Today's Canals - BCN Mainline., Worcester and Birmingham, Stratford
We had an appointment at 9.05 for our annual flu jab, but the first time since we moved to Devizes. We made sure we were there on time so joined a short gaggle of people waiting for the door to open. It was an extremely efficient operation and we were back outside before the formal time of our appointment!
After a quick mug of coffee back home and loading up the final items into the car we set off to drive up to Birmingham - just over two hours door-to-door. We repeated the process we used to load up when we left a couple of weeks ago, stopping on a No Parking area (but not No Loading) and hastily moved everything to the boat using a shopping trolley from the moorings.
As soon as that was done, Mike set off to drive to Droitwich - our next destination at the end of this trip - where our mooring awaits for the winter. He booked a taxi before leaving which met him at the marina gates to take him to the station where e caught the next train to Birmingham, which happened to be to Snow Hill. From there, close to the cathedral, it was about 20 minis walk to the boat.
Meanwhile, Andrew, parked his car at Stratford (he is only with us for the first part of this trip) and came by train to Moor Street, reaching the boat well before Mike.
After a coffee Andrew set to work on the plumbing repair - he had brought with him the necessary parts and pipe cutting tool. Although we were all a bit nervous about the task as it involved reaching to the furthest pipes behind a mesh of others, kin the end it was done very quickly indeed. Equally nervously we refilled the water tank and turned on the pump to pressurise the system. With great relief we found that everything was now fine and we could relax for the rest of the evening. In any event we would not have been able to go very far as nightfall is rapidly getting much earlier!
We made a slow start today, slipping our mooring around 10.45. Ladywood Junction, where the loop on which Sherbourne Wharf is located, joins the Main Line. It is an acute angle and only short boats can make a right turn (which we wanted). We had to slide left to find the next winding hole.
Monument Road Basin Bridge was only a few minutes away and there was enough room for us to turn slowly around and head back the way we had come.
Old Turn is the iconic centre of the entire canal network and is a junction between the three main routes into and out of the city. Perhaps the only mini-roundabout on a canal!
The Arena complex has now been branded Utilita, a sponsor from the energy industry. As with all the other companies they are under considerable pressure at the moment and have stopped taking any new customers so hopefully their sponsorship here will help to keep a positive image for their brand.
After passing under Broad Street we came into Gas Street Basin where the arm once went twice as far as the bridge at the end. The remainder is now buried under the office developments.
Worcester Bar might now be thought to be named after the various gin producers that have sprung up around the basin but was originally a point at which goods had to be transferred between boats from the two separate companies that operated the canals either side.
We now continued southwards on the fairly straight Worcester and Birmingham Canal where the railway line runs just a few metres away for much of the route. Soon after we passed this block which appears to be having its cladding replaced. Let's hope that this problem nationally, following the terrible Grenfell Tower fire, will soon be resolved but until then it is a serious worry for owners which are often left with unsaleable properties.
Another new sight since we last came this way three years ago is the development of an extended station at the University which includes a new footbridge. This has necessitated several overnight closures - including last night!
We paused briefly at Selly Oak to pick up some more milk from the new Sainsbury store, part of the same development as the student accommodation block. The planning permission for this development included a commitment to make a substantial contribution to the local environment. A major beneficiary is the Lapal Canal Trust which is seeking to restore a link along much of the route of the Dudley No 2, joining up very close to Hawne Basin where we visited a few weeks back. The canal will run in a short tunnel which we think is the cavernous space in this photo.
We stopped for lunch on the secure mooring opposite the Cadbury factory. Not long after we set off again later, we turned sharply left onto the Stratford Canal, heading towards the unique guillotine lock, no longer used.
Just around the corner is the Lifford Chemical Works, originally developed in the mid 19C by the Sturge family, who were leading industrial chemists at the time. As far as we can see this works has been used from the outset to convert limestone into products that are important in forming medical pills and also paper, but many other items as well. Although the company has long been absorbed into a multi-national company it continued the same business. The site closest to the canal seems to be under re-development - perhaps next time we will see if it remain as part of the works or turned into yet more housing.
As we passed Lyons Boat Yard we saw that their current price for diesel is 99 - not surprising given the recent unprecedented rise in energy prices but we paid just 75 last time at Hawne Basin.
The only interruption to continuous cruising today was Shirley Drawbridge which is, fortunately mechanised. Christine got off with the Key of Power. Last time we came here our score was 17 vehicles in he two queues but today was a total disaster - only one each side as the boat came through - the final total was boosted a little with the arrival of a couple of others as the bridge was finally closing!
No major features as we continued onwards but much of the canal is very pretty with lots of enclosing vegetation and today's sunshine poured through the occasional gaps in the foliage.
We 'always' patronise Wedges Bakery at Bridge 20 so this was the governing requirement for our night's mooring. We fortunately found plenty of room on the 48 hour mooring (with rings) just before Bridge 19. No satellite through the trees but OK mobile signal for streaming.
14.3 Miles - 0 Locks
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