Normal Service resumed. Into Brum.

Sorry there has been an Hiatus in the blog, but time and space were insufficient for the last few days. Normal service will not be resumed

Fully recovered from my dipping we set off at an earlier hour than normal as we had a rendezvous in Birmingham.

This Heron was like most in this area as they never seem to fly off when you pass like elsewhere.

The Horseshoe Pub is an old one and this little arm served a coal wharf with some workers cottages next to it. A couple of cottages are accessed via the towpath still.

Brandwood Tunnel has some niches for statues and a central plaque with nothing on it now. On the west portal is a Cameo of Shakespeare but I wonder if there was anything up on the east entrance.

Before you get to the stop lock before the Kings Norton Junction you pass the old Lifford Chemical Works that started out making vitriol. This was sulphates of various metals like iron or copper that were used in various other compounds. The factory started up in the early 1800's and developed over the years. It is now a developing business park that is using the old buildings if possible.

The stop lock is not quite as daubed as previously when we have passed. I wonder why they built the lock like this as it seems over complicated compared with a 'normal' lock.

The junction house is looking very fine in the sunshine. It would be great if the Landmark Trust could taker it on and make it into one of their unusual holiday lets as having people in it would lessen the likelihood of it getting damaged again,.

At the junction of the Stratford and Worcester and Birmingham canal is the Sherbourne Paper Mill that was started around 1835. One of their products was gun wadding. The business closed in 1965 and I think it is also part of the new Business park being developed.

The Bournville Woks of Cadbury isn't easy to photograph from the canal as there isn't many gaps in the hedge that aren't where the works are masked by trees. Patience paid off.

The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston looks like a futuristic place. It started as the enlargement of the hospital in Birmingham centre was opposed in the 1920, and instead a hospital on this site was proposed. Funds were sort to be raised and sufficient funds were raised for building to start in 1933. It opened in 1938 but officially in 1939 by King George VI and Queen Elizabeth and hence became known as QE Hospital. This is the new hospital that took over from the old when this one opened in 2010. It cost £545 million to build.

The Old Joe Clock Tower is to commemorate Joseph Chamberlain who was the first Chancellor of Birmingham University. It was completed in 1908 and at 152 mt. or 498.7 ft. was the tallest building in Birmingham until 1965 and is still in the top 50 tallest in the UK.

We filled up with water at the Mailbox services, but there are no rubbish bins. Locally the litter boast turned up and said we could add to their pile.

There were a few places to moor when we got to Old Turn, but we decided to head down towards Cambrian Wharf and parked up just before Tindal Bridge. Just next to us was this sensory garden looked after by volunteers. As we were mooring up our visitors arrived on foot.

We were soon off into the wide world as shopping and other 'fun' stuff like that was in order. Helen made some purchases that I duly paid for and can now legitimately claim that they  are birthday presents! As we cleared New Street Station we took the obligatory mirror picture. Helen, Stephen, me and No.1 daughter Amy.

Stephen hadn't been to Birmingham so he had the quick tour, including a pop into St Philip's Cathedral and the very helpful guides in there.

Back to the boat to rest the feet and sup a cuppa before heading out again for our traditional meal at the Barajee on Broad Street over looking the Gas Street Basin and the Black Sabbath Bench.