Birmingham to Tipton

We did eventually leave Birmingham, we decided to go on the Old Mainline this time having done the New Mainline a few times. It is slightly shallower and twisty turny but that adds to the interest, the New Mainline can be a little dull as its very straight and wide. 

So it was up the Smethwick Locks and we were soon going under the M5, it is always quite an experience, I bet not many drivers racing on the road above realise what is actually beneath them.

Under the M5

This section always fascinates me too, at the bottom is the New Mainline with us on the Old Mainline crossing above it, we are just about to go under the railway and the M5 above everything. Lots of bridges and different ways of travelling all crossing each other.

We arrived at the Black Country Living Museum moorings and as we were turning we noticed filming going on, it was the next series of Peaky Blinders. A short while after mooring up a lady from the museum staff and a guy from the film crew came over and asked us very politely if we could keep off the bridge in case we got in shot and also if we could keep quiet (not that we were making a noise).

Filming in progress

On Saturday we were up early and took a stroll into Dudley, our Dudley's home town. It was really misty and we couldn't even see the castle as we past by. In town the market was just setting up and we enjoyed a reasonably priced bacon bap and cup of tea, before going to explore the Wren's Nest.

In the afternoon we left the museum moorings and headed into Tipton where we moored on the Health Centre side. We had a visit from Linda and then later Anne who both made pen purchases. On Sunday Chris, Yvette and Holly came to visit Dudley, their two Patterdales are Dudley's Mum and Dad. They said he was just like his Dad even down to the little ginger beardy bits. Once they left Dudley wore himself out playing with Alfie the golden Labrador from the Beverage Boat who was moored in front of us.

12.5 miles and 3 locks

Total 576 miles and 467 locks

Tipton to Gailey

It was quite misty and felt a little chilly when we left Tipton at just gone 8am this morning, we had to wind at the entrance to Dudley No 1 Canal and then we were on our way, passing our mooring and waving farewell to our trading neighbours on Sparks. On reaching Factory Junction we turned left heading for Wolverhampton.

We reached Coseley Tunnel still in the mist and wrapped up in woolley hats and gloves. The work they have done to the landslide area looks great, although we understand the local kids do like to stand at the top and throw stones down at the boats, luckily we were going through to early to experience this.

Coseley Tunnel in the mist

This is where the landslide happened

And the other side

We passed this swan nesting in the reeds

Looks a nice conversion of this old building

Multi-storey car park on top of Wolverhampton Tunnel, which isn't more than a huge bridge

On reaching Horseley Fields Junction at Wolverhampton we kept left to stay on the Mainline, then a quick stop at Broad Street Basin to drop the rubbish, James also conjured up a lovely bruch to see us through the locks.

We were soon on our way down the Wolverhapton 21, we met several boats coming up but no sign of any in front or behind us going down. As we decesended the flight the weather cleared and we had brilliant blue sky and sunshine for the rest of the journey. At lock 8 we took a closer look at the area around the ground paddle and think James' incident Link in November 2013 was due to the very worn coping stone being icy. We managed the 21 in just over 3 hours this time and without incident.

Wolverhampton Top Lock

The bottom gates have seen better days

The coping stone at Lock 8 has seen a lot of use

Wouldn't fancy being on this scaffolding

Waiting at the lock for James and LJ

Noticed this fog swimming around in the bottom lock

On reaching Aldersley Junction we turned right and left the Birmingham Canal Navigations onto the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. It was a very long boating day for us, but it was very enjoyable and a fantastic Spring day. It's lovely to be back out in the countryside again.

This section of canal is cut out of the rock, we'd just been though a really narrow section

Nice to see the open countryside again, especially as it was sunny

Strange bridge name

And finally mooring in Gailey, we managed to squeeze onto the visitor mooring above the lock

15 miles and 21 locks

Total 125 miles and 140 locks

Birmingham, Merry Hill, Tipton Catchup

Going back to Monday 23rd March we met Jess at New Street Station and headed into China Town as it happened to be lunchtime. After a lovely lunch we had a quick wander through the shops, unfortunately the markets were all closed on Monday so we bought a few supplies at the Tesco Metro in New Street. In the evening we met up with Kirsty in the Prince of Wales where we also met a couple of the resident boaters at Sherbourne Wharf, 

We headed off early on Tuesday morning as the forecast was dry in the morning with rain later, the destination was Bumble Hole/Windmill End and to get there we had to go through Netherton Tunnel again, now Jess hates tunnels even small little ones that aren't much more than a bridge so she was not too impressed with Netherton and to say she was really pleased to get out the other end is a bit of an understatement. We moored up shortly after just before the forecast rain came down.

On Wednesday we negotiated the only lock of Jess' trip this time and that was the one at Blowers Green, Jess and I worked the lock and we continued on our journey to Merry Hill. We went off for a mega trip around the shops and retail parks there and got all our supplies ready for our new arrival. Quite funny really that the supplies for Dudley were bought in Dudley.

Jess feeling a little chilly working the lock

Thursday came all too soon and it was time for Jess to head back to the South Coast. We walked the mile and a half to Cradley Heath Station where we all got the train back to Birmingham, a quick bit of lunch and back to New Street Station for Jess to get the train direct to Bournemouth, luckily the works on the landslide near Banbury had been completed the week before so she didn't have to faff around getting the replacement bus to by-pass it. James and I got the train back to Cradley Heath and then cheated and got on a bus to Merry Hill as there was a massive hill to walk up to get back to LJ.

We stayed at Merry Hill for a couple more days sitting out horrible wet windy weather before heading back to Bumble Hole for the day and then onto Tipton ready for the Friends of Tipton Cut Easter Gathering where we have just completed our first weekend of trading on The Pen Maker's Boat.

Saturday started out 'not as planned', I went to the Post Office to collect a package that James had arranged to be sent there Post Restante, when I got there I was told the package was delivered about 15 minutes before I had arrived but they had refused it as they didn't know who it was for, even though James had phoned to ask if it was OK and he had been in on Thursday to check if it had arrived. I then tried to get in touch with the Tipton Delivery Office on the phone, but no luck, we didn't want the package returned to sender as there were vital pen components inside. Instead I walked the couple of miles to the Delivery Office, knowing the package would still be out with the postman but was desperate for it not to be returned. I spoke to the most helpful guy possible in Royal Mail, unfortunately I didn't get his name, but later that afternoon we had the package delivered direct to us on the boat. I was most impressed and truly thankful.

A few of the old working boats turned up for the gathering and the music was playing at The Founatain Inn. It was fairly quite on the towpath for trading, there were only two trading boats, us and Sparks a lovely couple selling mainly plants and seeds, along with handmade bead jewellery, hats and mittens. We made a few sales and were fairly pleased with our first days trading. A photographer from the local paper turned up and James had his own photoshoot, would be great if it makes in into the paper.

All set up

The local paper took an interest

Today most of the gathered boats went off on their various ways and we thought trading would be non existant and even thought about not setting up, but the sun came out a few people were strolling past so we had nothing to lose and set up. We ended up being pleased with the result having more than doubled our unit sales from the Saturday. We even had a visit from Richard Parry, the head of CRT, who seemed geniuingly interested in what we were doing.

21 miles and 5 locks

Total 110 miles and 119 locks

Tipton to Birmingham

We haven't covered many canal miles since the last blog but we have been keeping busy.

We had a very brief trip from Tipton on the train to Coventry via Birmingham. I've had my eye on a few things from Hobbycraft to spend my birthday money on, the easiest to get to is the one in Coventry, I know it is right by the station. There is one in Wolverhampton but have never been there and as we had to change trains in Birmingham we could get to the NBTA (boaters) meeting. The meeting was held in The Victoria pub which is an old traditional pub hidden away behind the Alexandra Theatre. I don't agree with everything that was being said but they did give some useful information and we finally got to briefly meet Maffi.

Maffi in The Victoria

The most exciting news though is that after five years of being without a dog we have finally found a boating doggy. He is only five weeks old so it will be a few more weeks until we can introduce him to his new life aboard Lois Jane. Dudley is a Patterdale Terrier and Black Country born and bred.

Me with Dudley

We moved from the visitor moorings at Tipton back round to the Black Country Museum where the moorings there were completely empty so we had the place to ourselves behind the locked (BW key) gates. We stayed there for a couple of days and had really lovely weather although still a little cold. James managed to get a few more pens done.

Empty moorings at The Black Country Museum

There is a small area by the side of the facilities block which had started to be cleared, the morning after our arrival a minibus arrived with the party doing the clearing, there were six people on the Community Payback Scheme along with their supervisor. The minibus arrived about 9.30 and after half an hour or so in the bus they wandered down to the site stood around before starting to do a bit of clearing, stopping for ciggys or looking at their phones, then it was a tea break so back to sitting in the bus, a bit more work, then lunch. By 3.30 they had packed up and gone. Couldn't really see much in the way of 'Community Payback' going on, especially as its private land and only visitors to the attractions can see it. Compared to what the 'Friends of Tipton' achieve it was a very poor effort.

We were soon on our way back into Birmingham, Jess is visiting from Poole and her train arrives at New Street, so easier for us to meet her there rather than changing trains.

We went a slightly different route going along the Old Mainline then turning left down the Gower Branch. There is a staircase lock there followed by a single normal lock. I had jumped off at a bridge hole and made my way ahead of James and LJ to get the staircase lock set. When I got there the top lock of the staircase was completely empty. It was amazing to see as we could see all the culverts which are normally underwater. Once filled all was OK, I think its just the gates leak very Bradley and it seems the lock continued to empty down one of the culverts, as it probably isn't used very much it eventually empties. We were then back on the New Mainline for the remainder of the journey.

Netherton Tunnel from the Aqueduct

Empty staircase lock

Across the cill and in the second lock of the staircase

Looking down the Walsall Canal where little Dudley is

Smethwick Pump House

Engine Arm Aqueduct

Loads of coconuts floating by

On Saturday morning we went for a stroll round Edgbaston Reservoir, having never been there before. It really is a lovely place and we spent time watching the rowing club launching their boats - are they even called boats? They didn't look very comfy either.

We were just coming to the end of our walk and I spotted a Patterdale, getting excited I pointed it out to James, who being very observant noticed the other two dogs, (a Poodle and a PatterPoo) matched the description of the dogs Matt's mum had. I was working with Matt in Coventry and he had spoken of his mum who lived in Birmingham and the dogs. I went up and randomly asked her 'are you Matt's mum?' It turns out she was and luckily Matt had mentioned me to her too. So on Sunday Rebekah came over to the boat for a visit and we spent a couple of great hours chatting, so a new found friend who we will definitely catch up with again when back in Birmingham.

We managed to get to one of the free Jazz concerts in the foyer of Symphony Hall

Gving away Volvic Orange and Lemon Juices

9 miles and 3 locks

Total 89 miles and 114 locks

Windmill End to Tipton

After briefly moving to the opposite moorings to sort our other roof box, we set off for Netherton Tunnel which was only a short distance away. This tunnel has a tow path both sides and is double width so boats can pass and much more headroom than Gosty Hill Tunnel yesterday, but also it is much longer at nearly two miles.

Heading for Netherton Tunnel

Quite a lot of room in here, compared with Gosty Hill anyway

Quite deep though, this is looking up one of the ventilation shafts

And another one, this one was quite wet 

After what seemed an age we emerged into the brightness the other side of the high hill it goes through, and at the junction it was a left turn onto the New Mainline.  I went in and sorted a a bit of brunch, along with getting dinner slow cooking on the stove, before we got to the three Tipton Locks. We flew up these, a coal boat arrived as we were going up the first and we didn't want to hold them up.

Emerging from the tunnel, thats the aqueduct ahead carrying the Old Mainline 

We moored up at the end of the visitor moorings in Tipton, which are quite busy, just before The Fountain Inn.

5 miles and 3 locks

Total 80 miles and 111 locks