Black Country Living Museum to Tipton.

We spent most of the day in the Black Country Living Museum. We enjoyed the fish & chips which are the best! Once we had seen everything we moved to behind the Neptune Health Park in Tipton.

Keith.

Hawne Basin to Black Country Museum

A pleasant cruise from Hawne Basin to the Black Country Museum.

Middle Factory lock.

Moored at the Black Country Museum.

The rather impressive new Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust visitor centre and Gongoozler restaurant.

Keith.

Halesowen

This morning Jo and I took a walk into Halesowen town centre.

It was very quiet being Easter Monday.

Keith.

Leasowes Park

This morning Jo and I took walk along the line of the derelict section of the Dudley No.2 Canal, now referred to as the Lapal Canal, and in the Leasowes alongside the restored but unconnected section.

Looking from the land bar across the abandoned but restored section of the canal towards what is Hawne Basin the other side of the road bridge and industrial estate.

The other direction towards Lapel tunnel.

Miniature railway alongside the canal towpath, which looks like it hasn’t seen use in many years.

One of the lakes in the Leasowes as seen from the towpath.

The end of the restored section of the canal within the Leasowes.

The next section of the canal is not filled in but overgrown and empty of water.

From this point the canal is filled in, and behind where I was standing to take the photo disappears between a housing estate and an industrial estate. This is as far as we walked. We returned to the Leasowes  and walked around the lake we saw from the towpath.

Keith

Birmingham City Centre to Hawne Basin Dudley No.2 Canal

Set off this morning to immediately suspect there was something on the prop, and there was, but soon got it cleared.

Inside Netherton Tunnel. Having passed through Netherton tunnel to Windmill End, we turned left onto the Dudley No.2 Canal, new waters for us as we have never done this section before.

We had to wait for 4 boats to exit Gosty Hill tunnel before we could go in. One of the boats was “Colehurst” with Brian and Brenda on-board, whom we know very well.

The northern portal of the very narrow and sometimes low Gosty Hill Tunnel.

Approaching the first low bit.

In the low section.

Entering the next bit which is higher.

Looking back at the first low bit.

The high bit.

The next low bit.

And exiting.

Now moored in Hawne Basin which is at the present terminus of the Dudley No.2 Canal. It is run by the Coombeswood Trust.

Keith.

Sheepcote Street Bridge to The Mailbox.

This morning we took a short cruise to the Soho Loop and Icknield Port Loop junction, winded there and headed back to the city centre.

Some work is being carried on both entrance bridges to the Soho Loop.

We pulled into Granville Street wharf for the sanitary station and then winded and moored up outside “The Mailbox” and “The Cube”.

Keith.

A Walk down the Farmers Bridge Locks and the Digbeth Branch

 

After lunch today Jo and I walked down the 13 Farmers Bridge locks. The one and only time I have travelled through these locks was in 1971 on ‘Pisces’. It has changed a bit since then! Well some of it has, and some of it hasn’t.

The rather impressive railway bridge taking the tracks over the canal.

Aston Junction, the Ashton top lock can bee seen under the wrought iron bridge, the Digbeth branch goes off to the right.

Ashted top lock on the Digbeth Branch.

Ashted tunnel north portal.

The Digbeth branch turns left here, with the Typhoo basins ahead.

The Digbeth branch  continues on to Bordesley junction with the Grand Union Canal.

Typhoo Basins.

Selfridges from behind Moor Street station.

Moor Street station from alongside Selfridges.

Keith.

Other side of Sheepcote Street Bridge.

This morning we moved Hadar to the other side of Sheepcote Street Bridge, opposite the Fiddle & Bone, having spent 2 days on the 2 day moorings. We are now on the 14 day moorings.

After lunch we took a walk around Cambrian Wharf.

The gardens behind the new library, and Broad Street.

Keith.