Carpetted and Ground Down, and a pint or two.

 We were off by 0930 and heading to the foot of the Curdworth flight.

The bottom locks are a nice quiet spot to live. Mind you at this time of year the canada geese (and others) make a hell of a row.

We had a small delay as we got to the third lock by the Dog and Doublet. The work boat was across the mouth of the lock until they had driven in the next pile. It seems bank repairs are always done by taking some of the navigation and re-piling. In some places they must have stolen 4 to 6 feet of navigation. How many times can they do this over the years?

There were volunteers at most locks but they were painting, grass cutting or similar. However there were one or two with a windlass that gave a hand too. The HS2 is crossing between locks 4 and 5  to add to the row from the M42 traffic.

As we moved on to the Minworth locks, after having stopped for water at the Dutton Wharf tap, There was more duck weed making an appearance. There was a bloke at the top lock digging it out from where the wind had blown it to the top lock. He will be there for a while, and the growing season for the duck weed hasn't really got going yet! 

As we went under Erdington Hall Bridge I was looking forward to the run beneath the old factory. In the end it was put on hold as the engine stopped. As I looked aft I could see a carpet following us. We managed to get to the side and had a look down the weed hatch.

How unlucky can you be to catch the corner of a carpet this size. We got the corner right round the prop and it took a fair bit to get it off. It was so heavy I couldn't pull it out of the water very easily. It was so heavy I couldn't lift it to dump somewhere better, and had to roll it up and stash off the tow path. We told C&RT about it so that they can pick it up before it gets into the water again. There is another one obviously dumped from the bridge on the off side.

If Salford Junction was in the countryside it would be full of gongoozlers. As it is under a motorway etc there was the odd cyclist and several idiots haring about on motorbikes etc.

The first side arm after Cuckoo wharf is the Carter's Arm.This led the Aston Coach Works where they had a timber yard as well as the iron works. The Plume Works had a big fire in 1870 and the opportunity was taken to add to the brass foundry that was there. Strangely they started up a match and cartridge company on the site as well. There were bankruptcies but by the time of the map it was being run by the Peerless Seamles tube company that were making bike frames as there was a huge surge in their production. It later became the site of the Verity Co. who manufactured electric motors, fans and fittings until the end of the 1950's. It looks like it would make good moorings?

On the off side used to be the Aston Water works, but later became a series of metal bashing factories. The chimney is truncated and you can just see the Bros. Ltd on it still.

The arm leading off next is the Dowlers Arm named after a bras and military buttons, cartridge, matches and much else besides. One side of the business was to make railway men's whistles and for others such as the Police.

The pound was quite low so we noticed these grinding wheels from an old factory that had been used in the foundations of an old wall. We were very relieved when we went up the third lock and found there was room on the moorings at the Waterlink business park. We moored up and got changed and headed off for a drink.

Just 15 mins walk away is one of the best heritage pubs in the country, The Barton Arms. It was built for Mitchel and Butlers in 1901 and cost £12,000. It was on the site of a former pub that they bought and knocked down. The whole place a late Victorian masterpiece. Above you have a set of snob screens. These are little etched glass windows that could be used to block the view from one bar to the other, so that the bosses in one bar could see the workers in the other, but block them seeing the what they were up to.

The Minton-Hollis tiles bring gloss and colour everywhere with beautiful tile picyures and stained glass windows.

The wrought iron staircase is also wonderful leading up to a large and small function room. It seems it is now run by the owner of Qakham Brewery and the Thai restaurant seems to be very popular too.

The tile work at the entrances is still in place and a testament to the Victorian pub buildings. A real gem and well worth the 15 minute walk.

How many pubs have a clock tower and beautiful massive exterior lamps like this. In its heyday it was close to the Aston Hippodrome which was the top variety theater of the are. all the top names that worked there also visited here between shows. They are very proud of the fact that Laurel and Hardy were here.

Fifteen minutes back and then a sit down and tea. A long but great day, with the sun shining that I wasn't expecting.