Canal Tour '98 The "Grey Wagtail Experience"

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The Highlight of the Trip - for some!

The Black Country Museum to Farmer's Bridge Junction

Thu 27th

Having (again) forgotten to check the weed hatch the night before I had to spend the first bit of the day removing a delightfully squidgy mixture of plastic bags, weed and fishing line from around the gap between the propeller and the stern gland. Half an hour and much cursing later we were able to set off down the Old Main Line towards the city centre. At Oldbury Junction we turned right into the Titford Canal and up Oldbury Locks - what a gem this branch is! Although the majority of the canal was covered in pond weed (what I used to know as "Jenny Green Teeth" as a child) and there were almost problems with the depth of the pounds between the locks the canal was leafy, quiet (I don't think we saw another boat) and pleasant (it was also warm and sunny for the first time in a few days). We turned in the furthest of the Titford Pools and set off straight back again (lots more BCN to do!). We didn't try the Tat Bank Branch because it was supposed to be closed to navigation but I now understand that it can be navigated for part of its length.

Coming down the Oldbury Flight we heard from a passer-by that a boat was stuck fast on an underwater obstruction just to the east of Oldbury Junction on the Old Main Line. A couple of crew went off to investigate but by the time we got there with Grey Wagtail the boat had got free. We had the benefit of prior knowledge so didn't experience any problems as we made our way under the M5 to Spon Lane Junction.

Turning left into Spon Lane Locks the crew at the pointy end of the boat were shouting back that there was no water in the flight. As they are all wind-up merchants I didn't believe them until I could see the padlock on the top gate, well into a superbly executed turn - slight embarrassment on my part. Instead we headed towards Smethwick, still on the Old Line. The whole Spon Lane Flight was dewatered - presumably for maintenance but I don't really know as I've never seen or heard about their closure anywhere else.

By the time we reached the bottom of Smethwick Locks there was a communal gasping for a pint so we repaired in dribs and drabs to The New Navigation. As I had been driving I was last off the boat and met Ashley, Paul and Leanne on their way back to the boat saying something I didn't quite catch about the barmaid. The pub looked very shabby and run down but everyone else was in there so in through the door and check the pumps on the bar to decide what I wanted to drink. The pump at the far end didn't look too familiar - in fact it was in the shape of a pair of boobs, then it moved - it WAS a pair of boobs. Blimey - a topless barmaid.

...with the rest of the crew watching me intently I had the surreal experience of ordering an ordinary drink in an ordinary (but rather run down) pub in an ordinary way from a perfectly pleasant and efficient barmaid who just happened to have her bumpy bits on display - weird. As usual Terri was on a different planet to the rest of us who were highly amused that she managed to order her drink, pay for it and chat to the barmaid without noticing anything amiss. We didn't stay for more than the one drink - Brian had a second pint though but said he couldn't stay any longer because the pub was so grotty.

Refreshed(!!) we set off and had a great deal of trouble making the sharp right hand turn onto the New Main Line because of the wind but succeeded eventually and set off to Pudding Green Junction where we turned right onto the Wednesbury Old Canal and then, a few minutes later, right again onto the Rigdeacre Branch. Half way along we came to a complete stand with a lot of fuss from the back end of the boat but precious little progress. Fortunately there was no other traffic on the branch so we just let the boat drift whilst I removed a plastic sack, some rope, some ordinary plastic carrier bags, some bell wire and a bit of weed from around the propeller. Much better progress after that (but still slow as the branch is very shallow) and we made it to the smart new but shallow winding hold at the new end of the branch at Swan Village. We managed to wind the boat - almost getting the back end stuck a couple of times - and set off back again.

This time a short excursion up to Albion Junction and then back into the centre of Birmingham. We turned left at Farmer's Bridge Junction and moored up by the watering point opposite Cambrian Wharf. The rest of the crew went to the James Brindley whilst Brian and I watered the boat (is this the slowest tap on the system?), winded in Cambrian Wharf and then moved onto the 48hr visitor moorings a little closer to the Junction before (at last) going to join the others.

Tonight's yummy culinary extravaganza was provided by Ashley and Paul. As always I ate too much and had to go for my usual post prandial constitutional on the tow path before settling down for the night.

Although there were plenty of people about we were very impressed with the moorings and the new developments and felt quite safe (there were even security guards wandering around).

Several of us found the BCN really fascinating and enjoyed exploring the backwaters but they're not everybody's cup of tea - particularly as the best weather coincided with some of the more industrial branches.

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