Back to Birmingham.

We started off at our normal time and were soon at Aston Junction. It seems ages ago that we were coming up that flight into Birmingham.

 Looking at the Top lock of the Aston flight from the junction. We are leavinbg the Digbeth Branch and turning to make for the Farmer's Bridge flight.

 It always looks like there is no way to get up to the top through the buildings.

As if by magic a crack appears in the buildings and you head for it. The crack soon closes though and you are left to borrow under the buildings to head up to the light.

We met four boats coming down, all hire boats doing the Warwickshire Ring. The Voluntary Lock keeper that there would be no boats coming up the flight that he had set the locks for them with out checking and so had to reverse a couple of them when we appeared. 

By a couple of locks from the top we have emerged into the sun, well we would have done if there had been any. The flight has been the usual easily worked set of locks it is. It has been even cleaner than the last time we headed up. Even at the bottom there were no unsavoury smells in the darker parts of the bridges.

We got to the top in an unhurried hour and 15 minutes and headed to the water tap to fill and drop off the rubbish. We decided to get moored up in Cambrian Wharf when a C&RT rubbish boat went and moored there. I had a word and he quickly moved again, to the water point we vacated. We are moored in the space on the wall two boat down.

We went for a walk into town to get some stores and a little look see and as we passed in front of the new library there was a bit of  a blockage so we  walked round the other side of the War Mausoleum. We don't normally go round that side so as we saw that it was open we went in to have a look. The mausoleum was started in 1923 and was opened in 1925. I think it is a very nice idea to have an indoor space for remembrance rather than just a monument.

There are three Art Deco bas-relief plaques with scenes from WWI , the Call, the Front Line and the Return. All were made by William Bloyne who, like most of the other craftsmen involved in the project were from Birmingham.

On the sarcophagus shaped dias are the books of Remembranbce of the those lost in the two world wars, including civilians. There is also a book for those lost in conflicts since WWII.

The flowers and planters are always of a high quality in Birmingham and the red chrysanthemums have the colour of poppies. Until the reorganisation of the square there was a colonnade of Portland Stone. The doors of the mausoleum are massive and impressively made of bronze. The new Library is as eye catching as ever in the background.

We got back to the boat with our purchases and no sooner had the kettle on than it started to rain. Good timing once more.