Old friends and new pubs.

We had arranged to meet an old friend from my Birmingham days so we had a bit of a lazy start this morning, catching up with correspondence and the like. The sun was out and it was very pleasant sitting with the sun streaming in the windows. At this time of year we get sun all day on this berth. Nearer the time of meeting we headed off into town and then out towards the Ashted Locks as we were meeting up with our friends at the Woodman pub. This was a place I had wanted to visit for a while but it had never been open when we had passed.

We were heading to the area that has been recently redeveloped into an area for the Universities with Millenium Point and East Side Park The building in the picture above is the old Curzon Street Station. This was the first station in Birmingham and this, the entrance hall, is the oldest bit of railway architecture surviving as it was built in 1838. The station acted for the London and Birmingham and the Grand Junction Railway companies, and they had platforms next to each other. There were no through trains. The station continued to be used for passenger traffic until 1893 when it became a goods station other than for the odd train to Sutton Coldfield. It finally closed to traffic in 1966. The building was occasionally used as an arts venue and the track area for a car park.

Curzon Street Station has been nominated as the Birmingham terminus of the HS2 train, when and if it comes. Above is the design for the station and the old station building can be seen in the left distance. I think the design is by Sir Terry Farrel. It will be part of a full regeneration of the area with a new museum quarter. The station will be very close to Moor Street Station and a man mover can whisk passengers to New Street Station in under 5 minutes.

As we arrived there was a message saying that they were running late so we said we would meet actually in the pub. It had been empty and derelict, other than for squatters, before being reopened in 2013. It was built in 1897 by the well known pub architects James and Lister Lea for the nearby Ansells Brewery. There is still some Ansells memorabilia around the tiled walls. They had a good choice of beers and I had an Oakham Brewery Citra. Our friends finally arrived and after an initial catch up we ordered some food which was classic pub grub but went down very well. Two and a half hours later we had just about talked ourselves to a standstill and the group broke up, until the next time. Stephen and Marva have been invited 'up north' so we hope to see them later in the year in the City of Culture 2017.

The list of things required had grown so we walked back into town via the Rag Market. This isn't a view of Selfridge's Bull Ring Store that you see very often. We pottered about at various locations picking bit and pieces up before getting back to the boat at 1700. We didn't even stop for a pint on the way home!

Back in Brum.

This morning didn't start out as it finished yesterday. There was no sun and the wind was a bit chilly.

We were soon underway and here is Helen heading to open the bottom gates on lock No.1. The Pensnett Canal led off to the right. Somebody had tried to jam an opened paddle on the bottom lock by ramming bricks etc into the cogs. It took a bit of fiddling about but I managed to get everything out and we were soon down an alongside at Blowers Green Services, dumping the rubbish and topping up with water. For 'Peeky Blinder' fans it seems that the bottom lock house and toll bar was used in the first series for filming.

I'm not sure if these geese are a recognised breed but they must be up there with the ugliest I have seen, definitely on a par with the Egyptian geese.

We were soon at Windmill End Junction and heading through Netherton Tunnel. We saw our first moving boat almost exactly at the halfway point in the tunnel!

It too us 40 mins to pass through. It would be pretty galling if you had walked through to find that the towpath gate at the far end was locked! The pier in the middle of the canal is the centre span of the Tividale Aqueduct where the Old Main Line passes overhead.

Once we got on the Main Line it was a straight line of nearly 2.5 miles. We were lucky that the wind was behind us. Once again the Virgin Train drivers proved themselves much nicer than other companies as when waving to approaching trains on the line next to the canal it was only they that tooted as they passed! This is not the only reason that you should travel with Virgin Trains.

This is the Steward Aqueduct where the Old Main Line crosses the New Main line again. The M5 crosses just before. The reason for the photo will come later.

Just to the east of the Steward Aqueduct lies this big factory. The closer bridge is an old access bridge to it. A little beyond is another bridge that looks to me like another aqueduct.

The structure of the second bridge is much more substantial than the first so must of taken a load. The hand rails look the same as those on the Steward Aqueduct. Looking on Google Earth there is no obvious remaining route shown to the Old Main Line although it is on the same level.

This the Engine Arm Aqueduct and the hand rails are not the same as the other two aqueducts.

On the cutting between the two entrances of the Icknield Port Loop are railings with different local themes that certainly add to the view rather than just plain rails.

We were soon moored up just before the Barclaycard Arena, on the 48 hour moorings, and after lunch headed into town for a bit of shopping. We had never been through the Great Western Arcade so headed down it. It reminded us of those in Leeds. Mind you it did have a Gregg's at the end! It brought us out on Colmore Row so it would have been rude not to stop off in the Wellington for a pint.

In Broad Street I liked the reflection of the Alpha Building plus a new structure going up in the Hyatt Regency Hotel mirrored windows. We should be here for a couple of days.

Parked at Park Head.

It was very quiet over night but I was up early'ish this morning as there had been a problem with the hot water yesterday so I had been thinking about that and waiting for it to come on this morning. Three way valve trouble but hopefully sorted now.

The sun was lovelly this morning but the wind was still quite cool when we set off. I quite like this office block at the north end of the Waterfront complex. I'm not sure if anybody works there though!

We were soon back at the 12 ft Blowers Green lock and Helen getting all agile again.

We had decided to go up the 3 Park Head locks and moor at the top as a change to Windmill End, and as we hadn't been up there before. The BCN cottage and toll house seem a better standard than the usual ones that you see on the system.

At the top of No.3 lock there is a good view of the Park Head Viaduct. This used to carry the railway from Dudley to Netherton and a bloke I was talking to told me that plans are a foot to use it for a new Metro route to Merry Hill. Helen is just heading back after setting No.2 lock.

Looking back down to Locks No.2 and £ and Blowers Green pumping house through the viaduct.

We have made it to the top lock, No.1 and there is a lovely green space with bollards, all to ourselves. The dome is the over flow from the basin.

Once moored up I set to washing the boat for the first time since it being painted. It is actually a pleasure for a change as you could see the difference it made and the paint didn't come off when you rubbed it, like before. At the bow of the boat is the Grazebrook Arm that led off to the Netherton Old Furnaces.

Hidden round a slight bend is the southern entrance to the Dudley Tunnel. An Act of Parliament was passed for the building of it in 1785 and it was written that it had to be completed by 1788. In 1787 it was found that some of the work had been poorly done, so heads rolled and the work redone. Later it was found that the bore was not straight. It finally opened for through traffic in 1792.

Showing off the new paint scheme to it's best advantage.

On the right of the lock is the Pensnett Canal, sometimes called the Lord Ward's Canal. This led a bit over a mile to the Earl of Dudley's Old Park and Wallows coal pits. It was opened in 1840. It also led just to the north of the large Round Oak steelworks. From there a small railway led to the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal, and the Dudley No.1 canal passed to the south of the site. It was closed in 1950 other than for the short length up to the viaduct.

The board at the mouth of the canal gave the maximum headroom allowed as 6'5" and looking at the gauge I reckon we are under that. There may be a bit of trouble with the width of our accommodation, but I think when we are round at the Black Country Museum we will go and have a word and see what the limits are and see if we can check the gauge there.

Bargins to be had in Merryhill.

Macy the cat only meeowed a couple of times through the night. It usually takes her one night to acclimatise to life on the boat and the change from being nocturnal and been out all night to be being kept in after dark. The human paasengers had a good nights szleep and I was woken by the fact that the Hurricane heating hadn't come on. When I eventually got up I did some trouble shooting it didn't come because, I hadn't turned it on!! Still the stove was putting out heat so it wasn't cold at all.

We set off just before 1000 and headed down to Merryhill. We were soon passing Withymoor Island Trust moorings. This was originally a rail/canal interchange basin that was opened in 1878 by the Great Western Railway. It must have been one of the most extensive at the time as the lengths of moorings that were involved are the longest I have seen in a basin.

The 'island' has moorings either side of it and now make good moorings for those lucky people who settle here. Not far away was another rail/canal transhipment basin and again it is still in water accessed through an over bridge. Primrose Basin was constructed by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway company and they worked there own narrow boats between there and Tipton and the Wednesbury Old Canal where they had other basins.

As we passed through the cutting through the igneous rock that held up the opening of the canal and was later opened up as Brewin's Cut we saw where there there had been the entrance to a chain and anchor works, industry for which this area was famous. The widening in the  canal just beyond shows where and arm or wharf was sited.

 At Blowers Green we stopped to top up the water tank and dump the rubbish we had before swing left and into the lock and on to the Dudley No.1 canal. One of my cousins is off to the Canal du Midi near Carcassonne for a holiday. It has a different ring to The Dudley No.1 canal near Rowley Regis doesn't it!!

We were soon at Merryhill Waterfront and headed to the berth Amy and I occupied a couple of weeks ago. It is amazing to see all the empty shops and offices here. It would seem a better option to convert everything to apartments in my opinion.

After a bowl of soup we headed to the shopping centre as we had stuff to buy. First stop was M&S as Helen had an eye on a few bargains. We a bit of browsing and the purchases secured we were off to TK Max as we had forgotten Macy's bed so we thought we would get another so we didn't need to transport them to and fro in the future. A nice buy for £10, and we headed off to ASDA to get a couple bits and pieces. John Northwood at the entrance from the Orange car park to the Intu Merryhill centre stands out as one of the few people hereabouts that has no bag with him! In fact he was the guy that invented the glass that was used on the cameos on the Wedgewood Portland type vases, was it Jasper ware? Intu also own the long term moorings at the Waterfront Basin.

We headed back to the boat well happy with our bargains and as the sun was shinning we called into the Wetherspoon' opposite. The beer was a mild that was brewed by Hook Norton especially for Wetherspoons and for £2-25 a pint it was very nice indeed. I always like to try the mild as you don't see it that often. After a couple of buckets of wine for Helen we headed back to the boat with Helen saying 'We can always come back later'!

Off and running, again.

We set off a bit late after having a really busy couple of weeks back in Hull. Counting up it seems that we have attended more than on City of Culture event every three days, and that doesn't include our volunteering either. For me however this time home was mainly taken up with sorting the house out. It is therefore a great relief to be back on the boat and looking forward to a relatively restful couple of weeks.

We arrived back at Hawne Basin, the home of the Coombeswood Canal Trust. The boat was well found and she started first time. The batteries were reading 100%. I have now lived so long with nursing batteries that now we have new ones I now think that the Smartguage is wrong! Do we ever stop being neurotic about batteries? You can just see our red side panel about half way up the left side of the photo. Hawnw Basin was a rail/canal transhipment basin and it is nice to see that the protective interlocking plates on the bridge parapet are still in place. As it is a Trust we had the first 7 nights free and £4 per night after. A good place to stop as, being the Midlands it is easy to get anywhere from here.

Burton Bridge leads into the Basin and if I come for fuel in the future I think I will reverse through the bridge as it would be easier to access the fuel berth.

I haven't really found anything out about this sculpture but take it to be an image of a boat lad passing a rope to a boat to snub it round the corner and through the bridge. Much like the current people here, a very friendly gesture.

These wood and iron ramps are all the show where the boat dock for the boats of Stewart and Lloyds fleet were pulled out sideways for maintenance and then launched back in again.

If you are still collecting logs for winter fuel it may well be worth you detouring down the Dudley No.2 as there are plenty of logs lying about. It is now all quiet passing through the old factory, and it is opened up with the over bridges between the two sites of the factory gone

The southern entrance of  Gosty Hill Tunnel hoves into view. It does seem very small from a distance.

Once again we seemed to get slower and slower as we went through. I am assuming that it is very shallow, probably with muck, as once again we (I) had to clear the prop. It is old half rotted plastic bags so we must have been close to the bottom. At the north end of the tunnel is what is left of the tug dock that housed the tug that once towed boats through. Next to the tunnel entrance the remains of the a roof can be seen. It looks like an attempt is being made to clear the site.

A glimpse of Cobb's Engine House through the trees. This housed a beam engine that pumped water out of the pits and into the canal for around a hundred years.

Just before Windmill End Junction you pass a toll island and on the right can be seen a short arm that once served the Windmill End Colliery. It is hard to image the scenes of industry that would have been the view here in times past compared with all the dog walkers of today, along with the odd idiot that drives about on the paths at breakneck speeds on a motor bike!

We are just passing the entrance of that small basin and on the left can be seen the horse 'grips' that you usually find under a bridge, and indeed there was a railway bridge here of the GWR Netherton to Halesowen branch line that was removed in the 1960's.

We turned the corner to the left and stopped at the water point to fill up. We then pushed over to the other side and moored up for the night. The fire was lit, and it was good to be back.

Happy in Hawne (I hope).

Well the weather had turned when we got going in the morning at 0930. Dull and with a very chilly slight wind. First navigational task was make the turn into the remainder of the Dudley No.2 Canal.

Cobb's Engine House was named after the the farmer who owned the land before the canal came. The arm to the left was the original route of the canal until the Netherton Tunnel (straight on)  was built between 1855/58. The old loop is now the Boshboil Arm and it linked to the Bumble Hole to create the loop.

The bridge is the entrance to Doulton's Basin. There is a large area that has been cleared and they are now building 'bog' standard house there. My little joke, as the Doulton factory here once made sanitary ware using local clay brought from pits and mines of the area. The canal would have been extensively used other raw materials and of course the finished products.

A little way past is the remains of a tollman's office. The figure is just a cut out but is life size, at least he didn't reply when I said good morning! He has his guaging stick in his hand.

Another of the information markers indicates where elephants played in the waters of Rowley Regis, and we aren't talking of an earlier geological age either! It reminds of Royal Leamington Spa, only because elephants were taken to bath in the park there.

Between Windmill E and Gosty Hill Tunnel there were many collieries, Springfield, Pennet Hill, Ash Tree, Pearson's, Fly, Old Lion, Eagle, Waterfall Lane,  Black Heath, Haden Hill and Gosty Hill, along with the Old Hall Iron Works, Tiger Chain Works and the Doulton's sanitary works along with other brick and tile works. It is hard to imaging the traffic, noise and chaos that there would have been on the canal at the time.

Smith's Bridge, and Wright's Bridge are plain bridges that could easily be raised as subsidence from mining activity required. There are moorings provide past the rail bridge as there is a pub up the road along with fish and chip shop.

Gosty Hill Tunnel was just a little tunnle compared with the very long Lapal Tunnel that is no more, and linked the Dudley No.2 with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Selly Oak. The route was opened in 1798 but Gosty Hill Tunnel was extensively in 1881 and this large portal of the 509 mt long tunnel is deceiving as inside the roof height drops dramatically a couple of times. On the left we have just passed the old tug dock as the little tug was used to tow boats through from 1913 to the late 1930's.

We seemed to be going slower and slower through the tunnel. I wondered whether it was just that the canal was shallow, but decided to stop once clear and removed a good crop of lost plastic.

Once you clear the tunnel the waters seem to widen and you are now in the area of the Stewarts and Lloyds tube factory. An iron works was started here in 1860 and changed hands regularly until under the ownership of Lloyds and Lloyds in 1869 when they started to specialise in tubes. In 1903 they joined with a Scottish company doing the same thing and became Stewarts and Lloyds. At it's peak in the 1950's the site covered 54 acres, with most of it covered, and employed over 3000. They were very good employers providing many benefits unheard of at the time, such as housing, sickness benefits, sports facilities and education. The company was nationalised as part of British Steel in 1968 then was sold on to Corus etc until it finally closed in 1990. The canal was crisscrossed with bridges and pipes and would have been a very busy spot. All is quite now but part of the site has become an industrial estate.

The Stewart and Lloyds factory remains on the east bank of the canal. Nearest to the camera is an old loading bay. The abutments further along would be to support the heavy plant in the factory above.

We soon arrived at the Coombeswood Canal Trust's Hawne Basin which used to be a railway transshipment depot. It is a tight turn into the basin under Burton Bridge but I managed not to damage the new paintwork and went along to the services wharf to check in and fill up with diesel. 56p/litre. We were also shown our layby berth and we were soon reversed into it and made fast. We soon had everything tidied up and turned off etc and we were on our way to catch the bus back to Birmingham to pick up the car and head home for another couple of weeks.