Birmingham

Its been a busy old day today, we met two boats within seconds of each other, as we crossed with the first the second was in the winding hole and we had to wait for him.  Not so much rain today and only 10mm in the past 24 hours but it never cleared out with mist and cloud all day.
We shoved off at 10-30am but only to the other side of the cut to fill with water and dispose of the rubbish before heading into Tardebigge tunnel and out of the rain. We were soon approaching Anglo Welch’s hire base with all their boats at home.

We passed lots of Boxing Day walkers and a few fishermen, one asked were we were going and we told him Birmingham, he said “In this weather” and I pointed out he was sitting fishing in it. Shortwood tunnel is very slightly longer and then it was Alvechurch hire base. I have seen this boat out before and how anyone could build a Narrowboat with lines like that I don’t know. Straight hull and a V bit welded on the front, no attempt to blend it in where they join.
When they put the motorway in, so as not to close the canal which was still a working waterway they built the motorway bridge over a new cutting and then chopped off the loop to cross the canal. The old loop is now a nature reserve.
I have my doubts that this boundary marker is still in its original location being set in the edging brickwork like that.

With all the rain we have had there was a lot of water coming off the land, some of it quite spectacularly, this was just before Wast Hill Tunnel. I don’t know if CRT are now recommending we navigate tunnels at 2 MPH even so there sums are somewhat adrift.  This tunnel is brick lined for its entire length and down the centre are the remains of the old electrical insulators. I don’t know what cables they carrier or their purpose, but similar insulators can be seen on the bridges going into Birmingham.

A short way north of the tunnel on the offside is this interpretation board, it looks as if its erected in in the remains of a brick structure.
Running into Birmingham this chap and his dog were still sat beside the cut, I bet being that thin they feel the cold.

Coming round by the Cube, the boat is still moored on the water point BTW all the restaurants have light out, not sure if its for Christmas or they are always there.

We are now moored exactly where we were on the 23 of December but facing the other way.

 

Todays Journey 14¼ miles, no locks in 5 hours