London Calling - Week 1

Week 1 - Diglis Basin to Hopwood, Birmingham

Thursday 6th June - Diglis Basin to Oddingley

Today we began our cruise from Worcester.  We set off at 10.45 and headed up the Worcester and Birmingham Canal towards Oddingley.





At Blockhouse Lock we came across a CRT employee fixing the paddle mechanism.  Dave is walking across the lock gate to open the other paddle, but the employee kindly closed the gate behind us.

As we were coming up the Offerton Locks, we met this single swan.  Despite trying very hard to put it off, she entered the lock ahead of nbElla and we had to fill the lock very slowly so as not to panic it.  Fortunately it stayed in front of the boat and was first out of the lock when I opened the gate.  It swam away completely unperturbed - Dave and I were more concerned than it was!!!

We were very fortunate with the weather on our first day of cruising.  Warm sunshine, a few scattered clouds and apart from one other boat we had the waterway to ourselves.

This is our mooring for the evening.  Oddingley Church is to the left of the photo and Toby and I walked up to the church whilst Dave set up the boat for the night.
Oddingley Church dates back to the 15C with the tower being added on in the 17C.








After a walk back to The Bridge Inn at Tibberton for a drink, we returned to the boat and spent our first evening aboard.

6.5 miles, 14 locks, 5 hours 6 minutes cruising time

Friday 7th June - Oddingley

Today we have woken to heavy rain and wind.  Not much fun for cruising, so we have decided to spend the day in the dry and warm.  Tomorrow we shall continue on our way to the bottom of the Tardebigge flight of locks, hopefully in better weather.  

Saturday 8th June - Oddingley to Stoke Pound

We set off in light rain with the promise that it would dry up by midday.  This is Dunhampstead Tunnel, 216m long with a clear view through to the other side.  

I'm afraid the wind and rain wrecked havoc on the plant pots, we stood them up at every opportunity, but they just went over again! 

We pulled over at Hanbury Wharf to fill up with diesel and water.  We had to breast up with a brand new boat out on it's maiden voyage.  Very nice too!

We got to Stoke Wharf and we met Sean, a volunteer lock keeper, who accompanied us up the Stoke Locks









Then we moored up at Stoke Pound just before the Tardebigge Locks which we shall work our way up tomorrow.

6.75 miles, 12 locks, 5 hrs.


Sunday 9th June - Stoke Pound to Hopwood

We made an early start this morning on the Tardebigge Locks.  Before we set out there was mayhem and madness because two hire boats moored overnight on the locklanding meant for dropping off crew going to work the locks, this meant that the boats setting out had nowhere to stop for their crew.  Eventually one of the boats moved and things began to settle down.

Lock 1 of 30 locks today.  Fortunately for us the weather was good, warm and sunny, and it made for a very enjoyable day of cruising.

In one of the pounds between the locks was this single duckling with no sign of any others ducklings or adults.  Do hope it isn't left on it's own!









We met Tom Houston on the flight.  Dave has been training to be a volunteer lock keeper and Tom met us to take Dave through the last test before he becomes a certified volunteer lockkeeper, we are pleased to announce that Dave passed the test and will receive his certificate when we get back to Worcester.  Well done Dave!!!

The Tardebigge Pump House was originally built between 1805 and 1825 as a pumping house to provide water for the Tardebigge Locks. A James Watt beam engine lifted water by 60 feet. The pump operated until the 1930s when the system fell into disrepair.  The building was converted to apartments around 2008.

St Bartholomew's Church on the hill overlooking the canal has a 135 ft high graceful and slender spire.

The top lock has a rise of 11 feet, unusually high for a single lock. This lock was built to replace an experimental vertical boat lift. The Tardebigge vertical lift was invented by John Woodhouse. Lifting was performed by two men using a windlass. The 64 ton wooden caisson was sealed at each end by guillotine gates, as was the lock chamber. It succeeded in lifting 110 boats in 12 hours but was considered too fragile for permanent use.  Consequently there was recourse to locks for the remainder of the canal and the lift was replaced in 1815. 

The first of two tunnels, Tardebigge Tunnel is 485 metres long and is wide enough for two boats to pass each other.  There is no towpath through the tunnel, it goes over the top and when the boats were horsedrawn, the horses walked over the top and the boatmen 'legged' the boat through the tunnel.

The second tunnel, Shortwood Tunnel, is 462 metres long and the other end is clearly visible as you enter the tunnel.

Our first heron taken at Alvechurch Marina, prior to this photo it had been diving into the canal for fish.

A new marina, Withybed Moorings opened in September 2018, just north of Alvechurch.  It is a small development with room for just 75 boats.

We continued cruising until we reached Hopwood where we moored up for the night.  It has been a long day, but very enjoyable, time for a well earned rest!

8 miles, 30 locks, 7 hours 6 minutes cruising time.