Major's Green, Solihull

On Thursday October 9th we returned to Albert at Sherborne Wharf and our friends Anne & Edward Winter joined us for a short trip south. In the afternoon we headed out of central Birmingham along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal.  The weather was autumnal but dry. Edward steered for most of the afternoon and found the journey alongside Birmingham University and Cadbury's particularly interesting. Passing the university the Ross Barlow hydrogen powered boat was on the move. It was travelling very slowly, if that was intentional or because of because of some technical issue we probably won't know, but it took ages to clear a bridge hole. Hopefully it wasn't intending to go far.

Unique slow-down mechanism near Bournville

We turned off the Worcester & Birmingham at Kings Norton and headed down the Stratford Canal. It was getting dark as we approached The Drawbridge at Shirley and the evening "rush-hour" was in full swing. I waited to operate the electrical bridge to try and upset as few car drivers as possible but the road is obviously a rat-run and the queues rapidly built-up. Edward took Albert through the bridge without much delay but driver frustration had obviously built-up and as the road barriers each side of the bridge lifted two cars (an Audi and a Mercedes) "went for it" and faced each other across the bridge. The Audi backed down, but not after some confrontation. It then faced another Mercedes and an even more aggressive stand-off ensued. By this time we had nearly left the scene. As we looked back into the distance they appeared to have sorted themselves out and traffic was flowing freely.

We stopped just around the corner at a nice quite spot between Major's Green and Dickens Heath.

Sherborne Wharf, Birmingham (football hero and bouncing bombs)

On Tuesday October 7th we woke to heavy rain and it continued all morning. I made the mistake of forgetting that to get to Birmingham via Netherton Tunnel there was one lock to negotiate at Parkhead before we branch off along the Dudley No. 2 Canal.

Heavily-laden Tench moored at Withymoor Island and flying the Black Country Flag

We left the modern area around the Waterfront at Merry Hill and once more travelled along the "post-industrial" landscape of the Black Country. When we arrived at Parkhead, not only did I discover the lock that I had forgotten about, but in coming to a halt just outside the lock we picked up a mass of tangled electrical cable around the propeller. A lengthy trip down the weed hatch with a pair of wire cutters ensued. Luckily the water was not too cold but it was raining. After about 3/4 hour the prop was free, we negotiated the lock and turned onto the Dudley No. 2 Canal. The bridge above the lock was appropriately named the Dudley and Lye Waste Bridge.

Approaching Bumble Hole with Cobb Engine Chimney

Junction with the Boshboil and Netherton Branches and the Dudley No.2 main line to Hawne Basin

The Dudley No. 2 has great views across the valley towards Brierley Hill and is really quite rural in places with the former industrial sites now long since covered in vegetation and a number of nature reserves. The interpretation boards placed along the canal by the Dudley Canal Trust were fascinating. I was particularly taken by the board describing the foundry that cast the enormous casings for the Barnes-Wallace bouncing bombs that destroyed the  Möhne and Edersee Dams  dams in Germany during World War II. At the time those working in the foundry would have had no idea of the function of the cylinders they were casting. There was also a plaque under Primrose Bridge commemorating Jeff Astle, the England and West Bromwich centre forward who scored the goal that won the 1968 FA Cup. As a Baggies fan who saw Jeff play several times I was quite excited to discover it.

Entering the Southern Portal of Netherton Tunnel

(Note the two towpaths and you can just see the far end)

All morning we only passed one boat on the move. By the time we got to Netherton the weather had brightened up. The passage through the tunnel was rapid with no boats in sight. We turned onto the Birmingham Main Line and headed for central Birmingham. 

Bromford Junction - Old Main Line to the left

Under the M5 with a large electronic advertising panel

The magnificent Galton Valley bridges 

A hire boat from Stone on the Main Line towards Wolverhampton

The wonderful neo-Gothic architecture of  Engine Arm Aqueduct

In late afternoon we reached the Oozells Street Loop and moored up at Sherborne Wharf. Because we had appointments at home, we moored up Albert for a couple of days and late afternoon we headed home on the train. The plan was to return and continue our homeward journey.

Merry Hill, tricky lock gates and crazy numbers

On Monday October 6th we continued our "Back of the Map" cruise by going up the Stourbridge Sixteen and the Delph "Nine". The weather in the morning was dreadful - wind and rain. As we got to to the second lock of the sixteen and began to open the top paddles, Maggie called from the boat to let me know that both of the bottom gates had swung wide open. With more crew we could have held the gates closed whilst the paddles were raised but there was just me on the bank. We tried stage one of our usual method to keep badly balanced gates shut - running Albert back and using some prop wash. This failed so I resorted to stage two - cracking open a top paddle. This also failed and it was at this point a man called from the upper floor of a neighbouring house "open both paddles full!" I didn't particularly like this idea but on the principle that there was little choice I opened both paddles fully and then rushed back to the bottom of the lock to shut the gates. The gates held tight and the water rose.

It was then that I remembered what I had read the night before in the relevant Pearson's Guide. Our copy is at least 10 years old, and I am sure that is was written in the 1990s, but Mike Pearson describes their journey up the flight and finding that the bottom gates of lock 15 would not close! Are they still unbalanced after all these years!

The Red Cone at Stourbridge

By the time we got "into the thick" of the flight the weather had eased a little and we decided to stop for coffee and respite and the Glass Museum site. We moored overnight outside the museum in the 1990s with our first boat Bertie. That time it was summer and we were going down the flight.

A double lock on the Stourbridge Flight 

(not staircase)

Stourbridge Locks, Black Shed and Red Cone

By the time we reached the Delph the rain had stopped and the weather was tolerable. I had had a discussion with a shopkeeper at the Red Cone who asked if we were going up the "nine" at the Delph. I pointed out that there were actually on eight locks at the Delph but that paradoxically they continued to be called the nine by boaters long after they had been modernised and one lock removed. It was therefore with some amusement that I noticed that the pub at the bottom of "the thick" which had for many years had been called "The Nine Locks" had also been modernised and renamed "The Tenth Lock". This is a bit of a conundrum given that there are only eight in the flight! I presume that following the fashion of naming golf clubhouses "the nineteen hole" the brewery had decided that it would name the pub as the extra lock, not checking that in fact there were actually only eight!

I like the locks at the Delph. They are not difficult to operate and their large overspill weirs, that flow and then stop as you go up or down the flight, provide a great accompaniment to sounds of winding the paddle gear.

Heron at Delph Locks

As we went up the locks a heron perched on a wall close to one of the lock chambers. It was not bothered by our presence and only moved to try a little fishing in the nearby side pond. Maggie took some good photos of it as we passed by.

We finally moored up at Merry Hill above the shopping centre just as the sun, which had finally made an appearance, set for the day. We chose a spot near some hotel boats and Maggie took the opportunity to go the M&S. They provide dinner and some clothing.

Unusual view from a mooring - Merry Hill Shopping Centre

Regents Canal Restoration

Since making my post about the Regents Canal, Kevin Too one of our blog readers, has pointed out there there is a BBC item concerning the work which, like Matthew's comments emphasises the rubbish dumping.

Try it - it's interesting.

Stourbridge

We don't often try selfies - here is our attempt from the lock side at Swindon - Staffordshire. Emily, our daughter, lived for some time at the Wiltshire town of the same name - well that's our excuse for the picture.

A selfie!

On Sunday October 5th we left Compton and made our way towards Stourton Junction and the start of the "Back of the Map" - the Stourbridge Canal. The weather was bright and really pleasant. 

Going down Bratch Locks

It was quiet on the canal and the volunteer lock keeper at the Bratch was very helpful. We only had to wait for one  boat to come up the flight.

As we approached Stourton, Janet & Mike Kinnings called us and suggested they help up first four locks on the Stourbridge Canal - the start of the BCN. We gratefully accepted and moored up in the countryside after a long day.