Saturday 19th Feb and we're ready to up-sticks and leave the retail therapy behind ...
everyone (L-R Lesley and Joe, Jill, Geoff, Graham and my George) gathers to say cheerio and promised to stay in touch 'till we meet again!
Mags and Geoff look very happy as they set off first ...
... and we're not far behind; fellow boat blogers Caxton and Contented Souls wave us off ...
Heading towards the rather futuristic buildings at Greens Bridge
The Pump House at Blowers Green is the first port of call for water and catch up with Seyella. It's here that we leave Dudley No 1 Canal and join Dudley Canal No 2.
Pretty Lock buildings at Park Head Junction - the building on the left is probably storage, the small building beyond the green gates would have been the toll house and then the lock cottage - an interesting group. Beyond the 3 locks is the southern entrance to the Dudley Tunnel.
That church tower again - Wordsley or Netherton?
the weeds are intrusive here
straight on past Blackbrook Junction Bridge ...
... and under Highbridge Road Bridge originally built in 1858
the ski jump of Dudley Waterski club on the reservoir below Netherton Hill seems to have 'slipped' a bit!
A wide expanse of winding hole as we approach Primrose Basin - an interesting diversion on the right ...
... a small gated marina - the lady in that first boat waved, she seemed pleased to see us - not sure that I would want to live behind those locked gates though.
through Bumble Hole Bridge made by Toll End Works, Tipton ...
... approaching Windmilll End Junction ...
... passing Boshboil Arm Bridge ...
... we continue through Windmill End Bridge ...
... and Cobb's Engine Bridge ...
... into Netherton Tunnel's North Entrance
... in we go ... only another 3027 yards to go ...
... followed by Seyella ...
... nearly at the end now, we can see Tividale Aquaduct which carries Brindley's Old Main Line of 1769 over the Netherton Tunnel Branch
Seyella is now in sight nearing the end of the tunnel ...
... and negotiates the narrow aqueduct arch.
we turn sharp left at Dudley Port Junction where a 'Virgin' train passes in front of us!
To the right the Birmingham Level Main Line leads to Stourbridge but we are heading to Factory Junction
Seyella turns behind us
I wonder why 'Puppy Green'?
I spy 'that' church tower again as we pass under Watery Lane Bridge
We were making good time as we reached Factory Locks which have just the one gate at each end of the lock chambers
Waterfall overflows here like the ones we saw at Delph Locks on Thursday
ooh look, there it is again!
Mags bringing Seyella up the top lock.
Whilst I was coming through this lock the gears cut out and the alarms started, I switched the engine off quickly, something was caught in the propeller preventing it from turning. Geoff suggested that I wait above the gate while he opened the top sluices to bring Seyella up the lock - the force of water may dislodge whatever is caught. A good idea - we watched a plastic bucket come out from under but couldn't grab it before it floated into the side chamber and disappeared.
Cruising through Tipton Green
lovely!
The right turn here will bring us to the Black Country Museum ...
... they look like good moorings on the left there.
... but we were advised to keep turning left for the best moorings so George pointed RnR's bow under here ...
... not a good idea at all ...
... they're the exhibits of the museum ...
... so we turned and moored up on the visitor rings we saw on the way in.
Looking towards the Northern Entrance to the Dudley Tunnel with the tunnel trip boats moored on the left there.
Today's cruising took us 4 and a half hours and although we had not seen a lot of the sun the weather had stayed dry. It has been an interesting journey following the different levels and turns of Birmingham's canals and we were all pleasantly tired when we arrived here at the Black Country Museum which we'll visit on the morrow!
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