Awoke to a cold wet day
It stayed that way
So in the boat we sat,
And chewed the fat,
Read and fed and
Then went to bed
Wednesday 12 June 2019 Day 47
With the forecast looking crap again for later in the day we set off at 7.50am for the Bratch Locks just around the corner.
A.B. hovering while
Mike reads the instructions re how to operate these locks
The top lock is nearly full
Lowering the canal by over 30 feet, the three locks, despite initial impressions are not a staircase. They are, in fact, three quite separate and ordinary locks telescoped together, making it impossible to pass oncoming boats once you have begun to move down or up the flight.
With an impossibly short pound between the bottom of one lock and the top of the next, the secret of their operation is the side ponds hidden behind the towpath hedge, and the culverts that connect these to the intermediate pounds. (seen in the pic below, just above the steps)
The blue paddles on the middle lock had to be opened before we could drain the top lock
Seen peeking through the tree is this very ornate 1895 pumping station which pumped water from the vast underground lake that stretches from Wombourne to Kidderminster. Coal came in by narrowboat to fuel a pair of triple-expansion vertical steam engines provided by Thornewill & Warham of Burton-on-Trent. The engines, affectionately referred to as Victoria and Alexandra, fell out of use in 1960 but the former has been fully restored and the works is occasionally opened to an admiring public.
Looking from the top of the locks looking East
Standing guard
The delightfully named Bumble Hole Lock
The unusual weir at Bumble Hole Lock
Adolescent ducklings who only grudgingly moved as we pulled alongside
And as soon as we moved on, returned to their huddle
At bridge 43 on the outskirts of Wombourne we stopped to shop and a very conventiently placed Sainsbury's Supermarket. Leaving L to have some me time, the rest of us toddled off to stock up on goodies for the larder and fridge.
Having staggered back to the boat laden with two heavy bags of shopping each. Tim and Mike sorted and stowed the shopping as L and I got ready to get underway.
Having worked through the Botterham 2 Staircase we had a brief respite from the urban sprawl
Before hitting suburbia again at Marsh and Swindon Locks.
Rectangular weir at Swindon Lock
After helping a single hander down through the lock, Tim who has now been joined my Mike helps a boat come up through the lock (and then it will be our turn to go down). All that foam looks like some sort of soap pollution.
Circular weir at the isolated Hinksford Lock
Approaching Hinksford Lock
Hinksford pumping station
Approaching Greensforge and the water point (once we get past all the permanent moorings!)
The first of the outcrops of sandstone that mark this canal
At the end of the permanent moorings we found the water point and stopped for a will and a rubbish disposal. Only half and hour to fill - must be one of the quickest.
The rain forecasted to start at 2.00pm not having appeared, plus a boat coming up in the lock decided us to pass on having lunch at the water point and instead continue on down through Greensforge Lock.
We moored up just after the bottom of the lock a little before 3.00pm for a late lunch of fresh rolls, fantastic French Camembert Cheese, tomatoes and home made Chilli Jam. 40 minutes later, having been told by a passing boater that a huge storm was now due at 5.00pm, we set off again, only to stop 10mins later when we found this mooring overlooking Smestow Brook through whose valley the canal is currently running.
By 4.00pm we had Aqua Beatha snuggly moored, ready for storm!
Well, the fierce thunderstorms and rain that was meant to hit at 5.00pm didn't show up either. We've had heavydrizzle/light rain from about 7.30pm. Instead tomorrow is now forecast to be crap again. :(
Tim cheered us up with a delicious Rissotto a la Timothy. Just the thing for a cold wet night.
4 miles. 10 locks, 8 hours
No comments:
Post a Comment