After a quiet night following a nice visit to the Barton Arms we woke to rain, but it was all gone by the time we were ready to set off. Even the towpath was dry.
These are very secure moorings and hopefully the owners will prevent people living there full time and stopping casual acces like us. It is all over seen by CCTV too.
Just through Rocky Lane bridge is this wall that forms one side of another building. With the transformer station the otherside I guessed it was an old power station. However, before that it was Aston's first Fire Station built in 1879 on Chester Street and down to Board's Wharf on the cut. It expanded over the years until the turn of the century when it was sold and the power station was built, as the Aston Manor Corporation got the contract for supply of energy. They started supplying for lighting and power in 1903 and for the tram network in 1904. The site was expanded in 1906 when Erdington was included in the supply. I'm not sure when the rest of the building was demolished but the wall is preserved.
A little further up on the towpath side is this over bridge that ran into serve a granary that was also linked to the railway system until before WWII.
After a couple of locks there was another overbridge that led to an arm into the Windsor Street Gas works for the Birmingham Corporation. In the photo above on the opposite side you can just about see where another arm led off. It looked as if it was for another part of the gasworks. As there are no buildings on the wharf I suspect it maybe for coal storage.
After the last photo on the approach to the No.6 lock is another over bridge fright by the lock. It led to another part of the Windsor Street Gas works. Maybe this was for the removal of ash, or tar etc.
Two locks from the top, and having met one boat heading down. Despite the high rise buildings around this area is quite quiet, but in the hey day of the canal there was an iron foundry on the off side and an Iron works on the towpath side!
We got to the top in just an hour, for eight locks, and only a slight shower to dampen the spirits. Time is limited on this trip so we did not head up the Farmer's Bridge Locks and turned left an moored at the Science Park moorings. It is as easy to walk into town from here as from the top anyway.
At Aston Junction they are building even more student accommodation and there has been some moorings on the off side but were a place for drinking a drugs judging by the litter. It seems they are tidying it and if I understood the workers correctly it is going to be visitor moorings when completed.
The nursery that was here has gone and the Advanced Transport and Infrastructure National College has been built in its place. It is a 48hr mooring here with room for two full length boats, and more opposite the winding hole though.
After walking throught he Aston University campus we came to Corporation Street and the Methodist Central Hall. It is a massive red brick and terracotta building with it tower. The central hall could seat 2,000 and there were 30 other rooms, including 3 other smaller halls. Much of the road frontage on both sides of the building were let to shops and some still have the original design. It fell of use mainly in 2002 and has got into such bad repair that it is on the Historic Building at risk register as it is Grade II listed. The tile works was done by Gibbs and Canning of Tamworth. In 2018 there were plans for a 147 hotel, as the main part of a redesign, but it appears as if COVID, funding etc have meant that has not gone ahead. It would be a great shame to loose it.
On the other side of the road, and on the opposite side are the red brick Victoria Law Courts. The foundation stone was laid in 1887 and they were opened in 1891 by the Prince and Princess of Wales. Alterations have been made over the years but it must be quite sumptuous in side. It was the first court outside of London to be lit by electricity
Above the entrance arch in this terracotta detail, also done by Gibbs and Canning of Tamworth, It shows a relatively young Queen Victoria, not the grumpy old lady that is often seen.
Helen had a list of shops she wanted to visit and I took this picture on New Street/Corporation Corner. The Birmingham Post Newspaper was based here to the left and the building was extended in 1879 to the corner and in roughly the same style. At the top of the rounded corner is the names Queens Corner that was said to be added after the visit of Queen Victoria to the city in 1887. The clock is advertising Slater's Men wear that were in the building until not too long ago.
It has been graduation day at Aston so there were many gowns and motors and proud families as we walked through the campus that has plenty of grass, seating fountains and lakes. I was taken with this sculpture as it says ' All the Books I should have Read'. Well Helen is always reading and usual,reads about one a week.
We are back off to town for tea as by long standing tradition we have an Indian meal at the Barajee on Broad Street.
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