Set off at 0900 following "Don" an old wooden working boat housing two children and two couples. Didnt get far as "Don" got stuck in Awbridge lock as its timbers had swelled making it too tight a fit. After much pushing and shoving and flushing water down from the canal above the lock managed to reverse it out. They were heading for the Shropshire Union canal to find a mooring for their boat.
Passed a friendly fisherman, quite rare on the canals, who thanked us for going slow past him. I said "I'm never sure if going slow makes much difference to you guys" "Oh yes" he said "You cant go wrong if you go slow and stick to the middle of the channel" "Ok thats what I will do from now on-stick to the middle of the chanel and go very slow when i see a fisherman" I said. We passed another fisherman half a mile on and followed our previous resolve; he shouted "Why dont you go a faster to wake the fish up and come over to the side of the channel"
Very cold with snow flurries. Towards Wolverhampton the snow was coming down quite hard. When the sun does appear though its quite warm. Three jumpers and a coat a odd pair of gloves and woolly hat. A lot of snow lying by the side of the canal in places.
"Wheres Agenoria?" shouted a man near Dimingsdale lock, a reference to the diminutive sister locomotive of the original Stourbridge Lion now residing in York Museum. "In the lock behind" I said. It always makes my heart soar when people recognise and show their knowledge of our amazing Industrial history. Several people on previous trips had commented on the name Stourbridge Lion and this trip was to be no different.
We turned sharp left onto the Shropshire Union canal at Autherley Junction just north of Wolverhampton. First time for us or the Stourbridge Lion on this section. The Shropshire Union was built by Telford in the early days of the railways as a competitive canal alternative to the new fangled Grand Junction Railway. Keeping a straight course and going over high embankments and through deep, eerie, cuttings the canal was designed to get goods to Liverpool from the West Midlands in the same time that the railways were then taking.
"Silent Knight" was gradually catching up with us on the long straight stretches. I slowed to let them pass. Joanne would have said "make 'em wait"
Good views from the high embankments over the surrounding countryside but a long day made longer by the need to slow down by the seemingly endless lines of moored boats.
Through the tunnel at Cowley hewn out of the rock into Gnosal (Pronounced No-Sull).
Made Gnosall Heath at about 1715. We were going to have baked beans but went to The Boat for Steak and Chips and chicken and mash plus 3 pints of banks ale and 3 baccardi and coke.
Improved Alternator fitted last year seems to be keeping batteries up well. The cold weather means we have our cabin fire on constantly.
8 locks and 17 miles
Passed a friendly fisherman, quite rare on the canals, who thanked us for going slow past him. I said "I'm never sure if going slow makes much difference to you guys" "Oh yes" he said "You cant go wrong if you go slow and stick to the middle of the channel" "Ok thats what I will do from now on-stick to the middle of the chanel and go very slow when i see a fisherman" I said. We passed another fisherman half a mile on and followed our previous resolve; he shouted "Why dont you go a faster to wake the fish up and come over to the side of the channel"
Very cold with snow flurries. Towards Wolverhampton the snow was coming down quite hard. When the sun does appear though its quite warm. Three jumpers and a coat a odd pair of gloves and woolly hat. A lot of snow lying by the side of the canal in places.
"Wheres Agenoria?" shouted a man near Dimingsdale lock, a reference to the diminutive sister locomotive of the original Stourbridge Lion now residing in York Museum. "In the lock behind" I said. It always makes my heart soar when people recognise and show their knowledge of our amazing Industrial history. Several people on previous trips had commented on the name Stourbridge Lion and this trip was to be no different.
We turned sharp left onto the Shropshire Union canal at Autherley Junction just north of Wolverhampton. First time for us or the Stourbridge Lion on this section. The Shropshire Union was built by Telford in the early days of the railways as a competitive canal alternative to the new fangled Grand Junction Railway. Keeping a straight course and going over high embankments and through deep, eerie, cuttings the canal was designed to get goods to Liverpool from the West Midlands in the same time that the railways were then taking.
"Silent Knight" was gradually catching up with us on the long straight stretches. I slowed to let them pass. Joanne would have said "make 'em wait"
Good views from the high embankments over the surrounding countryside but a long day made longer by the need to slow down by the seemingly endless lines of moored boats.
Through the tunnel at Cowley hewn out of the rock into Gnosal (Pronounced No-Sull).
Made Gnosall Heath at about 1715. We were going to have baked beans but went to The Boat for Steak and Chips and chicken and mash plus 3 pints of banks ale and 3 baccardi and coke.
Improved Alternator fitted last year seems to be keeping batteries up well. The cold weather means we have our cabin fire on constantly.
8 locks and 17 miles
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