Farmers on the BCN?

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Monday, 04 January 2010

Not exactly - but there are some Farmer's Bridge Locks!

Being stuck in ice means we have to walk for our exercise - especially after the Christmas period when there are a few extra pounds around! The obvious choice for us from Cambrian Wharf is the Farmer's Bridge flight of locks, much tidied up in the latter years. It is a flight of 13 - so here we go!

Lock 1 (Top Lock) has one of those buildings in the "octagonal BCN corporate style": the Toll Office where working boats had to pay their dues as they entered the Brimingham and Fazeley Canal at the Top Lock

Looking down the flight towards Lock 2 you can see the good condition of the towpath - it was rather icy though. The BCN milepost is just out of the photo on the left.

The BT Tower dominates the whole flight as seen here from lock 4 and below Saturday Bridge at Lock 5

The modern Charlotte Street Footbridge is between Locks 6 and 7. Here, if you look hard, you can see the remains of the old working arms.

Before Lock 8, which is dominated by buildings one side and wasteland the other, is a towpath bridge over another reminder of the old system. We had to tread carefully due to the ice. However the "mad" cyclists seemed not to mind the ice, speeding along and over!

Lock 9 is under Newhall Bridge and the beginning of what feels rather like some of the "Rochdale Nine". The lights under the bridge were a contrast to the old brick.

Here "ancient and modern" engineering meet in a rather disparate fashion. Entering the cavern-like tunnel I wondered what was next! In days gone by, the flight had many canal related buildings that crowded in and even covered the canal, so this area is a reminder of how it must have been.

Lock 9 under the "ancient" (I do not mean John!)

The pound below Lock 9 and Lock 10 under the "modern"

Some interesting "modern" features to look at here! We wondered if the "caves" were suitable for overnight moorings - they are actually the entrances to side ponds! The yellow beams are used to lift out the lock gates for repair, we assume.

Leaving Lock 10 it is a dizzying experience to look up - I recommend staying well back from the canal to do so. The BT Tower and Brindley House rise to the blue sky and I was amused to see Brindley staring down on Lock 11 from the modern block.

Lock 11 clearly shows the side pond bywash alongside the lock - some of these bywashes are still evident down the flight and despite the ice there was quite a bit of water around.

Ludgate Hill Bridge (below Lock 11) has red fire doors, the keys are held by the Fire Brigade who use them to siphon up water to fight local fires. These doors are a common sight on BCN Bridges and seem a very sensible idea! Below the bridge there is a long pound between high buildings that leads to Lock 12.

There was a lot of ice at Lock 12, which is dominated by Livery Street Bridge and the high Snow Hill Rail Bridge. Beyond these bridges is the Bottom Lock, Lock 13.

Snow Hill Rail Bridge is huge and underneath is not only a very good echo but decorative gates and an unusual stairway up to Livery Street.

So we came to the Bottom Lock, probably the least attractive of the flight. There was lots of litter and signs of overnight sleepers around under Snow Hill Road bridge, below the lock. This used to be the story for the whole flight, but the improvement is very noticeable.

There is a large mural on one of the buildings reflected in the windows of the building opposite

Below the Bottom Lock the canal stretches away towards Aston Junction and the thick ice began again. We walked up the slope to the road to walk back on the back roads.