We moored overnight just a few minutes from Norbury Junction where we needed to stop for the full range of services. It was a bright sunny day but occasionally sufficiently windy to cause some people a problem.
Our schedule today was based on needing to get to Autherley Junction by 16:30 in order to hand back Alice and Jess. Our estimate gave us an hour's free space for delays, shopping or whatever.
At one time, a branch left the junction to link with Newport and from there to Shrewsbury. Sadly it was one of the victims of precipitate closure in the immediate post-war period. Only this short arm is still in water although a restoration trust has recently been formed. The first lock was converted into a dry dock.
The wharf is now a thriving boatyard (we hired from here a couple if time several decades ago!) using some of the original workshop buildings. It also claims to have the cheapest red diesel on the network - but only by 0.01p on the base price!
Today proved to be extremely busy at times and we could rarely take a photo without someone following behind as close as they could manage. Fortunately we did not have to make too many sudden stops at blind bridge holes.
Almost all of today's stretch was either an embankment or a cutting. The embankments are usually protected with stop gates at either end, just in case of a breach. With very long level pounds, this could otherwise result in the loss of an enormous amount of water which would cause great damage and also take considerable time to replace.
Cowley Tunnel is very short, just over 60m in length, and hewn out of rock. No doubt the original builders found this easier than removing it all as there is a rock cutting on either side.
Yes that boat is still there!
Wheaton Aston not only has a single lock but also, it seems, a good pub. Certainly several of the boats both ahead and behind suddenly pulled in at the mooring. Nevertheless there was a long delay, nearly an hour, before we could ourselves go up the lock.
As we neared the waiting area, a boat decided to use the winding hole to turn around. The boat coming the other way was most impatient and made several attempts to dodge through the gap as the other boat moved forward and back in its manoeuvre. Summer Wine, however, was giving no quarter and frustrated it at each attempt!
Having joined the queue, Christine gave Alice and Jess some lunch and suggested they sit outside in the sunshine to eat it. They were joined by Fran, the girl from two days ago with whom they came up Audlem locks.
Eventually it was our turn. We were so diverted by other things while we waited, that we almost failed to notice that we should be emptying the lock. Fortunately several people from boats behind were keen to see us through as quickly as possible so set it for us!
Mike and Alice hopped off for a short distance to take a look at Telford's structure over Watling Street. It was easy to see how straight the Roman roads often were.
Small but beautifully formed - a reduced version of the standard narrow boat - in this case narrow-narrow boat!
We timed our passage through Brewood just wrong - quite a few boats were setting off (perhaps after lunch a at the popular canal-side pub) including this one who came out right in front of us and then pootled along at half speed. After about 45 minutes, several pulled in to moor, again without warning
We were following our computer estimate and still expected to arrive at Autherely just on schedule . The final turnover bridge and then the stop lock until we could moor just around the corner. That was the total distance on the Staffs and Worcester!
Adrian had been a bit delayed on the way but eventually arrived, had tea and crumpets before loading the girls and their luggage int his car and they were away.
We walked to the nearby shops for a paper before setting about preparing dinner. wine tonight!
16.1 Miles - 2 Locks
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