Misleading canal sign?

We were the first boat up the Wolverhampton 21 locks today, as evidenced by the fresh black paint someone had carefully applied to the spindles of the lock gear The spindles!

We had a fairly uneventful trip up the locks, most of which were in our favour. I did my usual lockwheeling, setting a lock ahead each time. In the two and a half hours or so we took to get to the top, I therefore cycled three times the distance Jan covered in the boat. One lockside was adorned with cowslips.

At Factory Junction we turned right to keep on the Old Main Line. We passed some interesting creatures beyond Tipton.

There were plenty of moorhens on their floating nests. There were a few families of moorchicks about too.

At Tividale an aqueduct carries the Old Main Line over the Netherton Tunnel Branch. There is a canal junction sign ...

... but you can't simply turn right here. Yes, Netherton Tunnel is in the direction indicated, but to get there you'd have to turn left, left and left again, having gone down Brades Locks in the process.

High Bridge, which we passed under, is a bridge, certainly, but not what I would call high.

One more photo from today: a goose watches as Jan approaches Smethwick Locks. The Engine Arm goes off to the left under the towpath bridge (even though the bank looks continuous).

We tied up at Cambrian Wharf in central Birmingham, where I removed a large quantity of plastic from the blades.

Box on top keeps my tea hot

We had an uneventful journey from Birmingham to, er, Birmingham today (all right, it was from Cambrian Wharf in the city centre to Bridge 5 on the Stratford Canal at Yardley Wood) so I'll write about something else.

Two years ago I found some bits of scrap MDF by the bins at the bottom of the Napton Locks.  Using panel pins and PVA I knocked up a rough and ready box to take useful things and keep them out of the rain.  It sits on the cabin slide and works a treat.
 

In the box are the device on which I display Waterway Routes; a clock; a pair of clip-on sunglasses. There is space for a mug: the wind protection helps to keep my tea/coffee hot. Despite the MDF sitting on a sometimes wet surface it has lasted remarkably well.

As we approached Birmingham yesterday I saw a seagull walking along the towpath with a dead-looking gosling in its beak.
 

On the opposite towpath, having given up any fight, were Mr and Mrs Goose and one remaining gosling.

It seems a shame, but I suppose it's the way of the natural world.

Back to today ... and we enjoyed the second dry day in a row.  It was still cold, though - the stove is on as I write.  This was a peaceful part of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.
 

From a distance the guillotine lock at King's Norton looked pleasingly free of graffiti.

Some became visible as we got closer, and the other side was sadly marred by the vandal's spray can.

So, as I say, we are at Bridge 5 (Yardley Wood Road).  We had a fabulous curry at our favourite Sweet Chillies restaurant.

Stop, gate! Don't close!

We were still in bed this morning when the boat we tied up in front of last night set off. We got under way at about 0915 and headed for the Wolverhampton 21 locks which were all* against us. We guessed that the early starter had gone up the flight in front of us - this was confirmed by the volunteer lockies (and when we saw it moored at the top).

Speaking of volunteers, as we set the bottom lock two hi-viz'd and life jacketed members of that clan appeared and offered to help us up the locks.  We couldn't very well refuse, so one went to assist the hire boat which was following us, leaving Brian who stayed with us all the way to the top.

There was just one faulty paddle in the 84.
 

The wooden structure around the rack is missing. No need for black-and-yellow tape here. (I think that's Stewart, not Brian, posing with it.)

We had the luxury of no fewer than three volunteers for the last half dozen locks. The other two had been helping the early starter; that job done, they came down to us. We emerged from the top lock at 1200 having completed the flight in about two and a half hours (and shaving a full hour off the time estimated on Waterway Routes, but Paul doesn't assume that a generous helping of volunteer lockies will always be available!)

Jubilee's prop stayed clean all the way up the locks but, on the weedy Wolverhampton Level, we had to stop a couple of time so I could disappear down the weed hatch. I did one more clearance after we'd descended Factory Locks onto the Birmingham Level.

Approaching the aqueducts just west of Dudley Port I could see that a stop gate was partially closed in front of us.  (Sorry the photo is poor quality.)
 

I wondered if I should nudge it back into its fully open position but that rare thing in these parts - a boat - was approaching. There was plenty of room to get past.

A lot of redevelopment is going on in the Icknield Port Loop area. I'm fairly sure this graffiti "artist" is not part of the official scheme.

I'd always assumed they did their paint spraying under cover of darkness, but this was in as broad a daylight as you could get (without the sun actually shining).

After a dry day (hooray!) we tied up in our favourite Cambrian Wharf spot as the sun did, indeed, come out.

 *One of the locks near the top of the flight was empty - the water had presumably leaked out.

(Updated to correct typo)

One of the most photographed bridges?

When the rain - and the threat of rain - passed I put a second coat of paint on the well deck. The pits are still there but are smoothing out as they fill with paint. I had thought of smearing filler over before painting, but reasoned that it would crack up as the deck flexes when walked on.

I took only one photo today, that of us et al at the Indian restaurant. Before showing that here's one from yesterday as we approached Drayton Footbridge.

I guess most boaters who have travelled along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal will have at least one photo of this unusual bridge.

Several historic boats passed us on their way to Birmingham. Some, if not all, will have been at the gathering at Huddlesford Junction last weekend. This is Whitby having just passed the entrance to Fazeley Mill Marina.

And so to the meal out tonight. Nine boats have now congregated in Fazeley for the BCF event this weekend; fourteen of us enjoyed a meal at Kudos Indian Restaurant. I realise I have omitted Gwyneth from the photo, sorry Gwyneth.

Stephen, Hazel, James, Elizabeth, Richard, Sally, Chris, Chris, Gill, John, Tony, Jan

A sign on a sinking boat

We were just about to set off from Minworth this morning when our friends Chris and Di came past on Ultreya. We followed them down Curdworth Locks and stopped just above the Dog and Doublet where they joined us for lunch on board Jubilee.

While there Alder and Clover passed on their way up the locks. This is Clover, looking immaculate as ever.

At Bodymoor Heath some wag has put a sign on a sinking boat.

"HMS Brexit".

Yes, well, I have a sinking feeling about Brexit too.

All too soon we were doing our last lock of the year (probably): Curdworth Bottom Lock. After yesterday's deluges it was a pleasant change doing this in sunshine.

We topped up with diesel at Fazeley Mill Marina and had hoped to get a new gas cylinder too, but they had run out. We winded at Fazeley Junction and tied up by Tolson's Footbridge ready for a BCF event this weekend.

In the evening we joined David, Mary, James and Hazel for a meal in the Peninsular Chinese restaurant.

Jan, James, Hazel, David, Mary

Overspill weirs doing their job

We noticed last night that the Farmer's Bridge flight seemed to be set in our favour, so we got up reasonably early hoping to be the first down the locks. While we were having breakfast, listening to the rain, at least one boat went down, scuppering our plan. Then Edwin appeared on Ferrous with his remote control at the ready.

As we were no longer in a rush we attended to the boat's needs at the services before entering the flight in the pouring rain.

By Lock 4 my shoes had so much water in them that they squelched with every step. My hat and coat performed well, though. Did I mention the rain? We had planned to be in Fazeley by Wednesday evening so we were on a schedule. Having done just six locks in the previous two weeks we had 27 today, all but one against us. At least it wasn't cold, and once you're wet you can't get much wetter.

I don't remember ever seeing overspill weirs doing their job with so much vigour.

One of the new houses where (I believe) the Cincinnati works used to be has made a big effort with the bank, mowing the grass and putting in many potted trees. Incongruously a bus stop stands amongst them.

One for Jim?

I'm pleased to report that the new well deck paint doesn't seem to have suffered in the rain.

Oh no! What's happened to forward gear?

We left Windmill End for the final time this morning, after walking down to Lidl for some supplies.

Having passed through Netherton Tunnel we stopped just after Tividale Aqueduct for lunch.

At Dudley Port Junction we turned left onto the New Main Line and after a while came to the former Watery Lane Junction.

The plaque reads: The Tipton Green and Toll End Communication formerly crossed the Birmingham Level at this point 1809 - 1960.

It was good to feel the windlass in my hand again for Factory Locks after more than a week on the Birmingham Level. But at Lock 2 … Houston, we have a problem.

Jan, at the helm at the bottom of the lock, reported that it would go no faster than tickover in forward. I filled the lock and had a feel of the Morse control. It seemed to be physically obstructed in forward. I would have to take a proper look, but decided to do this on the lock landing above the top lock. Jan steered into Lock 1 on tickover, ascended the lock and stopped on the landing. With the deck boards up I could see the cable moving as it should. The Morse lever seemed to be hitting something much nearer to the control itself. Opening the door on which it is mounted I immediately saw the cause of the problem. (And here I should have taken a photo. Perhaps tomorrow.) A woodscrew holding a metal clip thing in position had come loose; the metal clip had rotated such that it was stopping the lever travelling much beyond the vertical. It was a matter of seconds to tighten the screw with the clip in what I hope is the right place - and we were up and running again.

At Factory Junction, a few yards from where we'd stopped, we turned left to head to the facilities by the Black Country Living Museum. On the way we passed the site of the Tipton Canal Festival.

At least, this is where some boats had congregated. A bit further on we came across Andy and Helen on Wand'ring Bark and The Jam Butty. We tied up in front of them after the services and joined them for a cup of tea. Later in the evening Chris and Sally of Kairos came for drinks.

Tomorrow we don't have to go anywhere or do anything (much)! Oh, apart from joining a group of people going to Mad O'Rourke's Pie Factory. Will I have another cow pie?

A tunnel that wasn't, and one that was (although currently unnavigable)

It was good to see the toll house at King's Norton Junction being renovated after the fire a year or so ago.

On the Worcester and Birmingham Canal and heading into Birmingham there was a new building awaiting us. It looked as though it was built right over the canal with a tunnel for boats...

… but when we got there we found the building - part of the University of Birmingham and seemingly called Unite Students - was just to the west of the canal.

The only tunnel was that built to accommodate the proposed restoration (and re-routing) of the Dudley No. 2 Canal. This used to run from very near here at Selly Oak to Hawne Basin via the (now collapsed) Lapal Tunnel. If the restoration succeeds it is likely that the new canal will be known as the Lapal Canal.

The (short) tunnel is directly behind the slender tree in the photo above.

We stopped just round the corner from Holliday Wharf and walked to the Apple store. Here my phone was looked at but they couldn't do anything to make it work again. Grr. I discovered there that none of my contacts has been backed up in something called iCloud. Double grr. I am therefore now having to use my old Nokia PAYG, with no e-mail or WhatsApp. Even text messages cost money.

After lunch we continued our journey to Windmill End for the Black Country Boating Festival this weekend. At the toll island on the Birmingham Canal New Main Line, just before the Engine Arm Aqueduct, we found that it has been taken over by a nascent beech forest. It gave the side of the boat a good rubbing.

A little later, on a bridge high over the canal, a heron perched.

Who can identify the bridge for me?

We turned left at Dudley Port Junction and took about 35 minutes to get through Netherton Tunnel. The sign at the entrance suggests that passage should take approximately 56 minutes (sic). Really? Perhaps I misread the sign. We are now at the site of the BCBF and will get stuck in - helping with the setup - tomorrow.

Help with locks? Me?

Er, yes. Me. I had to have help with a flight of locks today on account of my bad back. Richard responded to our plea and turned up slightly earlier than we were expecting. Still, we made good progress down the Curdworth flight, even stopping for coffee below Lock 7.

I don't know what they're laughing about.

When we got to Fazeley we filled the diesel tank and emptied the Elsan at Fazeley Mill Marina and returned to our mooring. As we had to drive Richard back to Curdworth we decided it would be a good idea to eat at The White Horse. Mary came along too - David had a meeting to go to so couldn't join us.

Mary, Jan, me, Richard

Brades Staircase

I filled yesterday's blog post with photos of our Dudley Tunnel trip and didn't say anything about what else we did, which was to return to central Birmingham.

I thought it would be fun to go down the BCN's only staircase pair, at Brades Locks. Having seen very little traffic since we left Tipton I was surprised to find a boat coming up the staircase. Apparently there was an emergency stoppage affecting Factory Locks, so boats were being diverted via Brades. I hadn't received an e-mail alert from CRT so I guess whatever it was had happened very recently.

The intermediate gate of the staircase wouldn't close easily - there was a coconut in the way. You see a lot of coconuts in the water in areas of high Asian population. Hindus (or is it Sikhs, or both?) use them in their funeral rituals, putting the deceased's ashes in them and floating them off down the canal on the basis that all waterways lead to the Ganges.

After three weeks of boating without needing to visit the weed hatch we caught a bag round the blades on the New Main Line. I pulled in to the bollards at the foot of the Smethwick New Pumping Station to remove it, and caught another one as soon as I pulled away. Grr. I removed that one sitting between the bank and an old toll island ... and caught another large bag round the rudder.

First bag: Sainsbury's

Second bag: Tesco

Third bag: insulation packaging

We tied up at Cambrian Wharf in the one remaining space, and went to bed with the rowdies making a terrific racket at the Flapper and Firkin. Why do they have to SHOUT so much? All was peaceful by 0030 ...

This morning we went to St Luke's, Gas Street for their 0930 service. A gap near Worcester Bar leads directly onto Gas Street; the church is opposite.

The building used to be a gas producing factory.

After church we set off down the Farmer's Bridge and Aston lock flights, staying on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal to Minworth Greaves, descending Minworth Locks on the way.

At Aston Top Lock a curious flying insect perched on the balance beam handle. I don't recognise it, do you?