A Change of Plan.

Tuesday, 11th September, 2012.
Park Bridge moorings to Birmingham
via the Black Country Museum.
22.75 Miles and 25 Locks.

We left our overnight moorings by bridge 8 on the Shroppie early today and arrived at the bottom lock of the Wolverhampton 21 at 7.45, we found it set against us, great we thought they will all be against us now, but no our luck changed when we found a hireboat moored just above the lock, they had come down the flight late last night had moored there overnight, so after finding the bottom lock against us we found the next 20 empty so we could go straight in, as we left each lock I walked back and opened one of the bottom paddles to start emptying the lock for the boat following which happened to be "The Fudge Boat", we must have pulled out in front of them at Autherley Junction, although I did look and didn't see any boats. 

Jayne brings the boat into the top lock.

 

 

After leaving the top lock we stopped for a short while which gave me time to get down the weed hatch and remove the mornings rubbish from the prop, after that it was a steady run to Factory Junction where we turned right towards the Black Country Museum, the canal between this junction and the Museum is full of floating rubbish including a wardrobe although the water like most of the canals we've travelled today was crystal clear. 

.

 

Once at the Museum we found all the secure moorings full and didn't fancy what was left so winded (turned around) and headed back the way we came, there followed a quick discussion (team meeting) on our next move and decided to give this weekends Festival at Windmill End a miss which will allow us a slower journey to Stoke Bruerne for the Village at War weekend at the end of the month, so it was down Factory Locks and along the Birmingham Mainline.

 

Birmingham Main Line, wide and straight

 although not that deep surprisingly.

 

Leaving Coseley Tunnel.

 

We are now in Brum (Birmingham) for a couple of days, it's busier that I thought it would be in September, we're on half a mooring tied up with a stern and centre rope, there's a hire boat behind which will hopefully move in the morning so we can moor up properly.