Birmingham, Gas Street.

We set off at 8-30 this morning to avoid the forecast heat, we had just pushed off and a boat came round the corner towards us, so I was unable to slide straight into the channel where there were no weeds, so I had a blade full before I had done 200 yards, thankfully most of it cleared with a couple of blasts of backwards.
A nice new  deck has been installed on Coneygree rail bridge  since we were last this way, I am guessing its for the tram and not a train.

We didn’t meet any more boats until we got to Birmingham. The Old Main Line must be the ideal canal in this weather travelling under the M5 motorway.

A lot of construction work going on beside Spon Lane Junction with drilling machines and other plant.

Out in the sun again for a bit until we went into Summit Tunnel, the south entrance is guarded by this chap, a little further along there is a bird keeping an eye on things. I don’t know how long they have been there but the graffiti brigade havent found them yet. Talking of graffiti, is this graffiti or is it art, a short way back from where we are moored tonight, CRT seem to look upon it as art and even put a plaque and QR code up.

Due to the weather forecast we decided to put Harnser into summer cruising mode, I do suffer with the sun even though I do go a very dark brown and don’t burn.

Approaching Smethwick new locks you can see the line of the original locks going off to the left. There were two flights in parallel at one time when traffic was heavy.

Some time ago the BCNS completely cleared the toll islands of vegetation, its now back with a vengeance and needs tackling again.

We moored in Birmingham at Symphony Court as it looked a bit shady at 12-30 but as the afternoon went on it was in full sun, however by now Gas Street was in the shade so we moved round there. It was quite empty when we arrived as you can see from the photo but now we have boats both sides of us.

Our route to date on Google Maps

Todays Journey 8¾ Miles, 3 locks in 3½ hours