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Waterway Routes appears on ITV News (just)
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. Posted on Thursday, 24 July 2008 at 22:37 Comments (0)
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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.
Sunshine was forecast for today so off we went towards Tardebigge to do some filming for the Stourport Ring.
We’d been this way a few weeks ago but missed out on the filming as we were rushing to get our gas problem (and a few others) sorted.
At King’s Norton Junction we saw two boats through the bridge and wondered what was happening.
Careful observation revealed it was a motor and butty turning left onto the Stratford Canal. The turn is very sharp, immediately after the bridge, and the far corner is very shallow. I guess the motor didn’t make it and was pushed further onto the shallows by the butty. They must have been there for some time as we’d not seen them ahead of us, even on the longer straight stretches.
Later I spotted this very tidy Anglo Welsh kit.
Moored tonight at the top of Tardebigge and heading back to Birmingham tomorrow.
Rain forecast again but it was time for a trip out by train this morning to visit the boat gathering at Titford.
The BCN Society has its headquarters in the pump house at Titford and they were having a boat gathering. Just time to take a few photos between the showers.
Note that it’s the men that are working hard cleaning the brass and washing the roof !
It’s pretty rare to see a boat at the top of Tat Bank but today there were lots. I didn’t count but probably over 40 and that’s more than in a whole year, normally.
Walking along the towpath the unmistakable pink Thursday’s Child was there, from Narrowboat World fame (see In the Pink).
Then back for a quick sandwich before chasing a Sherborne Wharf trip boat with my bicycle to grab some shots for another project.
Last year’s Saul Festival was the victim of the floods and had to be completely cancelled just a few days before as the site was under water.
Everybody was hoping for better things this time. It’s the major fund raising event of the year for the Cotswold Canals Trust and they were hoping to make up for last year’s disaster.
The weather forecast for this year was a little better but with strong winds and rain still forecast. Just look at the person on the right checking the sky to see what’s coming.
We’ve only been once before, and that was two years ago when we filmed the event to include in the Cotswold Canals DVD.
We were there a few minutes after it opened at 10:00 this morning to beat the forecast rain. I was disappointed to see that many of the traders did not open their stands until later in the morning.
It was a slow start and much smaller crowds than we remember from last time. I hope their attendance improved during the day or their takings will be down on previous years.
I often have to wait for people to move out of the way so I can photograph something but this time I was trying to catch lots of people in the shots to make it look busy. Unfortunately I couldn’t.
There seemed less stands than last time and with less people I’m worried their takings will be down and they need all the success they can after BW pulled out of the Cotswold Canals Restoration earlier this year.
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