About SideTracked
We have Motorway Mayhem. We have A-Road Anarchy. We even have Village Vexation. But what about public transport users? SideTracked Caches are intended to provide quick cache-and-dashes at train stations.
About this cache
This cache is placed on a small side road, easily accessible directly from Platform 2 (Coventry/London side), or via the footbridge from Platform 1 (Birmingham side). It is about 250 feet from the station. For those travelling here by car, there is a pay and display car park nearby, but you might prefer to park on one of the local roads nearby and get here by foot. Please note that the section of road that this cache is adjacent to has double-yellow lines along its length, and not much space for turning round. You have been warned! Wherever you decide to park, please be mindful of the local residents.
About the location
When you get to the cache, have a look at where you are standing. Quiet here, isn't it? Go back about 10 years or so ago, and it was not always the case! The bridge that you are standing near wasn't here, so traffic had to drive along this stretch of Station Avenue, and thus made travelling along here subject to The Level Crossing Lottery! As you can imagine, at certain times of the day the queues were a bit on the long side...
The level crossing is still there, kind of. Can you see the bollards at the end of this road? You might wish to go over and have a look at the road there. You can see where the road once cut across the railway track; there are still line markings visible going right up close to the tracks. It should go without saying that you shouldn't actually attempt to cross here, but in case you do decide that it might be "fun" to try it, and you fancy climbing the very high safety fence that prevents people from doing such mad things to do so, please remember that meeting a train travelling at speed is likely to put a dampener on the rest of your day.
In case you are feeling peckish whilst you wait for your train, there are a few shops a short distance along Station Avenue (the newer one with the bridge!). Just head north; you're only a few minutes walk away.