Friday 30 November 2012

October Trip

A little bit late, but some pictures from our October Trip.

CaRT work boat, broken down in the Edgbaston Tunnel.









Banner for the Lapal Canal restoration, just past Bridge 80. The restored canal will join the Worcester and Birmingham canal at this point, but this has recently (Dec/Jan 12/13) been thrown into some doubt with the most recent plans for the new Sainsburys at Selly Oak no longer showing a link through its site.



Water mooring point just before Gas Street Basin
clear of boats (see reference to Jamie Diddle in previous posts)


Start of Grand Union canal, from Digbeth branch.


Typhoo Basin at end of Digbeth Branch (time for a tea break)

Some interesting 'Banksy' type graffiti at the water point between bridges 102 and 103 on the Grand Union just past the Bordesley Junction.




One of the 3 Garrison locks, part of the proposed route for HS2.



 Very low water level in one of the pounds.



Which led to our fouling the prop with a length of wire hawser. Holding us up for 2 hours whilst I cleared it.












Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

Drayton foot bridge



 Fradley Junction and The Swan




 Trent and Mersey Canal







Fox and Anchor at Cross Green on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
















Bottom of the Wolverhampton 21 at Aldersley Junction










Just over 2 hours later



Chillington Wharf

 


View from Stewart Aqueduct down to Birmingham main line.

Leaving the Engine Branch where we had stayed overnight

Toll house at top of Smethwick locks







Smethwick Junction, back on the main line.

















Two friends joined us on the last part of the journey through Birmingham and back to Alvechurch.

Terry studying the route and Sarah with me at the tiller.