Titford Pumphouse

First job this morning was fill the water tank while having breakfast and then when the shop opened we took on 185 lts of diesel @ 84p/lt and emptied the toilet tank for £10.It was then a case of getting offthe leeward bank. in the end I went out through the bridge backwards. It was then back to Gosty Tunnel, hopefully this photo gives an idea how tight it is.

Strangely the centre section is quite high, I think this was rebuilt following a roof collapse but then you come to another low section with yet another picture, not sure why it says Hawne basin 1 Mile as we have just left there . 

The road bridge over the disused entrance is finally back in use, only single file with traffic lights at the moment but well used. There is still quite a bit of work to do.

We saw our first boat on the move since Sunday at Windmill end Junction where we turned right to go through Netherton Tunnel for the forth time this trip. as you can see a bit more room than Gosty Tunnel.

Again the fishermen were sat by the cottages just through the aqueduct. Down to the main line at Dudley Port junction and turn right to Bromford Junction where we went up the three Spon Lane Locks. Coming into the bottom lock the junction is very silted and slipping out of gear saw the boat stop dead, it needed a bit of power to reach the gates. As we were going up the flight there was a large crane ahead working just before Spon Lane junction, I have no idea what they are building.

At the junction we turned through about 300°back on  ourselves, thankfully the turn went well as I had quite an audience from the scaffolding under the motorway. I thought this work was all finished.

From here the canal is a bit wiggly crossing the New Main Line  on Steward Aqueduct where I spotted the second boat of the day in the distance below us. At Oldbury junction it was another left on to the Titford Branch and up the 6 Oldbury Locks or Crow as it was known. Here we had a very nice surprise, Phil had been down and set the full flight for us, so every bottom gate was open.

At the top we reversed down behind the old pumphouse on the Tat Bank branch and moored against the BCNS workboat Phoenix for the night ready for the BCNS meeting tonight.

Todays Journey

9¼ miles, 9 locks in 4¼ hours