Virus News Page6

[ChrisP]

With the weather forecast suggesting the rain might hold of to the afternoon

set of under grey skies but warm enough for shorts.

Rode straight out to Worcester thinking I might have a look at the Malverns.

Arriving at Worcester found the heavens had already emptied before i got there.

With the roads very wet and black clouds hanging over the hills decided to head in Upton direction.

 

Entering Worcester I take a look at the allotments see how they compare with mine. 

King John's resting place.

The pitch isn't flooded anymore.

The roads had dried out by Callow End Common.

 Decided to do a loop up to Welland before going into Upton.

Many Worcester CC road races finished on both of these roads.

 

Sky looks a bit threatening looking back.

Took a few pictures on the Hanley Swan, Welland road to remind Dave & Judy Jones

what it looks like outside as they have been locked in for 3 months.

Would have dropped in for a cuppa but seeing the sky thought it better to turn left

for Upton before the rain caught me up.

.

A good pub to visit after riding the Malvern Mad Hatter Sportive.

Good bye Hanley Swan.

Hello Upton.

Leaving Upton via the most boring bridge.

Maybe we'll meet up at the Marina cafe again one day.

Now for the return route.

Views towards Breadon.

Defford Tuesday takeaway stop.

 

 

 

Studying the above Picture is that Kevin Y I spy.

Looks like his stance.

Looking back with Breadon to the left and Malvern to the right.

Not such a bad day after all got a wet bum leaving Worcester but managed

to get back home without seeing anymore rain.

 

 

 

.

[Dave Jones]

Thank you, Chris.  Good to see images of my local riding roads - very local at the moment, but hope to get a little further out as my legs, hopefully, get better. 

The photograph of the allotments approaching Worcester on the A38 is '300-yards-to-go' to the intermediate sprint, that is, the '30' sign at Perdiswell, on the Tuesday and Thursday evening training bashes of the 1950s and 60s from Northfield to Worcester and back, straight down the A38 through Bromsgrove and Droitwich.  At Perdiswell Park, which used to be an airfield, air displays were held in the 1920s and 1930s, and it was used by the RAF during the Second World War.   Post-war, the local Air Training Corps (ATC) had their headquarters there, and I am sure that many of our members will remember the Supermarine Spitfire on display by the entrance, which was replaced, I think in the early 1970s, by a Gloster Javelin delta wing jet fighter - sadly removed a very long time ago.   The turn of the bash was at the '30' and it was then flat-out, bit-and-bit, all the way back, up Spring Pools (no M5 then, or dual carriageway), with the finish being at the bottom of Rubery village - again, no Rubery bypass in those days. 

Photograph No. 7, is of The Rhydd, just off the main road halfway between Callow End and Upton, the left hand road leading to Hanley Swan and Welland, and the other road leading westward to Guarlford and Barnards Green, Malvern.   Coming in the opposite direction from Malvern was part of the circuit for the Worcester St. John's CC road races in the 50s, 60s and early 70s, with the finish being on the short climb to Old Hills (Callow End) common.  The circuit carried on to Powick, then along the main A449 to just before Malvern Link, where it turned off to Madresfield to join the road from Malvern through Guarlford.  

The church at Hanley Swan is the The Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St. Alphonsus.

I hope, Chris, that you didn't have too many problems with the recent laying of tar and chippings going into Upton from Hanley Castle, and on the road from Lower Strensham to the Defford cafe. 

In the last 10 days, Judy and I have been able to get out to do food shopping on a couple of occasions, and fortunately, it was very quiet both times.  We have done more gardening so far this year than we have done for a very long time. 

Finally, what is the Carrick Wheelers CC top all about?  Are you defecting to Ireland in a Dan Martin move?

Keep the ride reports coming!

Dave Jones

[ChrisP]

Thanks to David J for the history of the Worcester evening training bashes.

 

Being one of the club younger members I think I only rode it a couple of times

and that was after the Spitfire had been removed, I can only remember the Gloster Javelin

at the park entrance.

 

I think it's down to Ivor M & Ken H to recall their triumphs along the A38 with the finishing

sprint towards Longbridge.

 

I do remember riding many Worcester St John's CC events on the Callow End circuit a fairly flat

route with a long fast finish up to Rhydd corner.

 

No problems with chippings around Upton and Defford but The Council must have had a job

lot to do all the lanes round Tardibegge.

 

Regard the top. While digging through the cupboard came across this one which was in need of a 

little airing.

 

 

[TonyS]

I have a vague recollection of the Spitfire when I was at Birmingham University in the late 60's. I remember being a little confused when I came back to Brum in the early 70's and saw the Javelin! 

All my 60's evening training runs were mainly out to the west as I lived in Bearwood, so I never had the pleasure of the Worcester bash, although I do recall thrashing down Bromsgrove High Street before it was pedestrianised. 

As for the Callow End circuit, somewhere I have a photo of John Varley, Grant (Granny) Thomas and me on the steps of the village hall. We'd won first team for VC Central in the Worcs road race. Prize was a bike chain each  -  cash prizes were against amateur rules back then (although there were ways round that)!

We were young then, and carefree (with acknowledgement to Laurent Fignon - his biography is a great read).

[TonyS]

More on the Spitfire & Javelin in Worcester News! 

https://www.droitwichadvertiser.co.uk/news/worcester_news/18568495.remember-spitfire-stood-outside-gates-perdiswell/