Birmingham

For once the forecast for today, a bank holiday, was for really hot weather with sunshine right through. This indeed proved to be generally the case although initially there was quite a cooling breeze but by the time we eventually arrived in central Birmingham people were sitting outside in large numbers having discovered their summer clothes for the first time this year!

No locks were on our agenda today - it is a very long pound from the top of the Lapworth locks through to Birmingham and also, from Kings Norton Junction southwards to the Tardebigge flight. after Birmingham the new Main Line continues level until three locks near Dudley and then to the Wolverhampton locks. A lot of water to lose if the canal is breached and so there are many places where stop planks can be put in place to minimise losses and damage to surrounding properties.

Before long, suddenly as we came around a corner, we met the first signs of the Birmingham conurbation. Although there would be some green stretches on one side or the other as we came further into the city, we would be in built up areas for the rest of the day.

All along this canal, and right through into the city, we could see signs of good work done over the winter to cut back on excess vegetation on the off side of the navigation. This has been a serious bone of contention in the boating community for a few years now and it is good to see that the maintenance planning has taken note.

With this work, at this time of the year the route is generally very pleasant, certainly all the way to Kings Norton.

Shirley Draw Bridge

We may not have had any locks but we did have one lift bridge to negotiate. Fortunately this one is mechanised as it is larger to carry traffic. Bit of a conscience that after we had opened it an ambulance joined the queue waiting to cross - but it did not seem in a hurry. Guess that emergency vehicles do not use this route if possible as once the cycle of opening and closing is started there is bound to be some delay.

Just as we approached Bridge 5 we had to slow down as works were in progress behind a temporary dam. Surprisingly, progress was being made today - they told us that they are constructing two overflow weirs.

Just beyond the bridge is a water point - we had not filled up since the top of Hatton a couple of days ago. Local info kindly pointed out to us a nearby Co-op store so whilst Mike supervised the hosepipe, Christine popped across. she soon returned not only with a newspaper and bread but also several other price reduced items including some tasty cookies. Not long before they came out with the coffee which Mike made in time for Christine's return!

Brandwood Tunnel North Portal

Brandwood Tunnel is not very long and is quite substantial. Not sure who this gentleman is who adorns the northern portal (he might also be on the other end but the bust has worn too much to tell). Perhaps one day we will find out! (Jim Shead claims it to be Shakespeare)

Kings Norton Stop Lock

Water flow into the Stratford Canal from the Worcester and Birmingham was controlled by a stop lock, as at many t-junctions between what were once fiercely independent companies. Water has always been an expensive commodity and necessary for canal operation. The Kings Norton lock was built with guillotine gates at either end, with a road bridge now spanning across the middle. It is no longer in use for water control but as it is a special heritage site it is periodically restored, the most recent one was not very long ago so it looks in good condition. In the past we have seen it rather dilapidated.

Worcester & Birminghan Junction Office

The Worcester and Birmingham Canal Company's Junction Office is imposing as it stands guard over traffic in all directions - now it is converted to a private dwelling. The guide book indicates an elsan facility just below the junction and we reversed down but failed to find it so carried on up towards Birmingham.

!894 Tolls

Not sure if our blog readers will be able to see the detail but a plaque on the Junction Office displays the tolls per ton per mile as they were levied in 1894. Manure, like stone, cost 3/4d but soap, ale and foodstuffs were more expensive at 1 and 3/4d.

Cadbury Factory

At Bourneville, alongside the chocolate factory and Cadbury World we moored temporarily so that we could have lunch. During the morning, Christine had converted the bones from last night's lamb roast into a tasty soup - which went well with the interesting loaf of bread from the Co-op which included jalapeno peppers!

One of the railway lines out of Birmingham follows the canal for some distance, almost to the city centre, and crosses overhead a couple of times.

As far as we can tell, this is where the canal from the Lapal Tunnel formerly joined onto this canal. Last year we went as far as possible from the other direction right up to Hawne Basin, the other side of the tunnel. Work on planning the restoration of the link - albeit with the huge challenge of re-opening the tunnel which was always an engineering problem to maintain at its best - is been building pace in recent years. One of the main tasks is to work with developers to ensure that the line of the canal is not broken making restoration impossible. The land at this end is scheduled for major development and, amongst others, Sainsbury have sought planning permission for a new store (presumably to replace their existing one close by - see here for why we did not fancy stopping here this time) After originally promising to included a good waterside feature into the plans and having succeeded in persuading the planners, this promise has been withdrawn. Recent public meetings have focused attention and we hope that they will be held to that undertaking.

We next passed the extensive site of Birmingham University with its iconic tower at the heart of its campus. Mike recalls having to come here in 1963 to do some work on commissioning a new KDF9 computer which the university was buying from English Electric. In those days, a whole university had to share a single computer and this one had only 48K bytes of memory!

New buildings on the skyline heralded the arrival of the more central parts of Birmingham as we crossed the new aqueduct, which together with the railway line alongside, had to be re-built for a link road underneath.

Worcester Bar

The former stop lock narrows heralded our arrival Gas Street Basin and, after going under Broad Street, we arrived at Brindley Place. We urgently needed the sani station - coming alongside Christine discovered the hazards of wind tunnels between high rise buildings! As always we were a bit apprehensive about finding a mooring space but our fears this time were totally misplaced as there were surprisingly few boats already moored. It was still mid afternoon but only one or two more came after us.

New Birmingham Library

Following a mug of tea we walked into the city centre, taking a look at the nearly finished new Library. We understand that the building has now been handed over to the library staff who are in the process of transferring all of their stock from the old building in time for a public opening in September. No doubt the architecture of this new library will remain as controversial as the Brutalist style of the old one.

Live street entertainment was drawing a good crowd in the very warm spring sunshine and cloudless skies.

The statue of Boulton, Watt and Arnold looks as if it has had a recent makeover - certainly shining brightly in today's sun.

It was as well that we went to the station this evening as new entrances have been created, and the one we are used to is now closed, as part of the extensive re-building of New Street Station. Having bought the tickets online earlier, all we had to do at this stage was to collect them from a machine in the concourse - to save time in the morning.

12.9 miles - 0 locks