An idea taken from the Leeds forum, but a Brum version.
I can name three characters to mind:

The scruffy beggar in the wheelchair that seems to go backwards rather than forwards.

The Asian tranny with the belly hanging out.

The Bosnian/Romanian Big Issue Girl by Waterstones on New Street, a voice you can hear from the other side of the country.

The guy who may be a little crazy with the basketball at the Pallasades.

That geezer who plays the screeching bag pipes, normally found in Centenary Square. Someone needs to put us all out of our misery and tell him how awful he is.

And that Big Issue bird is hilarious.

hahaha, I know all of them.

The tramp who goes into KFC after gigs to beg for money and goes "Now I know you don't wanna buy a big issue but...."

Hes not a big issue salesman! Hes been going around with the same big issue for the last couple of months lol.

The scruffy beggar in the wheelchair that seems to go backwards rather than forwards.



I hate him :bash:

I don't know who the tranny is though?

I see a tall oldish guy with a grey side parting that wears a raincoat and trousers that are too short quite a lot. He tends to be around St Philips area a fair bit.

I think he is an alky.

The guy who may be a little crazy with the basketball at the Pallasades.

He's insane, he dresses as a street warden at night and wanders round with a cold tray of chips....:nuts:

The Asian tranny is deaf, and ever so slightly mad, can talk a little though and is fun to chat to

the guy in the wheel chair lives in ladywood and miraculously can walk when on his way home from the city centre...

Well, he propels himself around with his feet anyway.

I'd wheelclamp him.

Recognise any of these?

The guy with the tash who sells potatoes at the markets and looks like he's taken way too much speed

The woman in the rag market who sells the horrible lacy dolls and sounds like she smokes 100 fags a day

The black bird near habitat who would always ask me to do a personality test despite the fact I said no 10 minutes earlier. She used to drive me potty. Haven't seen her for a while

maybe the scientologists have promoted her to mars

yeah love the market people....in a class of their own

The guy with the tash who sells potatoes at the markets and looks like he's taken way too much speed

His picture's on the BCC website on the page about the markets!

The woman in the rag market who sells the horrible lacy dolls and sounds like she smokes 100 fags a day

She doesn't work in the markets anymore. You'll see in Debenhams in the Bullring now. Last time I saw her, she was doing make up for people.



For all the Sutton people, how about Jim the local tramp? He's got a monster of a rucksack and is commonly seen in the doorway to the old Natural World store on the Parade or sitting down somewhere on the Birmingham Road!

Oh yeah, I remember seeing her in there :)

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=234380

Way too many amphetamines. Have a :carrot:

An idea taken from the Leeds forum, but a Brum version.


And an Idea that ought to go back to the Leeds forum.

It might have seemed funny to pick on people or make fun of people at school but most of us are supposed to be grown up and realised it's rude.

I thought as a sub-forum the Birmingham threads were always tolerant compared to some of the other threads.

There are lots of people who you might consider as characters but this thread is not what i thought it might be. One person's character is probably just someone normal to someone else.

:soapbox:

Does anyone remember the black lady living in Small Heath/ Hay Mills - very close to the Asda? It wasn't actually her that was noticeable but the enormous wall she had constructed out of scrap between her house and the neighbours in the front garden. It started to sag quite dangerously at one point and soon after, most of it had been removed. I saw her once, dancing outside her house with a hammer on her head. At one point, all the windows in her house were taken out and replaced with, what looked like, fish netting! Haven't gone past the house for a few years now!

There's a busker who's been playing Beatles songs badly for as long as I can remember.....last saw him on New St. Looks a bit like Paul McCartney (in an odd way).

He used to have one of the council's "Busk Stops".

I always like it when I see him. Familiarity I suppose!

That geezer who plays the screeching bag pipes, normally found in Centenary Square. Someone needs to put us all out of our misery and tell him how awful he is.

Oh dear, that man really either needs to learn to play the bagpipes, or better still, SHUT UP! I just don't see how you could think bagpipes would make a good busking instrument.

http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/Media?MEDIA_ID=234380

Way too many amphetamines. Have a :carrot:

Is he the guy who shouts a lot, even when you are stood 2 feet from him?

He frightens me a bit.

Like Madders, the promoter of Sundissential :banana:

And an Idea that ought to go back to the Leeds forum.

It might have seemed funny to pick on people or make fun of people at school but most of us are supposed to be grown up and realised it's rude.

I thought as a sub-forum the Birmingham threads were always tolerant compared to some of the other threads.

There are lots of people who you might consider as characters but this thread is not what i thought it might be. One person's character is probably just someone normal to someone else.

:soapbox:

i don't think it's rude - talking about people who everyone seems to recognise, and I am sure that some of them would be delighted that they are thought to be a character.

And getting stopped in the street for the umpteenth time either to a) have an attempt at brainwashing into a cult or b) being asked for change (usually by someone looking for their next fix) is far ruder. And they don't worry about it.

:)

PS - did you think we would be talking about Benny from Crossroads - fictional characters? I did when I saw the title and though "how dull". This is far better :pepper:

I agree with everything you say Bio, I think you have over reacted slightly Feltip. I'd be flattered if I was mentioned on here, even if it was to mention some humorous attribute I have lol. It is better to be a character than to be boring.

The Asian tranny with the belly hanging out.

The Bosnian/Romanian Big Issue Girl by Waterstones on New Street, a voice you can hear from the other side of the country.



I don't know who the tranny is though?


The Asian tranny is deaf, and ever so slightly mad, can talk a little though and is fun to chat to


The Asian transvestite is the only one anyone has mentioned that I've ever seen in Brum, if I'm thinking of the right one. I saw her/him one day when I was really depressed but seeing her cheered me up a bit as she was carrying a bunch of flowers and stumbling around on her stilettos. However, I saw her being heckled by a gang of Asian guys but she just kind of hung her head as she trotted on her way.

In Wolverhampton there was a cowboy who roamed around the main shopping area when I was a kid but I haven't been for years so don't know if he's still around. And of course there was the legendary ring road tramp who died last year. :(

The most famous character MUST be the small (under 5ft tall) black guy who has been patrolling the buses of Birmingham since I can remember, looking for fagends and/or 10p. You must know him...I indeed saw him the other day crossing Pershore Road...

In Wolverhampton there was a cowboy who roamed around the main shopping area when I was a kid but I haven't been for years so don't know if he's still around. And of course there was the legendary ring road tramp who died last year. :(

Tell me more please. :)

There's an Ozzy Osbourne lookalike who I've seen a few times on the bus.

I also saw this quite bizarre couple at the bus station the other day. He was asian, about 28 years old and she was white, ginger hair, glasses, freckles, about 13 years old and they were kissing and everything. :nuts:

There's also a greasy long-haired guy, about 40-50 who rides the buses, but dresses up to resemble a bus driver (or is a driver but rides them all day anyway).

Harborne routes IIRC.

Tell me more please. :)


All I remember is that the Wolverhampton cowboy walked around the outsides of the Mander Centre wearing a cowboy hat boots and chaps. He was quite legendary at my school - they all used to talk about him but I only knowingly saw him once probably in the mid-90s as by then we mostly went to Merry Hill. ;)

I wonder what happened to him. :shifty:

There's also the black geezer with one arm who's always on the the fruit machines in Bearwood

One arm bandits?

Sorry, I couldn't resist...

Yes, everyone says that ;)

I used to see him a lot in the New Talbot and sometimes the Bear

For all the Sutton people, how about Jim the local tramp? He's got a monster of a rucksack and is commonly seen in the doorway to the old Natural World store on the Parade or sitting down somewhere on the Birmingham Road!

yep legend! spot him most days.

I have had a drink with the Asian transvetite. She's lovely! She had a bag of videos in her bag - one about Australia.

The Eastern European big issue vendor - her voice rips right through you.

Other memorable ones are: The old bloke who used to shout "Evening Mail" which sounded like "Eean Merl" and some scruffy tramp who mistake you for someone else and ask for £5-£10 - David his name was.

I have had a drink with the Asian transvetite.


:eek:

Really? You must tell me about it sometime NN. ;)

That geezer who plays the screeching bag pipes, normally found in Centenary Square. Someone needs to put us all out of our misery and tell him how awful he is.

Here he is!

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/Erebus555/Birmingham%2006/DSCF1131-1.jpg

A few seconds after the photo was taken, some police or wardens approached him and he started talking to them in the most hilarious mock-Scottish accent I've heard. Almost like he'd been watching too many Groundskeeper Willy skits on the Simpsons!

There's the Birmingham Bus Mentalist as well, I haven't had the misfortune to be on the same bus as him recently. You feel sorry for him as he's obviously mentally ill and gets aggressive reactions from people, but he apparently can be a nasty piece of work sometimes.

There's some great bus drivers tales (from Glasgow) at Bloodbus. (http://www.bloodbus.com/)

Does anyone remember the black lady living in Small Heath/ Hay Mills - very close to the Asda? It wasn't actually her that was noticeable but the enormous wall she had constructed out of scrap between her house and the neighbours in the front garden. It started to sag quite dangerously at one point and soon after, most of it had been removed. I saw her once, dancing outside her house with a hammer on her head. At one point, all the windows in her house were taken out and replaced with, what looked like, fish netting! Haven't gone past the house for a few years now!

I no who you are talking about cause my mate lives round there, I have saw her a few times and the fence, I dont think she is all there. Also in Bordsley green has anyone seen the black man who just dances in the street, I cant remmember his name it might have been mad mike or sumert. LOL

^^Aah my mom has seen him. She's told me about him before! If you're lucky, he'll serenade you too! ;)

There's the Birmingham Bus Mentalist as well, I haven't had the misfortune to be on the same bus as him recently. You feel sorry for him as he's obviously mentally ill and gets aggressive reactions from people, but he apparently can be a nasty piece of work sometimes.

There's some great bus drivers tales (from Glasgow) at Bloodbus. (http://www.bloodbus.com/)

There's something of the Martin G about that:-

http://www.bloodbus.com/images/blog15_ned_grinder.gif

Snow Hill Station: The entrance from Colmore Row....

"Big Isssssssssssssssssue please Ladies, Gents, Big Issssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssue!"

i don't know any of them...think i've been in manchester way to long

I no who you are talking about cause my mate lives round there, I have saw her a few times and the fence, I dont think she is all there. Also in Bordsley green has anyone seen the black man who just dances in the street, I cant remmember his name it might have been mad mike or sumert. LOL

He used to dance on the corner of Green Lane and Victoria Road in Small Heath back in the 90's, always had a big stick with him, and had earphones on which wern't attached to anything. He seemed to have move more towards Bordesley when I last saw him, few years ago now though.

Yeah, that Big Issue bloke outside Snowhill station, I think there is one with a voice box as well, or is that the same bloke?

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned "Birmingham's running man"! He's been jogging around the northern part of the second city for better part of a decade wearing the same garb - white fleece, weird hat and backpack - whatever the weather. I see him quite regulary, when I'm on my way to work, between Walsall and Jct 7 of the M6: Legend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MxA4RqOi0w

^^Blimey! I found him in Great Barr once. He had a bit of a crowd following him as well, well about 3 people anyway! I've heard he's not really talkative...

There's the Birmingham Bus Mentalist as well, I haven't had the misfortune to be on the same bus as him recently. You feel sorry for him as he's obviously mentally ill and gets aggressive reactions from people, but he apparently can be a nasty piece of work sometimes.

There's some great bus drivers tales (from Glasgow) at Bloodbus. (http://www.bloodbus.com/)

That's pretty much everybody on the 11. All the time.

Plus the staggeringly racist senior citizens. They're always fun to argue with.


Was sat next to a lady on the 9 (top deck) once who was jabbering to herself all the way from Halesowen to town, yelling out 'Please no! Please dont kill me!' every five minutes. Somebody came up the stairs to check I wasn't killing her at one stage. Sad really - clearly needed some assistance.

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned "Birmingham's running man"! He's been jogging around the northern part of the second city for better part of a decade wearing the same garb - white fleece, weird hat and backpack - whatever the weather. I see him quite regulary, when I'm on my way to work, between Walsall and Jct 7 of the M6: Legend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MxA4RqOi0w

he's now also on facebook lol (hi SF)

The guy who may be a little crazy with the basketball at the Palisades.

if it's the 7ft black dude... he once picked me out of a packed commuter train heading into brum, I ignored him and he decided I needed to know his name, a bit scary actually.

The spitting beggar (with beard) was banned from city centre a while back, I once bought him a cornish pastie and he still angrilly insisted "money"... nearly as bad as being robbed blind by big issue sellers when they don't have big issues to sell.

the old (looking) man on three wheel cycle was a common sight going back a few years.. possibly dead now? although these people often live longer than you imagine, they have a purpose... if they are out and about in their won little worlds then I guess they are not festering inside (their own minds). :)

the guy in bordesley green who dances at the traffic lights is "mad malik"

^^ voted the Mails 'Brummy of the Year' a couple of years ago if I remember correctly.

Mad Malik has been around for over 20 years now, he is an east Birmingham legend. His facebook group has nearly 2,000 members now and has a lovely animated gif of him in action. :)

I saw the wheelchair tramp reverse into the seats outside Bagel Nation on Colmore Row this morning only to ask a customer for some change!

He's on Facebook@!!!@!@!@!!!

Looks.........

I finally saw the basketball man! He kept chucking the ball against buildings and stuff and dropping it. You'd think for all the time hes been carrying that ball he'd actually have some skill...!

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned "Birmingham's running man"! He's been jogging around the northern part of the second city for better part of a decade wearing the same garb - white fleece, weird hat and backpack - whatever the weather. I see him quite regulary, when I'm on my way to work, between Walsall and Jct 7 of the M6: Legend!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MxA4RqOi0w


I saw the Running Man again, yesterday morning, jogging along the Sutton Road between The Barr Beacon and Walsall - it was also pouring down with rain! He had his usual garb on again as I've no doubt he did today too, in the beautiful sunshine, wherever he decided to go for a trot!

I finally saw the basketball man! He kept chucking the ball against buildings and stuff and dropping it. You'd think for all the time hes been carrying that ball he'd actually have some skill...!

Well I saw a tall black bloke with a basketball inder his arm talking to someone on Corporation St yesterday, I assume, this may have been the same man?

^^Sounds like him! I had an unfortunate encounter with the Big Issue woman too today! :|

Yep Neil, it was near Corporation Street on the same day so it definitely sounds like the same guy.

Its odd how the only "characters" that we can all think of are either homeless or (probably) a little crazy! Then again, judging by the publics obsession with Big Brother it seems you have to be crazy in order to be considered interesting.

Thread resurrection - Has anyone had vile abuse shouted at them by a very short guy (4ft tops) along Centenary Square, Broad St area? It's happened twice in the last week, not only is it making me paranoid, but I'm in the mood to smash his face in if he tries it on again (and I'm a man of peace!)

Is he fat? Was the abuse racist?

There was an old small black bloke shouting something on the McDonalds ramp yesterday, no idea what he was saying, but it was all in one tone. :nuts:

The guy that jogs everywhere, is he black. If so I have seen him by barr beacon school, also theres another black guy on the bus that I see quite regulary on the 97 bus. He was stomping up and down saying "Whats my name? My names Jesus" fairly funny but you feel sorry for him.

^^That sounds like the jogging man to me! I've seen him up in West Brom!

Is he fat? Was the abuse racist?

Yes. And Yes. Tosser.

On a lighter note, the conductor on the Cross City who gives it the full stream of conciousness announcements is not only a character, but a legend.

Aah there's two conductors on the Cross City Line who I love! There's the middle-aged black guy who bursts through the carriage doors and stands there with his ticket machine like it was a gun, with his hands on his hips; "Tickets. Pl-ease!"

And then there's the one who pretty much sings that you're approaching New Street station! He's brilliant!

Does anyone remember the man who used to announce the trains at new st station years ago who would always say in his thick brummie accent as a train was just about to close its doors:
"Once it's gone, it's gone! That's it, there won't be another one for a while after that."

Or is it just my husband that does?!

Lol, I dunno that guy but I noticed yesterday that Pallisades Basketball Crazy Guy has a red electric guitar.