A Much Less Hard Work Day.

(Boat Chalice - posted by Alan)

Tardebigge Top - our only lock of the day.

We had hoped throughout the whole of this trip that we might spend at least a night tied up in Birmingham - it has become somewhat of a tradition on our big summer trips.  However, we had already "borrowed" some time, both to visit the Severn valley Railway, then to stop at Droitwich where we had not actually planned to spend the night, until unexpectedly met Dave and Jan.

Inside Tardebigge Tunnel.

We still wanted to go to Birmingham, although were aware that plenty awaits us back home, and we can't e out too much longer.  We decided we would push on from Tardebigge, and make the decision before Kings Norton, where the Northern Stratford canal could have provided a route home that didn't take in Birmingham.

Truly stunningly decorated narrow boat.

"Seaford" - Another Northwich boat in similar colours to "Sickle".

We had just a single lock, (Tardebigge Top), to start the day, if Birmingham was to be the destination.  Almost immediately after that you enter Tardebigge Tunnel.  I had been through this before, but had forgotten how much of it is unlined.  IUt is very uneven, and although it is a tunnel where boats can enter from both ends at the same time, and you can pass, I wasn't really sorry not to have to do so.



The similar length tunnel at Shortwood is a more conventional arrangement, lined throughout.  Again nobody else was about.

The slow moving boats finally exit Wast Hill Tunnel.

The much longer Wast Hill Tunnel, (or is it Wast Hills - both forms are used), proved a different prospect.  We passed several boats coming the other way, which wasn't really the problem, but quickly caught up another boat going slowly and zig-zagging. This boat was in turn queued up eventually behind another.  I hate being forced to travel slowly in the tunnels, but here we often had to take the boat out of gear, when even tick-over meant we were still catching up.







Outside the tunnel the first boat moved over, and waved the followers past - in my view the correct ehaviour if you want to move very slowly, (or your boat has a probblem, and can't move at normal speed).  The boat still in front of us, having passed it, then speeded a little, but was still not travelling at a normal pace.  It seemed that whilst he was happy to pass someone who offered, he did not see the need to offer the same courtesy to others.



Eventually he decided to stop, after which we completed the remaining lockless miles into Birmingham rather more quickly. (You can work out at this stage that we had decided not to forgo a trip into the city after all!).

Moored up in Birmingham.

We moored initially just to discuss intentions with Dave and Jan, but they quickly decided to stop at the same point too, which became our overnight mooring.  They had already decided to meet up with some other members of the Canal World Forum, that they knew, but we had yet to meet.  It was agreed an arrangement would be made for the evening, but that we would do our own things until then.

Not the best employment in the world ?

I'll not go into the mix-up that had Cath setting off to the shops without me, when I thought I was joining her, or the fact she had failed to take a mobile with her to sort it out!  I was truly amazed to find her in Brum with no mental map, but a bookshop is always a good bet, so guess where I found her!



When we got back we went for an early meal with David, who wanted to be free for something else that evening.  We found by then another boat tied up near us, which we knew to be further members of the Canal World Forum.  Although Dave and Jan had helped them tie up, they had not realised this.  They were not there then, but we left a note, before departing for a pub, where Dave and Jan had agreed to meet their friends.  The others turned up too, eventually so we officially declared it a Canal World "Banter".





I was not aware of drinking more than usual that evening, but the following morning my head suggested I may have done.  Cracking good company, anyway!



Top of Tardebigge flight to Birmingham

Miles: 14.5, Locks: 1

Total Miles: 316.7, Total Locks: 274

The Most Locks We Have Ever Done in a Day.

(Boat Chalice - posted by Alan)

There are excellent moorings in Droitwich.

After an excellent night in Droitwich, it was time to press on on the remainder of the restored canals to join the Worcester and Birmingham.  We had arrived yesterday via the Droitwich Barge Canal, with wide locks, that allow you to share with another narrow boat, but were now moving to the Droitwich Junction Canal, where the locks switch to narrow, so we could no longer share locks with our friends, although we had decided to travel with them.

We pass through one of the swing bridges in Droitwich.

Entering the culvert under the M5

It's nothing like as tight as Froghall Tunnel !

However, after a number of swing bridges, one of the first things you encounter is the very restricted tunnel that allows the restored canal to pass under the M5 motorway.  Apparently it was a major coup that when it was first constructed, they were persuaded to make it big enough for boats, (just!), but it is not overly generous.  Even in our shallow draughted boat there did not seem to be much depth of water either, and I can well believe reports of more deeply draughted boats getting grounded in it - based on experiences with Chalice, I'd not be too keen to try with Sickle!

View from the bottom of the new staircase lock

The first locks on this restored section are brand new ones, as a new stretch of canal has replaced the original ones.  They are fairly stark structures, built in concrete, although do have gates and paddle gear that follow tradition.  Certain features could be better thought through - the approaches into the locks are completely square cornered, meaning that if you fail to align perfectly you would strike them, and it is obvious boats are already doing this regularly, (typically older locks have an angled approach that helps "funnel in" anybody who has misjudged their approach).



One of the locks is a two lock staircase, and as we arrived there a hire boat had become firmly jammed as it was completing its ascent of the bottom chamber.  A lot of brute force was being used to "unstick" it.  I arrived too late to be certain, but the cause seemed to be it had jammed under a ledge above a weir at the side of the lock.  Initially this didn't seem likely, but when we subseqiuently ascended the lock, we could see we could ourselves have got jammed, with the boat at a slight angle across the lock.  We later made a BW lock-keeper aware of this problem, and he promised to check it out.

David puts the side ponds to good use.

The final three locks up to the Worcester and Birmingham are deep, and don't have the foibles of the new locks.  Better still the "side ponds" here are fully restored, and, unlike most of the rest of the canals, where they have been abandoned, here you are actively told to use them, supported by a helpful lock-keeper.  These water saving devices can save up to half the water used in working locks, and could have proved their worth elsewhere in the current drought conditions, had they not been deemed redundant some time ago.



We would endorse what we have read elsewhere - the prettiest its of these canals are on the Droitwich Barge Canal, with its reed lined channels and attractive bridges.  The Droitwich Junction Canal is full of interesting features, but less picturesque.

Early in the long ascent on the Worcester & Birmingham.

Once we joined the Worcester and Birmingham at Hanbury Junction, you knew that it is a long hard slog of locks that ultimately take you to the summit at Tardebigge.  There are fourty of them, in fact, and we never thought we had either the time, or the stamina to get anywhere near the top this day.  I did, however, have my doubts about really being able to tie up in the very short pounds in the middle of the 30 lock Tardebigge flight itself.

Climbing the 30 Tardebigge locks.

We were still travelling with our friends Dave and Jan, with their boat following ours.  We got a good run at the Tardebigge flight itself, with locks in our favour, but as David had turned out as a third crew member, we were trying to reverse all the locks as we left them, ready for Dave and Jan to go straight in to follow us

Some very serious radio amateurs live up this flight of locks!

Everybody was tiring, I think, but on several occasions I suggested to our friends they might like to stop, but they said they were still OK to keep going.  Finally Dave said to me "having got this far, lets finish the bloody thing!", and ultimately we did just that.  Well, being completely accurate, we stopped one lock from the very top, as the best moorings are there, and if stopping, it is best to leave the final lock for the following day.

This party of youngsters asked lots of questions!

We have never done this many locks in a single day before, but I must admit that I didn't find it as bad as expected.  Last time we did Tardebigge I had really struggled with top paddles - sometimes I still did this time, but to nothing like the same extent.  I may even be getting a bit fitter!

Getting towards the top of the flight.

There is no pub here to celebrate your hard work, so we agreed to meet later on Dave and Jan's boat for a few beers and maybe a glass of wine or two.  By the morning they were complaining their recycling bins had become over full.

Dave and Jan follow us up the final locks.

Droitwich to top of Tardebigge
Miles: 8.0, Locks: 48

Total Miles: 302.2, Total Locks: 273

Back on The River, and a Newly Re-opened Canal

(Boat Chalice - posted by Alan)

Moving in to the lower chamber of the upper Stourport staircase.

There is something fairly special about Stourport, and the complex basins and locks where the narrow Staffs and Worcs canal joins the River Severn.  I first came here not by boat, and was fascinated by the place, only to shortly after manage to bring Chalice here, and to work through it.

Leaving the lower chamber of the first staircase.

So it was a real pleasure to know we were coming back here.  But first we had been struggling with a leaking stern gland, but had very little grease left to put in it, so we filled with water, disposed of rubbish, and emptied toilets while we waited for the local chandlers to open.







 

The staircases don't align. so a bit of "to and fro" is needed!

Soon we were on our way, and descending the final two pairs of narrow staircase locks onto the Severn, an experience slightly tainted by the knowledge that a child had recently managed to die here having tried to cycle over a narrow bridge clearly unsuitable for the purpose. (British Waterways have now encased this bridge with much protective scaffolding, whilst near identical bridges on the same canal are left in "original" condition - apparently a repeat incident at these locks is felt possible, whereas an equivalent one elsewhere is not ?)

Waiting to leave one of the big manned locks on the River Severn.

Last time we did this trip we were complete "river novices", and urgently seeking advice about traversing the Severn.  Now it all seems rather tame, although the anchor is still made available, and life jackets put on, including Charlie's.  Even at what is near the limit of navigation for even boats of our size, it is still one big old river, with some quite big boats on it.  I'd not necessarily fancy swimming to a nearest bank unaided, if I went in.

Even this can make you feel quite dwarfed in a narrow boat.

Apart from one big "mobile hotel", I think everything we saw on the river was narrow boats - different from last time when there were some seriously large and expensive "plastic" boats.  This time we only planned to go through two of the big Severn locks, and making nearly 6 mph at other times, we were not on the river that long.

 

Charlie in "river mode".

Sharing the first lock of the Droitwich Barge Canal

Last time we came down the Severn the first place you could rejoin the canal network was at Diglis in Worcester.  But that has very recently changed as two restored canals passing through Droitwich have re-opened.  This was our target this time - to enjoy canals only opened less than 2 months ago, so we knew we would be turning off sooner than last time.

Unusual bridges and long reeds are features of this canal.

We also know that a couple we knew of through the Canal World Forum were following the same route as us, but were far enough ahead we had not expected to see them.  So we were not a little surprised to see their boat entering the first lock of the Droitwich Barge Canal just as we  were about to turn to join that canal ourselves.  The explanation proved to be that they had gone down to Worcester and back on the river, resulting in us catching them up.

Alan and Dave compare notes about their trips so far.

We didn't really know Dave and Jan well up until this point, having, I think, only met them briefly once.  However our meeting resulted in us being able to share the restored double locks that run all the way up to Droitwich.

In Droitwich - Charlie was really fazed by the floating pontoons!

We had been undecided about what we were going to do, and whether to carry on right through beyond Droitwich.  Finding some very pleasant moorings in the centre of Droitwich, (it would have been very hard to moor anywhere else on this canal), we decided to stay and try and find somewhere to eat with Dave and Jan.  The answer proved to be "Rossini", a rather more "posh" restaurant than our normal canal eating places, but which served us an excellent meal.  "Rossini" is currently offering a 20% discount to visiting boaters, (you need to show a BW key!), and we can highly recommend it, based on our experiences.



We very much enjoyed our evening, and the the opportunity to spend time with other boaters.



Stourport to Droitwich

Miles: 14.7, Locks: 15

Total Miles: 294.2, Total Locks: 225

Probably my favourite railway - The Severn Valley

(Boat Chalice - posted by Alan)

Strange reflections in Cookley tunnel.

By this stage of a summer outing we are usually at the point where we should be starting to head for home, but with no great enthusiasms to do so!  Inevitably conversations start to be had about what we can still pack into the trip, and still be back home in time.  This time was no different - we had decided to come the way we had, because we wanted to visit the newly opened Canals through Droitwich.  But we also wanted to go into Birmingham later, if we could, (we always try to, on the summer trip), but that started to look like a step too far. (The added "complication" is that for various reasons this time we did not start until well into the school summer holidays - we have no flexibilty beyond a date Cath must be back by).

Chalice starts the days boating at Cookley tunnel.

Locks can even feature a canal-side cave.

But we had also never visited our favourite steam railway by boat either, the Severn valley railway, that Cath and I have been life members of for many years.  The Staffs and Worcs passes under it.

I just love the settings of so many of the locks!

So the decision was taken to tie up at Kidderminster and do a round trip on the Severn Valley, our second steam train day on this trip, and to keep an open mind about a Birmingham visit, depending on subsequent progress.  Advice from Canal World Forum members suggested that by Sainsburys would suit, so we moored there, and set off for the trek to the station.

Our motive power - newly out-shopped and gleaming.

We always enjoy the SVR, but usually visit at busy times, such as the massive Autumn steam gala.  Visiting on a weekday gave a chance to see it at a less busy time, although the scale of operations at the SVR still guarantees at least 3 engines in steam to run the basic service.

Visiting super-power!

We were treated to the pleasures of the newly restored Churchward designed Great Western 2-8-0 freight locomotive, number 2857.  This had one active stint of service on the SVR, but has been out of use for some time while its enthusiastic owning group have carried out another comprehensive rebuild, including much boiler work.  Lovely to see, although I often prefer the SVR when smaller locomotives pull the big trains, giving them a challenge, and producing a bit of noise.  2857 hardly struggles with its 8 coach train, even on the long climb at Erdington Bank.



I should have loved to travel with the visiting "9 freight", (an even bigger freight engine, with 10 driven wheels), but time did not permit - hopefully it  will still be on loan there for the Autumn Steam Gala.

"Take your dog with you by rail".

Charlie experienced his second steam railway, (unless his former owners ever took him to one!), and behaved well throughout, even when loud whistles sounded, or safety valves lifted as he sat by a locomotive.  This dog understands his place in our family, and doesn't seem to mind our slightly cranky interests!

Charlie checks everything is in order.

Really very good artwork under a Kidderminster canal bridge.

There were lots of these, each representing a decade.

Caldwell Lock - another in a striking setting.

All to soon it was over, and, sadly, our trip down to Stourport also meant we were coming to the end of this trip on the Staffs and Worcs, (well nearly - there would be a final fling through the last locks tomorrow).  Weatherspoons supplied the evening meal - always fine, despite our first choices, and much of the beer, being unavailable due, we were told, to a very busy day.



Cookley to Stourport on the Staffs and Worcs
Miles: 7.5, Locks: 6

Total Miles: 279.5, Total Locks: 210

Probably my favourite canal - The Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

(Boat Chalice - posted by Alan)

Locking through Autherley Stop on to the Staffs and Worcs

After our overnight stop just before the Autherley Stop lock, at the end of the Shropshire Union, we were ready to turn onto the Staffs and Worcs canal.

Gate paddles make for quickly filled locks.

We were particularly looking forward to this, because we had very fond memories of our only other trip on the S&W with Chalice, and also ecause we were about to explore part of it we had never done before, including the famous locks at The Bratch.

These faces are a regular feature - I don't know the story, though!

Towcester usually operates on our home canal - very surprised to see it here!

Cath crosses one of the more minimal foot bridges.

The Staffs and Worcs is a canal very, very different in character to the "Shroppie" - not surprising as it is a very early build, whereas the "Shroppie" came towards the end of serious canal building.  The "Shroppie" is very straight, as it freely switches from long wooded cuttings, to open embankments.  The S&W is winding - often adventurously so, and if you only visit it occasionally, you could seldom guess what it will look like around the next of it's many bends.

The design of The Bratch results in this between gates turbulence.

Also, unlike the "Shroppie"  that clusters it's locks together in flights, the S&W can often be guaranteed to give you one or two locks every mile or so, or sometimes even closer than that, but never more than three together.  I like my boating broken up y locks, and the S&W does this to perfection.

Both sets of gates need to open to move between chambers at The Bratch

Also the locks are some of the prettiest, with round ended balance beams, and have exceptionally easy to operate geared paddles on most locks.  Add to that Brindley's circular overflow weirs at many locks, and all kinds of variants of bridges across the foot of locks, and it really is a gem for canal enthusiasts.

Classic view of The Bratch.

The Bratch locks are fairly unique, as far as I know. Often referred to as a staircase, this isn't strictly accurate, as each lock chamber has it's own dedicated pair of gates, with no sharing of a gate between adjacent chambers, as in a true staircase.  However, because there is effectively no canal to speak of between the gates of one lock and the next, the small area of water you can see the turbulence in above, where the paddles empty to and fill from, is actually extended to large ponds beside the locks that act as the otherwise "missing" canal.

Curious tunnel back to the boat at The Bratch.

The locks have to be worked in a certain way - hence the paddle gear that these days has been given colour coding, but actually effecient lock-keepers are on hand to help the uninitiated do things in the right order, and to control how many boats pass in one direction, before no more are allowed for a bit, so boats can pass the other way, (as boats clearly cannot pass in the lock flight).  We had possibly expected queuing, but in reality there was none.

Emptying the lower lock at Botterham staircase.

Not content with the oddities of The Bratch the S&W also sports a number of true staircase locks where the same very large gates act as the bottom gate of a top lock chamber and the top gate of a lock chamber.  These staircases can catch out novice crews, particularly if a footbridge blocks the view of one lock from the other. and it is not obvious you are dealing with an unusual lock type.  None-the-less such locks generally have no keepers, and you are left to work it out for yourselves.

Bellatrix is an immaculate "Small Northwich" "Star Class".

We passed some really interesting old boats on this stretch, some I was unfamiliar with, some immaculately presented. and sometimes both together!

Cath approaches yet another of the regularly occurring locks.

I't is hard to remember all we saw this day - the canal is so varied, and offers so much.  It is also remarkably under-used, considering it's beauty - you simply do not get a fraction of the boat numbers that we experienced on canals in Cheshire.  It's really not that easy to understand why, other than ultimately it is a through route in its lower reaches only if you then venture out on to the River Severn - perhaps that is what deters some narrow boaters from the S&W ?

Alan's turn to cross a narrow foot-way.

The thing I like least about this canal, is that there is simply not enough of it!  In just one day we had already covered the majority of the part south of Autherley, where we had joined.  We had left ourselvesthe prospect of a short day the following day, as we had other plans.



Autherley Junction (Shropshire Union) to Cookley (Staffs and Worcs)
Miles: 18.4, Locks: 23

Total Miles: 272.0, Total Locks: 204