards) long straight hill. Mind you, the crews had it worked out to a fine art: the bus was stationary for a second or two. :biggrin:
I am sure many other places, of this nature, existed in the city, I just don't remember them all. :friendly_wink:

Thanks for the memory jolt ! Yes I remember that buses would wait, for no obvious reason.

Villian64
I seem to remember a group of shops and a bank in that area, weren't they set back and higher than the road ?
 
Yes the Bank was an early victim of the Birmingham Municipal being absorbed into the TSB. Last time I actually called in to the shops the one at extreme left was a second hand shop with some interesting items but that was a long long time ago.
 
I remember the one at the extreme left as being the 'Popin' a sweet shop, and round the corner in Brigfield Road two lock up shops, one was Audreys chip shop, the other a general store I think. In my time it wasn't the 13 or 13a that came down to haunch lane, only the 24, and of course the 18 terminus. And yes there were prefabs extending round the corner into Haunch Lane and Yardley Wood Road. All gone now, but you can still tell where some were by the trees etc., that still grow there.
 
Back
Top