There are references in the sign to things in Netherton's history: an anchor and chain; and a narrowboat are two for starters. The letters themselves appear to be made of brick - brickmaking was a local industry.
But I've jumped ahead. Last night we tied up at Windmill End, at the junction of the Dudley No. 1 and No. 2 Canals and the Boshboil Branch.
The chimney is that of Cobb's Engine House.
Before anyone else on Shadow was up, I'd cruised to the end of the Boshboil Branch and reversed back to the junction. On the way to the Bumblehole Branch I realised that the engine temperature was high again, so I stopped to let things cool. I had noticed that the coolant level was a little low when I did the engine checks before setting off, but I'd assumed that it had just found its own correct level. Wrong! It really was low. I managed to remove the cap this time with no dramatics, topped up with hot water, and all was well again.
The entrance to the Bumblehole Branch passes under the lowest bridge I think I've encountered anywhere on the system. I even had to whip out the tiller pin before it could become modified by Dunn's Bridge. Thanks to Jim's comment the other day about the boom at Walsall Basin, I wasn't too worried by the presence of a yellow boom across the canal just before the fork at the end. Winding here was interesting: the prop seems much better able at pushing water than mud, and the latter was the order of the day here. Well, it was my choice!
There is much more to write about, especially in relation to the trip to Hawne Basin down the Dudley No. 2 Canal, but, again, I've run out of waking hours. How do other people find the time to write extensive cruising blogs? To end with, here's a shot from the bow of our boat this evening. We're by Gas Street Basin with nothing between us and The Mailbox.
Oh - we didn't make it up the Titford Canal - ran out of time.
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