Curdworth to Birmingham NIA

 Today promised to be interesting as country gives way to the suburbs of Birmingham and Birmingham city centre. 27 locks as Birmingham is on the top of a hill. And some of the more more built up and industrial areas.

The Art Deco Cincinnati machine tool factory now lying derelict.

Passing under factory's near Erdington

However it was a nice morning as we passed the Art Deco Cincinnati machine tool factory outside Birmingham. Now sadly overgrown. Running parallel to the Tyburn Road the greenery soon gives way urban sprawl. Passing under a disused factory near Erdington. The bridge said Troutpool lane but any self respecting Trout would have gone years ago.

Then under spaghetti junction. The pictures say everything...

Electricity sub station. Gravelly Hill

Salford canal Junction Birmingham. Spaghetti Junction above.

Then at last the BT Telecom tower comes into view. We will pass almost underneath it. Then finally we commence the last flight of locks at Farmers Bridge up to the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham. A semi subterranean flight.

Subteranean locks under Snow Hill station

Weaving through the base of BT tower and other tall buildings on the Farmers Bridge flight.

Joanne working well on Farmers Bridge flight!

Top lock and NIA in background

The working boat Cassiopeia has been with us since Fazeley yesterday. The guy on the right of the lock above preparing the lock for Cassiopiea had an interesting story to tell. He was the last of a boating family going back to before records began. The boat had a particular connection with him as his father had worked it from 1942 until 1960. He himself had been born on a boat although not that one as it was undergoing maintenance at the time he was born and they had a temporary wooden boat built at Rickmansworth called "Bath" in late 1940s. He had worked these locks many times until he had to give up in 1971 due to the loss of trade from the waterways to road. His last workings had been on the Ashby canal down to London carrying coal. He had been separated from his family at a early age and was put in a hostel for boat children so they could get some schooling. Nevertheless he escaped at the age of 12 and joined his dad working Cassiopiea on the Grand Union canal. He remembered the canals around Birmingham as well as some of the last boat people to trade like "Caggy" Stephens who persisted with his horse drawn boat right up until the 70s working carrying refuse for Birmingham corporation. He also remembered the fleet of boats belonging to Birmingham corporation which were based at Camp Hill and also used for moving refuse. I wish i could have talked to him longer as he was very interesting. He is on his way to this weekends boaters gathering at Park head Dudley with Cassiopeia.

Cassiopeia





Working BoatCassiopeia

So 27 locks today and very urban but also very interesting. Tomorrow we have Netherton Tunnel and hopefully Merry Hill Waterfront as finishing place.