IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Bigbury Close, COVENTRY, CV3 5AJ

These council flats were built in 1950-51 by Wimpey, using the 'no fines' method (concrete without fine, sandy aggregates, a cheaper method of building) for the Coventry City Architect's Department under Donald Gibson. See Image] for further information.

These three-storey blocks on the Stonebridge estate on the southern edge of Coventry were built in 1950-51 by Wimpey to the designs of the City Architect's Department under Donald Gibson. See Image] for more information. In the words of Jeremy & Caroline Gould, "The monotony... was disappointing and the experiment proved that, since the houses were architecturally modest, it would require imaginative layout, varied density and a richer landscape to make distinctive places." See their e-book, 'Coventry, the making of a modern city 1939-73', p84, at the Historic England site https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/coventry-making-of-modern-city-1939-73/ . How many volume housebuilders today would even attempt to make 'distinctive places'?

This is a close up of an entrance to the flats depicted at Image The glazed tiles with flat numbers and a pastel-shaded surround (a different colour for each entrance) are details that show care and concern for tenants and their environment. These flats date from 1950-51; later on, pressure on the council to build fast and cheap would lead to the shoddiness seen, for example, at Image

Roadworks are being undertaken on the eastbound sliproad, causing the roundabout itself to be at a standstill.

This Mercedes O.405N, operated by National Express Coventry, appears to know where it's going, but seems confused about how to get there. "City Centre via Cheylesmore" would be more appropriate.

There is a nice open bit of road I am trying to get to, but I am stuck in traffic on the roundabout. The road becomes the A46 south of the roundabout.

A gap in the trees reveals the A444, a road to and from the city centre. The blobby brown grass in the foreground is Cocksfoot. Colour in the distance is from buttercups and a sorrel species. I may be wrong to call this land – between Leaf Lane and the dual carriageway – Whitley Common; there is no name on the map.

This turning circle, on Fenside Avenue just east of its junction with Charminster Drive, is no longer in use as the buses serving Fenside now operate in a loop around the estate.