In retirement I have kept up the habit of going to motor shows, and meeting old work colleagues there. And so it was at the recent commercials show at the NEC Birmingham. But this time I stayed in Coventry, ten minutes' train ride away.
The first thing I remarked upon was the old, 'Telstar'-era railway station, which kind of dares us to notice it, such is its anonymity and banality. Then there's the modern extension, put up sometime recently, which dares us to ignore it!
Among Coventry's famous residents was the poet Philip Larkin, who grew up here...This plaque is on Platform 1 of the railway station if anyone's looking!
...and Sir Frank Whittle, jet engine pioneer, who gave his name to the structure seen behind him and below, the Whittle Arch...
The 'old' cathedral, dedicated to St. Michael, was damaged during World War II and, in an echo of what occurred in Berlin with the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, a new one was built alongside. The sculpture on the front, St Michael's Victory over the Devil, is one of Sir Jacob Epstein's last works. It was completed with a view to being displayed on the front of the new building. The spire of the original building is still standing.
The Church of the Holy Trinity is the only intact medieval place of worship left in the City.
You have to wait until nightfall to observe the striking effect of the stained glass window!
Various eras of postwar development are represented, like the new precinct and the 'festival-of-Britain' era frontage housing the animated 'Lady Godiva' display to be found on YT. There is the modern and not so modern, you might say that in places, they're 'redeveloping the redevelopments'.
In places, the City has paid tribute to the car industry. There's a Transport Museum and also this pub, the 'Flying Standard' part of the Wetherspoons chain. 'Standard' cars were manufactured in Coventry from the Edwardian era until the 1960s.
The motor industry has also paid tribute to the City! The badge on the front of this Hillman Minx represent the Three Spires (St Michael's, Christ Church and Holy Trinity) of the Coventry skyline.
There's plenty to see and do here. I even went to eat at a Japanese place (other tastes are catered for). There are certain things I don't miss about my working life, but I'm probably going to go again next year!
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