More Locks and another Junction, of sorts

Sunday, 12 September 2010 08:00

Leaving Curdworth, we cruise nearer to Birmingham City Centre

We were looking out for narrowboat moorings but had more or less decided to continue onto Cuckoo Wharf, so that we would not have so far to go to the large number of locks into the City Centre. These are offside moorings above Wiggins Hill Bridge - what unusual bollards.

Moorings with unusual bollards

We could see a familiar skyline ahead on the horizon, but were still in the countryside until Minworth when the outskirts of Birmingham began to encroach on the canal.

Birmingham on the horizon

Beyond the large A38 bridge (I wondered how many times we had driven over here and not noticed the canal below), we saw some potential trouble. A blue jersey and a red life jacket rather gave the game away and as we drew nearer we could see a sunken boat in the canal. The BW guy on the bank came to warn us and to say that they were cutting down some of the offside trees so that boats could pass the obstruction more easily - thoughtful!

Sunken boat by Forge Lane Rail Bridge

The three Minworth Locks are spaced out over about a mile and industry and the A38 compete for the eye and ears! Minworth Top Lock has a Lock Keeper's cottage, number 251. All the Lock cottages on the BCN are numbered but some have now been demolished, so it is no good collecting consecutive numbers!

Above Minworth Top Lock

A couple of miles ahead was a very unusual feature - a factory built over the canal. This tunnel at Erdington was definitley not the one in Monaco (a sneaky Formula 1 reference there!)

Erdington Hall Bridge and factory beyond

Under the factory

There were no narrowboats to overtake us though; Petroc was still well behind us!

The Nechells area of Birmingham was once the site of the old Nechells Power Station. As the M6 begins its run to Spaghetti Junction along side the canal, all that remains of this once huge Power Station is this.

Pylons and sub station

The M6 stays with the canal on the approach to Salford Junction.

Salford Junction

Here the Birmingham and Warwick Canal (now more commonly known as the beginning of the Grand Union Canal) leaves the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

Birmingham and Warwick Canal towards Bordesley Junction

Almost immediately, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal takes a sharp left turn, whilst straight ahead is the beginning of the Tame Valley Canal towards Perry Bar Locks and Tipton.

Tame Valley Canal ahead

The four way signpost says it all!

Hidden away under this hideous motorway structure is a gem - the aqueduct carrying the Lichfield Road. We nearly missed it as we crossed the Birmingham and Fazeley aqueduct. We had also spotted Star City on the other side. Star City now stands alongside the Birmingham and Warwick Canal on the site of the Nechells Power Station.

Lichfield Road aqueduct

Cuckoo Wharf is the last recommended mooring before the ascent up the Aston and Farmers Bridge Flights into the City Centre and the Birmingham Main Line. The signage here is very confusing and only because of John's previous research did we know that we could moor here overnight.

Can you work this out?

We moored up and waited for Petroc to arrive. We then did a "boat shuffle" to allow them to moor on the inside so Barney could get off more easily for his "necessaries"!

Moored pre-Petroc

So, 11 Aston Locks and 13 Farmers Bridge Locks tomorrow and then we will be back in a very familiar place. However there will be no snow and ice now - just rain!

Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, Drayton Brick Bridge to Cuckoo Wharf,

5 hours 41 minutes, 10.60 miles, 14 locks