The sun was shining brightly when I poked my head out the hatch today. Last night was lovely and clear, and despite the light pollution from surrounding towns the stars were very bright last night.
A boat passed us earlier, but as we were making moves to slide down to the lock another couple came passed. As was waiting a guy in a pick up drove up the field on the tow path side. He got out some survey equipment. I was an avid fan of time team and it looks like he is about to a ground penetrating radar survey in the field. I wonder if that means they will be digging there for HS2, which I thought was on the other side of the cut.
When we were about to head down to the lock the single hander that had gone ahead of us left the lock and made room for a boat to enter the lock from Fradley direction. It was only a little 40' boat bur she grounded. It took a bit of pushing and heaving and eventually a rope ashore to pull her off. We we later left the lock we were centre channel and it certainly felt like we were dragging through the mud. So beware below Woodend Lock.
The sun was shining on Shade House as I was waiting for the Middle lock to make a level. You can see the 'road works' sign that indicates that the towpath will be closed between Here and Kings Bromley for 24 weeks! It seems it is due to the HS2 putting the bridge over near Fradley. It seems along stretch of towpath to close for that.
Quite quiet at Fradley, a boat having come up Junction Lock and swung into the Coventry. We followed a little later and as expected the water points were occupied so we carried on.
Just past Helen's favourite house C&RT are installing wooden shuttering and have filled in behind with dredgings. I was expecting to see the green tinge of tanalised pressure treated timber. However I think that this is not too good for the environment. I expect that they use UC4 that is classed for use when in permanent contact with the ground. It is kiln dried and then placed into a vacuum vessel and then a preservative pumped in under pressure to ensure deeper penetration.
The sun through the trees was beautiful. This low sunlight is magical.
The hawthorn is starting to turn adding a nice colour to the red berries. Not the blue sky still.
The water point near Fazeley Junction was vacant so we stopped and topped up before continuing past the junction house, and turning left to continue on the Coventry Canal.
Under the junction bridge the canal is pretty narrow, but in the hey days it would have been even more crowded as there was the wharf serving the Fazeley Gas works, which must have taken plenty of boat loads of coal.
The Tame looks more full than it might have done a month ago and will look even better when the leaves really start to turn.
The new house on the towpath side between the locks were obviously built on the old brick and tile works looking at this 1901 OS Map. However by WWII the site had largely been taken over by the engineering site by the basin with railway lines, turntables and travelling cranes.
The view towards the basin from the top lock. The houses beyond the basin were Fitch and sons Ltd Firelighter Works from at least 1899 to WWII when it seems to have changed to making creosote.
Last lock of the day, Glascote top lock, both our way and nobody else about. Can anybody tell me what the circular metal plate with the hole in it may have been for? Some thoughts were a base for a stanchion, a sheave for heaving boats to the lock with the horse going the opposite direction. It isn't the culvert vent as that can be seen the other side of the paddle ratchet.
We moored up just above the lock and past the basin on the bollards with one other boat. We walked the short distance to the cinema to see 'A Ticket to Paradise' with Julia Roberts and George Clooney. It was okay, but wasn't even filmed in Bali, but in Queensland!
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