Last night looking for something different to eat we went to Mooncat and I must say it wasn’t what I expected. The food was nice and the music great, but I wasn’t expecting the entertainment supplement on the bill, I was hoping for a nice quite meal in a Japanese restaurant.
This morning the boat behind set off at 9am, it was gone ten when we left so we were a but miffed to see them at the top of Farmers Bridge Locks, but it turned out OK, they were just filling with water before going the other way. They even opened the gates on the top lock for us.
The octagonal high rise building is really taking shape one of the many high rise buildings going up in the area. It looks as if they build the centre spine first and then the rest of the building round it. There is another odd shaped one further down that up to 22 floors so far. I am rather a fan of the old painted signage on brickwork as I posted in this blog however this one in Birmingham is less than 10 years old, maybe only 5, I cant see it standing the test of time .
Just above lock 13 you go under a large railway bridge, the side vaults have steel grills over them but not just plain steel ones, something more decorative to which someone has added some paint.
Down at Aston junction we turned right to the Ashted flight of locks, the first lock drops you straight into the mouth of Ashted Tunnel, not the
largest of bores but it does have a tow path all the way through, it also has its fair share of cobwebs and electric light under them.
The development beyond the tunnel is coming on. They have rather a fancy idea how the area will look when they have finished. Boats mooed in the bywash etc. On the other side of the canal I have never noticed this old property left in the middle of all the new development before, I suppose its because we normally go in the opposite direction.
Another couple of locks and you come to HS2, like it of hate it, there is some interesting civil engineering going on with concrete and rusty steel.
I wonder if they will put the bridge over without a lengthy canal stoppage.
Then it was on to yet another tunnel, tis one is much larger and curved, you cant see end to end. Its Curzon Street Tunnel and it carries the railway over the canal.
From the end of the tunnel is only a short step to Digbeth Junction and on to Warwick Bar an old stop lock with back to back gates so regardless of which canal were higher, the water wouldn’t flow from one to the other, its also the location of the banana warehouse which is being renovated at the moment. I have seen boat try to go under the lean-to section but there is a solid wall about an inch under the surface. The next junction was Bordesley Junction, again a left turn and a short stop for lunch on the moorings. Looking at the rubbish dumped outside the flats probably by the people living their I wouldn’t stop overnight. On down the five Garrison locks, again all against us and we come to more HS2 work. Here due to a floating towpath and new piling on the offside the canal is narrowed between bridges 108 and 108a requiring single file operation, its probably about 250 yards of straight canal but they feel it necessary to have traffic lights to control the traffic. I would guess if they see a dozen boats a week that’s it not 50 a day,all that’s needed is a sign saying one way traffic please wait until the way ahead is clear, you can see from end to end.
Last time we were this way they were working on the bridge that carries high voltage cables across the canal, the work is now complete and the bridge looks very smart.
Our planned stop for tonight was the Star City secure moorings, but unfortunately and a first for us, they were full, se we are moored towpath side right opposite. There are a couple of other boats moored here that have been here for moths and haven been burnt out, so hopefully we will survive the night.
Todays Journey
24 locks, 5¼ miles in 4¾ hours
No comments:
Post a Comment