November cruise - day 6

Wednesday 26th November 2008

Black Boy to Cape Locks

10 miles 3 furlongs 21 locks

Cumulative: 62 miles 3.25 furlongs 113 locks


Follow which path? The one for toes?

[Apologies for the lateness of this post. The cold referred to here went away, and then returned at double strength. Unlike Andrew Denny, who has also been suffering, I couldn't even face blogging.]

Got under way at 0815. Weather was dry and cloudy, with five minutes of slight drizzle later on, as we passed today's other moving boat, Nomad, at Tom o' the Wood. At 1025 we stopped by Shrewley Tunnel north portal to have an explore.


David at the north end of Shrewley horse tunnel


Shrewley Tunnel north portal


bank protection works just north of Hatton Locks



We started down the Hatton flight at 1145 and got to the bottom at 1530, not our fastest passage. Most of the locks were against us. We stopped at the BW yard for a closer look: the tax has run out on the van, which looks in poor condition inside.


On the way up Will was very disappointed at having missed Ugly Bridge 52, so, Will, here it is.


The Saltisford Arm looked to offer us a warm welcome.


As we were going down the arm we heard someone whistling for his dog. It was only when he called out that we realised he had been whistling at US! "You'll have to turn round and go - there's no space." So we winded and went. Turned right onto the main line and tied up opposite the Cape of Good Hope pub at 1615.


David and I cycled into Warwick for a look round before it got too dark. The castle was just closing so we cycled round it for a bit, then went to St. Mary's church for choral evensong. Back on the boat we had gammon with potatoes and veg, followed by chocolate pud. My cold started in earnest during evensong.

November cruise - day 5

Tuesday 25th November 2008

Holliday Wharf, Birmingham to Black Boy Bridge 69

15 miles 5.5 furlongs 30 locks

Cumulative: 52 miles 0.25 furlongs 92 locks


on the Farmers Bridge flight

I got up at 0650 to buy milk and a paper from Tesco. Only partially successful: no Times. Should have got something for my sore throat, but forgot. Lit stove. Under way at 0730. It had been cold overnight, as evidenced by thin crusts of ice on some puddles. From Holliday Wharf we passed through Worcester Bar and Gas Street Basin; then turned right at Old Turn (Deep Cuttings) Junction to start down the Farmers Bridge locks. At the top we saw that the old toll office, still used by BW, was open. We stopped and chatted to the lock keeper, who was just about to start a litter pick of the flight. As we worked down the locks, we found that he'd set every lock for us, including opening the top gates! What service! And he'd done a great job with his litter picker.

Many of the overflow weirs are circular or semicircular, some underneath buildings.


At one point there were signs of an old arm leading off to the left. This warehouse is directly in line and looks as though the arm went right into the building.




passing the BT tower and neighbouring buildings

Towards the bottom of the flight there's a marvellous mural, depicting European countries and their contributions to society: the leaning tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower, Stephenson's Rocket etc. Not that you can see much from this shot!


At Aston Junction we continued right on the Digbeth Branch and down another six locks. Here we encountered Ashted Tunnel. This has a towpath with railing, and a gradual bend. It also has a roof which comes down to say "hello" on the offside. Adam had warned us about this, but we still ground to a halt against the roof. There was a surplus of water in the pound, not helped when the following boat - yes, another boat on the move - let another lockful of water into the pound. We had to let some out through the next lock before we could continue.


Ashted Tunnel south portal

From here we whizzed round Typhoo Basin, photographing this, er, interesting house.


Then on past Bordesley Junction, and up Camp Hill locks. Now we're on the Grand Union again, and on the homeward run. At the top of Camp Hill is a BW service area: loos, showers, washing machines etc. All behind security fencing and all looking seldom used. With the locks out of the way for a bit, David disappeared into the galley ... and emerged with this:


the famous Pasta Bake (always pronounced in a cod Northern accent). We ate this in shifts so as to keep on the move.


sunset at Knowle

We tied up outside the Black Boy pub at 1615, where I tried my hand at some more night photography.


The menu at the pub was surely too extensive, but we chose, and ate well. I started reading a book (Prey, by Michael Crichton) from the "library" but returned it when we retired to the boat.

November cruise - day 4

Monday November 24th 2008

Hockley Heath to Holliday Wharf, Birmingham

15 miles 0.5 furlongs 0 locks 1 lift bridge

Cumulative: 36 miles 2.75 furlongs 62 locks


on the Stratford Canal

Another lie-in. Up at 0815 and under way at 0845, after Will had been down the weed hatch (clean) and done the engine checks. We stopped at Waring's Heath between 1000 and 1030 for an on-board fry-up, an almost essential part of winter (all right, late autumn) boating.

At 1355 we passed through the picturesque King's Norton Stop Lock. The canal's all on the level these days, so I don't count it as a lock in the stats.


entering King's Norton Stop Lock

Half an hour later we drifted to a halt outside Bournville Station, having caught something round the prop. David insisted that it was his turn to dive down the hatch, so, reluctantly, we stood aside for the Great Advocate of the Bargee Bill Prop Cleaner. Or Barnacle Bill as he calls it. Or waste of space as I call it. He shoved and heaved, prodded and sawed, but even the GABBPC eventually had to roll up his sleeve and plunge his arm into the icy water. And out came a pathetically small amount of shoelace and fabric. Perhaps the rest had been Bargee Billed off, to attach itself round the next boat's prop.


"Bargee Bill" doesn't stop David getting his hands wet (note the kettle to pour hot water into the weed hatch)

At 1450 we were under way again. We tied up at Holliday Wharf at 1630 in the gloom: in another half hour it would be dark. Watered up. Said goodbye to Will, who lugged his heavy rucksack off to New Street Station. Showered in the BW services. Had a go at some night time photography, but will never come close to Andrew Denny's standard. Perhaps someone could tell me which of the following pair of photos is the better (or least bad), as I can't decide.




Shadow at Holliday Wharf

As the maximum exposure duration my compact digital camera will give is eight seconds I need all the artificial light there is, unlike Mr. Denny, who likes to do it by moonlight.


opposite The Mailbox

Ian, whom we'd visited the previous day, gave us his promised tour of BBC Birmingham in The Mailbox, after which David and I ate at a Wetherspoon's pub. And I tried a few more long(ish) exposure shots.


The Mailbox

November cruise - day 3

Sunday 23rd November 2008

Hatton Top Lock to Hockley Heath

7 miles 7.75 furlongs 19 locks

Cumulative: 21 miles 2.25 furlongs 62 locks


ascending the Lapworth Flight, Stratford Canal

Today was the shortest cruising day of our week, so we had a lie-in, getting under way at 0830. I was up much earlier, of course, lighting the fire at 0730. We entered Shrewley Tunnel at just after 0900. This was probably not the best time to add another load of coal: when we emerged great billows of smoke came out with us, and you could hardly see the other end! It rained gently in the morning, but this cleared up during the day.

We reached Kingswood Junction at 1030, from where I phoned former colleagues Ruth and Ian. They moved from Norwich to Lapworth about three years ago, and had made us promise to call in when we passed their way. Ruth said she'd made a chocolate cake to welcome us with. Excellent! She would meet us on the Lapworth flight.

So now we were on the Stratford Canal working our way up the narrow locks. Here we encountered "leaf soup", a suspension of leaves in the water which somehow reduces the drive from the prop. There was so much in the locks that the usual remedy of blasting in reverse had little effect. The original horse-boats wouldn't have had this problem!


leaves on the line


leaf soup

Ruth met us with just a short way to go before their house, near Lock 4. With her were her dog Celtie, her friend Janet, and former colleague Ewan. Ewan steered enthusiastically, explaining that he used to be a cox.



OK, that's David steering, not Ewan, but that was the better picture. While we ate cake and drank tea chez Ruth and Ian, Ian arrived with the children. Then, after a quick tour of Ruth's art studio, we were back on board for the final push to Hockley Heath. This time Ian and his daughter came with us, all posing for a team photo at the end of a most enjoyable day's cruise (well, I wasn't the one breathing in smoke through Shrewley Tunnel!)


adults, left to right: David, me, Ewan, Ian, Will, Ruth

At 1500 we tied up by the Wharf Tavern where we enjoyed a really good carvery. Here the waitress served everything - meat, veg and gravy - herself. We said we were hungry, and got plates heaped with food. When we'd finished we were complimented on our "nice clean plates"! For £5.75 this was the best value meal of the week (puddings at £3.25 were good too). Back on board we decided against another marathon Trivial Pursuit and played cribbage and read instead.

November cruise - day 2

Saturday 22nd November 2008

Itchington Bottom Lock to Hatton Top Lock

Today: 12 miles 2.5 furlongs 33 locks

Cumulative: 13 miles 2.5 furlongs 43 locks


sunrise behind Bascote Locks

Was awoken at 0333 by a bird singing very loudly. David heard it too. No complaints: much preferable to the constant roar of traffic at some locations. According to Canalplan, which supplied the distance and lockage stats, today's cruise would take 10 hours. In the event it turned out to be two hours less, as the three of us worked the locks as a well-oiled team (and that's before stopping at the pub!)

We got under way at 0710, a full half-hour before sunrise. Pre-dawn stillness, and plenty of daylight. Stopped off at Royal Leamington Spa for a paper. I wonder how many other towns wish their shoppers a Happy Diwali?


Just after Leamington Spa the canal passes over a railway line and the River Avon on two aqueducts. A swan took off and landed in front of us as we were on the first of these, and I managed to capture its second take off as we approached the second.


At Kate Boats in Warwick, just a bit further on, we bought gas (£21.90) and a bag of Taybrite coal (£12) - this seemed expensive. And then, after the two Cape Locks, it was onto the Hatton flight. Nearly every lock was in our favour, which helped our ascent in 2 hours 40 minutes. David took lock wheeling to an extreme.


Actually he was helpfully recovering my bike which I'd left at a lower lock...

There was a surplus of water gushing down every overflow weir. This surplus was to give us a problem later in the week.


We were watering up at the top lock by 1515, after which we ate on board again: chicken pie followed by syrup sponge and custard. Yum! Meals seem to be getting earlier: this was at five o'clock! Then we tramped across a field to the "canalside" Waterman pub - gastro feel and gastro prices (crew had checked earlier) for some pleasant Arkwright's ale. Back on Shadow Will got out his newly acquired 20th Anniversary edition of Trivial Pursuit, which we pursued trivially for four hours, packing it in at a quarter past midnight! (No winner, but Will had gained a full set of cheeses, with David and I each needing one more).


Will photographing the "Stairway to Heaven"

edited to correct number of locks

November cruise - day 1

21st November 2008

Stockton Top Marina to Itchington Bottom Lock

1 mile 0 furlongs 10 locks


David preparing to steer Shadow out of the marina (Will helpfully pointing the way to go)

After a long drive from Norwich at speeds rarely exceeding 50 mph, and getting a bit lost around Northampton - the signs to Daventry disappeared; roads were re-numbered; and a new road built from a new junction (15A) on the M1 missing from my map - I made it to Stockton Top Marina. This is where many OwnerShips boats are moored: at the top of the Stockton flight on the Grand Union in Warwickshire. Our boat, Shadow, will be based here until the new marina at Tattenhall on the Shroppie opens next year.

David and Will arrived from London a few minutes after me. We quickly loaded, then got under way at 1400. We descended the Stockton flight efficiently, and, at 1600, moored by the Two Boats Inn below Itchington Bottom Lock. I'm sure there used to be a sign here with those three words on it: no longer. Shame! Over a pint of Adnams Broadside (not between us, you understand) we perused the menu. Then we crossed the bridge and checked out The Castle. This was in the middle of being refurbished, and had no food. So we returned to the boat for oven-heated lasagne, followed by apple crumble and custard. Thankfully there was some coal on board, so we stayed cosy.

On subsequent days I took rather more photos!

edited to amend number of locks - thanks Adam!

edited again to correct method of heating the lasagne - thanks David!

Packed and ready to go...

... well, mostly. I'll be driving my Amazon to the boat tomorrow, with my bike in the boot.


The easiest way I can do it is to remove the front wheel and put the rest of the bike in with the handlebars and front mudguard hanging out over the bumper. I've road tested it like this with no real problems, as long as I keep the windows closed to stop exhaust fumes coming in. Every other time I've gone boating recently it's been via the 240 with its bicycle-swallowing boot.


The box waiting on the kitchen floor has the essentials: maps; insulated mug; multimeter; muesli, log book; headlight and so on. There's also a pile of waterproofs and warm clothing: according to the weather forecast we're in for some arctic conditions. All part of the fun!


The road test earlier today was to Amazonia to get the brakes fixed: the handbrake lever had suddenly gained lots of extra travel. It turned out that one set of brake shoes (example above) had completely disintegrated. Had it been binding and overheated? I would surely have smelled it, but I didn't. Or was it poor manufacture? Don't know. I just paid for a new set, plus new brake cables as the old ones had deteriorated.

Stoppages. Don't you just love 'em?

November Cruise: three days and counting...

Plan no. 1: Down the south Oxford, wind at Thrupp, and return. No good, as we wouldn't have got past the stoppage at Marston Doles.

Plan no. 2: Brilliant, I thought. One of our crew has to get a train home on Monday afternoon, so I came up with the brainwave of slipping down the Northampton Arm that day. Again, no. Northampton locks closed.

Plan no. 3: On the GU down to Warwick, up to Kingswood Junction; on the Stratford up to King's Norton Junction; on the Worcester and Birmingham to Birmingham (dropping Will off for his train); down the Birmingham and Fazeley to Aston Junction; down the Digbeth Branch to Bordesley Junction; up the GU to Knowle; down to Warwick; and up to the start (Stockton Top Marina).
As far as I can tell there are no planned stoppages on this route. It does have a few locks (136, gulp!), but with our parameters put in Canalpan AC it comes out at 52 hours' cruising. Yes, it'll be dawn to dusk, but there'll be plenty of "downtime" from 4.00 pm each day.

As Will points out the locks will keep us warm - that's everyone except the helmsman!