Oldies On Tour

Thursday 3^rd November 2016

We woke up to a bright sunny morning, albeit very chilly so now its time to head up the Shropshire Canal, find a suitable marina, get Foggy serviced, secure her, clean her then pack up and leave.  Dave and Leisha will then collect Foggy’s Notion after their return from Spain later in November.

After an early breakfast we set off, heading up the “Birmingham Level, Main Line Canal” this is quite a canal, the widest we had been on, the straightest we had been on, the most weed free we had been on and strangest of all, the loneliest we had been on.  This canal was presumably the main “highway” heading north/south in and out of Birmingham.   There were a number of smaller canal junctions heading off in various directions from this mainline, no doubt in their heyday these canals went into factory wharfs collecting and delivering goods.  The other strange sight we thought was though this is a very wide canal, every mile or so the canal narrowed to just the width of a narrow boat.  Presumably the canal operators of long ago were scared somebody would use a wide beam boats rather than two narrow boats and therefore half their dues!!!

We left the Gas Street Basin and luckily today we only had 3 locks to do, these locks were a flight just before we arrived at the junction of the Dudley canal running through Tipton, so an easy day at last!!!

We turned off the Birmingham Level canal at the junction and headed into Tipton, as we wanted to visit the Black Country Museum.   However, we were getting a little nervous as we were cruising towards the Museum because there is a rather long tunnel ahead and we didn’t want to go through it, so at the first turning opportunity we came to we turned and moored.  This turned out to be a very pleasant mooring next to a park where there were mooring rings; excellent.

We had a quick lunch, then we were off to the museum, about 1½ mile further along the canal, but we walked along the roads as they went straight.

When we arrived we were shocked how many coaches there were in the car park, we thought the museum would have been very quiet at this time of the year, obviously not!!!

The Black Country Living Museum is an open-air museum of rebuilt historic buildings in Dudley (West Midlands).  It is located in the centre of the Black Country, 10 miles from Birmingham. The museum boarders the Dudley Canal and it occupies 26 acres of former industrial land, partly reclaimed from a former railway goods yard, disused lime kilns and former coal pits.   The Museum opened to the public in 1978, and has since added numerous period shops, houses and other industrial buildings from around the local area, these buildings were relocated to the Museum from their original sites, and demonstrators portray industrial life spanning over 200 years of history.

Apart from the houses and shops etc., they had a car and motorbike museum with some interesting models not normally seen in National Museums, all manufactured in the West Midlands.  The most interesting car to me was a “Clyno”, I remember my Mother telling me about their Clyno and how reliable it was and in her opinion they went out of business because they were so reliable, not true; they got into a price war with Morris and lost out!!!  They also had a trolley bus service running around the site; funnily we were only talking about bringing Trolley Buses back earlier in the week, maybe they will be back, surely they are greener than normal buses, after all they have re-introduced trams again!!  Whilst we in the Museum we visited their cinema and watched a silent Charlie Chaplin film, I suppose in those early days this would have been entertaining but now, I’m not so sure.  There was also a “Spit and Sawdust” pub where we managed to find time to have a pint!!

We had a quick look around most things to get a feel of the museum knowing that our ticket will last for a year; so perhaps we can re-visit sometime in the future.

We walked back to the boat, locked out the cold weather and enjoyed our dinner followed by TV, yes we had good TV tonight so watched the Apprentice and what turned out to be a very controversial “Question Time”

Wednesday 2nd November 2016

We didn’t get up very early, but oh boy it’s turning cold. We wrapped

up warm, and decided to go out for cooked breakfast, we wondered around the Basin, and finally decided on a pub The Brasshouse, and what a good choice, good service and excellent food.

Totally satisfied, we then decided to look at computers, I want something, I can keep my photos on, plus doing this website on, trying to get all my photos on one computer, instead of three different ones, and Geoff said he would buy me something for my birthday.

We wandered around Birmingham, passing Museum, St.Martins in the Bull Ring, The Bull Ring, and the amazing New street Train station, the frontage was like mirrors, where the reflections of everything that was going on, was on the screen, not sure how it worked, but we could see ourselves, and the trains etc., etc.,fascinating.

We found PC world, and spent sometime looking at what I should get, then we went for a coffee, to think what I wanted, having made the decision, we went back and bought everything, now we have to go and see Martin for him to sort me out. I want to somehow put all my old photos from years back on, we have boxes and boxes in store, especially of Andrew as a baby, then throw the boxes away, have to be ruthless at some stage.

Later we needed Halfords, which was about forty minutes walk, passed Birmingham University and the bus depot, hen into back streets thank goodness for gps on our phones. We can now polish the boat, and hopefully give it a bit of a shine, I started on the brass, and that looks great, but will do it again, before we leave.

Back to the boat, a quick cuppa, then off again to buy some groceries, ready for the off tomorrow. On way back we stopped at a little pub on the canal where Geoff sampled the beer again, it was lovely and warm in there.

Back on board, I prepared dinner, and we had just started eating, when Sharon and Richard turned up, after some persuading they came in and had a glass of red wine, they are off to a show tonight. They did the Hatton locks again today, they met someone else, just as they entered first lock so went down with them, that’s the best way to do them. Nice couple shame we are going in different directions.

After they left, we tidied up, and I had an early night, I am shattered.

Tuesday 1st November

s The weather has been amazing up to today, the canal is very shallow, and we have been stuck a couple of times, but managed to stop for water on route.
First thing today we had to open a road bridge, which was great fun, stopping the traffic whilst the nachine lifted the bridge for ageoff to go through, bet at 8.55am a few drivers cursed us.
Today was lock free, accept one at the end of Stratford Canal, which is no longer working, an old fashioned guillotine type, we crawled through the narrow gate, and then had to take a sharp right turn onto the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, passed the Bourneville factory.

As we were driving along, we heard this strange noise, I looked behind and saw something disappearing into the water, which was bright orange, we pulled up, and Geoff used the boat hook to see if he could find anything, but No nothing there, so we started again, and I saw it again, so I took the tiller, and Geoff tried to lasso the thing, which he did, very impressed, we pulled up again, and found we had picked up a plastic temporary barrier, it was about four feet long and three foot high, so glad we managed to free it, we left it on the side of the canal, just hoping it doesn’t get thrown in again!

The Worcester and Birmingham canal was very muddy and shallow, and the leaves were causing us problems, we had to stop every now and then, and go in reverse just to free prop from the leaves, through another tunnel as we approached Birmingham things improved, and we arrived at lunch time, cold and hungry.

We popped out to get fresh rolls, soup and milk, and had a lovely warm lunch, back on board.

Looking forward to exploring tomorrow, at present it has turned very cold, and we are now making plans to find a Marina and leave the boat.

Monday 31st October 2016

I was awake quite early, so I got up and made the tea, and enjoyed drinking it in bed. We both got up, and moved the boat 100yards to take on water, whilst we were having breakfast. A lady had beaten us too it, but not for long, so we filled up, before we started the epic trip of the Lapworth flight of locks (22) We are now on the Stratford on Avon Canal, which have the single locks, which means an easier ride.

We turned into the canal, and met up with Sharon and Richard again, thy were preparing to go the opposite way to us, so we faced the first locks, and we were very quickly on our way. We had a new system, I opened the locks, Geoff drove in, we both closed the gates, and opened the sluices, I walked onto the next lock whilst Geoff finished the lock he was in, it certainly speeded up the journey. When we came to lock 17 we met a guy who had blocked the exit under a bridge, on a bend, very difficult, we were coming out of 16, but had nowhere to go, the waterways guys were behind this guy, who had two boats to do, glad we were not following him. The men from the waterways helped us get through, and they then waited for this guy to clear a couple of locks.

It took us three hours to do all the locks, which wasn’t bad, glad we are not on the Grand Union. Richard told us to go this way, and we are so pleased we took his advise, it is very pretty, with the Autumn colours.

We stopped at a pub which specialised in cider and local beers. The pub was a bit grotty, but the food was very good, I had fish pie and Geoff had faggots, very good.

We moved on to find a mooring for the night, opposite some nice houses, no pub tonight.

Sunday 30th October 2016

Up early with the clocks going back, so instead of tea in bed, we quickly filled with water, had breakfast, and then had a pump out before we started the Hatton Flight with 22 locks.

As we left the marina we saw another boat ahead of us, so hoped we could catch them up, but as we approached the first lock a man called us in, when he opened the lock gates, no boat was in there, I went and thanked him, he then told me he had waited for us, and his boat was moored at the next lock, my wish had come true, help on the flight.

We introduced ourselves, then Richard suggested we tied the boat together, Sharon and I opened the locks, and the

boys steered the boat, Richard left Geoff to steer the boat, and walked on to the next lock, so we were on a roll, we all swopped jobs, and it worked so well, we managed to do all 22 locks in under three hours, amazing, and made it look so easy.

When we arrived at the top lock, we stopped at the cafe, and had bacon and egg sandwiches, we deserved them, and they were very tasty. Sharon and Richard were waiting for friends to arrive so we left them at cafe. Hopefully we will meet up again one day.

We travelled onto Kingswood, through a tunnel, but no more locks, we then stopped, we enjoyed hot showers, after doing a couple of little repairs, and a clean up, we walked to the local pub, and had a couple of beers, before cooking dinner and settling down to watch F1, strictly and Poldark. A good day was had by all.

Saturday 29^th October 2016

Yesterday we decided we would visit Stratford Upon Avon but before we left we had to go the Canal Trust Shop as we had paid for Wi Fi but it failed, and as we didn’t have TV, we needed Wi Fi to be able to get Strictly come Dancing on our computer as well as Qualifying for the Mexican Grand Prix.  Eventually we were all sorted, Wi Fi working and we were off.

Google Maps gave us the route to the station but it was quite a tortious route so asked someone who directed us down a leafy lane, across a park, through a pedestrian tunnel under the railway and we arrived around 1100hrs.  Obviously Google Maps didn’t have the paths we used in its database!!!!  We bought our tickets and had to wait ‘till 1135hrs for the train.  We were sitting in the waiting room doing “our thing” when a train pulled in to the station which didn’t register with us until we suddenly realised it was our train; we ran like stink to catch it, especially as this train service only runs every 2 hours.

Thirty minutes later we pulled into Stratford Station, alighted and wandered down into the town.  It’s been many years since we both had been to Stratford so it was like a journey of discovery and where better to start this journey from, why “Patisserie Valerie” (the coffee shop) of course.  Fortified, we headed up and down most streets, admiring many of the Elizabethan Buildings including Shakespeare’s home and down to the Avon, past the canal basin (of course) along to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and then returned back into hubbub of the main streets.

We didn’t attempt to visit Ann Hathaway’s cottage as it was out of town and time was a little on the short side.

We decided we fancied fish and chips for lunch so looked at a fish and chip shop but it didn’t really appeal, besides it didn’t serve alcohol, so we continued, looking for a pub.  The first pub we went into had no tables, the second pub was small, dingy and full as well then we came across the Garrick Inn, the oldest pub in Stratford Upon Avon (allegedly), went in, greeted an shown to a table, the only one they had, the pub was heaving.  This table was in a corridor, very small, minimal space and hemmed in but fortunately, just as we sat down the people behind us left so we moved onto their table.  This table was better but still tucked away a bit but luck came our way again and another table became vacant, this one was much better and we settled down.

We chose a sharing starter and then fish and chips and waited whilst enjoying a drink.  The starter arrived and we ate it but I certainly wouldn’t recommend this sharing platter to anyone, I suspect everything on the platter came frozen from Iceland, certainly not what we expected, still we had the fish and chips to look forward to.  When they arrived, the first thing Christine said was “look at all that batter” I stuck my fork into mine and couldn’t find any fish and when I did find the fish it was as dry as a bone, Christine’s was much the same.  We complained to the waitress and she just laughed. We asked for the bill and when I went to the till to pay I complained again and this person just shrugged her shoulders; by this time I was fuming and there was no management to be found so the sensible thing to do was leave and take it up later.  We have never had such bad fish and chips, sorry batter and chips.

We decided to mosey up towards the station as our train was 1641 and if we missed it we would have to wait 2 hours but with plenty didn’t rush and ambled around a fund raising, or as Christine put it, a flea market.  Just leaving the towns square there was a very old looking, thatched roof, timbered, Elizabeth pub, “The Old Thatched Tavern” so had a pint then onto the station.

The ticket office told us the train would go from Platform 2, so over the bridge we went to wait.  After about 10 minutes it dawned on us that the trains arriving on the platform 2 were travelling in the wrong direction so rather than ask the ticket office again we tried the automatic enquiry system.  We pressed the bell, a voice come on and asked us what we needed to know and then told us the train went from Platforem1.  Back over the bridge again and an empty train arrived which turned out to be our train, apparently this train just runs between Stratford and Leamington, Warwick being in the middle, still it was our train but it didn’t leave for about 20 minutes!!!  It’s a good job we didn’t stay on the other platform, thank you ticket office man for your dis-information.

We were back at Warwick station ¾ of an hour later with enough time to get to the boat before it was dark and more importantly for Christine, in time for Strictly Come Dancing.

Tomorrow we are off early after filling up the fresh water tank and emptying the black water tank, then we will be ready for the next stage in our Canal Journey.