Captain Ahab's Watery Tales

Wombridge Canal pt 3 - Church Road to Wrockwardine Plane

2012-02-03T06:00:00.088Z

Wombridge Canal Part 3

Church Road (Teague's Bridge) to Wrockwardine Inclined Plane

January 2012

The final half mile of the Wombridge Canal is all filled in and the concrete remains have been swept away by progress over the last century, but you cant hide a canal entirely.

Towpath beyond Church Road

We left the canal at the Donnington Wood Flour Mill, the final port of call before the waterway closed in 1921. Beyond this point the canal was progressively lapsing into abandonment.

Bridge at Wrockwardine Wood - 1960's

The line follows a curving course to the east reaching the modern Wade Road in a few hundred yards. The route is then picked up in the aptly named Canalside which sports an array of garages before emerging into Oakengates Road with some very canalish propertied on the corner. The canal crossed what was a plateway (primitive railway) at this point and swerved sharply to the right to skirt round a deep valley, the line marked by a curved stand of trees.

Canalside - a give away clue!

We are now very near the end and the junction with the earlier Donnington Wood Canal. The original junction was the site of the big Donnington Wood Furnaces and the later addition of the Wrockwardine Wood Inclined plane link into the Shropshire Canal made its layout somewhat complicated.

The modern Smiths Crescent sits on top of the old junction and the associated furnaces, preventing a canal searcher from seeing any traces of the route first hand. Instead we have to rely on old maps and word of mouth. A short arm exited from a tight 180 degree bend to reach the bottom of the plane. Old maps show a tin Methodist chapel sitting at the end of Smiths Crescent, with the bottom of the Inclined Plane just behind it.

Satnding on the junction, a tantalising glimpse up the route of the plane

As far as we can tell the canal, now possibly the Donnington Wood Canal? followed a tight arc in the back gardens of the houses on the north side of Smiths Crescent, making a sudden exit under a bridge which sits virtually beneath the last bungalow. Its worth bearing in mind that after the Inclined plane closed the area was used as a spoil dump which raised the far end of Smiths Crescent by 15 feet or more. All very confusing if you havn't done some research first! Hurray for Google Earth and old maps.

That confusing bridge under then end of Smiths Crescent

That bridge is interesting. As we walked over it we at first thought it was an aqueduct, then when we saw its opening we switched to a tunnel and finally realised the trick the infill was playing on us and settled for a bridge. I think you need to take a look at the complexity of this little site to appreciate the challenge of fixing a firm route hereabouts.

Possibly one of the best bits for an avid canal hunter.

Wombourne Canal Part 2 - Trench to Church Road

2012-02-01T06:00:00.040Z

Telford's Tub Boat Canals
Womborne Canal - Trench to Church Road
February 2012

We are moving back to to modern canals, a section which was still being used commercially till 1921, not that you would think so from the first quarter of a mile from Trench Inclined Plane to Teague's Bridge on the Wombridge Road. This section is completely and utterly lost beneath a new housing estate.

Middle section of the Wombridge Canal 1902

Here is a modern map of the same canal:

Beside The Bridge - Teagues Bridge 2012

Teagues Bridge 1965

The line can be picked up at The Bridge pub, with the canal passing into a strip of waste ground to the north of the car park. On the eastern side of Wombridge Road a footpath follows the old towpath to the east, skirting the boundary of playing fields. The line is distinct if you are looking for it but invisible if not.

Opposite the Bridge Inn

...and into the playing fields (canal on high ground to left)

Towpath to old flour mill

The route then moves out across the site of Wrockwardine Wood Athletics Stadium, but the land has been so altered there is little evidence of its passing till it squeezes into a gap beside Wrockwardine Wood School and the old Donnington Wood flour mill on Church Road, with a modern footpath following the line of the old towpath.

Donnington Wood flour mill - then and now

When we researched this route we didn't expect any visible remains and it came as a pleasant surprise to find much of the route so clearly visible - even if there were no tangible remains.

Wombidge Canal - Wombridge Arm

2012-01-30T06:00:00.164Z

Telford's Tub Boat Canals

Wombridge Canal - Trench to Wombridge

January 2012

Other posts in this series:

1. Trench to Womborne (this post)
2. Trench to Donnington Wood Mill / Church Road
3. Church Road to Wrockwardine Inclined Plane

The Wombridge Canal

Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm - Pt 5 GKN to Trench

2012-01-28T06:00:00.139Z

Telfords Tub Boat Canals - Part 5
GKN to Trench
January 2012

We really are into the final furlong of this leg of our journey to Trench. The massive GKN works may sit astride one of the best preserved sections of canal but its line does finally emerge, albeit with something of a whimper.

The Blue Pig, Trench 2012

The line limps out beside the recently reinstated railway track, passing beneath a gas pumping station before entering the maze of redeveloped roads and roundabouts. Trench Lock, the highest on the canal, sat somewhere in the area. Our best guess is that it sat in the central roundabout but the whole area has been levelled and absolutely no traces remain - we even pressed through the centre of the roundabout to check.

Site of Trench Lock

Trench Lock in operation

We do know that the canal passed along the edge of Trench Pool and past the Blue Pig, the pub visible in the iconic images of the Trench Inclined Plane. A word about this pub: Its called the Blue Pig after the local iron which went a shade of blue as it cooled but was previously known as the Shropshire Inn. Either way, this building offers the only absolute landmark in a sea of change.

Course of Trench Arm beside Trench Pool

Trench Pool 2012

Below Trench 1966

This route does offer a final feature of interest, the site of the Trench Inclined Plane. The plane was 227 yards long and 75ft high rising up the hill to the east and connecting the Shrewsbury Canal to the earlier Womborne Canal. Of the five tub boat inclined planes in the network, this was the last to close in 1921 after over 120 years of service.

Trench Inclined Plane - 1902

The lift consisted of two parallel tracks and carried five ton tub boats on wheeled cradles. Initially the system operated by gravity, with a full boat going down lifting a 3/4 full boat coming up. At a later date a steam engine was added to improve efficiency.

Looking up the Incline site 2012

Trench Incline in operation

Trench Plane 1966

Fast forward 90 years and much of the plane embankment is gone, swept down the hill to fill in the bed of an obsolete canal. However, take a look at the old pictures and compare it to what remains.

Two views from the top of the Incline at Trench - new and old

The top platform, or part of it, remains together with the higher spoil stack behind but perhaps the best view is back over the Blue Pig. The smoking chimneys may have gone, replaced with GKN - its good to see some industry has survived.

Trench Inclined Plane - top

If you have enjoyed these posts fear not - the Shrewsbury Canal may have come to an end but they bought the Womborne Canal to reach the furnaces of Donnington Wood, and that's where we are going next.

Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm - Pt 4 Hadley Park to GKN

2012-01-26T06:00:00.003Z

Telfords Tub Boat Canals - Part 4
Hadley Park to GKN works
January 2012

We are coming in to land as far as the Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm is concerned.

Hadley Park Lock guillotine

This post looks at the section from Queensway on the edge of Hadley Park to the GKN works which straddle the route and prevent exploration of about half a mile.

A boggy canal bed in Hadley Park

We start our walk from the electrical sub station on the Queensway, picking up a well maintained pathway which skirts a reed filled canal bed. Within the park you will find two locks, Hadley, and Turnip (you have to wonder where these names came from). Both have been the subject of some restoration over the years to give the curious an idea about how they used to look when the canal was an operational entity a century ago.

Guillotine winch - Hadley Park Lock

First up is Hadley Park Lock above which a reconstructed gantry stands tall and proud, complete with cable wheels and a winch. Whilst this lock may not have the authenticity of Britton further down, it does provide the best indication of how the whole flight used to look.

Hadley Park Lock

Hadley Park Lock in operation.

Half a mile further on is Turnip lock, this one hiding away in the bushes. It has the same array of wooden and iron furniture with the added bonus of a skeleton bottom lock gate.

Turnip Lock - Hadley Park

Beyond Turnip Lock the weed filled canal continues to the boundary of the GKN works - topped with razor wire. Oddly, the fence stops at the canal edge but the silting is such that we were able to walk round it! GKN is a defence contractor, so we didn't really expect to stroll into the site and photograph what we liked, but it was worth a try. I walked along the waters edge and captured an ivy covered hump backed bridge on film whilst Dr D went to engage with the guard who was becoming increasing agitated by our presence.

Canal bed at the GKN boundary

There was consternation on the guard house, why hadn't our approach been picked up on the CCTV? I appears that no one has attempted an unauthorised entry via the canal before - the Maginot Line springs to mind. We did try to sweet talk our way in to follow what Google Earth shows to be a very well defined canal through the works, complete with Castle Lock, but is was to no avail. National security appears to rank in from of canal enthusiasts. We were given the head of HR's phone number and politely asked to leave.

Bridge in GKN grounds

That seems a logical place to leave this post, with one more account of the Trench Arm still to come.

Brewood Beckons

2012-01-25T06:00:00.074Z

Brewood Beckons

January 2012

Jeff was home for the weekend and what better way to spend the time than afloat, our first night afloat in 2012.

We had limited time available so we settled on Brewood on the Shropshire Union as a suitable destination, about four hours from our home mooring and reachable in the short winter days.

Rainbow at Pendeford

This is a very familiar route, passing from the old Staffs and Worcester to the much newer Shropshire Union Canal at Autherley Junction - about 12 miles of water with just one six inch stop lost to interrupt the cruising. Familiar as it is each trip seems to throw up something new and unexpected. This weekend was notable for its strong northerly wind which pressed at the cabin sides and tore the smoke from the chimney in a lateral stream.

Brewood visitor moorings

On the way out we were faced with a dramatic rainbow outside Pendeford, arriving in the shelter of the Brewood Cutting just as darkness fell and the nearby rookery was alive with birds settling down for the night. Morning dawned with the wind still howling through the leafless branches above us, sounding for all the world like a huge waterfall. It was a lazy start, chatting and eating all against the background peal of bells calling the faithful to worship at the village church.

Winter colours

In my enthusiasm for an early return of spring but I found myself peering into the sheltered sides of the cuttings for the first signs of new life. It may only be January, but the green shoots of 2012 are already there, a few snowdrops, shoots of alder and the first centimeter of wild Honeysuckle leaf. Further on, the towpath shrubs are preparing themselves for spring, their branches adopting their bright spring ochres and russets - more evidence of a season waiting to be reborn.

Winter fishing

And it wasn't just the plants which are eager for the spring. Fishermen were out in force, trying to entice the fish from their winter torpor and the wily old Heron was out there too, watching the canal for a shimmer of a fish to take the edge of his hunger.

Pendeford heron

All in all, a short but very pleasant trip which tested the thermal properties of my new Berghaus coat to the full. Roll on the spring!

Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm Pt 3 Wheat Leasowes to Queensway

2012-01-24T06:00:00.054Z

Tub Boat Canals of Telford - Part 3

Shrewsbury Canal, Wheat Leasowes to the A 442 Queensway

January 2012

We pick up the trail of the Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm as it passes Wheat Leasowes lock keepers cottage. The cottage is in fine repair, which is more than can be said for the lock chamber. By and large it has gone leaving just the top wings and a weir over which water pours draining away to places unknown - maybe a land drain under the field?

Wheat Leasowes lock keepers cottage

Some maps show the lock on the north side of the road but with the top gate immediately in front of the cottage the tail must have ended at the far side of the road. In fact, a lay by curves round where the bottom gates would be so I suspect that the road has been straightened over the end of the chamber.

Pound between Wheat Leasowes and Shucks Locks

Unusually, the next pound to Shucks Lock is not only in water but clear and deep, home to a happy family of ducks. Shucks lock is mainly lost in the undergrowth but access to the far side is possible by a hump backed bridge which sits just below where the guillotine mechanism stood. Maybe a similar bridge existed at Wheat Leasowes.

Shucks Lock

About 400 yards upstream there is Peaty Lock, very close to the electrical sub station which offers convenient parking for this excellent set of remains.The top gate appears to have been cannibalised and its components built into a brick wall across the lock which would have held back a flow of water after abandonment in the 1920's. This water is now carries via a storm drain to the west.

Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm Pt 2 - Britton Lock

2012-01-22T06:00:00.093Z

Tub Boat Canals of Telford - part 2

Britton Lock

January 2012

I wouldn't usually devote a whole post to a single lock but this one, the second on the Wappenshall to Trench section is so perfectly preserved I will use it to highlight the nature locks which were unique to this canal.

Britton Lock Chamber

When I say well preserved, I mean unaltered but still accessible. There are some which have been restored and generally tarted up but this one is just as it was left when traffic ceased in the 1920's.

Below Britton Lock

Counterweight pit - Britton Lock

We walked along the field from the site of the Wappehshall Lock, keeping the watercourse to our right till it veered off just below the lock tail. The base of the lock is completely dry which means you can explore to your hearts content without any fear of sliding down into a muddy ooze.

Britton Lock guillotine lifting framework

The chamber is complete at 81ft and this extra length coupled with a 6ft 7in width makes it seem excessively narrow, even by Midlands narrow lock standards. The difference was so marked we even paced it out to check the dimensions.

Bottom gate grooves plus splintered gate timbers

Damage caused by tree growth

Towering over the bottom gate is the original guillotine lifting frame, devoid of ironwork and leaning drunkenly to one side with a tree growing out from under a coping stone. The gates were raised vertically by a winch aided and assisted by a counterbalance which descended into a round well like pit on the off side. The pit stand open and empty, clear of rubbish by sadly minus the metal weight which was probably sold off for scrap years ago.

Skeletal remains of the top gate

The bottom gate has long since perished but remnants of its wooden planks litter the bed of the lock, reminiscent of the locks of the Norbury flight to the east.

Line of canal from Britton Lock to Leasowes Lock

Moving up to the top gate we found the metalwork of the gate still intact, but now holding back a wave of rubble, the lock wings more ready for an approaching tractor than a tub boat. This was a conventional swinging gate and the stone recess is clearly visible. Water was let in and out via gate paddles. The next section of canal to Leasowes lock has been lost to farmland, but the unmistakable shape of the old Lock Keepers house still stands out proud on the far side of the fields. We will pick up the tale, and the pace in my next post.

Google Earth image of site (A is Wappenshall Junction)

View Larger Map

Click here for Tub Boat Canals index.

Tub Boat Canals of Telford - Shrewsbury Canal Trench Arm

2012-01-20T06:00:00.164Z

Introduction to the Tub Boat Canals
January 2012

Other posts in this series covering the Shrewsbury Canal, Trench Arm:

1. Introduction to Telford's Tub Boat Canals (this post)
2. Britton Lock
3. Wheat Leasowes to Queensway
4. Hadley Park to GKN
5. GKN to Trench

This is an account of a series of field expeditions to try and track down the courses of the Shropshire Canals otherwise known as Telfords Tub Boat Canals as they exist in 2012. This network of canals served the transport needs of the Coalbrookdale Coalfield for about 50 years from the 1770's, after which the possibilities of the new fangled railways were recognised and took over.

Wappenshall window

Our expedition starts at Wappenshall, junction of the Shrewsbury and Newport Canals and also gateway to the narrower tub boat network. It also represents the starting point for our exploration of the Wappenshall to Shrewsbury line, so all in all it seemed a natural place to resume our quest.

Shrewsbury Canal - Wappenshall to Trench

My brother, Dr D, accompanied me on this expedition and contributed hugely to the earlier desktop research, using every bit of evidence we could lay our hands on to identify the most likely routes and where to look to remains. We each had our views on the detail and spent most of the day testing various theories against what we saw on the ground. We ended up with a consensus which we will draw onto a contemporary OS map and offer this as what we believe to be the footprint of the long gone canal network.

Wappenshall Warehouse

The tub boat canals were created in the second half of the 1700's following the discovery of coal, ironstone and limestone, the essential ingredients of the iron industry. The problem was that these were heavy items which demanded a robust and cost efficient transport infrastructure. It was the dawn of the canal age, so why not use this new innovation?

The Shropshire Tub Boat canal network

The network started with the 5.5 mile Donnington Wood Canal which linked the Donnington Wood Furnaces with the mines and quarries of Lillishall and Pave Lane. This canal was completed in 1768, joined by the Wombridge Canal in 1788 to carry more coal and ironstone to the furnaces. These two canals formed a 8 mile lock free pound just below the 100m contour.

Wappenshall Bridge in garden

The Ketley Canal was also built in 1788 and then this was later linked to both the Donnington Wood Canal in the north and The River Severn in the south via the Shropshire Canal built in 1796.

Recognising the ready availability of coal for the town of Shrewsbury, the Shrewsbury Canal was built through to Trench Inclined Plane, where they purchased a mile of the older Wombridge Canal and thereby gaining a link to the Donnington Wood Furnaces and the coal mines beyond.

Canal Channel east from Wappenshall Bridge and site of 1st lock

Whilst the main Shrewsbury to Norbury route could carry conventional canal craft, the tub boat network used locks 81 ft long and 6ft 7in wide with each boat measuring 19ft x 6ft 5in wide - four to a lock. But it wasn't just the boats which were unusual - there were also the inclined planes which were used to raise the craft over hilly terrain with a minimum of lost water.

Wappenshall Lock and Junction 1964

We will follow the line in from Wappenshall along the Shrewsbury Canal to the top of the Trench Inclined plane. We will then explore the Womborne Canal and finally the Donnington Wood Canal, before setting our sights on the southern section towards the River Severn. Our best guess is that this will take four full day expeditions which we will undertake over the coming months.

Waterscape Photo Competition

2012-01-19T14:27:00.000Z

Another minor triumph!

January 2012

I was recently advised that I have won another photo competition, this time one run by Waterscape - BW's on line persona.

http://www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/features/canal-photography-competition/canal-photography-competition-results

I had forgotten all about it so I was rather surprised when an e-mail pinged into my in box telling me I had won, and the winners images would be published this week. On returning to the UK I looked and, lo and behold, there it is. You may recognise it as my winning entry from the Huddersfield Canal Society's annual competition, so the two judging panels seem to be in agreement.

But that's no all. It comes with a prize! I had to nominate my preferred choice of prize when entering and my selection was two tickets to the Black Country Living Museum. We moor there several times a year but somehow we never get round to visiting the museum. I don't think I have been for over 10 years so this is all rather exciting. Maybe this is the time to take that long awaited trip through the Dudley Tunnel as well.

The unlikely Journey of Jack de Crow

2012-01-18T06:00:00.118Z

The unlikely journey of Jack de Crow

by Alexander Mackinnon

I spent the Christmas holidays rowing from North Wales to the Black Sea. Well, that's not exactly true of course but I have been following the fortunes of Alexander Mackinnon as he rowed and sailed a 30 year old Mirror dingy 4000 miles across Europe.

This is one of four books Bones lent me and she really has identified the sweet spot on my literary bat. The tale is a compelling both in terms of its scope of the undertaking and the quality of Mackinnon's writing. Mackinnon is an English and drama teacher who decided to end a six year stay at a school in Ellesmere with a boat trip from the school gates to Gloucester. If the journey down the Severn wasn't enough he decided to carry on - to Bristol, Oxford and then London all powered by his muscles and a bright red sail.

At the end of this first phase he was out of good weather and out of money, and so the tale pauses till the next spring when he sets his sights further afield. Dover, Calais and then right across Europe to the Black Sea via the sinuous network of continental rivers and canals. If the UK leg was hairy it had nothing on the terrors he faced in the open waters of the English Channel and the huge continental waterways frequented by vast steel barges. The fragile dingy was no match for these distant waters and yet somehow he muddled through.

Its a journey of endurance but its also one which highlights the spontaneous warmth of mankind, where strangers open their hearts, homes and lunchboxes to help him on his way. This spirit of comradeship was as prevalent in the war torn Balkans as it was on the more familiar France, Germany and Austria. Everywhere he went he found a friendly people (apart from the pirates!) and coupled with his insightful storytelling its an easy and absorbing read. I love madcap journeys undertaken by eccentrics in unsuitable craft, and this ticks all the boxes!

I did hear talk of a chap who planned to take his narrowboat from the Black Country to the Black Sea, and I can see how this could be achieved but getting back 2500 miles up the Danube would be a mega slog. Has anyone ever done the trip?

Oh, I didn't damage the book - those are tooth marks from Boots who also found the book gave him something meaty to chew over!

Old Wharf, Gas St Basin Birmingham

2012-01-16T06:00:00.002Z

Old Wharf, Gas St Basin Birmingham
January 2012

The Gas St Basin arms used to fan out like fingers from hand, but these days its a mere shadow of its former self. Most of the fingers have gone and those that remain are mere stumps amputated at the first knuckle.

Entrance to Old Wharf, Gas St Basin

This situation is nowhere more apparent than the section at the end of the basin itself. The canal used to extend under Bridge Street (rebuilt) into a large basin complex which also housed the BCN headquarters.

These days all there is left is the stump to the bridge and then nothing - the Crowne Plaza sit on top of the old basin. The only other arm is known as the Regency or BBC arm, a short section which is a feature of the adjoining restaurants, pretty under its bridge and now an essential feature of the modern Gas St Basin.

A bonus in Gas St, Birmingham

2012-01-15T06:00:00.002Z

Gas St Basin, southern arm

January 2012

My last post explored the northern of the two arms which extended off Gas St Basin. This time I will look at the southern one which exited off the Worcester Birmingham side of Worcester Bar stop lock.

Pavement humps in Gas St, and the building which stands on the old entrance

Unlike its northern twin, this arm leaves no trace of its exit from the basin. In fact a huge great building has been built between Gas St and the canal and it's only by looking beyond Gas St that the remains become apparent, very apparent.

Old Galvanised Iron Works, Gas St Birmingham

Lets start with Gas St itself. Whilst the road has been mostly flattened, the pavements have retained their curve on both sides. The adjacent gate was open so I wandered in and lo and behold, a rectangular pond with a distinctly canal feel to it. In fact, the adjoining buildings used to be a galvanised iron works and these have been renovated making the area is a veritable slice of old Birmingham.

Southern arm between Gas St and Berkley St

I nearly didn't get the photos as I was nobbled by a security guard, but I flashed my Blue Book to substantiate my claim to be a complete canal nerd. "But is not a canal, its just a pond" he said. He shouldn't have asked and quickly decided it was easiest to let me have my photos.

End of the southern arm

C&RT - putting things in perspective

2012-01-14T10:00:00.002Z

Canals & River Trust - where the rubber hits the road
January 2012

There has been a huge amount of on line debate about the composition of the forthcoming C&RT Council; Is the four boater representation adequate? Should they be independents or be drawn from existing waterways bodies? Should the boater representatives subscribe to some or all of the Boaters Manifesto? etc. I fear we may be in danger of failing to see the wood for the tees here.

Lets get this C&RT Council in perspective - they are the last line of defense in the C&RT structure. They are not the executive committee (Trustees) that manage the running of the organisation. Every organisation has be to accountable to someone and for most charities that structure means an Executive Committee to do the doing, and this body is subject to censure by a higher Council. Checks and balances.

In the case of the C&RT there will be a huge number of activist "do-ers" in the Regional Partnerships further down the structure chain, making decisions which will impact the system in your locality. The Council will meet twice a year and this limitation alone means that their role is a supervisory one - a body who can challenge the strategic direction proposed by the Trustees, or indeed apply a veto via their ability to dismiss them from their posts.

To put this in perspective, lets turn the explanation on its head and start with the local set up first.

At the most local level there will be twelve local Waterways Partnerships, each consisting of 8 - 12 members. Their task is to:

"... work closely with their chair and waterways manager to develop an overarching vision of the Trust's waterways within the Partnership area and develop strategies and plans to encourage more people to use and get involved in their local waterway."

There volunteers are the true hero's of the story. They will be devoting two to four days of effort per month to the task of making the C&RT come to life in their region. If I had time, this is the level I would ideally like to contribute to. However, I need to earn a living for a few more years so this is an aspiration for the future.

This is the level where the nuts and bolts of the plan will come together - or not.

Then there is, I have been reminded, the existing BW executive management team who will remain in situ for several transitional years.

Above them there are the Trustees, some of whom are already in place:

http://www.waterscape.com/features-and-articles/features/introducing-the-canal-and-river-trust/meet-the-canal-and-river-trust-trustees

Three more trustees are currently being selected bringing the total to 11.

This body is what I regard as the Executive Committee, technical specialists in their own right or key staff from within the old BW structure who can provide hands on experience on how we got to where we are, and have the knowledge to see the organisation through the transitional period. Love them or loathe them - this body is essential to the medium term stability of C&RT.

Finally you have the new Council, comprising members who seek to represent all those with an interest in the future of the system. Boaters, Volunteers, Ramblers, Cyclists, Anglers, Employees, Natulalists (not Naturists - well, not many anyway!) Historians, Local Government representatives and a handful of other unspecified co-opted members. In contemporary speak - all the stakeholders.

Whilst elections are all very exciting and sexy, I think we should be paying a bit more attention to the establishments of strong local Waterways Partnerships. Not only do they hold the key to the success of the regions, seven of the partnership Chairs have an automatic seats on the Council. I would have to say that the real power block lies in the collective views of the regional Partnership Chairpersons.

In our enthusiasm to select boater representatives, lets not lose sight of the embryonic Waterways Partnerships. There are five regional partnership Chair's being advertised at present with a closing date of 27th January, and new members sought in three more. Lots of scope to get involved.

In summary, whilst the selection of the four boater representatives to the Council is significant, they are only a few stars in a much wider C&RT firmament.

If I have got numbers or descriptions wrong please forgive me - its the principle here that is important.

Arms of Gas St Basin, Birmingham

2012-01-12T06:00:00.065Z

Arms of Gas St Basin, Birmingham

January 2012

Other posts in this series:

1. Gas Street map and the Northern Arm (this post)

2. Southern arm across Gas St

3. Old Wharf and surrounds

The days between Christmas and New Year offer a rare period when the demands of work lighten up a bit - enough to indulge to indulge in that rare luxury of a lunch hour. And how better to spend it than a mooch round Gas St Basin, which is about half a mile from my office?

A recent walk along Broad Street saw me glancing down Gas Street and spotting an odd rise in the pavements - often a tell tale sign of an old canal.

Road humps in Gas St

A bit of research in The Other Sixty Miles and the IWA's Blue Book suggested that this could be one of the two short arms which left the basin either side of the Worcester Bar stop lock.

Northern arm entrance at Gas St

These arms passed beneath Gas St, across a block and then under Berkley St before stopping just short of Granville St. The entrance to the northern arm is beautifully preserved and if you have ever entered the basin near the Tap and Spile you will have stood on top of the little bridge an walked down its flanks. It is now all bricked up and the resulting recess houses a water tap.

Northern arm between Gas St and Berkley St

Sadly that's all there is to this arm, the road has been lowered and whilst the route of the canal is marked by a narrow gap through the new buildings, you wouldn't know that this was a canal route just by looking at it.

End of the northern arm

The Great Days of the Canals

2012-01-11T06:00:00.016Z

The Great Days of the Canals
by Anthony Burton
January 2012

This has to be the best fiver I have ever spent.

There is a little gem of a second hand bookshop in Beverley which is an enthusiasts paradise. It has sections on everything, including a "waterways" pile on the corner of the stairs and every time Belle or I go to Beverley the pile is dutifully visited and reviewed.

The latest visit yielded The Great Days of Canals by Anthony Burton , a 1989 coffee table type book with a hefty £17.99 price tag which was a lot even in the days of Porches, Peugeot 205's, Gordon Gecko, Braces and mobile phones like bricks. But a pristine version was mine for the princely sum of £5.

Its a massive book, full of great illustrations and a narrative which in my view is just the right amount of detail and story. If I had to write a single book about the canals from their origins to their restoration, with a good look at the boats and the lives of those that worked them, this is how I would like it to turn out.

Anthony Burton is an enthusiast as well as an author, an article of his appearing in this months Canal Boat magazine and his passion shine through. Great canals, great read, great book.

Hull sculpture

2012-01-10T06:00:00.038Z

Hull sculpture
January 2012

I always find myself drawn to sculpture, its a medium which fascinates me.

Hull Waterfront January 2012

Whilst walking the River Hull waterfront I circled round behind the museum and came across a series of sculptures built into the back fence. Talk about hiding a light under a bushel!

The series depicts all the old industries of the town and is well worth a look.

Before I go to sleep - by S J Watson

2012-01-09T06:00:00.047Z

Before I go to sleep

by S J Watson

January 2012

This is SJ Watson's first novel and was recommended by Belle.

This book has a really unusual premise, sufficiently unusual to make it a worthwhile investment of your time if for no other reason. Having said that, its a compelling tale and one which gripped me in the reading, and left me pondering its implications long after the last page was turned.

Its the tale of an amnesiac (don't forget that!), who suffered a trauma which caused her to lose all her recent memories when she falls asleep. Each morning she wakes to not only a new day but also a new life. Ah, Groundhog Day I hear you cry - well, no. In Groundhog Day - there he wakes to exactly the same world each day but recollects the ones before and so the story builds.

Watson has the challenge of making a coherent story out of a forty something woman who wakes up each day thinking she is still in her mid 20's. How to make the story progress is the challenge. The solution is a daily journal in which all the fragments of memory are recorded and gradually build on to a cohesive record of her past - but how to ensure she remembers to write the journal each day? Enter the pioneering doctor who phones her each morning and tells her to look in the bottom of her wardrobe....

This is a scary world to inhabit where little is certain and each day has to start with an ever increasing volume of data to assimilate, a bit like re booting your PC - the more programmes you have on it the longer it takes. And then, does she believe what she has already written, and why has she written "Don't trust Ben" (her husband) on the front cover?.

The tale comes to a compelling an satisfying finale, with enough loose ends tied to complete the story but equally enough left flapping in the breeze to leave you wondering.

A very good first novel and well worth a read.

Hull Docks

2012-01-08T06:00:00.001Z

Hull Docks
January 2012

Somehow I always find myself seeking out the watery quarters of town - have the Eagles written a song on the subject?

Hull flood barrier

A recent visit to Hull provided an opportunity to have a look at the old town, the old fishing quarter which has been undergoing something of renaissance lately. The trade may be gone but rather than tearing down all the abandoned warehouses, the City has refurbished them into flats and built a big new museum.

Hull waterfront

I hadn't appreciated just how much of Hull used to be docks, the old town was a virtual island!

Showman's steam engine at the Hull museum

Not a lot of story to this post, just a series of images gleaned from a walk around the old waterfront.

Tagged and Bagged

2012-01-06T06:00:00.034Z

Tagged and Bagged

January 2012

Belle's Christmas gift came with a little extra this year, the extra being in the form of things canal.

First off were her home made labels, each one a miniature work of art and worthy of a shot from a Victorian Christmas scene. My label, now pressed into service at a bookmark, features a canal route between Whitby and Pickering (which I didn't know existed) and on the reverse is an extract from a historic map of Staffordshire featuring Calf Heath, home mooring of Wand'ring Bark.

Hand made Christmas gift tags

Which takes me neatly onto the other canal orientated gift: my new mug. She found a manufacturer who applies personal messages to the outside, in this case "I would rather be on Wand'ring Bark"... as if I need a reminder of what I would rather be doing...

The mug that says it all!

In Time - film review

2012-01-05T06:00:00.001Z

In Time

Film Review

In Time - an intriguing concept which lapses into a two dimensional chase.

I would suggest that a more accurate title would be "Time is money". Set in the not so distant future where humanity has been genetically engineered to stop at the age of 25, after which you have just one year of time on your clock, counting down on your left forearm in flashing neon lights like a 1970's Casio calculator. The key twist is that this time is a transferable commodity, bought and sold, won and lost, borrowed and banked - run out and you are dead!

The end result is an impoverished underclass who scratch around trying to accumulate enough minutes to last another day, whilst at the other end of the spectrum there is the "monied" ruling class who have all the time in the world - literally. So here is a fascinating opportunity to look at inequality, a world where for the haves to live on in luxury, the have not's must die. Unfair, but not so far from the reality we know.

The shame is that this original premise in not fully explored. Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is the hero from the ghetto, aged 28 (or 25 plus 3 as he puts it), acquires over 100 years or tradeable life which he uses to buy and gamble his way into the world of the wealthy - time rich who are nearly immortal but lead impoverished and empty lives. Will meets Sylvia Weiss (Amanda Segfried, aged 25 plus 2) - daughter of one of the worlds most wealthy time lenders and a classic Bonnie and Clyde partnership ensues.

Will wants to change the world, just like his father, and Sylvia wants excitement. They blunder around chased by a time marshal who plays a central role, but who's character and motivation is never unpacked - an opportunity missed. There is a lot of "will they wont they" as they fumble around for a plan, but in the end they decide upon a spot of Quantitative Easing which hits the spot, but leaves the film with an uncertain outcome. I suspect that the idea is to leave scope for a sequel, but the concept has probably run its course and will be left to time out like the people of its creation.

Sometimes its the little things in films which bug me. In this case it was Sylvia Weiss who morphed from a spoilt and protected brat to a gun toting Lara Croft in the blink of an eye. But what was worse was the fact that she did so wearing a pair of the most ridiculous 5" heel platform shoes. I am not sure which was more implausible: running and jumping in these high fashion effectations or the fact that humankind would be stupid enough to bring back platform soles for a third time....

So, the film contains a premise which really gets you thinking, but whose interpretation utterly fails to do the concept justice. Entertaining but it could have been so much more.

And the winner was....

2012-01-04T06:00:00.046Z

Results of the Huddersfield Canal Society photographic competition 2011

January 2012

OK, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the comments on the photo competition post, and its interesting to compare your collective views with those of the judges. See my post from two days ago for the images.

If left to you guys the steps at lock 10 East (Milnsbridge) is the clear winner, but this was not the judges decision.

The actual order was:

Category winner : 39 East - top of the Marsden Flight

Runner up : 10 East - steps at Milnsbridge

Highly Commended : 32 East (but actually its 31 E at Linguards Wood - I labelled it wrongly!)

Its interesting that my entries were the only ones with no boats in them! I have always said I am more into the infrastructure than the boats. I love the rugged nature of the this incredible canal ,which is captured in that flight of gritty steps.

But lets be fair, the overall winner was by John Brierley, a regular participant in this competition and a worthy winner he is too:

John Brierley - Overall winner 2011

I love his shot of 'Chelonian' at the Diggle Festival Boat Gathering - the colours are almost acrylic. He is fortunate to live so near such a wonderful canal and be able to photograph it through all seasons.

All in all I was very pleased with the results of our 'one pass' visit, but I would hasten to say that the West is pretty too, it just happen to rain for the entire duration of our descent - hence no photos!

C&RT Election - my 150 word mini manifesto

2012-01-03T06:00:00.140Z

Why vote for Capt Ahab (Andy Tidy) in the C&RT Council Elections?

3rd January 2012

Its the first business day of 2012 and what better day to get all those forms off to the C&RT offices?

I have prepared my "mini manifesto" but trying to say who I am, what I am and what I can bring to the party all in 150 words must represent a new sport - extreme precis!

Captain Ahab aka Andy Tidy doing what he loves best!

Well, having chopped and changed my statement for the last couple of weeks here it is:

Andy Tidy, Author of website "Captain Ahab's Watery Tales"

My passion for boating dates from the "dirty ditches" of the 1960's to the magnificent system of today. I have travelled widely on our narrowboat Wand'ring Bark, and it has been said that canal water flows through my veins!

Professionally, I oversee operational integrity within a multinational business, shaping policy, strategy and applying a commercial approach to planning.

If elected I will approach this Council role as an enthusiast and a professional, combining 30 years of commercial experience with a 40 year passion for our waterways. It's crucial that the C&RT strikes the right balance between the needs of the various user groups, particularly the boaters who must remain core to its operation. I will take a critical view of commercial and strategic aspects of the Trust's proposals and plans.

I would be honoured to represent the boating community.

This little statement, and those like it from the other candidates, is all you get to chose who represents the boating community on the C&RT Council. Not a lot to go on is it?

I have had a look at some of the other statements kicking around in the public domain and my distinguishing feature, my USP if you like, is that I am an enthusiast first and foremost. Whilst I don't currently sit on any canal related committees, I do get plenty of experience in that direction at work. However, I believe that the getting the strategy of C&RT right is absolutely essential, hence my desire form part of the C&RT's inaugural overseeing body.

I guess that this is the official start of my campaign, not that it will be quite like the Presidential Primaries in the USA!. If I am to represent the ordinary boater I will need votes from boating community, which is where you come in. I would like to say an enormous thank you to all those who offered or actually did fill in the Sponsor forms to allow me to enter the election. The papers have been collated and sent to Watford.

If, having read this, you would consider supporting me can I ask you to spread the word by e-mail, facebook or text or however please? With few boats moving at this time of year communicating with other boaters is difficult, so using personal recommendations and pointing 'floating boaters' in the direction of my blog and my name on the ballot paper would be a great help.

Oh - one small thing to bear in mind. Most people know me a Captain Ahab and I frequently hear cries of Aye Aye Captian from the towpath, but Capt Ahab won't be appearing on the ballot paper. If you want to vote for me when polling opens on the 8th February, you will need to look for me under my real name: Andrew (or Andy) Tidy.

The papers will be listed alphabetically by surname, so its back to schooldays with me way down at the end of the list! Nev Wells (nb Waterlilly) knows exactly how that feels....

Everyone's a winner!

2012-01-02T06:00:00.001Z

Photographic success for the Captain

January 2012

I like to set myself a few objectives each year and one for 2011 was to get a photo onto the winners rostrum of the Huddersfield Canal Society's annual photographic competition.

This target was assisted by a planned trip along the canal in the summer, so I set off from Aspley Wharf with camera in hand.

The competition has seven winning slots in two categories and I was delighted to learn that I had succeeded with not one, not two, not three but four photo's in winning positions.

One winner was the runner up in the non Huddersfield Canal section, an image of Hillmorton Locks taken last Easter:

Hillmorton Sunset

But the other three winning photos occupied the winner, runner up and highly commended sections of the Huddersfield Canal category. My question to you is which one won first place? See if you agree with the judges.

31 East

10 East

39 East

Answers in the comments section.

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

2012-01-01T06:00:00.047Z

Deck the halls with boughs of holly

January 2012

With the festive season hurtling towards the buffers of New Year there is just time for a last seasonal post.

Christmas Eve offered an opportunity to visit WB to check all is well, after a gap of five weeks. Jeff came with me and, with a whole day to play with, we did the essential fixing and cleaning and then set off for the Fox and Anchor in Coven, our boating "local". We had the canal to ourselves as we powered along, scouting out possible trees to turn into firewood.

Quality holly

Just before the pub we came across a magnificent holly bush smothered in rosy red berries, just right for Christmas house trimming. We backed beneath the branches and soon accumulated two bin bags full before attacking those much anticipated pints.

On the way back we passed a boat which had really entered into the festive spirit, just before a rather fine dead tree which was demolished in a cloud of two stroke and sawdust. Enough fuel to keep the home fires burning for a couple more weeks.

Gathering winter fuel

The Tub Boats of Telford

2011-12-31T06:00:00.045Z

Tub Boats of the Shropshire Canal
December 2011

What better way to sign off 2011 than to have a taste of what will be a major research project for 2012.

The last tub boat at Blist Hill

I have been undertaking some desktop research of the Tub Boat Canals loosely referred to as the Shopshire Canal network, covering the Coalbrookdale Coalfield beneath what is now Telford. My main interest if the canal infrastructure and tracing out the old lines as they exist today but as part of my research I couldn't help but take a look at the Tub Boats which operated on them.

Tub boat in the mouth of Berwick Tunnel

These boats don't resemble the pointy ended narrowboats we associate with canals apart from the fact that they were flat bottomed and floated. There were stark utilitarian boxes, maybe nineteen feet long and six feet wide, drawing about eighteen inches of water. Even in this small network the sizes, and therefore carrying capacities, varied.

Loaded tub boats on the Shropshire Canal

As far as I am aware only one tub boat still exists, an iron version which now lives on the bank at Blist Hill Museum. Most of the tub boats were wooden but these have rotted away and I am not aware of any survivors.

The last wooden tub boat in the 1950's.

This post provides a selection of photos of the Tub Boats which operated on this region, drawn from a number of sources.

More of the Tub Boats of Telford in 2012.

Rivers of London - book review

2011-12-29T06:00:00.002Z

Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
December 2011
If its not too late, this is one for your Christmas stocking list.

I chanced upon it in W H Smith's, waiting for a flight when my eye was drawn to the watery reference in the title. On a whim I bought a copy and was soon lost in its magical contents.

Its a fantasy police whodunit which cleverly fuses Harry Potter with Inspector Morse, with a bit of Strange and Norrell thrown in for good measure.

PC Peter Grant is fresh out of training and on the beat with PC Leslie May, colleague, confidante and object of his carnal fantasies. Grant is left alone at a murder scene when he strikes up a conversation with a witness, except this witness has been dead for at least 200 years! For a young PC Grant seems to take this leap into the supernatural very much in his stride, and is no less ruffled when he meets DI Thomas Nightingale, a wizard of uncertain age and a paid up member of the Metropolitan Police Force.

London appears to have quite a problem with the supernatural and Grant is soon apprenticed to Nightingale. Before you can say boo to a ghost, he is up to his neck in sorcery, vampires, murders and a turf war between Old Man River (upstream from Richmond) and Old Mother Thames whose interest lies in the turbid tidal zone.

The rivers of London are seductive group of water nymphs bearing names like Fleet and Ty, holding the key to the dry land murders but at the same time representing a mortal threat to his well being if they can but entice him to put a toe into their watery world.

The story moves at a cracking pace through the familiar landmarks of London, our ill prepared hero chasing ephemeral villains through both time and space to a very satisfying conclusion.

Sure, this is a book where you have to put logic and reason to one side, but once you have let yourself slip into the ghostly netherworld of the un-dead its a cracking read. One thing is sure - you will never see Punch and Judy in quite the same light!

Larry Crowne - film review

2011-12-27T06:00:00.040Z

Larry Crowne - Film Review

December 2011

This is a bizzare film review if ever there was one, written 36,500 ft over Moscow en route to Almaty, Kazakhstan and a cool minus 63 degrees C nine inches from my business class shoulder. Do in flight movies count? - I see no reason why not.

I like Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, two long term bankable stars who I feel I have grown up with and offering a storyline I can relate to. Larry (Hanks) is a divorcee made redundant by Wallmart due to an absence of a college education. A disillusioned Larry returns to school to finish an education he abandoned 25 years ago when he entered the navy. Whilst he is at college he undergoes a metamorphosis, winding back the years and in the process winning the heart of his teacher (Roberts) who herself is going through the last stages of an unhappy marriage.

End result - two middle aged people find themselves, rekindle the passion of their youth and, of course, each other. I don't know if they live happily ever after but the vibes are positive.

In a way the story is as old as the hills, well acted and directed by Hanks who brings a chuckle to jet lagged lips and a warm glow to the heart. Sure its a lightweight rom-com whose plot I will have forgotten by the time by the time 2011 slips away, but it offered a pleasant escape as I blasted over the Russian steppes.

Its worth seeing if easy watching is what you want, but possibly not worth a 2000 mile detour. Hey up - the Urals are coming up ahead. Time to sign off.

Happy Christmas one and all

2011-12-25T06:00:00.073Z

Happy Christmas

Have a great day and and an excellent New Year

Christmas lights

2011-12-24T06:00:00.026Z

Christmas lights in Birmingham
December 2011

With Christmas virtually upon us it was time for a mad dash into Birmingham to get those last minute presents.

The infamous beer stall

Birmingham excels itself on its farmers market, which gets bigger with each passing year. A few years ago its was handful of shacks in New St, but now it stretches all the way from Brindley Place to the Bull Ring. Its a tourist attraction even if you don't buy anything.

New St lights

Even amid the festive hoards I still had time to grab a few images for the blog.

Victoria Square merry go round - Birmingham

Shh, is that the sound of sleigh bells in the night sky? Its nearly Christmas!

A peek at her bottom - you know you want to...

2011-12-23T06:00:00.000Z

DIY Bottom Blacking part 6

November 2011

There is something strangely compelling about looking at the bottom of a boat when it is out of the water. I remember seeing photos of Granny Buttons and Indigo Dream when they were out of the water and staring long and hard at their base plates.

Base plate - front

There are very mixed views about the need to black the base plates - they are certainly very difficult to reach and most tend to the 'leave it alone' camp. I didn't fancy working in the small gap and having looked at the state of the bottom decided to leave it alone. The steel it thickest down there (10mm) and from what I could see, it looked ok for its age. In fact, considering the amount of obstacles I have hit, it looked absolutely amazing.

Base plate - middle

The annodes seem to be doing their job - the bows and stern sections were notably better than the middle where some rust was evident.

Base plate - stern

So, for the sake of completeness here are three photo's of Wand'ring Bark's base plate in late 2011. I will use this as a reminder of its quality and measure the deterioration over the coming years.

Slipping back

2011-12-21T06:00:00.000Z

DIY Bottom Blacking part 5

November 2011

After a week on Stafford Boat Club's slipway it was time to return Wand'ring Bark to the cut.

Stafford Boat Club

Martin came with me and we were rewarded with a bright but cold day - but what do you expect at this time of year? We rolled up just before 9.00am and before long the gang of helpers were gathering. Just the one boat into the water and none coming out today, simples.

Attaching the shackles

There is quite an art to getting the boat back into the water involving electric and hand winches, cables, pulleys and restraining straps. I have to give it to the guys - they have the process down to a fine art. But its not just the guys, the ladies get involved too, opening up a little hut which serves an an informal kitchen for the inevitable mug of tea. Of course, the cry of "tea's up" came just as Wand'ring Bark teetered on the tipping point and there she hung till the brew was downed and the team returned to the business of the day.

Down she goes

As she was sliding down the slipway I had the urge to cry out " hang on a minute guys, I have missed a bit" but unusually for me I restrained myself. WB crept backwards, inch by inch but my confidence was shaken by the tale a 70 footer careering back into the basin, completely out of control when the cable snapped. In the event all went smoothly, and whilst her stern went well down the exhaust remained above water and all was well.

Fellow bloggers below Gailey top lock

So began a five hour run back to the summit pound during which time we passed a total of two boats moving plus Moore 2 Life and Rock n Roll, who were still moored just below Gailey top lock.

Gailey Roundhouse

Much to our surprise Viking Afloat / JD Boat Services were open for business so I topped off the diesel tank to minimise condensation and, just as the sun was setting, we found ourselves back at base.

So what are my thoughts about DIY blacking?

It is a time consuming process and involved a lot of trips to Stafford. Maybe staying aboard would be a good idea in future.
The best asset you can get are willing friends - their help made the whole endeavour possible.
Avoid the winter months for outside blacking - temperaures are low, it rains and the days are horribly short. In the event it was unseasonably dry and mild but the 3.30pm sunset radically shortens the available working time.
Do use the Tercoo Rotating Blaster - its great at stripping the hull back and developing a good key.
Stick with the type of blacking already used.
Buy plenty of Blacking - we used 20 litres of Sealex on a 42 ft boat.
Apply by brush to achieve a thick coat with good adherence.
Leave for three days before relaunch to allow the coating to cure.
Overall cost? £250 for the slipping, £45 for the Roto Blaster and £100 for the bitumen.
So I have saved a bit of money, learned a lot about the hull of my boat and am certain that I have done a good / thorough job.
Would I do it again? Yes probably - but I reserve the right to change my mind in the light of how well the blacking lasts. Ask me again in a years time!

All tanked up

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000Z

DIY Bottom Blacking part 4

November 2011

With Wand'ring Bark out on the bank it seemed an ideal opportunity to 'do something' about the water tank.

Half way through the job

For a couple of years I have undone the lock and taken a peep through the inspection hatch. The rust streaks I saw were not encouraging so I quickly closed the lid - and forgot about it for another year! Real head in the sand stuff.

Whilst buying the Sealex bitumen from Midland Chandlers I also bought a tin of potable tank black and figured that the job would be a whole lot easier on dry land, when the sides would have a good opportunity to dry out. I therefore left the pump running for about an hour and sucked out the entire contents, and its a big tank.

and a straight down view

Whilst I am 6' 3" and a bit rounded I do still fit through the hatch and can get inside the tank - just. Its a tight squeeze but once in there isn't a whole lot of room to work. I spent 20 mins scraping away the lose rust and old bitumen, turning the dregs of water at my feet to a muddy soup, but I couldn't get it really clean. Then inspiration struck - that industrial pressure washer. Adam set it up for me, I aimed and fired and the results were nothing short of spectacular.

Great clouds of spray rolled out of the inspection hatch whilst inside the filth and grot vanished like magic to reveal pristine sides all ready for repainting. OK, so I had a couple of gallons of unsavoury gloop to get out plus about a litre of rust particles (did we really wash in that?) but then it was as clean as a whistle.

I left it four days to dry out and then repeated the contortionist act to get the new coat of sealant on. Talk about painting yourself into a corner, its a nightmare task. I painted all the 'distant' bits leaving just the central bit on the bulkhead to be reached from outside. Those last bits, and the base are tricky but the problem was overcome by taping the brush to the sledgehammer handle/ cum hand spike and wielding a 4ft long brush.

Now that's not quite the end of the tale. The guy at Midland Chandlers told me to apply as many coats as I wanted the finish to last - 1 coat = 1 year, 3 coats = 3 years etc. Maybe that single coat five years ago wasn't quite enough. My tin lasted long enough for one coat all round and a second coat on the vulnerable section where the level sits when in use. I have therefore left it empty and ready for another coat before refilling it. WB it therefore sitting at an odd angle, about 6" high by the nose.

C&RT Elections - Starters Orders

2011-12-18T19:18:00.000Z

Under Starters Orders

December 2011

Its less than a week since the nomination process opened for the four boater voted places on the C&RT Council, but already the names of potential candidates are coming in thick and fast.

I have been keeping my ear to the ground and understand that the Canal World Discussion Forum (CWDF) will offer at least one, probably two candidates. Then there is the National Association of Boat Owners (NABO) with their candidate and as expected, the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) are putting up their preferred candidates.

There is a lot noise in the system about these elections so I guess that shows that there is a good level of interest in the success of the C&RT, and that the apathetic malaise which seems to enshroud mainstream politics will not be reflected on the waterways.

Its the IWA's approach which caught my eye. They have decided to field no less than four high profile candidates for the four positions available - no coincidence I suspect! Now don't get me wrong, I have a great deal of respect for the IWA, especially the work of the Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) about whom I could enthuse till the dogs come home. I am sure that as the largest Inland Waterways organisation they should and will have a seat at this table but to seek to wade in and take all four seats themselves feels both arrogant and presumptive. I have no issues with their nominees - they are four very worthy gents with vast waterways experience. Indeed, I have had personal contact with three of them and they hold my respect, but the IWA attracts just one segment of boaters and in my opinion their approach appears, how shall we put it? a tad imperialistic?. My issue is therefore one of principle, not personality.

This point is picked up in a recent NarrowboatWorld item.

Lets hope that the IWA's spread of candidates divides the vote and this is enough to let others in with a chance. Every vote counts so make sure you exercise your democratic right when voting starts on the 8th February.

But in the meantime, if you fancy a bit of a side bet, Sarah of nb Chertsey has opened a book on the number of names which will appear on the ballot paper. If we leave it to the IWA to clean up all the seats on the C&RT Council this competition could be the most exciting aspect of this election!

Big Black Bottoms

2011-12-17T06:00:00.001Z

DIY Bottom Blacking Part 3

November 2011

We left the project with the hull stripped and laid bare, shivering nervously like a bashful bride on the slipway.

Applying the first coat of bitumen

With no time to waste we had our lunch whilst the hull dried out and then it was out with the paint brushes and the Sealex bitumen. The choice of covering is quite simple as far as I can see. Two pack epoxy is by far the best and offers up to five years protection but this needs a perfectly prepared shot blasted starting point. Then its Comastic followed up with the standard bitumen finished like Sealex. In reality there is only one viable choice - to stick with the type you already have on - the coverings are incompatible so don't try to change.

First coat on

We came armed with 20 litres of Sealex from Spencer Coatings - about £90 worth in total and a bunch of brushes we would be happy to discard at the end of the project.

Sealex B130

We set to with passion, starting with a wide band at the waterline where the corrosion is the worst, and then following it with a complete coat from base plate to gunnels.

Does my bottom look big in this photo?

Its a dirty old job, especially under the uxter plate (which is where we sent Adam!). We slapped on a good thick coat, only stopping as darkness fell accompanied by a slight drizzle. Tilly joined us briefly, together with her boyfriend, Jack. I was in such a grimy state that even Tilly declined the offer of a kiss!

Jack with Tilly

Adam and I returned to the task the next day, finding a fortunate window between bands of rain and managed to apply the next 10 litres of bitumen. This gave us two good coats over the main areas and four coats at the waterline. Its a slow and knackering task but we made it, just as the rain returned at 3.00pm.

Job done

We then left the boat for four days, letting the bitumen cure in the balmy unseasonal 10 degree heat. This is very lucky considering the icy conditions which prevailed at the same time last year. I returned alone on the next Saturday and applied the last couple of litres of Sealex to any areas which looked thin or had been missed, repainting the stern bands plus reattaching the fenders to the bows and stern - ready for relaunch on Sunday.

Stripping and Bare Bottoms

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000Z

DIY Bottom Blacking part 2

November 2011

Having hauled Wand'ring Bark out of the water we were faced with the prospect of cleaning down the hull, ready to accept the new coats of protective bitumen.

A first blast with the pressure washer

The first and most important element of this process is the availability of friends, especially on these short winter days. I was very fortunate to have Martin and Adam available to help, our two man recovery crew who have picked the boat up from the four corners of the inland waterways over the years.

Capt Ahab Roto Blasting

Stafford Boat Club have a good industrial strength pressure washer available which made light work of the accumulated slime and weed, together with acres of loose bitumen, taking the sides down to bare metal in many places. Adam proved to be very good at this task, methodically working his way round the boat with plumes of spray erupting from under the hull from time to time. Martin set to with wire brush, scraper and sandpaper hacking away at the stubborn corners whilst I wielded the Tercoo Rotating Blaster which made short work of all the large areas.

The cleaned sides

About three hours concerted effort resulted in a clean hull, which we left for an hour or so to dry out, ready for the application of the first coat of Sealex.

Close up of the Roto Blasted sides

They say that 80% of effort in decorating should go into the peparation and the same could be said of cleaning the boat's bottom. Our end result wasn't perfect and with hindsight maybe we should have spent more time on it. But the underside of the boat is the working end of things and its more important that the sealing is effective than beautiful.

An annode having reached its half life

The extensive use of the rotating blaster seemed to provide a good key, so hopefully the future bumps against the bank will result in scratches in the bitumen rather then the flaking off of big patches of black - which has been the case to date.

Martin applies a final rinse

As for the state of the hull? It is nearing 10 years old, so some deterioration is to be expected. In the event the pitting such that there is appears to be very minor and shallow, worse in the centre away from the protective annodes, as you would expect. The sections below the waterline were stripped back quite thoroughly and the general consensus among the assembled members was that it was looking good for its age. They put this down to the use of decent quality steel during its construction and informed me that they have seen much worse on three year old boats built cheaply abroad.

A rather grimy shot of Capt Ahab - post Roto Blaster!

I did consider blacking the bottom of the base plate but a quick inspection revealed very little deterioration in the 10mm of steel, certainly not enough to justify the horrible task of squeezing under and working in such cramped conditions.

More about the blacking process next time.

Stuck on Slipways

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000Z

DIY Bottom Blacking part 1

November 2011

Having arrived at Stafford Boat Club on Saturday we were up and ready for slipping at 9.00am on Sunday morning. Over a period of 15 minutes a veritable gaggle of members materialised, so many I started to wonder if they were planning to haul the boat up the slipway by hand. A little gentle questioning revealed the fact that a club incentive scheme operates which allows mooring fees to be discounted by £1 for each hour of time spent at the club. Its not a lot but its enough to encourage social activity and practical works.

Stuck in the mud

The slipway seems to attract silt and the members had spent a whole day dredging it with an improvised plough. Perversely, in spite of extracting several tons of gloop the exercise had created an underwater bund through which the slipway trolleys couldn't penetrate. They tried pushing it with poles but to no avail.

Second try

Off the rails

Then we tried to ride Wand'ring Bark onto the cradle and get half a dozen burly blokes onto the front to add weight and encourage it down. The first time we tried it moved a meter or so but then we had to winch the boat back down. The second attempt went the same way but finally we got Wand'ring Bark settled onto the cradle and the winch was started. The boat was winched up centemetre by centemetre but then another snag - the trolley came off its rails, so it was back to the hand winch to haul it down again for a final and successful attempt.

Success!

By the time we got the boat out just about every member was present, all jockying to be the first to see the annodes and deem them OK or not OK. I get the feeling that this is something of a club sport. After an hour or so we finally had Wand'ring Bark on the hard standing, stranded atop is bogies and strangely immobile as I stepped aboard. Narrowboats look so ungainly when they are stranded on dry land.

The annodes - OK for another couple of years

Stern gear after pressure washing

At last I could see the state of the hull - the first time I have seen it out of the water since its pre purchase survey six years ago (it has been blacked twice in the meantime but I didn't see it ashore). In the event there was some evidence of light pitting, but at nine years old it was looking pretty good.

High and dry for a week

The Canal & River Trust Council election

2011-12-11T17:48:00.000Z

The Canal & River Trust Council

December 2011

You may have read that the Canal & River Trust are establishing a Council which represents the various groups with an interest in our Inland Waterways. Most of the members are co-opted on, but four seats have been reserved for representatives of the boating community, elected by single transferable vote.

The Council performs an essential role as the guardian of the long term values and spirit of the Trust. The Council will have an important role in helping to shape policy, raising and debating issues, providing guidance and providing a sounding board for the trustees, who determine the policy and strategy of the Trust.

Now here is the thing. Having given the matter much thought I have decided to stand for election as a boater representative. You will be aware of my passion for our waterways, but there are some aspects to Captain Ahab that are not immediately apparent from my blog, aspects which are very relevant to my desire to serve in this way.

When I am not boating, or thinking about boating, I have a busy career overseeing the operational integrity of the European arm of a multinational company. This role involves taking a commercial approach to big decisions, weighing the risks of the various options, all within the confines of a big bureaucracy. What is more, I spend much of my time wrestling with the application of various rules and regulations coming out the government. Quite often my role seems to be stating what I see as the blindingly obvious - the fact that the emperor has no clothes, if you like. There seem to be a lot of similarities between my professional life and the role expected of a C&RT Council member

Nothing would give me more pleasure than to be able to apply my thirty years of commercial experience to my forty year passion for our inland waterways. Having grown up holidaying on the dirty ditch canals and rivers of the 1960s, I have watched them regenerate into the splendid resource that they are today, bringing joy to millions. We hold this unique network in trust for future generations and the migration to the new Trust represents a pivotal moment in it's history. It is therefore essential that we get it right first time and avoid costly mistakes.

With your support I would like to play my part in ensuring the successful development of our inland waterways resource. With love, care and lots of good management I hope to see Jeff cruising an improved and extended network in another 40 years time.

So what next? Well, the elections will take place in February / March 2012 but in the meantime it would be great if you could lend my candidacy your endorsement. The boating community is a large and diverse population and I don't stand with any body, group or organisation behind me. I won't seek to represent any specific boating sub group, but rather the boating community in general.

I guess you could say that if I am to gain enough votes, I will need to attract the "floating boater" (aargh - what a terrible pun!). But seriously, we boaters are a geographically spread bunch and communication is a challenge. If you feel you could lend me your support, can I ask you to make my candidacy known within your own boating circles please?

I have to admit to feeling a bit nervous about standing, so I want to say a special thank you to those of you that have kindly agreed to nominate me. Your demonstration of support and words of encouragement are much appreciated.

Andy Tidy

Off to have our bottom blacked

2011-12-11T06:00:00.001Z

Journey to Stafford Boat Club

November 2011

Other posts in this series:
1. Journey to Stafford Boat Club - this post
2. Stuck on slipways
3. Stripping and bare bottoms
4. Big black bottoms
5. All tanked up
6. Slipping back
7. A peek at my bottom

Its two and a half years since Wand'ring Bark was last out the water to have her bottom blacked and her hull is in need of some TLC. The bit above the waterline looks scrappy, but its the rust blooms beneath the surface which give cause for concern.

Teddesley Park Bridge

This will be the third blacking we have competed but till now its a job I have always left to the professionals. I like to do what I can to the boat and re blacking the bottom is an obvious next task for the DIY list. Its not that I have been dissatisfied with the previous bits of work, but I would like to know exactly what state the hull is is as we approach her 10th birthday.

I cast around for somewhere to do this task and settled on Stafford Boat Club who are convenient and charge a competitive £250 for a winch out and a week on the hard standing. The dry dock at Stourport costs about the same and has the added benefit of a roof, bit it is two days cruising away and correspondingly further to drive.

Stafford Boat Club has a enthusiastic and friendly membership and its good to know that my money will be reinvested in their site.

It all turned out to be a bit of a rush in the end. I flew back from Kazakhstan on the Friday afternoon, Bones cane to stay and we had to drop a car off in Stafford, buy materials from Midland Chandlers in Penkridge and get some food before we could get to Calf Heath Marina, In the end we cast off just before 1.00pm with about five hours of cruising ahead of us - there are not enough hours of daylight in late November!

The sun was setting was we passed through Penkridge and the last glimmers of sunshine slanted down the cut as we passed Teddesley Bridge. It was odd to see another boat occupying Lady Hatherton's mooring at Teddesley - does anyone know where she is?

We were onto the headlight at Acton Trussell and stayed that way for the next hour and a half, passing a surprising number of moored boats, far more than I would expect this late in the season. We finally crept into Stafford Boat Club at 5.30pm and were promptly invited to the Country and Western evening. The head was willing but the body was just too weary, so we settled down to a couple of DVD's and an early night. Not bad for an end of season bonus.

Wainwright the biography - book review

2011-12-09T06:00:00.000Z

Wainwright the biography
Book review by Hunter Davies
December 2011

I have a long held appreciation of Alfred Wainwright, or just Wainwright as he known to the thousands of his devotees - fell walkers who follow in his footsteps via his seven lovely hand drawn walking guides to Lakeland.

I came across Wainwright in the late 1970's, ten years after he completed the guides and about 15 years before his death - stumbling over his books which covered the central and north eastern fells. I came to love those high high peaks which became as familiar to me the the BCN does today, Haystacks, Red Pike, Pillar and Great Gable giving way to Titford, Ryders Green, Engine Arm and the Curley Wyrley.

I was a young 18 year old taking my first tentative steps into those majestic but forbidding peaks as he was taking his last, age and failing eyesight limiting his expeditions to escorted trips organised by the BBC. I fell in love with his little pocked sized books with their idiosyncratic maps and engaging prose. I am particularly reminded of the time I made my way from Scafell Pike to Scafell via Mickledore and was confronted by Broad Stand, which presented a seemingly impossible barrier to my progress. Out came Wainwright and I was soon making my way round the edge via Lords Rake and then across the climbers face via the West Wall Traverse. With Wainwright on my pocket I never felt really alone. Then there was the time I wanted to get to Pillar from Great Gable. Wainwright persuaded me to stray off the main track and descend a steep gully to the 'high level route' which offers great views of Ennerdale as you cross the Shamrock Traverse and the back of Pillar Rock. All the way Wanwright sat on my shoulder whispering hints and suggestions to help me get the most out of his beloved landscape.

So what of the man himself? If I am absolutely honest I am not entirely sure I would have liked him very much, certainly not in his rather anti social pre retirement phase. The biography does not paint an altogether flattering picture of an anti social accountant who played a full part in creating a deeply unhappy marriage which lasted 30 years and ended within weeks of his retirement. I tried to keep reminding myself that he was a man of his time, born in 1909 - half way between my grandfather and my fathers years of birth. The world was a different place then.

He was a man of intense solitude, shunning social events and public gatherings. Its said that his preoccupation with his guide books caused the breakdown of his marriage but in fact the cracks existed from the start and its probably fairer to say that his obsession was more a symptom than a cause.

The biography is a patchy read, intensely interesting regarding his passion for the fells and the creation of his books but slow and downbeat in its coverage of his family life. His books are his lasting legacy, and there are so many of them. Most were published by the unknown Westmoorlond Gazette and later by Michael Joseph of London.

Its amazing that his guides remain in print and as relevant and attractive as ever. They remained unaltered till his death after which they were edited and updated - but carefully to retain the quirky essence which has appealed to generations of walkers.

Then there is the animal refuge. Wainwright was never motivated by money and all his profits were donated to the creation of a refuge in Kendal. If you are a stray Kendal is the place to be!

All in all its a good and insightful read which will appeal to lovers of his books. My advice - get hold of the guide books first and only after you have fallen under their spell should you tackle this book. If you appreciate his guide books you will soon find yourself forgiving the man his very significant oddities. He has left the world is a richer place.

The Brownhills miner

2011-12-07T06:00:00.002Z

Brownhills miner statue
December 2011

If you ever drive through Brownhills to the north of Birmingham you can't help but see the huge contemporary aluminum statue of a miner. It stands in the middle of the roundabout near Tescos, its arms raised bearing a pick axe and lamp in a silent salute to the abandoned coalfield to the north.

Its impressive in the daytime but its best viewed at night, when this series was shot.

Taking photos is sometimes like going fishing - the best ones always get away. Its the same with this statue - a few months ago I was passing as the golden rays of a setting sun broke from under an ominous dark sky. The statue was bathed in blood red light but frustratingly by the time I had parked and walked back the moment was gone. Never mind - there is always a next time!

Horstead Mill - Autumn Colours

2011-12-05T06:00:00.025Z

Horstead Mill - Autumn Colours

November 2011

We recently attended my mothers 80th Birthday celebration in Norfolk and our return took us past Horstead Mill, one of my favourite locations.

I realised that Belle had never seen this spot, and maybe, just maybe, there would be some beech leaves clinging to the branches of the trees near the site of the old lock keepers cottage.

We walked over and were rewarded with a splendid autumnal display.

If I were to be cremated I would like my ashes sprinkled here - but as I plan to be buried that could be a little difficult.......

A Thousand Acres - book review

2011-12-03T06:00:00.006Z

A Thousand Acres

by Jane Smiley

Having read a few reviews of this book I find myself in the unusual position of reading it without the benefit of a working knowledge of Shakespeare's King Lear, from which it draws its inspiration. Belle had read it for her book group and finding myself in need of reading material, I picked it up blind.

First off, this isnt really King Lear reworked, an ancient English King replaced by a successful farmer from Iowa in the American Midwest.

To preserve the Shakespearean link, the main characters names share an initial letter:

Laurence (Larry) Cook - the father = King Lear

Ginny (eldest daughter and narrator) = Goneril

Rose (middle daughter) = Regan

Caroline (youngest daughter) = Cordelia

In both tales the king / farmer steps down from his position of power and hand over his estate to his daughters. The youngest daughter ends up rejected and the father is driven into insanity by the betrayal of his older two daughters, roaming moors / fields in thunderstorm.

All the characters are both tragic and flawed without a redeeming character among them. It therefore makes for a heavy read. I struggled my way through it after several weeks of perseverance. Maybe its better with a greater interest in Shakespeare's tragedies, but read cold is was turgid stuff. But hey, I like optimistic endings - hope for the future and some chinks of good. This is as dour and the East Enders cast and for the same reason having tasted in once I cant get excited about it.

That said, it is beautifully written with narrative as rich as the alluvial soil on which the farm sits.

I can see the literary qualities in this book but I am afraid its not for me.

The Black House - a book review

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000Z

The Black House

by Peter May

This book caught my eye as I was waiting for a flight to a Kazakhstan, a police whodunit based on the Hebridean Island of Lewis.

I have a strong affection for Lewis and Harris having visited with my parents as a child and twice as an adult including a cycle trip down the Hebridean chain about 30 years ago. These distant islands have a haunting, barren beauty, pummeled by endless Atlantic storms breeding a hardy and insular people.

Against this atmospheric backdrop the story follows a well worn path: Boy leaves home / island, drifts along (becoming a policeman in this case). A strange turn of events cause him to return to his roots to investigate a copycat murder in his home village. In the course of solving the murder he also unearths startling new revelations about himself and his peer group, things which should probably have been left alone.

Finally the history and present day merge with events starting to repeat themselves culminating in a savage and dramatic conclusion.

OK, so the story line isn't entirely original but which ones are? Its a real page turner so if your taste if for crime fiction and / or the Scottish islands this is the book for you. I was gripped through to the end and was left wanting more.

Shropshire Canals - book review

2011-11-29T06:00:00.000Z

Shropshire Canals
A collection of articles from the Shropshire Magazine 1950 - 1965
Shropshire Libraries

This collected group of articles were published in 1980 covering the various canals in Shropshire.

Its an eclectic set of articles covering a lot of canals in very different styles and therefore represents something of a lucky dip for a reader interested in the region's waterways.

The book kicks off with a series of ten walks by Lilian Hayward, conducted in the days when things busses and trains offered viable ways of getting back to the starting point. Her initial articles follow the Shrewsbury canal from end to end which I found fascinating, but then she switched to the Llangollen and Shropshire Union Canals which whilst interesting, didn't offer the same historical perspective as the abandoned canals.

Then E A Wislon picks up the tale with a more historically orientated set of accounts of the Ellesmere Canal, which again covers the Llangollen and its various arms. All good interesting stuff for historians.

A handful of random 'one off' articles are thrown in before the book really gets into its stride as far as I am concerned. There are four excellent articles about Telford's Tub Boat Canals by W Howard Williams, complete with accurate hand drawn maps, followed by a review of the non navigable Newport Junction Canal with a view to encouraging restoration by "Kiwi".

All in all this book offers a fascinating insight into the various canals of Shropshire as the existed over half a century ago. In themselves they seek to look backwards but in their telling they offer a contemporary insight into the state of the waterways in the 1950's and 60's and provide a reliable source of information for canal historians.

Birmingham Heath Branch (Hockley Port)

2011-11-27T06:00:00.000Z

Birmingham Heath Branch
(Hockley Port)

October 2011

Ask a group of BCN fans the whereabouts of Birmingham Heath Branch and you will find most are soon scratching their heads.

Hockley Port 2011

The reality is that everyone knows it by its modern name of Hockley Port, an arm off the Winson Green loop which used to stretch for about half a mile.

Map from Richard Chester- Browne's 'The Other 60 Miles'

These days it has been truncated just beyond the two fingers of the old Great Western Railway Interchange basins, but it both survives and is home to a sizeable residential community.

The arm was built in 1801 to Matthew Bolton's Soho Works, which made fine jewellery till it closed in 1863.

Hockley Port interchange basin

Whilst the interchange section is in good repair, the line remains evident to Lodge Road where the bridge parapet, complete with blocked off fire doors, still stands. This means that the arm was in water to this point at least up till the second world war.

Beyond Lodge Road the line has been lost to new housing which fills the plot right up to the edge of the railway. The scale of redevelopment is such that not even the levels can be identified.

Lodge Road Bridge - with fire doors.

Well, that should be that - but it isn't. The maps show the canal continuing over a long gone railway aqueduct and into a basin at Soho Wharf. A quick drive round brings you to Wharf Street. The basin itself has been built over, but the canal still leaves its fingerprint on the area, even if is more by inference than hard remains.

Tercoo Rotating Blaster

2011-11-25T06:00:00.000Z

Tercoo Rotating Blaster

November 2011

Wand'ring Bark is out of the water and undergoing her periodic bottom blacking. This time I have decided to have a go myself but my snag is in the preparation - how to do it?

Tercoo - straight out of the box

The previous boatyard blackings have involved a couple of coats of bitumastic after pressure washing, but no matter how clean it is the new coats don't seem to stick very well. My guess is that it needs taking back to the steel but grit blasting is costly and I wanted a DIY alternative. I considered all the options but none seemed to hit the spot - till I came across the Tercoo Rotating Blaster.

Ready to go

This product is a rubber disc with 12 hard metal studs embedded in it. This fits in standard electric drill which runs at between 1500 and 3000 rpm (4000rpm max) and delivers a hammering action which strips off bitumen, paint, rust and body filler - taking it back to bare steel with a bit of practice.

Having pressure washed the hull, I wanted to clean off the rusty waterline. With this achieved it seemed sensible to strip off all the remaining bitumen so I set to with my two disc Tercoo blaster. I tackled a metre at a time, working down the hull in rhythmic sweeps and after a couple of hours I had the hull clean and with a good key for re coating. With a bit more effort its possible to bring it all to bright steel but that wasn't necessary on this occasion.

Two hours later - and one boat cleaned

The main thing is go gently and not to press too hard. The flat areas are ok but working into the corners and around the old anodes can be a problem. Its easy to slip and the studs get knocked off. By the time I finished I had lost about a third but it was still functioning and delivering the goods.

Close up of those lost teeth

Its a dirty job, and goggles and gloves are a must. Judging by the filth on my face I would suggest that a face mask would be a good idea too.

This is an invaluable consumable item. Don't expect it to last much beyond a single boat stripping, mine dealt with a 42 footer before I worked into the corners and did damage, but with care it would easily cover something much longer. My two disc model cost £40 plus £5 p&p but single and triple disc versions are available for the DIY market (£30 and £50 respectively).

Cleaned hull

The Dutch manufacturers claim its as good as sand blasting. I'm not sure it lives up to this claim but its probably the next best thing.

The Tercoo Rotating Blaster is available from Peter Coupland at Canal Cruisers .Com:

Lord Hay's Canal - part 3

2011-11-23T06:00:00.100Z

Lord Hay's Canal - part 3
Newtown Bridge (Stafford Road) and beyond.
October 2011

The Stafford Road is very nearly the end of Lord Hay's Canal, nearly three miles after its junction with the Wyrley and Essington.

Lake at Newtown - reservoir or subsidence?

After a long westward pull on the level it burrowed under the Stafford Road at Newtown Bridge before twisting to the north and finishing in a pair of parallel colliery basins.

Not surprisingly, the busy Stafford Road has been widened and flattened over the years and any trace of the original Newtown Bridge had been swept away but take a walk into the park opposite and its channel is immediately apparent. To the west is a large circular lake, either a reservoir or more likely the site of mining settlement and to the east of this is a wide saucer shaped trench the local kids use for their BMX bikes.

Canal bed to the east of the lake

To the north of the park the canal is lost in piles of earth and drainage channels but knowing that more existed I cast around on each side. First I tried to the east near the road, walking through the grounds of an old folks home and could see some evidence of water in a trench behind the car park. With no obvious way down I returned to the park and explored the far side.

Lord Hay's Canal terminus behind the care home

To the west of the basins there is another lake and probably the site of another mine, but this one is well fenced in. With a bit of persistence I found a route in and bashed through the undergrowth into the bed of the basins. An old colliery wall is visible, supporting the care home's car park and the cutting to the north stretches on. I pressed on till the vegetation became too dense and I retreated with a rather unsatisfactory photo. Sadly there is now no good vantage point for the end of the Lord Hay's Canal. although the basins survive intact as far as I can tell.

Colliery Basins at the end of the Lord Hay's Canal - just add imagination!

By now I had been on the move for four hours at three different sites, and all without a drink. Just opposite the canal terminus the Ivy House Inn stands ready to slake the thirst of parched boaters and it would seem rude not to sample a pint of Pedigree. I could have returned the way I had come, but I had been fortunate to pass through unchallenged so I opted to walk round, passing through the outskirts of Bloxwich and so returning to my car in Fishley Lane about 40 mins later.

Ivy House Inn - boaters rest.

Unusually, the thirty years which have elapsed since Richard Chester-Browne surveyed this route as part of his degree thesis have been kind to the Lord Hay's canal. The condition of the structures appears to be very similar and if anything, access is a little easier. I certainly found more beyond the Stafford Road than his review suggest is possible.

Not an easy canal to explore, but worth the effort.

Lord Hay's Canal - part 2

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000Z

Lord Hay's Canal - part 2

Fishley No 2 Bridge to Newtown Bridge

Wyrley and Essington Canal

October 2011

We left the trail of the three mile Lord Hay's Canal at Fishley No 2 Bridge, just over half a mile into its course and soon after it became choked with rubble.

Looking west from Fishley No 3 Bridge

For a while the course is all but lost, the line marked out by a lonely winding hedge, with the land on the north side much lower than the south. Tucked in behind the hedge there are a pair of bee hives, their inhabitants alive in the autumn sunshine as they prepare for the onslaught of winter. I gave them a wide berth and set off on the southern side of the hedge taking care not to trudge over growing crops.

Infilled Fishley No 3 Bridge

After maybe quarter of a mile the stand of trees reasserts itself, marking out both the width and line of the abandoned cut. At the start it is quite possible to walk through the trees, following the exact line but then the vegetation thickens forcing you out into the meadows to the north.

Fishley No3 Culvert

After dodging through a couple of gates I came across a track running over the canal, clearly the site of Fishley No 3 Bridge. I could see two parallel lines of bricks running across the track - indicating the top of the bridge supports. A bit of a scramble through the thicket and there it was, the bridge supports but with the parapets collapsed and the bricks loosely stacked in the old navigation channel.

West from Fishley No 3 Bridge

That wasn't all there was to this location. After casting round a bit I found a concrete cover with one section removed covering a brick lined overflow culvert. Ground water still oozes across its base and the remaining stump of the cast iron paddle sear sits lost and forlorn.

Looking east from Stafford Road

The undergrowth soon forces you out into the fields again so I continued along the northern edge of the track. Eventually, in the corner of the field, I found a gate which, after another barrier of brambles, took me to the site of Newton Bridge and Stafford Road - the end of this section.

Reflections on Kazakhstan

2011-11-19T06:00:00.008Z

Reflections on Kazakhstan

November 2011

I have just returned from a business trip to Almaty in Kazakhstan, my first visit to an ex Soviet Union country.

Mountains behind Almaty

Almaty is six hours ahead of us and in spite of being there for four nights, I never managed to overcome the jet lag issue. The trip was very successful but I am now on my knees with fatigue and trying desperately to stay awake to try and slot straight back into the UK sleep pattern. This is really important because we are moving the boat to Stafford boat club tomorrow, where it is being slipped and re blacked over the next week.

So what did I make of Kazakhstan? Well it has to be said that it is different, its people are warm and welcoming but as a non Russian speaker, communication is a complete nightmare.

Almaty

I was fortunate enough to spend a lot of time with a local who provided a fascinating insight into the city. In a nutshell, till the time of Stalin, Kazakhstan was a nation of about three million nomadic herders, devoid of any significant settlements. All that changed when Stalin decided to establish communities in the area, shipping in a broad assortment of ethnic minorities which has resulted in an unusual blend of races and a very tolerant population.

Rixos Hotel Almaty

Kazakhstan was the last country to leave the Soviet Union and you get the impression that they were not entirely unhappy with rule coming from Moscow. The city is therefore very young, laid out in a gridiron pattern, with long straight dual carriageways, just right for a speeding tank. Whilst the city has everything you need, it has no real centre and certainly no "old area". The traffic lights at the many intersections do come with a twist - the countdown boxes which tell you how long till the lights change. This results is a huge number of close calls among drivers who are, how shall we put it? - somewhat competitive and embrace an automotive version of Russian Roulette as something of a national support.

I stayed at the Rixos, a posh up market hotel with prices which eclipse even those of London. This location necessitated a four mile commute to the office, most of which was in Gypsy Taxis. Now these need a bit of explanation - basically you stand by the road, stick your hand out and most times someone will stop, a price will be agreed and off you go. Hopefully, the car will be safe and the driver honest, but this informal approach to taxis appears to be a potential rapist's paradise.

Inside the Rixos

Kazakhstan is therefore a relatively new country and dosn't have a democratic constitution that we would recognise. It has been stable with just one president in office since independence, but as he ages and succession is unclear, clouds are gathering on the horizon. Logic says that the country has a bright future, with massive mineral potential and about 5% of the worlds undeveloped oil reserves. But the country needs stability to encourage inward investment to realise this potential - how many times have we seen dictatorships come to a destructive end.

The city has a lot going for it, close proximity to lovely mountains and skiing, lakes and of course a lot of the great out doors - a country which is the size of Western Europe and only 15m inhabitants - mostly in Almaty and the new capital Astana. Almaty does have one other remarkable natural resource - the girls. Now don't get me wrong, I am a happily married man and no one can hold a candle to Belle's charms, but the Kazak girls are simple stunning, pettite, dark, slim, oriental with just a touch on Mongol - mix it all together, add a racy line of micro skirts and high heeled knee boots and the end result is remarkable. Not that I noticed of course....

Lord Hay's Canal - part 1

2011-11-18T06:00:00.001Z

Lord Hay's Canal - part 1

Wyrley and Essington

October 2011

A physical walk of the Lord Hay's one mile canal of 1800 presents a bit of a challenge. The canal was privately owned during its working life and its line has reverted to private ownership following its closure in 1954, which means no public footpaths either along its length or crossing its path. So, if you want to take a look its going to be private land all the way, a veritable Mastermind walk - once you have started you have to finish, with no expedient get outs till you emerge at Stafford Road at the far end.

Lord Hay's Branch Canal - taken from Richard Chester Browne's "The Other 60 Miles".

But that's jumping ahead. Lets start at the beginning and follow this line methodically.To do this one justice will take three posts:

1. Wyrley and Essington junction to Fishley Bridge Number 2 - this post

2. Fishley Bridge 2 to Bridge 3

3. Newtown Bridge (Stafford Road) and beyond

Junction with the Wyrley and Essington Canal

The line starts with the junction at the Wyrley and Essington Canal, its splayed entry still plain with the first hundred yards completely infilled by BW who use the area as an official dredging site. Then its Fishley No1 Bridge which carries Fishley Lane over the line. The southern end is choked with rubble but the northern portal is visible among the undergrowth.

Fishley No 1 Bridge

The line north is choked with brambles so if we are to make progress a detour is needed. My initial thought was to make use of the fairways of the adjacent Bloxwich Golf Club whose grounds border the first half mile. Such an approach would dictate a late evening sortie but this opportunity arose in late morning to I decided to probe the line from the fields to the north. Access to the start, the site of the old Fishley Colliery, is hampered by copious barbed wire but a couple of hundred yards up the road a public footpath provides a walk on route. Don't bother to look for the Fishley Colliery basin. Where once there was an inlet there is now a mound of relocated spoil.

Overgrown channel north of Bridge No 1

You catch glimpses of a bramble choked channel as you head north and then a fence forces you into the channel itself, a clear saucer shape indent sitting atop an earth embankment.

The clear channel beside Bloxwich Golf Club

This section represents a perfectly preserved canal track, remote and therefore devoid of the usual debris, not a lorry tyre in sight. This situation persists way beyond the Golf Club when suddenly you are faced with a huge pile of rubble. This point neatly illustrates the problem of canal hunting. Where you expect to find a depression you can so often end up standing on a mound!

Start of the rubble infill

From here the whole line has been used as a tip, this section filled in from the remains Fishley No 2 bridge, of which there is no sign. The site is still used as a dump with a farm track winding across the fields. This also marks the end of the broad canal track, with the course ploughed into the fields but its line marked by hedge.

Fishley Bridge 2 - site of an active tip

Journal of a Voyage - book review

2011-11-17T06:00:00.071Z

Journal of a Voyage

From Liverpool to Hobart Town and Sydney in the ship Othello in 1833 - 1834

by CM and NB Abbot

November 2011

A most unusual book, given to me by a friend who knows of my fascination for Watery Tales.

Its the verbatim journal of Thomas Mitchell, surgeon on Othello, a transport ship from Liverpool to Van Diemen's Land (Tasmania) which offers a brief day by day account of his journey which lasted over a year. From the off it was apparent that disease and death were constant companions and with little or no formal medical training the surgeon was in reality little more then a carer.

Its an everyday tale of an extraordinary journey followed by thousands seeking out a better life on the other side of the world, in an age when life was cheap and emigration normally a one way ticket. The journal was never written to be read as a public document so you get a very gritty account of what happened, but very little insight into its author. A rare and fascinating perspective.

Just once, on 14th September 1834 and 13 months into the journey he open up a bit and we see a glimmer of the real man:

Fine day with more wind which is sending us homeward rapidly which makes everyone glad except myself who am as much or rather more at home here than in my native land. I certainly feel pleasure in seeing England, I can scarcely say home, for home I have none, pointed at and scorned by my relatives; but they never can persuade me to think myself the rascal they picture me; Tis' strange that none except themselves should think so but if God gives me health what need I care (it's bad enough now).

The authors strike me as amateur historians who stumbled over the original manuscript and became captivated by the subject, using the tale as a thread to research places and events along the way. By way of a counterpoint, they found correspondence relating to the Fenton's, an Irish family some of whom migrated on the Othello. The subsequent family history reveal what life was like for emigrants.

This is therefore a book of two halves, a first rate journal at the front and a patchwork composite family history at the back. I am not convinced that the two sit very easily together but taken as a whole its insight is a unique gem, rare, unusual and one not to be missed.

One final and very personal twist comes in the provenance which brought this book to me.

As far as I can tell, the author died a few years after the voyage and the journal returned to his mother in Beverley, Yorkshire. It then stayed in Beverley till it was found for sale by the the father of the Abbot brothers, the authors and editors of this book. The journal than passed to the brothers who, in the 1980's, produced this volume. This particular copy was signed and given to John Bourne, a history professor at Birmingham University as a gesture of thanks for services rendered, who passed it on to my colleague Jim on his retirement as he cleared his shelves. Jim lives with my watery obsession and gave it to me to satisfy my interest in watery tales. If for no other reason, this known set of links sets this book apart from the ordinary.

Cape Arm - part 2

2011-11-16T06:00:00.082Z

Cape Arm (southern section)

Birmingham Canal Navigations

October 2011

We left the Cape Arm with a northward look into the arm from Cranford Street Bridge.

Cape Arm south from Cranford Street

So lets pick up the train looking south. One glance over the parapet of this 1906 bridge tells you that there is more to this arm than you would expect. The canal runs deep and wide behind the Thandi Coach depot before curling round under a huge concrete loading gantry, its roof gently slipping into the channel below.

GKN's loading gantry

The canal continues beyond this under a blue steel footbridge before coming to an abrupt end where a low level roadway crosses over. Whilst you cant see the next section, Google Earth suggests that a short section remains in water on the other side leading to a residual element of a further arm which headed towards the Cape of Good Hope pub. I couldn't gain access to the site so there is no way of validating if this last bit still exists. Maybe one for another day.

Plaque on Cranford St Bridge

The loop used to continue on to the south, its path still visible as a roadway lined by old warehouses before petering out as it enters the only element of the site with operating businesses.

The final blue footbridge

The southern exit is obliterated but can be identified by following the line of the Winson Green Loop opposite and noting a slight change on the canal edging.

Line of the lost southern section

This arm offers a wealth of opportunity as and when the block is redeveloped. If it is used by industry this is probably the last we will see of it but if it is used for residential purposes the reopened canal would four a very attractive centre piece.

Who knows, one day we may be mooring our boats by the bar in Cape Square - but then again - maybe not!