July12 Trip – Fri(Rain)day (Waterfront to Gas Basin)

What an awful day. Rained buckets all day (well at least until about 3:30, but we’d moored up by then). The rain was so bad that we decided to take turns steering the boat, whilst the other one stayed inside in the dry and warm. Fortunately between the Waterfront and the Gas Basin there is only one lock (Blowers Green at Park Head junction) so no real issues about only having one person ‘on deck’.

View through the bow window.

I volunteered for the first shift and took us to the moorings by the Bumble Hole Nature Reserve visitor centre. This is just outside the Netherton Tunnel. After a shower, change of clothes (the rain was that bad) and a very welcome cup of tea I had warmed up enough to take Eos through the tunnel. Josie then took over for the afternoon shift. We had decided to plough on until we reached the Gas Basin rather than stop again for lunch.

Josie steering in the rain

Arriving into Birmingham city centre via the canal provides a distinctive view of the City’s new library.



New library building in Birmingham (The one that looks like it is covered in barbed wire)

After arriving at the Gas Basin we had a bite to eat and then, as the rain had stopped, prepared for a walk to a couple of pubs. As we stepped off the boat we met Erica, another member of the boat’s syndicate. After a brief catch up we agreed to meet again in the morning when we would be able to show the boat to a friend of Erica’s who was staying in Birmingham.

We walked to the Prince of Wales in King Edwards Road at the back of the Symphony Hall. The pub had been closed for refurbishment and we wanted to see if it had reopened. Unbeknown to us, today was the re-opening day so fortunately we were able to stop and have a couple of pints. The new landlord is just good as his predecessor in keeping the beer in excellent condition and the two pints we had were superb. The refurbishment has not changed the character of the pub, except in the gents where the photo’s below show the surreal urinals and hand basins against a backdrop of trees (forest & bears came to mind).

Urinals in the Prince of Wales

Hand basins in the Prince of Wales

After the Prince of Wales we made our way back to the Gas Basin and the Canalside Café for another couple of pints. Again, as I’ve mentioned before the beer here although in very good condition is kept just above an acceptable temperature. After the beer we walked about 10 yards to Eos for a sandwich for supper.

July12 Trip -Monday – Measured for the Dudley Tunnel

The aim for today was to reach the Black Country Living Museum (BCLM) about lunch time to be measured by their guage for the Tunnel. If we fitted then we would spend the afternoon in the Museum, if we didn’t then there would be enough time to get back to the start of the Netherton tunnel, ready for tommorow.

Trip boat entering Dudley Tunnel

Everything was going to plan until about 11 o’clock. We had just come through the Factory locks and turned left towards the museum when we came across a British Waterways work boat stuck under Owen Street bridge. It was fully loaded with dredged spoil and appeared to have grounded. The BW tug eventually managed to push it through and we were underway after about 20 minutes. However as we passed through the bridge the prop was fouled and all propulsion lost. Eos was stranded in the middle of the cut, whilst I delved into the weed hatch to sort it out. Just under an hour later and one very torn bed sheet later we were back under way.

Me clearing the weed hatch.

Part of one very torn bed sheet.

 These delays however meant our arrival at the BCLM was later than planned. I went to the ticket office to enquire about the measuring, unfortunately a party of school children were about to be taken into the tunnel and there would be no one availble for the measuring until the trip boat returned at 2:45. So some 3 hours later than planned we were finally measured only to find that Eos was too large.

Dudley Tunnel measuring guage.

We then started the journey to the Netherton Tunnel, thinking we would be able to get there and moor up ready to through first thing the following morning. Then we came across this

BW/C&RT dredger at work.

Surprised not to see a trolley!

This held us up for another 30 minutes and after we were allowed through twice in the next mile the prop was fouled. Not particularly badly, but another 15 minutes lost each time.

Despite the holdups and the onset of rain we made steady progress, passing above Netherton tunnel branch.

Netherton tunnel branch from the Old Main Line canal.

We did think about stopping on the Old Main Line for the night, but decided to at least get to the Gower Branch and put the Brades locks behind us. The first two Brades locks are in fact a staircase lock and as Eos left the bottom gate the boat grounded on the cill. Another half-an-hour before we got moving, walking to the bottom gate, to make sure all the paddles were down, then back to the top gate to open the paddles to let water into the lock and pound to refloat Eos. Once we had sorted this out we went through the bottom lock and called it a day, mooring in the Gower branch for the night.

One of the most frustrating days on the canal I’ve experienced, held up by a boat stuck in a bridge hole, delayed by a sheet wraped around the propellor, Eos being too large for the Dudley Tunnel (not entirely unexpected though). Held up by a dredger, delayed twice more by the propellor being fouled and finally being grounded (through lack of water, despite it raining most of the day).

Gower Branch (BCN) looking back at Brades Locks.