West Midlands Group Home Page

The West Midland Group was formed in 1960 and is based in Birmingham, although the group’s catchment area extends through Mid Wales as far as Cardigan Bay.

We aim to provide a series of indoor meetings during the winter months (October - March) with outdoor visits, generally in the lighter months, on topics relating to the history of railways, canals and other forms of transport and industrial archaeology.

NOTE NEW VENUE FROM OCTOBER 2010

The indoor ’winter’ meetings which are generally held on the third Saturday of the month will be moving from the Carrs Lane Church Centre, Birmingham, to the Conference Room of the Briar Rose Hotel in Bennetts Hill, Birmingham (directions below). Meetings start at 2.00pm and usually end about 4 o’clock. Members of other groups and visitors are welcome to attend these meetings where a voluntary contribution of £1 is requested from both members and non-members towards the cost of room hire.

For details of the group committee see WM contacts

For details of our forthcoming activites see the West Midlands Group Events Page.

For a description of previous West Midland Group events, see our Reports page.

Location of The Briar Rose Hotel

The Briar Rose Hotel is located in Bennetts Hill, alongside the J.D.Wetherspoons outlet of the same name(O/S map ref. SP 068869). If travelling via New Street station, leave the station by the ramp to New Street and turn left (towards Victoria Square); Bennetts Hill is 200 yards on the right (Barclays Bank on the corner) and The Briar Rose is on your right in about 100 yards. From Snow Hill station; turn right along Colmore Row then left at the traffic lights in 300 yards. The Briar Rose in on your left in about 100 yards.

If you come into Birmingham by car (although this is not recommended) there is limited on-street meter car parking nearby but NO specific parking at The Briar Rose.