Dudley Number Two Canal

Yesterday it was the open day for the Coombeswood Canal Trip. 

It was a nice event that took place in Hawne Basin. This is now at the furthest navigable point on the Dudley number two canal. Of course it used to continue through the long closed Lapal tunnel through to the Worcester and Birmingham canal at Selly Oak.

We didn't get chance to take any photographs at the event, due to the proximity of water to my phone :-) however we did enjoy a lovely boat trip along this section of canal. We hadn't yet walked this part of the BCN so enjoyed discovering the Gosty Hill tunnel. 

It's a very small portal and won't have much room for the helmsman when navigating through it. 

It reminded us a lot of the Dudley tunnel just further up the network. 

Of course there is no towpath through it, so we had to walk over the top. The route was not difficult to follow but what we then found really surprised us. Take a look at the next picture.

That really is a vent for the tunnel, which takes up virtually the whole of the front garden of a house. It struck us as rather odd that a house would be built so close to the vent. I took another photograph to show that although they have tried to disguise the vent with a tree it is the dominating feature and only a few feet from the front door. 

I wonder if the owners are canal fans?

When it rains ...

Today was my first driving duty of the season at the Tramway Museum.
Although the day started off quite wet, the forecast was for it to improve.
Being brave I decided I wanted to drive Blackpool 236, the open boat tram. 

The weather did improve as forecast, and we were having a great day

Until

We got a surprise thunder storm. At the time we were at the top of the line, Glory Mine, as you can see from the picture, there is not a lot of shelter, and we were all huddled in the centre, but that didn't really help, everybody was wet through so we set off back down the hill in the thunder storm. When we got to Wakebridge stop there was an almighty clap of thunder and then the power went off. So there we are, on an open tram in a thunderstorm with no electricity to make the tram move, most of the passengers got off the tram and sheltered in the tram stop, the crew however stayed with their vehicle. That is a story that will be re-told many times!
Because of the weather we got an early finish, as the tram was soaked and nobody wants to sit on wet seats. Getting home by 6 o'clock was a real bonus. 

I only took one other picture today, of Leeds 180.

Much Ado About Nothing.

Or the Best of British? Personally I go for the latter. 

Another day another performance for Alison. Today we are in Stratford upon Avon. 

Alison is performing during the morning service at Holy Trinity church. 

It was a big service that started with a marching band. 

And all to celebrate the birthday, life and death day of the chap buried at the alter. 

After the Service we walked back to the car via the canal, this was the first bit of canal we ever took Magpie II on. 

This is the first narrow lock we ever went in

And this lock has a very strange beam with which to open the bottom gate. Alison really struggled with it.

It was a lovely day in Stratford, quite bright sunshine and very warm. Spring is definitely in the air as this swan proved.

Grantham

On Saturday Alison had a gig playing in Haydn's Creation in Grantham. They have a canal don't they?

During the week I made contact with the Grantham Canal Society and asked about ordering a couple of their publications. Tony, the member in charge of them, said we could save the postage and he would meet us in Gramtham on Saturday to give us the books. What a fantastic approach. 

As it turned out we were going virtually past his house so we arranged to go there instead. 

With the transaction duly completed, Tony suggested that as the canal is culverted under the A1, there isn't too much to be seen in Grantham and we should try going to Woolsthorpe Wharf where there are seven locks, three of which have been restored and four which haven't. 

The restored locks look great. 

This is also where the Grantham Canal Society keep their boats, their working boat is of 1930s vintage with a lovely Lister engine. 

I was very intested in the fact that the locks were manufactured by our namesakes. I didn't realise this firm existed. 

The unrestored locks show how much work has been done, but how much is still required. 

The canal will also require a lot of clearing after the locks. 

At some point, presumably when the original gates were removed, the cill was built up to maintain the water level above the lock. I've never seen this before on a disused waterway. 

At bridge 61 there is a milepost underneath the bridge. 

When we got to Grantham itself, the weather turned somewhat inclement and I was left with little to do but check out local hostelries. No hardship I hear you cry. 

As we had walked along part of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal last summer I couldn't resist keeping the canal theme going. 

At the remarkable Nobody Inn. In this pub all the doors for the toilets are four feet high and are actually  false doors. To access the Gents you need to go through a bookcase and for the Ladies through a mirror. But none of the regulars tell you!

Grantham is also the birthplace of one of the greatest minds ever known ( I don't mean Margaret Hilda Thatcher), so the blog wouldn't be complete without this last picture. 

First tram of the year.

Saturday was my first duty of the year at the tram museum.
I was down to crew with Heidi, which was lovely because I really enjoy working with her.
What I didn't realise was that it was going to be the launch of the first world war recruitment tram.

It was therefore even more surprising when I got there, to be told that was my tram for the day.

It was a beautiful sunny day, so when the dignitaries did the speech and cut the ribbon, everything looked lovely.
I had trainee conductor Luke with me, so he got on all the photos, which pleased me too as I was left in peace. 

Chesterfield seven looked lovely done up as the recruitment tram, and it will operate every Tuesday Thursday and Saturday for the rest of the season.

Oh the adornments were made as accurately as possible and taken from old photographs. Even the spelling mistake in the next photograph is copied directly from an original on a Rochdale tram.

There were lots of visitors and Luke managed to sell over 80 certificate. A great effort by him. Next time I come I will be driving, so I made the most of being the conductor today. 

Home again.

The fish and chips last night was totally amazing and did live up to the billing. We also had some mushroom skewers fried in batter, and they were incredible too. Needless to say we ate too much.

After another trip to the Hollybush Pub, this time to try Red Back, their 7.2% beer, we headed home for an early night. Unfortunately the water pump kept kicking in during the night, a fault we have yet to locate, but a very disrupted sleep pattern ensued.

The weather this morning was absolutely awful, lashing down with rain.
As we have nearly used all the available storage space in the toilet area, we decided to walk to the basin to use the canal and river trust facilities. On our way back we went to Tesco, and realised their toilets are a lot closer to the visitor moorings. It'll be Tesco loos next time we are here. After breakfast, the rain clouds disappeared the sun came out and it was like it was a different day. Typical luck for us to get drenched first thing.

Today we have travelled back to the marina, and eventually back home.
We had agreed to meet up with friends Julian, Sarah and Charlie. It was lovely to see them, and our timing schedule worked perfectly.

It was hard work getting through the two staircase locks at Stourport basin. For some reason they are totally mis-aligned, and my steering is not up to teleporting Magpie II from one position instantaneously to another.

But with a bit of scraping and a lot of luck, we managed to get through the locks.

It was also blowing out howling gale which meant everything was much more difficult, but it's all part of life's great experiences.

Here is a picture of the only bridge we go under as we come down the River Severn.

As we arrived at the entrance to the Droitwich Barge Canal, Julian, Sarah and Charlie were waiting for us.
We pulled in, picked them up, and then gave Julian lessons on how to be a lock keeper. Here are a couple of photos of him in action.

We had a great time travelling 3 or 4 miles with them, but all too soon it was time to say goodbye. We hope they enjoyed it as much as we did, and Charlie is the best six-year-old Captain and helmsman we have ever had on board.

Further on our journey we came to Salwarpe Church, but the unusual feature this time, were two people at the top of the tower, we wondered if they were fitting the Saint George's flag given that it is April. Can you spot them in the picture?

Eventually we made it back to the marina, and said farewell to Magpie II, who deserves a nice rest. We are looking forward to our next voyage.

Back to Stourport

Today we cruised leisurely back to Stourport. We moored at about 15:30 and are currently witnessing every kind of life in Stourport Wetherspoons. 

For once the heron stayed to be photographed today. 

As we have been this way before (was it really only yesterday?) we could have the camera ready for some of the more interesting sights. 

This railway signal is, for some reason unknown to us, in the middle of a holiday cabin establishment. Still I liked it!

The Cookley tunnel is quite striking, especially with all the houses above it. 

The tunnel seems to have been cut through solid rock and is a crouch to steer through. 

Still no trains visible on the Severn Valley line so a picture of their viaduct is all I could get. 

I hope tonight's fish and chips lives up to the description. If there is such a thing as a horse fish I think I could eat one!