Bumbling up Botterham and Bratch.

 We were a little late setting off as Helen was online buying tickets to see Gary Barlow in a concert next June. I would hope that there should be concerts by then or we will all be suffering real hardships. All except Gary Barlow that is as he will have sold out his concerts, and made a mint on his new album that if you buy you get priority for tickets for the concerts! Maybe he should be running the country with Dishy Rishi.

Our first lock was Swindon Lock. The towpath changes sides here as the Swindon Iron Works was next to the canal here. There had been a fulling mill followed by a corn mill that belonged to Halesowen Abbey.n It became a finery forge in 1620's. This is where the pig iron is made into wrought iron. It expanded in 19th century so there were 13 furnaces. In 1860 the works were leased by the Baldwin family of Wilden Iron Works (Stanley Baldwin, the politician's family.). When the iron and steel works were Nationalised it was incorporated in the British Steel Corportaion, but it was closed in 1976 and demolished in the 1980's. The housing estate built on the site has a very large community hall that was the old canteen. On the gardens that back on to the canal from the former site you can see where the wharf was as there are these non-slip coping stones that edge it.

I don't remember noticing a sign like this before, but it looks like it has been there for a while. This is the Robert Cox, contemporary wood sculpture who is still working as on his website he says that he did work for the Staffs. and Worcs. as well as British Waterways. The name boards really add to the scenescape of the locks, and it good to see they are all in place.

After Marsh Lock where the tow path swings back to the other side you come out into the country that is very pleasant with rolling hills. There were a lot of fishermen out today, one lot in a match. There were also the usually many cyclists of a certain age. People have certainly 'got on their bikes' as it was put all those years ago.

We passed under these two big pipelines passing over the canal just before Botterham Staircase Locks. I wondered if they were the water from the Elan Valley, but it doesn't seem to be that. I then wondered if it was the strategic oil pipeline system, but it doesn't seem to correspond with that either. I drew a blank, so if anybody know's let me know.

There was somebody at the top of Botterham Staircase so I went up to give them a hand. This view of the old house gives a good background.

The locks are pretty, and I like the furniture around the locks. The majority of the locks in this area seem to be between 9 and 10 foot, so a pair of them does seem quite high.

After the staircase locks there was this massive shed. It just looks out of character for the place. It is a warehouse for Spectrum Brands, and American Company, that has many of the pet care, home improvements and hardware, home and garden and home and personal care appliances that you may have heard of.

The approach to Bumble Hole Lock form below is on a bend so is a bit of a jiggle about. The viginia creeper really does bring colour though.

We then arrived a Bratch Locks just as another boat was starting down. They do them in batches of three so if anybody else arrived at the top we would have to wait. As it was we went straight up. They are very scenic and attract lots of people gongoozling. Go up seems to be much easier than down as you just use the paddles as normal locks.

The octagonal lock shed is very scenic and had a few bits and pieces for sale. Helen got some postcards for sending. Just to the left you can see the towers of the gothic Victorian waterworks pumping station that was built in 1896. It had the Kingswinford Railway next to it so I doubt that the received coal to run the steam engines that were used until 1960.

Helen taking it easy as we come up Awbridge Lock. This is thought to be the James Brindley's first attempt at building a lock with a road bridge at the foot. It has also been the site of an accident where a lad died after falling of the tail bridge (for crossing from one bottom gate to the other. The bridge had no hand rail and despite being listed H and S insisted that protection was added. An handrail has been added, attached to the lock wall, not the bridge and somewhat in-keeping with original iron work.

These are the signs that R. Cox craved that I was talking about in an earlier photo, I just forgot to take a photo earlier. I wonder if he did the finger posts too?

I also noticed that the paddle gear had old BCN equipment.  The Staffs. and Worcs. never was part of the BCN. In fact they were antogonists as when new canals took a lot of the trade from the Staffs and Worcs other than the short length between Aldersley and Autherley junctions they put there tolls sky high to recoup. The BCN then sort an Act of Parliament to build a high level canal across the Staffs. and Worcs. It worked and they had to drop their tolls. We must be grateful that in 1959 the British Transport Commission were not allowed to close this beautiful canal.

The last lock of the day was Dimmingsdale Lock where some characters from Last of the Summer Wine were having a rest. Helen was amazed to hear that they had cycled from Merry Hill. It had taken us three days to get here, but in a big circle! We moored up at the top of the locks on the offside. A nice quiet mooring. With luck we may get to see some of the Orionid meteor shower. The peak is not until 20th/21st October.