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After a day in London (doing some other work) I spent last night on our boat in Birmingham as a convenient staging post for today’s expedition. An early start ensured I could catch Sue & Vic (and Lucy & Meg) on No Problem before they sneaked off shopping, walking or whatever. It worked. After a brisk walk from Sileby station I found them they were exactly where I expected them to be. 
We spent all morning chatting about all sorts of canal related topics from battery monitors to continuous moorers. I was also introduced to Geoff (and Meg) from Seyella who had been sharing locks with No Problem recently and was moored just in front of them. Hopefully I’ll also meet Mags next time. Somehow, Geoff knew about our DVDs already, which makes him a really good boater and blogger. Posted on Thursday, 11 December 2008 at 20:53 Comments (0)
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We’re at Caggy’s Boatyard on the Birmingham Canal Navigations BCN) near Tipton to black our bottom.
All narrowboats have a black coating on the hull to protect it from rusting away too quickly and from electrolytic action in the water. This gradually wears away as you use the boat and the hull needs blacking again from time to time. Opinions vary greatly about how often it needs doing, but typically in the 1 to 5 year range.
Our hull was first blacked and put into the water 2 years ago and after 6 months build it was given one extra coat of blacking 18 months ago, just before we took it over.
Now, after two summer’s use, seemed a good time to apply more blacking. We had intended to do it a little earlier but this was the first gap in the bookings for the dry dock, which is now booked through to next June. I was eager to see just what state the hull was below the water line which is impossible to see normally.
I cruised to Caggy’s on Tuesday and went into the dry dock as soon as another boat was let out on Wednesday morning. The gate was sealed behind and the water pumped out. Three hours later we were sitting on the blocks on the bottom.
What would it look like?
Surprisingly good was the answer. The third photo shows the worst part of he hull where the rust was starting, and there was lots of green along the waterline.
The first job is the pressure wash where I made sure I stood well behind when I held the camera. Water and bits of all sort of stuff came of the hull and went everywhere.
I’d made sure all the doors and windows were closed but, as I watched, I wondered if I should have put the plugs in the sinks and washbasins as I watched water go up the outlet pipes. Fortunately it was OK as nothing came too far up the pipes.
Then a look at the same worst area of the hull after pressure washing and it looked almost the same as the rest of the hull. For some reason, the exposed metal hull around here, for about 6 feet of the length of the hull was bright shiny polished looking.
All the rest of the hull looked similar with the same amount of metal hull exposed but looking dull colour. I wonder if anyone can explain this – is it a hint of electrolytic problems?
Finally, after letting everything dry overnight, it was time to start the blacking. I got to do all the fiddly bits at the stern, like under the swim and inside the weed hatch, and all along the top edge where it meets the blue while Christine did the rest.
It was easy to see where we had blacked today as we worked along but tomorrow may be difficult seeing where we are as we paint black over black.
We have just released the Four Counties DVDs.
Just as for the Llangollen Canal there are two DVDs – in Popular and Bowcam format.
The Popular format is a cross between a holiday programme and a documentary with a touch of history all presented to entertain.
The Bowcam is filmed from a forward facing camera and is edited to provide a continuous high speed view of the whole ring.
Both travel anticlockwise around the ring from Autherley Junction. Starting on the Staffs & Worcester Canal, then the Trent & Mersey, the Wardle Canal, the Middlewich Arm and the mainline of the Shropshire Union Canal.
I’ve tried putting short extracts onto YouTube so you can see how they look yourself – but please be aware these are very low resolution and quality compared to the originals.
Both versions are available Combined in one box.
Yes, it’s just two months to Christmas and some people have already started their shopping. For anyone leaving it until the last minute then please don’t forget the latest posting dates for Christmas mail to arrive in time.
We use First Class post within the UK, and the Air Mail Small Packet Service for delivery elsewhere. The full range of latest posting dates is available on the Post Office website. Please remember to allow one extra day for us to pack your items and get them to the Post Office (although we usually manage it the same day).
Remember that, although we can post them promptly, after that we can only trust the Post Office to deliver on time. They usually do, but we strongly recommend ordering earlier than these latest dates to ensure delivery in time for Christmas.
The key dates to remember (in reverse order) are:
All of our range of DVDs make excellent presents for Christmas (and birthdays) or for planning next year’s holidays and the Four Counties Ring DVDs should soon be added to that range well in time for Christmas.
I remembered the 2008 Inland Waterways (IWA) Festival at Autherley Junction for several reasons.
One was this sign referring to the restoration of the Stratford on Avon Canal saying
"Fortunately none of us were experts, or we should have known it was impossible !"
It’s a good job much of the great restoration work on the canals is done by enthusiastic amateurs.
Let’s hope everyone working on the Droitwich Canals doesn’t know it’s impossible.
Waterway Routes are proud to announce the release of the Droitwich Canals DVD. The latest in the series of waterways DVDs.
It runs for 30 minutes and follows the route of the canals from Hanbury Junction with the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Hawford Junction with the River Severn.
It covers the Droitwich Junction Canal, the River Salwarpe (in Droitwich) and the Droitwich Barge Canal.
Showing progress with the restoration up to September 2008 it includes the opening ceremony for the Barge Lock on 26th September 2008.
It’s similar in style to the Cotswold Canals DVD which some of you may have already seen.
Regular readers might wonder why there was no previous hint about production of this DVD and there is a simple reason – I produced it by accident.
We filmed the Stourport Ring this summer and planned to include a short section on the Droitwich Canals, which will form an alternative part of that ring when they are restored in a few years time. Later this could be replaced by a section showing the open canals.
I walked the canals two weeks ago, capturing lots of film and I did a rough edit when I got home to check I had enough material. I had too much and, after returning last week to film the opening of the Barge Lock I had enough for a full half hour, stand alone DVD – so here we are.
The DVDs, booklets, maps etc are being copied as I write this and we will be dispatching the DVDs from Monday onwards.
Now I can get back to the Four Counties DVD which has been nearly finished for a little while.
The Droitwich Canals are under restoration and will provide a new route to cruise in the foreseeable future.
Today was the ceremonial opening of the Barge Lock which links the River Salwarpe to the Barge Canal.
After much hard work over recent weeks by the Waterway Recovery Group, British Waterways and many others the lock is ready for navigation.
The gates were bowed. Not distorted but equipped with a large ceremonial bow and ribbon fastened along the gates.
After the speeches the dignitaries pushed the gates to open them on the count of three but nothing happened.
To hold the gates shut until the vital moment the organisers has let a couple of inches of water into the lock. A quick wind of a paddle and the waters were levelled and the ceremonial opening happened as planned on the second count of three. More info to follow in further blogs soon.
I was walking down Farmers Bridge locks on Monday afternoon, windlass in hand, and caught up with a familiar boat. Don scores a hat trick as he appears in three consecutive blog postings.
He and Joy were escaping from Birmingham – Matt having returned to London, leaving them to the delights of Farmers Bridge Locks on their own.
I helped with a few gates and paddles as I passed on my way down the flight.
This story really begins back on 18th April when I helped Sue & Vic down the Rothersthorpe flight of locks. I just appeared, windlass in hand, along the towpath. In the comments Adam (from Narrowboat Debdale) asked if this service would extend to him when he was passing through Farmers Bridge Locks.
Well that’s a challenge to be addressed. A careful watch was kept on Adam’s Blog and Sunday’s post indicated that he’d be climbing Farmers Bridge locks on Monday.
So, off I go to London, to cram in a morning’s work, then onto a train to Birmingham. A quick dash to pick up a windlass from our boat – I’m sure Adam would have lent me one but it would have spoiled the effect to not have one in hand when I arrived.
Then off I go down Farmers Bridge helping Don & Joy a little on the way. A few locks later I spotted a boat coming up with boater on the towpath. "Are you Paul?" he asked, quicker than I could ask if he was Adam.
Adam quickly introduced me to Adrian and Adrian’s Mum and up we went, passing Don & Joy in one of the short pounds.
A chance to chat as we worked the locks, before mooring on the Main Line.
It’s almost 12 months since our boat appeared in the October 2007 issue of Canal Boat magazine and we were first spotted by Adam.
Now Adam writes the boat reviews for Canal Boat magazine and I offered him a turn on our boat to see just how quiet our electric power is. A quick figure of eight around the the Icknield Port and Oozells Street Loops before Adam headed off back to Debdale and I headed off back to Bristol.
When we returned to Birmingham yesterday we spotted the blog readers we had passed the day before. They weren’t going to get away without a proper photograph a second time.
Now we’ve formally said hello and used the camera to welcome Don, Joy and Matt – enjoying another canal holiday in England.
They follow other blogs, including fellow New Zealander’s Dot & Derek on Gypsy Rover and, I suspect, Sue and Vic on No Problem.
Heading south on the Stratford on Avon Canal we saw this boat coming towards us.
First the steerer seemed to be taking a particular interest in us, then he disappeared. The boat coming towards us appeared to have nobody at the helm.
I think he’d just bent down to shout something to those inside the boat – but what could it be? Was it connected to the interest he was taking in us.
Then the steerer re-appeared and seemed to be listening for something. He was listening for the sound of our engine.
Someone had done well to recognised us well in advance and remember we had an electric motor with silent running.
As we passed there was just time for him to say they were blog readers from New Zealand and for me to ask them to leave a comment so I knew who we had missed. So who are the mystery boaters – please leave me a comment.
I was so surprised that I didn’t get my camera out until they were well passed us – it’s a good job we had the Bowcam running so I could extract these stills.
It’s not very often we get to meet our mail order customers face to face. Today was an exception when I met Jane and Raymond Cross. (I do hope I remembered their names right).
Our son, Andrew, was steering as we headed north on the Stratford on Avon Canal and I was at the front investigating a problem with the Bowcam.
Then I spotted the crew of a southbound boat waving at us as they approached. They had recognised us from our Llangollen Canal DVD which they had purchased earlier this year.
We were just about to moor up so I could go back on my bike to capture a few more shots for our latest filming. I caught up with them at the next lift bridge for a short chat. Notice Jane doing all the hard work with Raymond supervising.
I also saw them at the next lock as I cycled back to our boat. Jane’s feedback that she liked how our DVD explained about needing to walk ahead with radios on the narrow sections of the Llangollen Canal was much appreciated.
Their home moorings are on the Middle Levels so they have quite a journey just to reach the main canal system. I hope they make it safely back there.
Susan made it back to her flat this afternoon. She’s still very weak and Christine is looking after her with an occasional evening visit from me.
She goes back to the hospital for a check-up next Monday and it will be some time before she is well enough to return to work.
Our boat is back home at Sherborne Wharf, and has been for a few days, but I’ve been a little to busy to blog. Our cruise around the Birmingham Mini-Ring was completed slowly as we hopped from station to station so we could take it in turns to visit our daughter, Susan, in hospital.
Susan has improved greatly over the last few days and is expected to come out of Hospital tomorrow, although it will be a week or two before she has enough strength for work.
We set off for a short cruise today, hopping between places with transport links to visit our daughter, Susan, in hospital.
We’re only about 3 miles from where we started, but that includes the 13 locks of the Farmers Bridge locks where new bollards were being installed.
They were all being set into the lock side with great care. I wondered if one was being set up as an art exhibition with the spade and pile of bricks.
At least they weren’t wasting money placing new ones where there were serviceable old ones already there.
As we went down in the lock I wondered how you were supposed to pay out the rope if you had passed it round one of the new square bollards, as you could with the old round ones. Perhaps the new ones will be just as round in 100 years time.
We’re moored on the visitor moorings at Aston Science Park tonight.
We will be heading towards Knowle tomorrow, although I need to study the timetables to see whether it will be better to stop before or after there.
August Bank Holiday means it’s the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) festival. It’s held at a different location every year and this year it’s at Autherley Junction where the Shropshire Union Canal and the Staffs & Worcester Canal meet near Wolverhampton.
We had planned to visit on Saturday morning but our plans became a little complicated and Christine visited on Saturday morning and I visited on Sunday morning. It was a very quiet start to Sunday morning but it was just starting to fill up as I left at lunchtime.
There were all sorts of stands, typical of these festivals. Some sheltered in the marquees and others braving the weather with their stalls outside. Plenty of boats to go aboard, if you don’t mind queuing. There was, of course, plenty of the traditional mud to wade through. There were plenty of volunteers putting down cartloads of bark chippings but they were soon trodden into the mud.
Then it was back by bus and train to our boat, still moored in Birmingham.
We’d planned to cruise the Avon Ring this week but unfortunately our daughter, Susan, is in Hospital. First in City Hospital, and now in Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, fortunately both within reach from our home moorings so we’re living on the boat. We’re still not certain what the problem is but it seems to be a rare infection which has stopped her kidneys working and she has needed dialysis.
There are small signs of improvement now and we might manage a short cruise later in the week, hopping between railway stations or bus stops so we can still see her during visiting hours. With our son Andrew, and girlfriend Megan aboard we can share the visiting.
Netherton Tunnel was opened 150 years ago today.
It was opened to relieve the bottleneck of Dudley Tunnel which is a long, narrow tunnel which boats had to be legged through.
Netherton Tunnel must have been a wonderful improvement. It’s not just a wide tunnel, allowing boats to pass in the tunnel, but has towpaths on both sides of the tunnel.
In today’s re-enactment of the opening ceremony a convoy of boats travelled southwards through the tunnel. One of the dignitaries on the leading boat had the honour of cutting the tape at the tunnel mouth – which I managed to catch on video, but not with a still picture.
Then the convoy of boats continued to emerge from the tunnel. One of them was towing a butty which was detached at the tunnel mouth and Prince, the horse which had been patiently waiting for its moment of fame. pulled it to the junction.
One of the boats was a battery powered boat from Dudley Tunnel, enjoying a moment of freedom.
The bridge at Windmill End Junction provided an ideal vantage point for the opening ceremony where the leaders of the councils from each end of the tunnel shook hands to mark their new through route.
The West Midlands Fire Service band provided the fanfares and colour on the bridge.
Paul’s Mum (Muriel Balmer) is visiting for a few days.
Despite being a live-aboard earlier in life this is her first visit the Birmingham Canal Navigations.
A gentle cruise yesterday took us around the loops of the old main line, then along the new main line to moor near Albion Junction.
This morning we visited Caggy’s boatyard to make a booking for blacking the bottom.
The back via Tipton Locks, the Old Main Line and Smethwick Locks.
A quick refresher and Paul’s Mum was soon back into the swing of things, and keen to work the locks.
And, of course, a chance to relax and read the leaflets about all the nice things around the BCN. There are some great stretches and it is not as bad as some people make out.
While cruising through central Birmingham today I was watching several film crews on the bank taking shots of passing boats. I was always keen to observe their techniques and see if I could learn anything new.
One cameraman was lying down with the camera resting on the towpath edging stones and I wondered what he was doing.
Later I discovered they were filming for ITV news so a quick search of the Internet and Christine found this (which appears to have been taken by a cameraman lying down !). You can watch the whole clip (which starts with adverts) and I appear about 3/4 of the way through – but don’t blink or you’ll miss me.
First past the Tenth Lock Pub, then up the eight Delph Locks. Their used to be nine locks but they were rebuilt and now only eight. Many visitors wonder where the ninth lock is.
Here’s Andrew and Megan a few locks up the flight.
We were luck to find two boats working down the flight so the locks were in our favour all the way up the flight.
The arm which used to serve the old locks still exists near the top, with the bridge to carry the new towpath and the photo opportunity.
The through Netherton Tunnel (150 years old this year with celebrations next month).
Now we’re back at our home moorings at Sherborne Wharf. Time to pack up and head home to start the editing of the DVDs.
« Kinver |
We retraced our journey a little this morning to do more filming in the sunshine. Then it was time to ascend the Stourbridge 16.
The first lock was easy but then the next pound was low in water and we got stuck part way.
It was time to let water down from the pound above giving the unusual shot of the top paddles fully open with the bottom gates both open. Christine and Megan held the bottom gates open so they didn’t slam shut in the face of the boat.
Then Andrew powered the boat along the bottom into the lock while I took the photo. Megan shut the top paddles as soon as the boat was far enough in to hold the gates open, before we filled the bows with water.
The rest of the journey was uneventful except for giving Hayley and Nicole a ride while the Mum watched from the bank and minded the pushchair.
Moored at Leys Junction, heading for Sherborne Wharf tomorrow.
Before we set off this morning I climbed the hill to Kinver Church to take some photos.
That was one of the reasons for returning here and it was too showery yesterday.
It was well worth the short climb to look out form the hill and look down on the village below.
I was disappointed wit the centre of the village. Although a conversation area the effect was spoiled by the constant flow of traffic.
It was almost impossible to take a shot without several road vehicles in it.
Now we’ve winded and reached Stourbridge. I’m just about to head off to the station to meet Andrew and Megan the additional crew for the Stourbridge 16 tomorrow.
Hopefully we can also catch some of the shots approaching Stourbridge we missed in the rain today.
Kinver » |
Most families of ducks have grown so much now that you have to look very carefully to work out which are the parents.
The little ones have grown as much as the parents and have almost all their adult feathers in place.
I presume this was a second brood when the mother was keeping these ten youngsters very close by.
We’re moored at Kinver tonight, heading back to Stourton Junction and Stourbridge tomorrow.
We descended the Wolverhampton 21 and now moored above Bratch after a long day and a late finish.
At Aldersley Junction we wondered what was going on at the lock but soon discovered it was a school party on an educational visit.
So I hope some of the pupils from St Albans Wednesfield recognise themselves and would like to leave (polite) comments to say how much they appreciated the hard work from the leaders.
We cruised to the northern portal of Dudley Tunnel today and, as previously arranged with June, we were treated to complimentary tunnel trips as we filmed their activities.
The lady at the reception desk knew we were coming and "Hello – you must be Paul the photographer" was the immediate welcome.
I think the camera on a tripod gave the game away.
Their staff were all very friendly and helpful and they appear on the rouges gallery. Chris was our excellent tour guide, but I’m sure the others are just as good.
We met June afterwards to express our thanks. The film we took will appear the the BCN DVD which we are about to start editing.
I can thoroughly recommend the Dudley Canal Trust’s boat trips – please support them.
Tonight we’re moored at the Northern Tunnel Portal – tomorrow down the Wolverhampton 21 and left at Aldersley Junction along the Staffs & Worcester Canal.
Returning through King’s Norton Junction today after the traffic jam there yesterday.
There were no boats in sight but on the right, just after the junction bridge were these three black animals.
They were quite openly playing on the bank and weren’t the least bit bothered when I quickly engaged reverse gear and stopped in front of them to grab a camera.
I managed two still photos and, hopefully, enough video footage to include in the Stourport Ring DVD we’re filming for.
I had to Google to check what they were. It seems they are black mink – perhaps someone can leave a comment to confirm that – or suggest otherwise.
Now we’re moored back at Sherborne Wharf, heading for Dudley Tunnel tomorrow.
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