Bangs in the night!

Last night we had an internet connection but when Jan rose this morning for her call back to Australia she discovered there was no internet.  Sometimes this can be rectified by turning the smartphone off and on.  But not today.  Returning to bed she mentioned the problem and then went on to mention she had heard two loud explosions followed by the sound of several sirens at 5.30am.

We have the outback external mobile phone aerial on the roof and have never failed to get a signal.

On checking the phone there was no network coverage for Three.  The second phone was then turned on and no Vodafone coverage.  My guess was Jan had heard the sound of a local electrical transformer exploding which then triggered building alarms.  By mid afternoon coverage had returned. 

Sorry FMIL…. That’s why there was no Skype call today!

Problems come in pairs.  The SD card in the camera has been playing up.  It works in the camera but when it’s removed and inserted into the laptop card reader it’s not recognised.  The external card reader doesn’t recognise it either.  Initially the only solution appeared to be a replacement card.  It’s an expensive camera (Canon EOS 550D) and you would think there would be another way of transferring the photos from the camera to the laptop.  However the manual for the camera only explains how to transfer audio-video from the camera to laptop via the proprietary cable. 

Not deterred by this a search on friend Google indicated the proprietary cable could be used to transfer photos.  After looking at the “proprietary” socket on the camera it appeared the standard mini USB cable plug might suffice.  It did; and the camera was recognised by the laptop.  This is actually a simpler way to transfer the photos.

In the afternoon Jan got working with the needles whilst waiting for heads to roll whilst I went to watch the locals teach their maggots to swim.  The have some rather attractive coloured maggots.  I guess it’s the diet?  The fish in England are obviously far cleverer than those down-under.  The know to stay well away from the fishermen.  This requires the fishermen to use very long poles in order to reach the far bank.  This seems rather silly to me.  Surely it would be easier to fish from the far bank with a short pole.  But then I don’t know much about fishing!

It’s rather interesting to observe how history has been layered (we call it progress).  At one location it’s obvious the lock was built first.

In the photo above you can see the original steps loading down from the end of the lock.  However a brick arch road bridge was subsequently built making the steps redundant.  As the size of the vehicles increase (and the volume of traffic) the original brick bridge was widened by adding a second arch

The two arches aren’t exactly the same size.

There is a cottage adjacent to Bumblehole Lock.  Perhaps the original lock keepers cottage.  The following black and white photo is my attempt to provide an impression of what it might have looked like.

On to Swindon

It was a quiet night at the end of the Stourbridge Town Arm.  Jan was up early and I was woken at 6.15AM but some inconsiderate jogger pounding past the cabin.  The canal has a reasonable depth here and the water lillies appear to be keeping it relatively clear.

View from the side hatch

Leaving at 8.30 we made our way back up the arm and turned left towards Stourton Junction.  The canal was rather quiet with no boats moving.  Actually this one looked like it hadn’t moved in some time.

Is it abandoned and if so; why hasn’t it been removed?

The bottom end of the Stourbridge Canal has nothing worth mentioning until you reach the four locks of the Stourton flight.  They appear to be well cared for and in excellent condition.

Jan heads off to prepare the top lock

The second lock is in an attractive setting.  The road bridge looks to be a more recent addition (by 100 years?)

We both liked the lockside cottage but being adjacent to the road probably made it rather noisy.  Waiouru loiters at the exit of the fourth lock allowing Jan to close the gate and reboard before we make a right turn onto the Staffs & Worcs Canal.

From this point onwards we are back on canals that we frenetically covered during a two week hireboat holiday in 2007.  Neither of us remember this part of the canal!

Jan rather liked this offside property with extensive and well maintained gardens.  However were were slightly taken aback by the sign on the lawn asking boaters to please refrain from mooring opposite.  Maybe they should invest in bedroom curtains!

We cruised on past Ashwood Marina observing the boater using his manual self-pump out kit to decant the contents of his toilet tank into multiple plastic 30 litre containers.  Why not just buy a cassette toilet and join the plebs <another popcorn moment> 

We planned to moor at Greensforge just short of the lock.  However the location was rather damp with overhanging trees which are not conducive to finding the ‘dot in the sky’.  There’s probably only room for 1.5 boats on the 48 hour mooring above the lock and there was already a boat in the middle of the space.  Consequentially we continued on going through a further lock to reach Swindon Village.  It took us four hour of cruising and the batteries were well charge.  Jan did a load of washing on the way which she has now hung in the cratch and under the pram cover.  Why?  Because the forecast rain arrived on time at 4.00pm.  It’s here for the next couple of days and so are we!

Locked Out!

No… not out of the boat!  After completing both the Delph and Stourbridge flights of locks (total 24) we’re both slightly pooped….

Actually we didn’t start cruising until just on 11.00am because we made a trip by foot to the nearby Merry Hill retail park.  It looks to be a combination of old and new complexes with the more modern being constructed and owned by Westfields.  Damned Aussie developers… can’t get away from them!  The Delph flight of 8 locks arrived very shortly after we untied the ropes.  Jan locked Waiouru down and in between I went forward to set up the next lock.  With our luck every lock was against us.

Delph Locks

The flight looked as if it might be low on water so we carefully managed the locks to ensure little was wasted on the way down. 

On reaching Leys Junction we turned left and moored on the lock landing to have a late lunch.  The top lock was empty and immediately we suspected all the locks would again be against us.

Looking back with the Fens Branch to the left and the Stourbridge Canal to the right

Our lucky day arrived when I went forward to fill the top lock only to see a boat coming up in the lock below. Hurrah….. all the locks will be full!  Spoke too soon.  The locks on the Stourbridge flight leak BADLY.  Despite the boat coming up we found all the locks had leaked until they were empty.

At Lock 3 Jan noticed the pub on the towpath side.  Well it’s more likely she noticed the man with the rather attractive looking cold beer sitting on the bench table outside the pub.

No time to think of that….. there’s another 13 locks to be done!  At lock 9 we picked up an unofficial helper complete with his own windlass and handcuff key.  John told Jan he has applied to be a CRT volunteer lock keeper and is waiting to hear if he has been accepted.  He certainly knew the peculiarities of the individual locks in the flight.

At Lock 9 there were great views across the valley.  The adjacent cottage also looked interesting, along with the old bottle kiln.

Locks 9 & 10 weren’t a staircase but they are very close together.  The pound looks to be about 3 metres long.

Looking back with Waiouru now in lock 10.

There was a very attractive shop between locks 10 and 11.

An ice cream would have gone down rather swiftly at this point in the flight!  Below lock 11 there appears to be either a small boatyard or moorings.  I can’t say I’d like a mooring halfway in a flight of locks.

Moorings in the pound to the left of the large shed.  That brick kiln didn’t appear to be getting any closer.  It was at the next lock that I skinned my shin one one of those new square timber bollards.  Perhaps CRT could paint them white so they are more obvious <gets out popcorn and waits for boaters comments on timber bollards>. 

The brick kiln was actually in the next pound along with a boat carrying a very common name.

Sorry James & Doug… couldn’t help it!

Lock 15 had a great view across the valley.  There is a park to it’s right which appeared to be popular with the local residents.

Wordsley Junction is immediately after lock 16 (bottom of the flight).  We turned left onto the Stourbridge Town Arm and cruised to the end to top up the water tank and moor for the night.  We will return to Wordsley Junction tomorrow and then turn left towards the Staffs & Worcs Canal.

Bumblehole to Blowers Green via Hawne Basin

We do love some of these quaint English placenames!   This morning we reversed back the short distance to the junction and headed southeast down the Dudley No2 Canal to Hawne Basin. We may not get the opportunity to come back this way and for the want of a few hours it seemed silly to not go down to Hawne Basin. 

From A to B and then back to C.  Screen dump courtesy of WaterWay Routes canal maps.

After the first mile and two trips down the weed hatch we were considering whether the idea had been so sensible.

Along this length of canal were painted cut out steel silhouettes describing locations of interest.  The first of these was the old toll house.

We laughed at the way the silhouette included the words “Tollman Was Ere” replicating the graffiti. On his back was written.

  Gosty Hill Tunnel proved to be a bit of a challenge going down.  It was very shallow at the western end and Waiouru was forced to slowly struggle through.

At 509 metres it’s about a quarter the length of the Netherton Tunnel but it’s much narrower and very low in places.  The far end also has a few kinks in it just to make things more interesting.

The water was deeper at the far end of the tunnel and progress to Hawne Basin was considerably easier.  Initially we had discussed the idea of buying some cheap diesel at Hawne Basin but after collecting so many unwanted gifts around the propeller on the way there we decided against the idea.

We were both surprised by the number of boats moored in the basin and everyone we spoke to was quite friendly.

The trip back to Bumblehole was quicker and we stopped to top up the water tank and have lunch.

Looking back to the junction with the water point and cafe on the right.  The cafe appears to be a local community project.

Following Dudley Canal No2 we wound our way around the side of a valley with glimpses of residential properties and light industry.  However much of the route was a linear park. 

The BCN has been quite a revelation.  We had anticipated a grim and run down industrial vista and have been very pleasantly surprised to discover the reverse.

On reaching the Parkhead Junction we dumped the rubbish (in the skip) and did a hard left turn into what turned out to be a very deep lock with one very stiff gate.

Looking back up Parkhead Locks towards Dudley Tunnel

Jan was really…really struggling with the lower right gate.  It appeared I might have to assist but in the end she put her back  bum to the lock beam.  The plan was to reach the CRT Facilities and moorings at Merry Hill.  Another revelation!  A great mooring location in what appears to be a major canalside redevelopment.  At least three pubs and a short walk to a major retail park.  We’ll be off to Sainsburys tomorrow morning.

Dinner will either be at the Brewers Wharf or the local “spoons”.

Jan should have corrected all the Freudian slips in this post.  The location is Bumblehole and NOT Bumhole as I first wrote it!  Just three missing letters that make the world of difference…

Boring bit and a surprise

We slipped away from Birmingham this morning after briefly stopping to do a large shop at Tesco.  The route took us via Sherborne Wharf which always looks attractive when we pass through it.

The first part of the cruise was quite familiar having done it last week on our way to ‘The Old Main Line’.  This time we continued on past Smethwick Junction to find, as we anticipated, the Engine Arm Aqueduct.  When we crossed it last week I had assumed it was made from bricks.  However that’s obviously not the case.

It appears to be made from a number of ornate cast iron girder arches which contain a cast iron trough.

Two bridges further on is Galton Bridge which has a similar design to the aqueduct.

Shortly thereafter we reached Stewards Aqueduct where the Old Main Line crosses the New Main Line.  Last week we took a photo looking down at the New Main Line and today we did the reverse.

Immediately behind Stewards Aqueduct are the towering concrete supports for the M5 motorway bridge.  You might notice the approaching boat.  It was one of only three we saw today.

The canal starts to get boring after Pudding Green Junction.  This is where we joined the New Main Line last year after completing the Tame Valley Canal.  Turning at Dudley Port Junction we approached Netherton Tunnel.

Ray & Diane (nb Ferndale) had informed us a couple of weeks ago that the tunnel was high and wide.

Yes, we pass under the Old Main Line before entering the tunnel.  It’s almost 3km long but fortunately dry (above) except for the ventilation shafts.  It is amusing how one’s assumptions can be proven to be so wrong.  I had anticipated an industrial landscape at the far end only to discover we had arrived in the middle of parklands with many of the local residents out walking and enjoying the sunshine.

The canal to Hawne Basin to the left and Boshboil Branch to the right with the CRT facilities (water point) in the middle of the above photo.

The battery gauge was at 100% and so we decided to call it a day.

Looking back

After looking at the map there is at least one lock to do tomorrow…… and maybe quite a few more.  Will we be pleasantly surprised by the scenery?

A brief visit to Birmingham City

We had a meeting in Birmingham.  Well it was actually a meeting at Heathrow and Birmingham was the nearest major rail connection.

But first I want to mention our 32” Panasonic TV with in-build FreeView and FreeSat tuners.  It’s in perfect working order and needs a good home.  It seems such a shame to dump it in a skip.  Does anyone want it?  Only condition is that you must collect it!

It was the boat trading weekend in Birmingham and all the usual moorings were full, however we managed to find what turned out to be a good mooring away from the usual areas. Jan noticed nb Wandering Bark and we did manage to stop for a brief chat with Helen and bought some jars of her lovely chutney and jam.

The tomato and ginger chutney is delicious!

I had purchased in advance cheap tickets (Birmingham-London) and boarded the Virgin train only to find the carriage full and someone in my reserved seat.  On requesting he vacate my seat I was informed Virgin had cancelled all reserved seating which made me more than a little annoyed.  Eventually I found another seat, but have yet to forgive Virgin…… (it may take some time!)

After topping up the Oyster card I made my way to Heathrow Terminal 3 on the Tube.  Our niece from Perth was arriving on Emirates via Dubai and I wanted to find a position where I could observe her entry into the Arrivals Hall before greeting her.  I’d previously informed her the best way to avoid any touts was to confidently stride through the crowd giving the appearance she knew where she was going (it’s her first time to the UK).  She did very well.  In fact so well that she confidently walked right passed me without even noticing me standing beside a column.

However her immigration and customs clearances had taken longer than I had allowed so it was a frantic dash back to Euston Street Station for the train to Birmingham.  The pressure was really on when; with only 5 minutes before departure time; the Virgin ticket machine refused to accept her booking code.  Eventually I tried a second machine and off we dashed for the train.

With only one full day together we planned a short cruise down to Kings Norton Junction.

This was piece of canal we hadn’t previously done.  At Kings Norton Junction the Worchester & Birmingham Canal meets the Stratford-Upon Avon Canal.  On our last hire boat holiday in 2009 we had come up the Stratford-Upon Avon Canal and turned left, away from Birmingham.  We can now say we’ve cruised all of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

The main reason for deciding to head south was to reach this place.

Because the way to a girls heart is….

Where some serious shopping took place.

We had a lovely dinner together.  One jet-lagged niece managed to stay awake until 9.00pm before crashing into a very heavy sleep.  As expected she was awake at 4.00am, but managed to nod off for another couple of hours.  Hopefully she is now over most of the jet-lag.  We took her to New Street Station for her trip back to London where she is meeting her girlfriends to commence her bus trip around Europe.