So, I seem to have got myself into the final 2 for a job that, frankly, I'd really like. But – isn't there always – the job is in Birmingham. And I live in Manchester.

We established recently that commuting from Manchester to Brum long term is going to be impossible and hellish to boot.

So, if I'm lucky enough to be offered the job, it looks like me and Mrs North would need to up sticks. If we move too far from Manchester, she won't be able to get a job doing what she does (univ. lecturer), and certainly not at the salary she's currently on.

So, how close to Birmingham is it safe to be?

Manchester's too close already, I'd say 😉

As good as that? 😥

And there was me thinking I'd have to change my name to ourmaninthemidlands…..

Does Mrs North need to work? Kids? What are your mid-term priorities. Don't waste your life commuting if you don't need to.

But then again Birmingham!! 😯

I concur.

Does Mrs North need to work? Kids? What are your mid-term priorities. Don't waste your life commuting if you don't need to

Sode her, do YOU need to work? All the same reasons apply

Suprisingly, there are some nice leafy suburbs. Edgbaston & Bournville to the SW, Sutton Coldfield to the NE, Solihull to the E are all OK IMO. I wouldnt want to live there but if I had to and had the £'s I would look at these places.

You could take a train from further afield, the Midlands isn't all grim, just the built up central bit (which is pretty big!)

Plenty of not too far riding about N, W and S.

A very large number of people live in Birmingham. This must surely indicate that it is a very good place to live. 🙂

Birmingham's certainly not a bad place to live- and it does have 3 universities, so is it that certain the Mrs would need to give up her career?

OTOH, I don't find it a particularly inspiring place to live to be honest and of course it's not as close to any decent riding as you are in Manchester. All things being equal I'd probably take Manchester over Brum, but it's not the worst place in the world to find yourself, not by a long way.

As for somewhere midway, only you know what sort of commute you'd be happy with.

EDIT: +1 for what scruff said- there are plenty of places within 2 or 3 miles of the city centre where you'd never know you were in Brum.

Some of the villages around North Staffordshire might be OK for commuting to both Brum & Mancs. (like anywhere some bits of Stafford & Stoke are a bit crummy, but they both have decent suburbs….like er….Lichfield (cough) only kidding).

We spent a few years living in the sticks near Stafford, which was OK for commuting by car or train. If you want to bias the location closer to Birmingham, you could have a look at Lichfield – it has good rail links to Birmingham via the 'cross-city line' and Manchester via Trent Valley Station (West Coast main line) – dunno what the servive to Mancs is like these days though.

Oh, and both Lichfield and Stafford are both within easy stricking distance of Cannock Chase for biking.

I work in Birmingham – but choose not to live there.
There are some nice places as mentioned above but they all cost a fair few quid to live in.

Driving round the place is a total nightmare – and if you cycle a bendy bus WILL kill you for sure! 😉

Where are you going to be working? Brummagem is a large place, with some parts of it (which aren't in Brum) actually considered as discrete places in their own right. There are plenty of nice places to live in the Midlands and also utter holes, like most places.

….like er….Lichfield (cough) only kidding)

Lichfield is nice – I live in burton. Direct trains into Brum, good local riding. Cannock 20mins in car, 1hour on the bike. Ladybower etc just over an hour away (selling the dream!!)

if the job was city centre, i'd choose stafford, train into work and cannock chase on your doorstep

Brum is a big place.
It depends on where you'll be working.

I used to work in Brum, on the south side, at Bournville. I commuted from Kidderminster. There's some great riding in that area.

So, where's the job?

SB

Ooh, some varied responses, and I only turned my back for a moment.

Er, job is in Kingswinford right now, and is proposed to move to be closer to J2 of the M5. So, actually locaiton is important, as I don't want to spend my life sitting in traffic.

I suspect that Mrs North could find something, but her field is fairly narrow, and she has been at Manchester Unvi long enough to move nicely up the salary "spine points".

No, neither of us want to work, but until I realise my ambition of being the favorite, but so far lost, son of a minor aristocrat with nowwhere else to spend his money, I'll have to continue.

Oh, on the riding front, I spend most of it on the road these days. Or on the track (which would have to be given up other than for special treats).

Not sure my cycling club (Manchester Wheelers) would be best pleased – I've just been voted general secretary. 😯

For road riding you can get out into some nice bits of the countryside surprisingly quickly.

I live within walking distance of Stafford Station and within riding distance of Cannock Chase. And within staggering distance of the last real pub in England.

Idyllic, really. Except Scruff lives quite near.

Idyllic, really. Except Scruff lives quite near.

You see, this is the sort of thing I fear…. 😉

Scruff's house will be swept away in the floods so I wouldn't worry

Scruff's house will be swept away in the floods so I wouldn't worry

But I do 😀

Woah there…Kingswinford! That's not Brum….it's far worse…it's (crosses himself) The Black Country!! I was gonna say it's not that bad, er…but well, it is 😉 I grew up in one of Birminghams 'fruitier' areas and the locals always took the mick out of people from the Black Country (the really thick Black Country accent is normally what non-Brummies think of as a Birmingham accent). When I first started work in the Black Country I could hardly understand a word – it's probably a lot better now, but in the early '80's it was like going back in time to the 19th century.

To get back to the original topic – you could have a look at some of the villages and nicer suburbs to the North West of Brum (kind of Wolverhapton way), again, contrary to the popular image (er..that I've just perpetuated!), there's some very nice suburbs and villages on the outskirts of Wolverhapton – and I think the road and rail links would still be feasible for the 'split commute'.

ourmaninthenorth – Got it! Take the job now! It's all good.

There's an outdoor track at Halesowen. They have summer evening meets, dernys an' all. It a really good scene. Halesowen Cycling Club.

Clent Hills and Wyre Forest just down the road. Kinver, Malvern, Ludlow. You'll be able to hook up with Mick Arms and the Clent Duffers, or join the Wyre Forest crew….

Road rides out into the middle of nowhere (worcestershire/shropshire) with the Stourbridge club. Some beautiful countryside out towards the SW of Brum.

Mrs Stratobiker used to work in Kingswinford. She used to commute along the canal towpath from Kidderminster. About 11 miles with just a couple of miles of tarmac. I used to ride in with her then ride home via Kinver Edge. Then have breakfast. I was fit in them days…. you got me goin' now!!!!!

Junction 2 of the M5. No to bad, in fact, very good. Look for somewhere south of Brum to live like Bromsgrove, Kiddermister, Hagley, Kinver.

Yep. I'd say a very acceptable place to live and work.

HTH
SB

bowglie – You're jokin' some parts of Kingswinford are positively posh.

cheers chaps – strat, that's v encoyraging.

The job certainly isn't in the bag by any means, but I think I can squeeze into the final 2 if i can convince them that I can manage the relocation/familial effects.

Am offski – Doc North is waiting to give me a lift home.

Have good weekends all. Even those of you living in the Midlands..!

😀

I live just outside of Cannock and the office i'm based in is located just a few minutes from Jct2 of the M5 – 24 miles each way. Fortunatley i don't have to work office hours too ofetn, so have the luxury / good enough boss that allows me to start early and finish early, meaning i can miss the morning rush hour.
M6 is a ballache down to M5, but this may improve with the current scheme to incorporate the hard shoulder during rush hour/busy periods.
Cannock/Stafford areas are reasonably priced for housing. 25 miles to Birmingham centre, easy access to M54 for trips to Wales, Manc about an hour or so up the road, Derbyshire dales and peak district about an hours drive away. Plenty of quite and hilly roads for roadies.
I moved here about 9 years ago and think it is a lot better than many areas of the UK i have lived in previously – Ramsgate, Woolich, Hounslow, Brighton, Lewes, Clowne, Abington, Northampton etc.

Why not try a 6 month rental?

The "Black Country" isnt bad to live in… once you've got yourself a Babel Fish to translate what the locals are saying… 😉

I loved living in Brum that I moved to Devon 20 years ago 😉

I live in Stoke.Like Birmingham ,prefer Manchester. Tough call.

You're jokin' some parts of Kingswinford are positively posh.

Only taking the michael 'cos I remember the hilarity at work when our boss (who lived in Kingswinford) stuck 100's of 4" nails through his garden fence to stop the kids from the local park climbing on it – and the boss in his broad Black Country accent…'ar, it used to be awright 'round 'ere y'kno….bleedin' kids etc.etc.) Oh, and then one of the lads 'Big Claud' says 'ow, that's no good mate, you'll just provoke em, they'll bost all ya windus in'.

Apologies for going off thread – but no apologies for reminding me of some happy memories (one thing for the Black Country and Brum, it's got more than its fair share of comedians! – used to have some right laffs at work)

– some parts of Kingswinford are positively posh.

😉

I loved living in Brum that I moved to Devon 20 years ago

haha – similar – except I moved to Scotland (and it was 25 years ago)

There are some nice bits – we lived in Kings Heath and it was easy to get out to some wonderful countryside on the south side. Then theres easy access to Wales and the Peak district on the N side

Can't all be bad. And there are some superb beers round about

One drawback of living in kings'd is ur not far from me in the NW Alps

Kingswinford is a shithole, full of gays and lesbian princesses.

Barry – you know all the nicest people don't you? 😉

My mate lives there Barry. But he is from Methyr. Seriously Birmingham is a great place. Wicked people. My old man is from Manchester, lives in Northern Moor, no jokes please!

Given the choice? I'd say its hard to pick. But if it was for the biking, you'd be shit out of luck in Brum.

I'm from Stourbridge bout 4 miles south of K'Ford. I've lived in Manchester for 2 years and i couldn't wait to move back down here. Mankychester and surrounds are a sh*t hole in comparison. My ex who is from oop there moved down here with me, she has no intention of ever moving back there even though we've split, she loves it down here.
Moving down here you'll actually see the sun and your gills will transform back to a pair of lungs.
Beautiful countryside around, some very nice villages/areas to live close by. Travelling West you wont hit any urban areas until you're on the coast of Wales

Mrs soops and i moved to Stafford area for her work. 25mins to Brum on the train. Cannock chase on your doorstep! 😀

Houns, beautiful countryside? Manchester is in the heart of the peak district! Abundant with beautiful countryside. And its really not that bad. Like I said earlier, my Father is from Northernden. Great people, great city.

Hmm.

Keep going people….