"Up the Junction"

Wednesday, 17 March 2010 18:57

Or rather - jobs at the Junction

We spent most of the morning at Norbury Junction - at the Wharf.

Simon Jenkins, the owner of Norbury Wharf Ltd, had kindly agreed to his staff doing two or three jobs on Epiphany before we moved on northwards towards the locks at Tyrley. Every time we pass through Norbury Junction something new is happening! It is a busy place with boats, walkers and gongoozlers!

The towpath in the old Shrewsbury and Newport Canal arm is being resurfaced.

Old arm and dry dock towpath repairs

The Wharf is a busy place and the narrowboats lined up against the wharf make an attractive sight. Norbury Wharf hire boats, share boats and private boats are moored stern on. (At least one familiar name is present in the line up!)

Narrowboats at Norbury Wharf

I used the excellent book swap (again) in the BW sani-station building. There are loos and showers in here too.

BW building

I wandered back and took some more shots of the Junction and basin from Norbury Bridge (38)

Wharf and Junction from bridge

Whilst moored against the Wharf, I watched a craning-in of a narrowboat. It brought back memories of our two craning occasions - onto the flat bed lorry at Colecraft and off again at Bath Narrowboats' workshop at Sells Green. The second occasion was launch day - our hearts were really in our mouths as we watched these cranings at Sells Green and then later at Bradford on Avon Marina.

I had sympathy for the owner of this narrowboat as he left his "pride and joy" in the hands of the very competent crane driver and Norbury Wharf staff supervised by David the Boatyard Manager.

Narrowboat in air above painting dock

By early afternoon the engineer had finished the jobs. We now have a new starter battery, he solved the problem of the stern doors sticking and reattached our port fairlead on the hand rail. These fairleads take quite a load when we use the mid rope and it is important that they are secure.

I thought this was a rather effective photo!

Our post had arrived, so by around 2pm we set off, passing under Norbury Bridge and past the permanent moorings beyond it.

Above - looking back at a Cornish name, a boat with a Cornish flag and Narrowboat Starcross (third boat away).

We finally moored for the night at the beginning of Shebdon Embankment - a drink at the Wharf Inn below will be very welcome!

Shropshire Union Canal, Norbury Junction to Shebdon Embankment

1 hour 27 minutes, 3.4 miles, 0 locks