Date: Wed, 30 May 2001 21:13:22 +0100 From: Terry Streeter Reply-To: Canals To: Canals Subject: Pratting about on the BCN (Trip report - longish) [ The following text is in the "iso-8859-1" character set. ] [ Your display is set for the "US-ASCII" character set. ] [ Some characters may be displayed incorrectly. ] Boat: NB Intrepid Master: Terry Streeter (0% NB Intrepid) Crew: Nigel Childs (0% NB Intrepid) Philip Denby (8.33% NB Otter) Day 0: Friday May 25th, 2001 Weather: Fine Arrive at boatyard at approx. 18:30, and attend to the usual opening tasks on the boat. The boiler is usually a complete pig to get lit, but on this occasion, it caught first time. This is a very worrying sign. Meet Philip in the boatyard at 19:15, and after loading his kit onto Intrepid, we descend on the local Kwik-save for essentials. Drive to Worcester to meet the 20:23 train at Shrub Hill station. Find Foregate station easily (and frequently), but signs for Shrub Hill are few and far between. The train eventually arrives at 20:35, 2 minutes after us. With Nigel safely in the car, the company is now complete, and after returning to the boatyard, we rapidly repair to the Angel for much needed lubrication. 22:45, depart Angel for Severn Tandoori. Back to boat by 00:00, and in bed by 01:00. Miles: 0 Locks: 0 Hours: 0 Day 1: Saturday May 26th, 2001 Weather: Initially fine, scattered clouds later. We slip our moorings at 07:00, negotiate the boatyard and arrive at York Street lock, only to find the access point for the lock is closed. After a degree of faffing about, the locking crew are deposited on the bank, and the lock is eventually negotiated. A steady run up to Kidderminster, aided by mugs of tea, and bacon sarnies by Falling Sands lock. We had a certain amount of trouble with the charging system not wanting to cut in. Decided eventually that we need to really welly the engine before it would kick in. Sure it wasn't this bad last time out. The old problem of diesel getting into the sump seems to have returned, making the engine rather smokey, and very lumpy while idling. Close inspection of the dipstick confirms this to be the case. We arrive at Kidderminster at 09:30, for more shopping, and take the chance to phone the Commodore (a.k.a. JJ), to enquire about the old stirrup pump we used for draining the sump, last time this problem occurred. It transpires that the boat's stirrup pump is in the back of JJ's car, and that JJ and car are down in Berkeley. After discussion of options with JJ, he agrees to come and meet us at Wolverley. Early lunch stop at The Lock at Wolverley. JJ and friend Stephen Chandler arrive bearing pump and toolboxes. After a fair amount of dismantling of the engine, we ascertain that fuel is not leaking from around the injectors, but that there is a mist of diesel coming from the rearmost injection pump. JJ disappears back to Stourport to acquire new pump and fitting instructions. Everything re-assembled by 16:30, and we wave goodbye to JJ & Stephen. We make for the Vine at Kinver (our originally intended lunchtime stop), arriving by 19:00. We are now half a day behind schedule. Evening meal taken in the Vine, and we retire to bed at about midnight. Miles: 10.5 Locks: 9 Hours: 12 (incl. 5.5 hours stoppage) Day 2: Sunday May 27th, 2001 Weather: Overcast, drizzle interspersed with heavier showers later. Up bright and early, just after 06:00. Check engine oil and fortunately, no sign of the dreaded diesel. Leave mooring at 06:40. A gentle run past the moored boats between Kinver and Hyde Locks. Decide to change the planned cruise, by going anticlockwise around the loop rather than clockwise as originally intended. After a short stop for water at Stewponey wharf, we make the turn at Stourton Junction into the Stourbridge Canal (scaring the carp out of some fishermen in the process), and start the serious climbing up to Birmingham. The bottom pounds of the Stourbridge flight are very (about 1ft) low. In lock 15, we encounter our first major obstacle of the day. An old (uninhabited) wheelchair has been pushed into the lock, and was preventing us from entering. We nosed up to it, with a view to lifting it out of the chamber, but it proved too heavy, slimy and awkward to lift. We dragged it out of the lock chamber by hanging on to it from the front deck while reversing the boat out of the lock. This was eventually dumped off to the side in the pound between locks 16 & 15. A belated breakfast was taken while ascending in lock 15, and then we resumed our ascent of the flight. Lunch time lubricants were sourced in The Sampson and Lion between locks 5 & 4 of the Stourbridge flight. Pressing on after lunch, we decided not to investigate the fens branch this time, but made our way to Delph for the ascent of the Delph flight. Shortly after Delph toplock, we pass through the renovated stretch around the Merry Hill Centre. Much saddened to see that the monorail has been removed. Last time we passed here in Intrepid, I noticed it wasn't running, and wondered why. Now I know! After Blowers Green lock, we decide to go up Park Head Locks (after removing assorted detritus from them), to have a look at the southern portal of the Dudley Tunnel. Intrepid is about 10 inches too high at the front to get under the gauge. Shame. While up there, we have a bit of fun grabbing first the Pensnett Branch (remains of) and then the Grazebrook Arm. Have to reverse out of both of these, as there is nowhere to wind. Back down the Park Head locks, having a chat with the very friendly chap from Dudley Canal Trust. He explained all about the BCN challenge, and the points to be had from going up there. We will have to do that one year. Leaving Park Head, we skirt around the south side of Netherton hill, before mooring for the night at Windmill End Junction at 19:15. Evening meal (taken on the boat) of Beef Casserole followed by cheese and biscuits, began at 20:00, and at 21:45 we adjourned to the Wheatsheaf. Come 23:00, the captain and crew left to hit the sack. Miles: 12.7 Locks: 37 Hours: 12.5 (incl. 1.5 hours lunch) Day 3: Monday May 28th, 2001 Weather: Sunny all day. Arose at 06:20, and depart moorings by 06:40 for the run through Netherton Tunnel. The usual amount of water was falling from the usual ventilation shafts. After passing under the aqueduct carrying the Old Main Line, we turned right, onto the New Main Line, at Dudley Port Junction - the intention being to climb the three Spon Lane Locks and retrace our steps on the Old Main Line. This plan was abandoned at Bromford Junction, when we saw the large Highways Agency signs declaring that the Old Main Line was closed. We winded the boat and headed back along the New Main Line. At Albion Junction we turned into the Gower Branch, shortly afterwards ascending the three Brades Locks. There were no Highways Agency signs in evidence at Bradeshall Junction, so the assumption is that the Old Line is closed between Spon Lane and Smethwick Junctions. Perhaps we could have gone up Spon Lane locks after all - who knows? At Tipton Junction we turned left intending to get an early pint in at the Bottle & Glass pub in the Black Country Living Museum. We moored and topped off the water tanks before setting off to enquire about a pint. We were told that as the pub was part of the museum, we had to buy tickets (7=95 each) for the museum as well, technically. We wondered what the 'technically' bit was about - if we had pressed the issue, could we have avoided paying the museum entrance fee? As we didn't have time to wander around the museum, it would have cost something approaching ten pounds each for a pint. As this was a price we were not prepared to pay, we decided to press on. As it was still only 10:30, we thought we would investigate the Wednesbury Oak Loop, and perhaps stop at the Boat Inn by Highfields Road Bridge on the Loop. Yet again we were thwarted - the Boat had closed. The trip up the loop was uneventful, if a little slow due to all the weeds we kept collecting around the prop. After winding, which involved a coots nest and an errant BW barge (why are they always tied up with knackered old bits of blue or orange string?), and leaving the Loop, we carried along the main line in the direction of Wolverhampton and commenced the descent of the 21 at 14:30. Good progress was made down these despite the odd foray looking for a source of beer. Eventually the carry-out containers were filled, but the consumption was (mostly) delayed until after we had cleared the flight. We exited the last lock at 16:35, making the time for the flight 2hrs & 5 mins, a time we were quite pleased with. After turning back towards Stourport at Aldersley Junction we carried on through Compton and Wightwick consuming our now very late lunchtime pints. A bit of traffic around Dimmingsdale and Ebstree locks, began to make us concerned about whether we could get through The Bratch this evening. We weren't even sure what time it closed. As we approached The Bratch, we espied the a crowd of onlookers, evidence that there might be another boat in the flight - maybe we weren't too late. Suddenly the lock-keeper arrived and waved us on. He said later that the boat in the flight had said there was another boat behind them. We think they pulled over and moored up - never mind. We got into the top lock at 19:48, a bit tight considering they are supposed to close at eight! After a bit of spirited work, with the lockie running around all over the place, we left the bottom lock at 19:59 making 11 mins for the three. Probably not the record, but not bad nonetheless. We carried on, through Bumble Hole lock, before mooring for the night by the Round Oak at around 20:30. Even at this stage of the day, with the sun about to drop behind the hills, we could still feel the power behind it. Evening meal and suitable refreshments were taken in the Round Oak, and then at about 23:30 we returned to the boat for coffee / hot chocolate. Sleep was not far behind the hot drinks. Miles: 28.1 Locks: 34 Hours: 14 (incl. 0.5 at BCLM) Day 4: Tuesday May 29th, 2001 Weather: Sunny, with scattered clouds later. Woke up at 06:00, and decided to get on with the run back to the boatyard. Still no sign of the dreaded diesel on the dipstick. Has this finally been cured? Only time will tell. Started moving at 06:10. The mile and a half run to Botterham staircase aloud sufficient time for the crew to surface. Uneventful run down to Stourton Junction, taking a spit over three hours. We notice sign at Ashwood marina advertising diesel, but then in the small print, no hire craft in the marina, no craft over 35? ft long in the marina, are they serious about selling any? Didn't notice the price (Sorry TR). By the time we got as far as Kinver, we realised that the only edible items left on the boat were a slice and two crusts of bread, a variety of bits of cheese, a handful of cornflakes, and a kit-kat. A small provisioning party went into town looking for something that might be turned into some sort of breakfast - returning with bread and sausages. Yep, you've guessed it, sausage sarnies for breakfast! Managed to avoid hitting the Whittington Horse Bridge on the way down as well as up, must be getting better at this one. Found out that Wolverley lock had a bit of a problem the day before, something like a log got stuck in the gate paddle, which couldn't then be shut properly. Eventually the BWB fix-it man was summoned, and the problem resolved - fortunately, before we got there. A lunchtime stop was allowed for at the Watermill just north of Caldwell lock. Decided not to eat there, as it was all rather expensive (and it wasn't much earlier that we had our sausage sarnies!). The run from there back to York Street and the basin was accomplished without incident, and we moored at the pontoon by the top of the staircase locks just after 16:30. Gas bottles were changed, pump-out performed (none of those dreadful porta-potti things on Intrepid ;->), and the boat left there to have the go juice topped up on Wednesday. Tidied boat sorted out boat finances (eventually), and departed boatyard at 18:00. All in all, a very enjoyable cruise. Miles: 17.7 Locks: 19 Hours: 10 (incl. 1 at lunchtime) Total Miles: 69 Total Locks: 99 Total hours cruising: 40 Terry Streeter --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). 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