It was really quiet last night. I was ready for bed as the after effects of our meeting seemed to catch up with me. Well, with all of us to be honest as we were all ready for bed at 2200. It was undisturbed other than Amy sleep walking around the boat at about 0200!
Before leaving this morning we showed Amy the old railway line by the mooring. It actually makes me feel a little spooky as I think of the Burma Railway that was built by prisoners of the Japanese in WWII. The trees growing out of the tracks and the verdant undergrowth bring to mind jungle and for some reason 'the' dead, maybe as they are among the sleepers!! We reversed out of the arm with consummate ease, just as well as an old guy was watching my efforts with a professional eye. It is okay on a lovely day with no wind!
We were soon round the corner and on to the Dudley, well actually the Stourport Canal until the base of the Black Delph Locks, and that is where we are in the photo above. The top and bottom locks are original but the beautiful flight with the waterfall weirs are 'new'.
We got to the top in 45 minutes with most of the locks largely with us and crossing with one down bound boat. They are a great set of locks to work, other than a few of the bottom gates fly open all the time. The girls were loath to work the second last lock as there was bloated, very dead badger floating around the paddles. I'm glad we didn't touch it as it was pretty smelly as it was!
It was great having the 'third man' in the shape of Amy. She is a skilled lock operative and loves to keep things moving and efficient. She must have an excellent teacher!
From the top lock you can see the original route of the old canal under the roving bridge. The new line heads down the flight to the right and past the old boat horse stable.
We did discuss whether the girls wanted to moor up and head into Merry Hill Centre, but both thpought they would wait until Birmingham. Merry Hill owners, Intu, are doing their best to freshen the appeal of their centre after COVID with new facades, but the loss of the big Debenham's will hit them I'm sure
We were soon at Blowers Green and up and alongside the services. The lock house by the Park Head Locks is slowly being subsumed by the Russian Vine and other plant life. I wonder if Sleeping Beauty lives there. Somebody doeslive there, or at least the TV aerial seems fairly new.
It seems that the work party's around here haven't visited Blowers Green as the crane is also disappearing under ivy etc. We were soon topped up with water and the rubbish dumped and were on our way again
Between Merry Hill/Round Oak and Blowers Green it is largely industrial and the various noises of industry accompany you on your progress. After Blowers Green the canal travels through housing, fields and a reservoir and is less messy with rubbish too. It is the proverbial 'green corridor and plenty of folk were out using it too.
We were soon at Windmill end and surprised to find nobody moored up so we had the pick of the spots. Once made fast we had lunch of a bacon and black pudding 'banjo'. After letting that settle I set too cleaning the roof as we had to moor under trees at Kinver and it was sticky, never mind the fact that it would now be over two years since it was last washed. Meanwhile Amy and Helen went for a stroll around the country Park. I had just about finished when they got back, and as I had streaked the port side whilst doing the roof I set to cleaning that. Helen and Amy helped so it was soon done.
A little later a boat came along and it was the fuel boat 'Roach'. We had passed him heading south, but he had just been to fuel up a boat and had returned here to windmill end to moor for the night. A little later another boat moored up astern of us. Later I was out and chatting to the two young blokes from it. They were telling me they had saved two jay chicks from foxes yesterday and were now trying to feed them. They had been trying to get through to the RSPCA but couldn't as there were massive delays on the phone lines. I hope they manage to get sorted as trying to feed them meal worms through the night will keep them occupied.
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