Thursday, 13 June 2013

Birmingham - City of Canals

Summer Cruise 2013 – Tues 11th June
Day 7: Cruising the Old Main Line or Coming Home?!
             1 tunnel, 3 locks and 9 miles

Today we headed into B'ham – this time via the Old Main Line, the Brindley 1772 contour canal on the 473ft level.

And what a delight! We took photos amany, so here are a number for interest.

These are Network Rail men – assessing the safety of the bridge

New housing development

This workman is clearing grass around the white signage – for a petrol pipe under the towpath?!
A new basin – never used!

Crossing Tividale Aqueduct – looking down on Netherton Tunnel (our way home?)
 
Florence moored at Valencia Wharf

All that is left of Valencia Wharf – where our boat hull originally was built 36 years ago!

Our route then takes us under the M5 concrete viaduct, towering over the old canal.

What a contrast in centuries – as the cars and lorries zoomed overhead at 70mph, our canal boat, basically a 1950's mode of transport ticked along at 3mph.



1772 and 1972 – two centuries of transport!

The top of Smethwick Locks (3) – down to the New Main Line (new as in 1838!)

 
Modern civil engineering
 

 
This cyclist crosses the bridge at Smethwick Junction – hey – enjoy the blog!

End of Part One! To be continued …  
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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