Victor: Across the top

OFF the Digbeth Branch and on and up Farmer's Bridge Flight for the umpteenth time, but definitely with a difference, for after the first lock, every single one of the 13 had its bottom gate open for us!

This meant that even with two passing boats coming down—also obviously having the gates open for us—we easily made it under one and half hours.  Anyway let me introduce you to 10 months old Thomas's new Rhodesian Ridgeback, Rusty, on his maiden voyage, who didn't think very much of all that noise and the grass-less Birmingham. Those of you who met Red, his previous Ridgeback, alas his illness had the better of him.

The reason

The reason for the open gates?  The single hander who had obviously started very early had come down the entire flight leaving every bottom gate open, which would have not been very good for those following if we hadn't been going up closing them and filling the locks.  And there were a couple coming down after him.  I have always complained about people leaving gates open—but...

On the flight we saw our first volunteer, pictured above, of the cruise so far, who was very helpful though in a bit of a tizz with us going up and two coming down including a work boat, but he sorted them out satisfactorily.

Of course, when there is someone working the locks such as a volunteer, the paddles themselves are easier to operate, as those at Fradley suddenly improved when volunteers appeared!  It seems that locks where either lock keepers or volunteers are to work, are given a bit of tender maintenance.

A strange flight this, as all who have done it will know, with massive buildings built over it and side pounds underneath as well as dark and dismal tunnels, but it all adds to the rich tapestry of boating!

Sound signals again

We set off to come out of the top lock past the boats filling with water and nearly had a collision as one coming towards us suddenly turned left across our bow to the water point.  No signal no nothing. All it needed was two pips of his horn and then we would had known exactly what he was doing, but as I have already often stated very few of you seem know about horn signals.  I mentioned this to him but received a blank stare.  It seems we should have read his mind and moved out of his way.

Then to really emphasise the fact, the boater obviously selling brassware as his boat was crowded with the stuff, did use his horn with one blast, then immediately turned left down the Worcester & Birmingham.  Another who would certainty confuse those who do know about horn signals.

Wolverhampton Level

Though having done both the Main Line and Wolverhampton Level between Birmingham and Wolverhampton many times, we prefer the less boring Wolverhampton Level, plenty to see and experience and quite scenic in parts, though longer.  Snaking in and out and under the motorway is quite an experience and most of it has plenty of depth.

It seems that there is to be something of a problem by the Smethwick Locks, as a contributor we met there told us that three bridges, including a lift bridge, were to be built including a bridge over the pound between the two locks (pictured below), to accommodate more houses, but he intends to keep us informed.

Sainsbury's

There is the advantage of a very large Sainsbury's a couple of hundred yards from Whimsey Bridge at Oldbury, with mooring bollards both sides of the bridge on a very quiet stretch of waterway.  It was exactly two years ago that I told Thomas to put this Sainsbury's on his 'Supermarket' section, but I notice we are still waiting.  Come on lad, get your finger out, it is a very handy supermarket where there is a scarcity of such things.

There is also a scarcity of water points, for though a boater told us of one above Smethwick Locks, there was a building, but no access.  But there are two 48 hours moorings at Tipton Green on bollards. One is by a park and the other by a grassy bank. We first tried the park, but with youths drinking by the bridge and others gathering, we thought it wise to go on a little further to the grassy bank, that we have used twice now with no problems whatsoever.

Contributors and readers

During this cruise so far we have met more contributors and readers than ever before, but with an average this year of 11,700 hits a day, there are obviously the hell of a lot of you out there. Though the dastardly Thomas doesn't allow self-congratulations, I will tell you that all of you we have met over the years have congratulated us for 'telling it like it is', with many saying it is the only site worth reading to get the facts, though I realise this relates mostly to my column of course...

So it was onwards yet again, joining the Main Line just away from the moorings, (we passed over it on the 'Level' the previous day as pictured) with a somewhat better journey than last time as then dredging was taking place along the waterway with a couple of forced stops and some exceedingly filthy water. This time we reaped the benefit scuttling along at a decent pace without a wash.

The other difference was that yet more factories had been demolished and houses built in their place, which makes me wonder how the country still survives with most of its manufacturing output gone.

From the bottom of Farmer's Bridge Flight through Birmingham and on to Tipton Green only two boats passed us, those on the flight.

Wolverhampton 21

So once again to the dreaded '21' down from Wolverhampton to the Staffs & Worcs, the first time we had gone down, the other times locking up the flight.  Surprisingly for a summer Saturday not a single boat at the mooring at the top, either waiting to go down or having come up though it was by then mid-morning. Even more surprising we met not one moving boat over the six and a half hours cruise from Tipton Green right down to Autherley Junction, including the Wolverhampton 21, which let me tell you without a boat coming up to give us a full lock or two was a pain.

It certainly proves what others are telling, of the scarcity of moving boats, when we only meet two in two days, and in comparison with a normal working day the last time we did this stretch, clearly shows the downturn in boating. Nine miles and 21 locks from mid morning to the afternoon on a bright Saturday without a single moving boat is certainly not normal.

Something missing

The locks, though they have their paddles secured, are easy to operate being geared down (pictured) and the gates well balanced, but something was missing—not a single volunteer lock keeper in sight over the three hours we took to go down, and on a Saturday. Perhaps the Trust is aware there are no boats, and don't want someone hanging around all day with nothing to do...

Not only are the paddles easy to operate, but the locks fill and empty very quickly, with the gates fairly easy to swing, but we noticed that with the exception of Garrison, the locks around Birmingham are fairly well maintained, though painting seems to be a thing of the past.

Of course there is always the exception, which was Lock 7 on the '21', for as can be seen, it is in dire need of some TLC, especially as it rocked alarmingly before it even moved when pulled.

Moorhens

Just one incident on the flight near the bottom, when Jan espied three tiny moorhen chicks left in an empty lock, and unable to get out to a frantic mother.  So she filled the lock slowly using just one paddle and managed to rescue two and 'shoo' the other out to safety. Bringing the boat in would undoubtedly have been disastrous for them.

So onto the Staffs & Worcs yet again, and as we were passing Oxley Marine, we just had to call in and see another of our contributors, Orph Mable, who told us business had been fairly good over the winter and the work was still coming in. He mentioned he had a somewhat different article in the pipeline.

Don't forget, the office is still closed so emails cannot be attended to.

Victor Swift