Walsall

Today's Canals - Anglesey Branch, Wryley and Essington, Walsall

We awoke to a very different day: clear blue sky and significantly warmer. The former colliery area below Chasewater Reservoir has now been reclaimed by nature and is obviously popular for dog walkers and others taking short exercise, although we are not sure if there is access from somewhere in addition to the Country Park.

Here is a picture of our less than tidy overnight mooring and a rare appearance of the gangplank.

We were off in good time - shortly after passing over the former South Staffordshire Railway that we mentioned in yesterday's blog. It is now a footpath.

Outside a primary school  that adjoins the canal is a splendid floating classroom. It must be just a few weeks older than Alchemy as its registration number is only a few less than ours. Since it seems only able to accommodate half a class we wondered how its value for money stacks up. Perhaps depends on how often they are able to make use of it.

We passe though Catshill Jucntion where we came up yesterday and continued along the curving Wryley and Essington.

Shortly afterwards we moored in Brownhill just outside the large Tesco store where we replenished our stores. The mooring is just the other size of this rather complex footbridge which has long extensions to make it possible for wheelchairs to be used to cross it.

Whilst Christine unpacked the shopping bags, Mike moved the boat to then other end of the mooring where, in a secure compound is an outdoor centre than also accommodates a full range of boater facilities.

Once we had completed the usual tasks we set off once more, heading to Pelsall Junction where there is a branch up to Norton Canes, still home to a successful and well-known boat builder.

The next stretch once had on our right another colliery but there is almost no remnant of that visible. On the opposite side, as the canal skirts the edge of Bloxwich, is the start of rural farming land.

For some distance we encountered a lot of last year;s reeds that tend to accumulate at bridge holes. At one (not this one) we ran into a very long branch,. almost the width of the canal. Once under our bow it was difficult to shift - until we reached a moored boat that caught one end and turned it sideways so that we could push it away, leaning over the blow with a long pole.

At  Birchills Junction we turned off onto the top of the Walsall Canal. The flight of eight locks is not far along. Just before the junction it felt that we had picked up some rubbish on the prop and intended to remove it once we were in the top lock. (Saves having to tie up) However, as we entered the lock we hit something fairly soft and came to a full stop with about two thirds of the boat beyond the cill. Nothing we could do - and we had plenty of help from several young people enjoying the sunshine nearby - would allow us to back out. The boat was so tightly held that we could even rock it.

At this point we were particularly worried as this is potentially a quite dangerous situation. If the pound above is short and the bottom gates leaky, then it is possible for the boat to sink when the water level in the lock drops down leaving it caught on the top cill. Whilst Mike continued to free the boat suing all available help, Christine called CaRT who, realising the seriousness of the problem promised help would arrive quickly.

Just then Chris, who runs a trip boat in the centre of Birmingham boat lives on one just above the lock, arrived bearing a long strong scaffold pole. He was able to poke down the side of the boat and eventually discovered a large submerged log that was wedging the boat tight. Pushing it down he finally freed us. Almost immediately two very friendly CaRT staff arrived and were able to take the log out of sight of anyone tempted to return it to the lock! All were sympathetic with our concern and keen to see us safely on our way. One of the great things about the canal system is that when things go wrong most boaters are more than willing to see how they can help.

At least we could now safely  move the boat fully into the lock!

The top lock has, alongside the toll office, a building that once was a Boatman's Rest and a rare surviving example. For a while there was a small museum here but it closed in 2003 and was much later sold off.

After this we continued quite smoothly down the other seven locks. They are comparatively deep and the single BCN-style bottom gates are fairly heavy.

Towards the bottom there is a view of the new development on the left that includes a splendid conversion of  a former flour mill beside the next to last lockl.

Below the flight we turned immediately left onto the short Walsall Town Arm. At the terminus basin there were two empty pontoons which is where we had planned to moor for the night. After executing a well-timed turn onto the side of one pontoon, we decided to return to the short secure pontoon a couple of hundred metres back near to the junction. (The two CaRT men earlier had suggested that we do this) The basin itself is surrounded by numerous eating places and, as well as getting noisy at night, there was a strong cooking smell all around.

At the entrance to the basin there is a small boom which, we understand, keeps floating rubbish from being blown into the basin. It was certainly very clean. All that is needed to navigate past it is to push the boat slowly against it and it returned to its position after the boat had gone through.

The pontoon is certainly secure - the gate is locked and we do not have a key! However. the large block of flats opposite is probably in the way of receiving a tv signal tonight.

11.7 Miles - 8 Locks