I know it sounds bonkers, but we thought we fancied visiting Birmingham for a weekend. We want to see the new Library, the Art Gallery, and probably prod about the shops/Jewellery quarter.
In my innocence, I thought we'd get a B&B in a nice little quiet village somewhere reasonably near a Park and Ride, then nip down on the Saturday morning, P&R in to town, job done. This approach has worked well with other places we've visited. I don't want to drive in Birmingham if it can be avoided.
Turns out Birmingham doesn't have a bus Park and Ride scheme, which seems extraordinary to me, but the council website goes on about trains. I don't even know what station I would need for the visit.
Anybody know my best bet here for a reasonably hassle free way of getting in and out of the city on a weekend, ideally coming in from the East and getting to the things mentioned above, or have any tips? Other than "don't go".
Obviously I can Google stations and maps and times and so forth myself, but if someone can save me a week of poking about I'd be grateful.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Mon 7 Oct 13 at 11:22
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Not bonkers at all. Lots to see both modern and historical.
Where, in more detail than 'the East', are you coming from i.e. on which main roads?
International, just off M6/M42, would be obvious possibility for parking, not cheap though.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Mon 7 Oct 13 at 11:30
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Well, from Cambridge, so approaching along A14 then M6 or A45 I guess. I thought of finding somewhere that side to stay rather than going past it to blinking Shropshire or something.
Um.."International"?
Edit, Oh, it's a train station! Ta for a start.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Mon 7 Oct 13 at 11:33
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Coming from that side, or from the south, I would be looking to stay around Warwick somewhere, nice hotels & eateries. Travel in to Birmingham from Warwick Parkway.
Not been in to Birmingham for years.
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>> Coming from that side, or from the south, I would be looking to stay around
>> Warwick somewhere, nice hotels & eateries. Travel in to Birmingham from Warwick Parkway.
That's another possibility. The parkway station is fine but Warwick itself is a 'mare to drive in/round.
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>> >> Coming from that side, or from the south, I would be looking to stay
>> around
>> >> Warwick somewhere, nice hotels & eateries. Travel in to Birmingham from Warwick Parkway.
>>
>> That's another possibility. The parkway station is fine but Warwick itself is a 'mare to
>> drive in/round.
Whit? What are you smoking. Used to drive in, out and around Warwick loads of times, Its a doddle. Warwick Parkway (easy parking) gets you into Birmingham Moor street Station, right by the bullring and the bus station. Some good hotels around warwick.
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The main road from Stratford into Warwick is horrible around 8.30am. Ditto the other one that goes in past the ex Damon Hill BMW Dealership also at 8:30.
Other than that, its fine for traffic.
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Used to drive in, out and around Warwick loads of times...
Me too. Centre is compact to the point of being a little awkward, and a bit short of parking (I tended to park at my house) but the rest is no worse than plenty of other towns of similar size.
Leamington is livelier and has better restaurants, though.
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>> Well, from Cambridge, so approaching along A14 then M6 or A45 I guess. I thought
>> of finding somewhere that side to stay rather than going past it to blinking Shropshire
>> or something.
Birmingham International is the station serving the NEC and Airport. Trains to New St so frequent you don't need a timetable. Right by the M6/M42 and A45. Multi storey car park with 2k+ spaces. Parking will be pricey though - north a tenner a day at a guess.
There are also decent secure car parks in City Centre (eg Brindley PLace). Nothing like as daunting to drive as London.
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Might i suggest an early drive into B'ham instead on the Sutarday morn, hotel of choice close to the centre pre booked for you to arrive around 9am which should see you beating the main shopping traffic, dump car at hotel and you need to don't use again till you need it till returning home, presumably on Sunday afternoon/evening*
Some nice places out and about like Henley in Arden which does indeed have a station but i have no idea of the B'ham service available from there.
**hmm only one fly in that ointment, they have been digging up the Queensway tunnels and i don't know if thats finished yet, will undoubtably cause traffic problems on the roads above.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Mon 7 Oct 13 at 11:52
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Marston Green, 1 stop up from international offers free parkng either at the staion car park a a public car park behind the pub or on street. There is easy access to the city centre with up to 4 trains an hour. There is easy access from the M6/ M2. There are a numer of B&Bs around, mostly geered to airport traffic. A better choice to stay may be Coleshill, pleasent small town with nice pubs etc.
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>> Marston Green,
Ahh, thanks. I'd thought about either MG or Berkswell but wasn't sure about parking.
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Marston Green?, isn't that one huge council estate, well in the small area not covered by the worlds biggest car defleet compound.
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>> Marston Green?, isn't that one huge council estate, well in the small area not covered
>> by the worlds biggest car defleet compound.
Very close to town end of airport's main runway. Think the car compound is actually amongst the lead in lights.
Country park nearby looks like a nice spot for plane spotting on a warm day.
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How about Henley-in-Arden? Don't know it well but always struck me as a nice place. Got a railway station too.
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The tunnels are all reopened now but as suggested elsewhere, Henley in Arden is your favourite by far. Word of warning though...getting accommodation at a sensible rate can be a bit hit and miss depending on what's happening at the nearby NEC.
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Good luck with the visit - we were in Birmingham a couple of weeks ago and did everything you plan, plus some more. It's a changed place since I was in the centre last time. We were lucky, stayed with friends in Harborne and caught the No 25 bus. The library is fascinating for being a tourist attraction with remarkable looks that doesn't seem to have much to do with lending books. The view from the rooftop garden is worth the wait for the lift though. I noticed a sign saying 'sortation room', so they still don't speak much English in Brummagem.
Highlight of the visit was seeing 'The Last of England' by Ford Madox Brown in the Pre-Raphaelite collection at the city art gallery, which is surprisingly good.
Low point was being taken to a showpiece real ale pub, just off Colmore Row, called The Wellington. There were 17 pumps on the downstairs bar and not one beer I recognised. All through my UK visit I bored friends by insisting that there are now too many micro-breweries producing stuff with stupid names. I came across one called 'Dorset Piddle Silent Slasher'. How pathetic is that?
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Thanks all. Some good hints there. I'll send you a postcard.
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>> How about Henley-in-Arden? Don't know it well but always struck me as a nice place.
>> Got a railway station too.
Or Dorridge, Lots of good trains to see there as well.
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I had to go to Brum with work earlier in the year - had some down time and can confirm there are loads to see and do.
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Trains? You're confusing me with Mrs C, who loves the things. More of a civil plane man myself.
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Conversely, do bear in mind that when they were looking for somewhere to build a motorway people would willingly pay to use so they could get past the place quickly...
;-)
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And they do fantastic burgers and you can have a McFlurry.....
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Not this one Zero! One can eat there and have crockery and cutlery!
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Visting Birmingham - Bromptonaut
