Perry Barr

This morning we set off just after ten and it happened again, I was just about to release the stern rope and a boat came up behind us. This time I pushed off in front of them as Dian had just set the top lock ready for me. They in turn moored in the spot we vacated and came and closed up for us fully appreciating the situation. This is the first time I have been through Rushall locks when all the paddles have been operable on the top lock. Down below the lock we passed the boat moored in the short pound just above lock 2. I think they would have been much more comfortable moored below the lock in the long pound as you can see where they have been listing badly as the pound dropped.

The Rushall canal is just on 3 miles long and unlike the Daw End Branch 2¾ miles are ear enough dead straight just bending at the end.

We had a little help from two small children out with grandma, they were over the moon to open the near side bottom gates alone. The lock cottage down by lock 3 is looking very smart.

I assume its CRT via its canal volunteers have been planting fruit trees in places down the flight, so far they look to be surviving well, lets hope they get looked after, not just planted and forgotten.

Further down, lock 6 is on the move, CRT are aware and have marked measurements on the crack to monitor the movement but I can’t see it being a weekend job to fix.

And so to the end of the canal at Rushall Junction, all the locks had been against us but everything worked well apart from two handcuff locks we couldn’t release.
At the junction we passed under Rushall Junction Bridge to join the Thame Valley canal, who ever painted the bridge, I don’t think it was CRT, only painted the bits visible from the Thame Valley Canal, the rest is black.

The Thame Valley is quite a wide canal and in places the bridges are quite high like Scott Bridge and Chimney Bridge.

In less than an hour we would be at our mooring for the night at the top of Perry Barr locks, it looks like we are moored on the lock moorings but they are actually official 24 hour moorings, I don’t expect there will be a rush waiting to go down the locks before we leave in the morning.
One thing of interest, we passed this sign at Perry Aqueduct. In the past smoke control laws have never applied to boats, strange I know, but now that’s changed.

Today’s Journey

5½ miles, 9 locks in 3½ hours