Wombourne

Last night was the first time this trip we have really been out in the wilds, the owls were making their presence know and how dark it was came as bit of a shock when I got the TV aerial in.
This morning was calm and sunny with bright blue sky’s but it wasn’t long before the cloud started rolling in, this was by Ashwood Marina, but it did stay fine all day.

As we needed water we pulled in just above Greensforge Lock, unfortunately a boat coming the other way also pulled in for water while we were locking up so we mayst have been there for a good hour while he filled his tank and then we filled ours. We passed a CRT team cutting overhanging trees and bushes along the tow path shredding the remains onto the bank. All their power tools are battery

This is rather a sorry sight, obviously at some point it was someone.s home and the have not only lost that home but also all their belongings.

At Marsh Lock there is an inscription on the name

 

board saying that P Cox made them all. Was he a Staffs and Worcs Canal Society member?

There is also an interesting bywash at this lock with an oval spill weir at the top.

Last time we were this way they were renovating the old building just below Botterham Staircase lock.The building may not look the same but they have gone to great trouble to keep the old Waterways sign that was on it.

There is a photo of what it use to look like in one of my old blogs
Harnser's Travels: Kinver Tuesday 29 August 2017 (nbharnser.blogspot.com)

It pays to keep well back in the bottom chamber of the Botterham Staircase when going up if you don’t want the well deck filled with water.

A car has not only hit the bridge but it had also gone down the embankment on the offside. The car has been removed but there are sill bits down there, whether it was responsible for all the damage to the bridge I don’t know.

CRT have erected this sign with instructions how to operate the stair case with a bit on the bottom about saving water. I am not sure its correct, but it made my brain hurt thinking about it, but I’m not convinced.

We continued in the sunshine mooring for the night just short of Wombourne Bridge as it looked as if the 5 day moorings were full, there is a Sainsburys close by which is handy, but we are directly under the power cable and if I stand on the wooden bench on the front deck and touch the earthed TV pole I get a slight tingle, now haw can I use this to charge the batteries?

Today’s Journey4½ miles, 8 locks in 4 hours