Car Service 2 (the other car)

It was a little over a month ago that I had to drop the wife's car in for a service. During the service, I took the opportunity to go for a little walk (17 miles).

Today it was the other car's turn and I duly drop it off at Lookers, Star City, around 8am.

By 08:05, I was on the road.

I was hoping that the service would be about the same duration as last time and so had devised a route of around 16 miles. However, the car wouldn't be ready until two-ish so I needed to add a few extra miles. The easiest was was a diversion along the canal.

A short walk took me past Star City and under Spaghetti Junction, where I joined the Tame Valley Canal.

Just as I was about to emerge from beneath the concrete of the Gravelly Hill Interchange, I passed a memorial to D.C. Michael Swindells.

Detective Constable Michael Swindell was stabbed to death, in 2004, as he pursued a suspect who had been threatening the public with a kitchen knife.

The memorial stone was erected by the Police Memorial Trust in 2008.

On reaching College Road (A453), I left the canal (for now) and came back on myself along Moor Lane passing the massive Witton Cemetery.

Moor Lane ended at Brookvale Road, part of the Outer Circle ring road. Europe's longest bus route, the number 11, runs along here as part of it's 27 mile circumnavigation of Birmingham. Between 2013 and 2016, the number 230 in Coventry held the record but since 23rd July, the number 11 has regained it's rightful title.

From Stockland Green, I took a few roads through Perry Common ending up on the Kingstanding Road, heading North to Kingstanding (no surprise there) and thence to Sutton Coldfield.

It was somewhere on my way to Kingstanding that I passed what must be a Reliant fan with DEL 1 on the driveway.

After climbing up out of Kingstanding and making my way out of a cul-de-sac, I responded to a man out cutting his hedge who commented on my brisk walking. I explained my mission and, surprisingly, he never asked the usual "why?". After a brief chat, I was, again, on my way only stopping when I got to the boundary with Walsall.

It was about turn, to walk alongside Sutton Park, firstly along the A452, Chester Road and then Monmouth Drive.

Wyndley Sports Centre was soon passed as I ascended to the town hall before making my way to Holy Trinity Church sat on top of the hill overlooking the town.

From here, I followed the main Birmingham road through  Wylde Green and Erdington before returning to Spaghetti Junction. I did spot a very patriotic, Arriva, bus along this stretch...

It was still a good hour or so before the car would be ready so after a quick shufti at the map decided on a bit of to and fro-ing around Witton filling in a few gaps.

It was nearly time to pick up the car, so I made my way back towards Star City, stopping off for some nourishment at a chippy I'd spotted a couple of weeks earlier.

Just as I was finishing my dinner, the garage phoned telling me that the car was ready for collection - what excellent timing.

Twenty plus miles done and the car serviced for another year - what a great day!