Dredger Epiphany on the way to Kings Norton

Thursday, 12 January 2012 19:54

We were off cruising again this morning - after the rain had eased a bit! We had an unusual lock to go through, a tunnel and a junction to negotiate before we were finished with the North Stratford Canal (SONAC). 

Shirley Drawbridge behind us as we left

We were now well into the outskirts of Birmingham - Solihull to be exact, but the houses that line the banks are interspersed with green areas .....

There were high-rise gardens, then high-rise houses as the canal burrows through cuttings and over embankments. We felt as if we were "burrowing" too as the bottom was definitely too near the top. Someone quoted £60,000/kilometer as the cost of dredging - we certainly earned that and above today! Soil from the banks and leaves from the trees have built up on the canal bottom and it is extremely shallow. At one point we could only make 1.9 mph and certainly rarely reached 3 mph.

Solihull and blue skies

We could have been on the Shropshire Union Canal at one point - a cutting with a brick bridge making us nostalgic for the "Shroppie".

School Road, Solihull crosses on Bridge 6

We pulled in for water above Bridge 5 - this regenerated area of the towpath is now rather shabby, but the cottage by the water points is being restored extensively. On our right there was an extensive golf course and at the long established Lyons Boat Yard notices warn of flying golf balls! 

The Alchester Road crosses at bridge 3. The Horseshoe pub sits above it with what looks like an old arm or wharf beside it. 

Horseshoe and Bridge 3

Once again the canal enters a cutting and approaches short Brandwood Tunnel. Once a very wooded area it is thought that many of the trees were burnt to make way for agriculture in the early Middle Ages - possibly illegally, as large fines could be imposed on anyone burning another's trees. The word "brende" in Old English means burnt and maybe gave the name to the area.

The portals of the tunnel are Grade ll listed, but one is in a better state than the other.

Brandwood Tunnel

Eastern portal - needs some TLC

The signs say it takes 12 minutes to go through, but we took about 4 minutes at 3mph. 

Shakespeare is at the other end!

Swing Bridge 2 no longer exists and the area has a really desolate feel, but up ahead is some heritage that has been preserved, albeit with graffiti all over it. 

Remains of Swing Bridge 2

The Grade ll listed Stop Lock 1 on the Stratford Canal has guillotine gates either end. It was built to jealously guard the waters of the Stratford Canal from the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

Entering the Stop Lock

SONAC was usually about 6 inches higher. Once a toll house stood here where tolls were collected from boaters passing from one canal to the other. The existing gates are probably C19th and since nationalisation in 1948 they have been left open. Mind you, either the cill is particularly high or the silt (or something) made the north end VERY shallow: we almost didn't get through.

Lifford Lane Bridge 1 now crosses the lock

Another few minutes and we were at Kings Norton Junction

Now I think you might be able to guess which way we turned, but as there was more of interest to come it will wait for another blog!

North Stratford Canal, Shirley Drawbridge to Kings Norton Junction
2 hours 5 minutes, 4,26 miles, 1 lock