Nice and Easy.

This morning we went for a walk to find a shop for some milk. We looked on the internet and found there was a garage and a larger store not very far away from bridge 7. It was a lovely walk in the sunshine. The local school was being used as a polling station. I was struck with the thought that parents are being fined for taking children out of school for holidays etc, yet many schools are closed for a day for elections. Do the parents get a lump sum for this? You would have thought that other buildings could be found to prevent this, and indeed where I live they have done this and the schools are now not used where ever possible. The One Stop Shop we went to was well stocked and indeed we managed to find some cat food at good reduced prices so Macy will eat well for another couple of weeks or so.

We were soon back at the boat and after a few chores were underway. I had been reading about the lift bridge, bridge 2 that was the target of the IWA as the Great Western Railway who owned the canal had welded it closed after it had been damaged. The IWA demanded that there was a right of navigation still on the canal. The Railway company said there was no problem as they would jack it up when required. Straight away the IWA arranged for boats aplenty to pass through until the Rail company gave in and repaired the bridge. When we passed yesterday the bridge had been removed. I'm not sure if this is a permanent arrangement.

This morning we arrived at Bridge 8 which is another lift bridge. Helen only managed to hold four cars but as the first bridge of the season it is to be hoped that they all work as efficiently.

I think that this is also our first photograph of a heron.

We only traveled about an hour this morning and found a spot just opposite the line of moorings of the Lady Lane Wharf and Earlswood Motor club. We benefited from all round sun and as we wanted to walk round the reservoirs it was a good spot. The three reservoirs were built in the 1820's to supply the Stratford upon Avon Canal. There are three of them grouped together, Engine, Terry's and Windmill pools. There is a sailing club on Windmill Pool and there are fishing matches just about every weekend. There are good footpaths round the edge of all of them.

Fishing peg on Windmill Pool.

The sun shines on the birch tree by Windmill Pool.

Helen enjoying the sunshine.

Terry's Pool.

House with a nice view of Windmill Pool.

I'm not sure how far it is round the lakes but there were plenty of people out and about. Nobody at the sailing club though.

St. Patrick's Church wasn't open but it looks as though it would be high church for Cof E. The door and statuary was quite ornate.

We seems to have passed several pubs and a shop with the possibility of an ice cream. The Lady Lane Club House was very busy and does food and with a bar and live music. The Red Lion up the road was also busy. I didn't even get a cup of tea when we got back and set to sorting out the solar fan on our loo that makes so much noise before it gets up to speed. I stripped it back and cleaned everything and think that the bushes are worn as it is mounted at a slight angle on the slope of the roof. I have sent for a replacement at negligible cost to be waiting for me when I get home next.

Out of the City and iron will.

We were off a little earlier than normal and the sun was bright as we approached Broad Street Tunnel.

The Tap and Spile on the left and a clear run through to Brindley Place.

We were heading for Sherbourne Wharf by the Fiddle and Bone as I had heard the fuel was 60p domestic and felt that was a good price for her to the south. As we approached through Sheepcote Bridge the large trip boat went alongside. We carried on and went to wind at Monument Road Basin and headed back. I found a spot just by the wharf and sat and wait until they vacated the fuel berth. As I was waiting we filled up with water rather than stop again at the water point by the Cube.

Holderness from the tunnel under the Round House.

At Edgbaston Tunnel there was a bit of offside bank repair going on and had to doge round the dredger and butty. You can see that the route is very busy with boats (we only saw three moving all day) trains, walkers and bikes.

The Chamberlain Campanile Tower clock is not broken, it actually was 1200 when we passed. The big bell that rings the hour sounded as though it needed tuning, or had a crack in it. The tower is the tallest free standing clock tower in the world at 100 mts. It was built between 1900 to 1908 and is named after the first Chancellor, Joseph Chamberlain. 

Soon after the University on the other side is the new Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. It was opened in 2010 and cost a cool £545 million and replaced two older ones. It is the largest single site NHS hospital and has the largest critical care unit in Europe with over 100 beds. The architecture is distinctive.

We moored up opposite Bournville and actualy didn't go to the factory shop. The smells were enticing but we resisted. Just our iron will coming out. We wanted to have a look round the village as we had never been. Above is the Rest House that was opened in 1914 to celebrate the Silver Wedding Anniversary of George and Elizabeth Cadbury and paid for by subscription of their employees. George and Richard Cadbury moved their succesful business from the middle to a green field site in 1879. By 1895 when George started building Bournville village he was a very wealthy man and was compelled to build a planned and balanced community for his workers.

On the extreme left is Minworth Greaves and the main house is Selly Manor. Both buildings were moved from their original sites and brought here by George Cadbury in the early 1900's.

All the houses in the village I think were semi detached but there are no two pairs the same. You can see in the above photo that details make each set different. The village has green spaces and every house had to have a garden large enough for a veg. patch and a fruit tree.

On top of the junior school that was opened in 1906 is the Carillon that has 48 bells in it and replaced an earlier on after George Cadbury had seen the one in Brugge.

After about 90 mins we were back at the boat and set off again for King's Norton Junction.

 The junction Toll House was built in 1802 and has a reproduced list of the tolls charged in 1793 set up in 1993.

The Lifford Lane Guillotine stop lock was designed to protect the waters of the two canal companies, The Worcester and Birmingham and the Stratford upon Avon canals. All the gear is original.

Apparently the cameo above the portal is Shakespeare!

A little while after the tunnel we stopped for water as we had done two loads of washing. We kept going to find somewhere in the sun to dry it all. A little later we saw this fox soaking up some rays in a patch of sunshine. He did move when a cyclist went past.

Despite having housing on at least on side of the canal there were many parts of the canal that you couldn't really tell. The trees and dappled sun makes for a very picturesque view.

We got moored up and had the airer and wirly gig out to try to get the washing dry. It seems to have been a long day, but it is definitely getting warmer.

Trip boat.

We were expecting visitors late this morning and they arrived in time for a cup of tea and cake. We were soon chatting away and I thought as the heavy shower had stopped we should go for a trip. We soon were underway and turning into the Oozells Loop to show them the back doors of Birmingham. Thery hadn't even seen this side of the city despite living in Birmingham for many many years.

We popped out of the Oozells Loop and were soon entering the Icknield Port Loop. They are overhauling the entrance bridge so narrowing but made it with no problems. Just inside you could have thought we were in the upper reaches of a river. This soon gives way to a more industrial landscape. The Icknield Island is planned to be a complete village at some stage.

We soon were past the Rotton Park Reservoir dam and C&RT base before popping out and across the main line again and straight on to the Soho Loop. Stephen was then ready to have a go on the helm and was soon getting the hang of it even round some of the tight'ish bends of the loop.

Looking back to the city centre, where we had just left, from the Soho Loop.

Winson Green Prison is situated on the Loop.

We stopped for lunch opposite the Fiddle and Bone pub and had more chat and a catch up in the warm and dry. Later we decided to have a trip out to the south through Brindley Place.

Approaching Broad Street bridge. Above is visible the Indian restaurant that we went to at the weekend.

Approaching Worcester Bar and site of stop lock. When the Worcester and Birmingham Canal was built to Birmingham in 1815 the Birmingham Canal Navigation Co. were very suspicious and declined the joining of the two system. Instead a 'bar' was constructed and through cargoes had to be transhipped from one side to the other. Eventually sense prevailed and a stop lock was built to project the waters and through traffic could travel unhindered.

Looking back to Gas Street Basin. The attention has moved north to Brindley Place but maybe if the original warehouse etc hadn't been demolished it may have been 'the' place to be.

At the Mail Box we turned hard a starboard and had a close up of The Cube. This is new canal for us, at least on 'Holderness' and we will explore further tomorrow.

We later moored just astern of this boat on an aqueduct over a road. We should hopefully get plenty of sun on the panels here.

It was great to meet Marva at long last and to Stephen recovering so well from his illness. I am also sporting my hairy chin as when we left home I neglected to bring the charger cable for my razor. Just another couple of weeks before I get home and can avail myself of a shave again. Not sure whether Helen will be please or not.

Back in time.

We were up and at them at 1000, as soon as the Museum opened. We walked into the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Museum and bought our tickets. It was nice first thing as there were few people about and it wasn't raining.

All the buildings have either been brought in from else where or are copies of real buildings. On the left are replicas of houses in Station Road, Old Hill. Next is a nail making workshop. Nails were a large part of the production in the area in times past with them being made at home workshops and being paid piece work. On the left, by the lamp post is a nail workers workshop. On the right is a coal yard and an office building. All a little different to today.

We watched a chain making demonstration. The chain hanging by the hearth is the size made. We were told that they could make one link that size every 2 minutes!

A view point back over the previous buildings that makes quite a harmonious view. You can see the smoke from the chimneys and I heard one person asking the in role people in a house why the fire was lit and they replied that she couldn't cook or have a cup of tea with out it being lit!

Cast iron chimney pots. They also had a cast iron house. Two were made in the 1920's to try to get quickly built prefabricated building after WWI and also to provide for the local business. Only two were made though due to the cost.

The rain started as a drizzle and slowly built. I was surprised at how many of the visitors had no waterproofs at all with them. The queue on the right was for the Chip shop!

We got back to the boat just before 1400 and topped up with water before setting off. As soon as we got back onto the Old Main Line it chucked it down, but by the time we got to Brades Locks it had stopped and turned out a nice evening.

On the way we passed this basin at Dudley Port, where there are no moorings. On the canal side though there are plenty of rings for mooring.

This is the North Portal of the Netherton that is at the New Main Line level.

When we got back into Brum we moored up just past Sheepcote bridge and after a cup of tea and a bit of cake we 'set' Amy and Joe to the train back to London. It has been great to see them and hope that they have had a change of scene and a of pace and will back to the big city refreshed.

For those who may have not seen the change in New Street Station and remember the claustrophobic low ceiling and very short sight lines can't help but think that the new Grand Central is an improvement, even though it is now more like an airport terminal and a shopping opportunity than a station.

Just another look at a lovely building in Birmingham. This is the National Provincial Bank on Bennets Hill.

Also on Bennets Hill is the Wellington pub. This is the electronic scoreboard of the real ales on hand pull. If you are interested I had a pint of the Citra from Oakham. A very refreshing hoppy beer that could be said to be grapefruit juice!

Holding my breath.

Last night we had a nice meal at the Bar a Jee Indian restaurant on Broad Street and then walked over to the Fiddle and Bone pub as there was live band on. Pete Hyde and Vieillards and they were very good indeed. If you are in the area on Monday 30th May I would recommend a trip to the pub to hear them. We were ready to set off and went to start the engine. The alarm sounded and that then was it, nothing!! Oh dear. I had a look and could see nothing obvious. The Smartguage was showing 12V which would have meant that the alternator was duff too. That was it. I called out RCR for the first time. This was about 1000 and they called back and said that they would be with me at 1130. I dispatched Helen, Amy and Joe to walk round town as it was the Birmingham 10 Km.

Here they are getting the obligatory photo in the mirrored panels at New Street Station.

Sam duly arrived exactly at 1130 having come from Stafford. He had been delayed on the M6 and then trying to find somewhere to park but still was on time. I held my breath as he set about fault finding. The batteries were fine, the connections were fine so it seemed to be a little bit more involved. I was pleased that it wasn't too obvious but worried that it would either not be traced or be costly. Sam went carefully through the system ruling things out and in the end found that it was the starter battery isolation switch. He soon had it sorted and fixed and was on his way again after 50 mins. I could now let out my breath and thank the Lord that I had remembered to say 'White Rabbit' first thing this morning! My great thanks to RCR and especially Sam who was very through and a nice bloke, especially as he left his multi meter. It is a well worn with the probes missing so I hope he isn't too upset as I'm not sure how to get it back to him.

We were off just after 1200 and heading for thew Black Country Living Museum. we had hoped to get round to see it but would now arrive too late. Here we are just leaving the New Main Line to head up Smethick Locks to the Old Main Line.

This is Joe's very first lock and he was having trouble getting the anti vandal lock open.

It was drizzling that sort of rain that wasn't really set to get you wet and before we arrived it  stopped entirely. The Engine Arm at the top of the locks was closed and drained as it looked like they were refurbishing the aqueduct. We only saw two boats moving in the time it took us to get there. That is until we arrived at the Museum arm and had four boats coming and going. three of them were historic boats. There was room on the water point which was good as we needed it desperately. It seems that there is no rubbish disposal her now it seems which was a shame as I had fished out lots of stuff at the locks.

We winded at the entrance to the Museum Dock and moored up on the spot nearest the new Dudley Tunnel visitor Centre which has recently opened. Here we on the left.

A better view of the Centre with the access swing bridge. We will have a gander tomorrow.

The last of the vistors looking round the historic boat's back cabin with the gas lamp in the foreground.

The backs of some of the buildings in the museum from the canal bridge.

The gate from our mooring was closing in about 15 mins so wandered in to have a quick look around. This is the ironmongers.

This is the Bottle and Glass pub on site. Closed at night which is just as well as we have to be dry tonight after a long run on the beer.

Overall a good day with the problem with the engine being fixed and our trip  to Dudley not meaning getting soaked. There is talk of the weather improving, so May has all to play for.