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It's good to know, that families still know how to enjoy themselves without the need for Playstations and X-boxes.

Yes, John Fowler of Leeds. Became tied up with Petters and others in Associated British Engineering. Tim

There was some sort of pin or pulley at the mouth of Lock One, Hawford, Droitwich Barge Canal which enabled a salt laden barge to be launched at speed into the River Severn while the horse pulled up the towpath.This fine detail is so important to the history of our waterways.I only know because Tom Cartwright junior in his eighties told me. He and his father worked the makeweight narrow boat "The Three Brothers" bringing 30 tons of extra salt cargo down to the Severn to load the trows which were restricted to 60 tons by the lock cills depth.Lock One cills are 10feet to allow for the tide until Bevere lock was buit in the 1840's.Imagine shovelling 30 tons plus of salt into wheelbarrows, pushing them along the towpath to the Trow in the lock before it rained.The good old days!From the start I said this should be Lock One, Brindleys first construction but was ignored when it was numbered eight. Fotunately the BW workmen restoring the brickwork found the blue enameled Lock One sign in the bottom of the lock.This is historically a most important site. Brindley must have had some nervousness as he built his first Droitwich Lock in the garden of his home Newhall in Stafford, sadly recently demolished by developers.If you glean some canal history record it before it is too late. Sister Mary, the boaters nurse at Stoke Bruerne told me several of the early boaters and navvies were redundant Cornish Tin Miners because the industry collapsed with foreign competition. She said the bridge on canal decoration was Looe bridge now demolished and replaced, anybody know of a picture? A well designed watercan will float upside down if knocked off the cabin roof, so Les Allen told me. Some time later as we boated through Wasthill ( Kings Norton ) Tunnel the children in the bows cried out " Theres a water can" which was floating submerged but the diagonal marks were visible. It could have been there for years as it was an early Braunston design. End of Max's ramblings!

Remind me to tell you about the six years in therapy and the related costs after a period of sustained domestic and sexual violence. He thought it was funny too.

Before I start I need to say a big thank you to the posters on here who gave information and in one case directions for where to get the bus in Stafford to Great Hayward Saturday 1 October 2011 Arrived at Great Heywood by bus around 12.50 stocking up on supplies at the shop close to the bus stop. The hand over went smoothly allowing us to leave around 13.35 turning right at the junction and heading down the Trent and Mersey where we had a minor hold up of 3 boats going down the first lock. While waiting we got into a conversation with the crew of a boat coming up the lock first of many friendly people we met during the weeks cruise. Had an uneventful cruise for the rest of the day mooring for the night at Armitage Sunday 2 October 2011 After an early breakfast we set off about 07.20 arriving at Fradley junction around 09.00 way ahead of when we had planned to be there, loved Fradley junction tbh and would have to say it was one of the highlights of the week. Taking our time because we where way ahead of schedule we arrived at Whittington about 14.30 and had a decision to make. The original plan was to moor at Whittington Sunday but as we had arrived so early and still had plenty of daylight left had to decide should we stop or carry on, we decided to stop as planned. Monday 3 October 2011 The original plan for today had been to moor at Minworth but on the back of recommendations on the CWDF lol decided we would overnight at the dog & doublet pub (thanks those who recommended it, it was great) anyway ended up with another relaxed pleasant cruise eventually going through the 2 locks at the D & B and mooring a little further up. Well I realise that up to now it would appear to have been a very relaxing and might even sound boring to some cruise lol, well believe me the fun and games began on the Tuesday and never really settled down until we got back to the hire base. Tuesday 4 October 2011 Realising we had a lot of locks today we made an early start about 07.20 making great time. We had filled up with water at Fazeley Junction so when we arrived at the top lock on the Minworth flight did not really need to stop for water but as there was a boat there just on finished taking on water and the lock was already set by their crew for them we decided to play fair and pull in behind them to top up and let them have the lock because we are considerate boaters even though we are hirer's lol. Anyway had a nice talk with this crew who where from Australia (Sydney) that's what we love about boating you never know who you will meet next. They where doing the Warwickshire ring BTW. Anyway the Aussies go off and we top up with water helping another boat in during the process. After clearing the Minworth flight we made great time with a clear run all the way to Salford Junction taking the second left and heading for the Aston flight of locks this is where things started to go wrong. Every lock was set against us with no sign of any boat at all coming the other way. Should point out that by now we had worked out an efficient routine for going up locks. Ounce the boat was in the lock and the gate close Rose would open the paddle on her side then when the boat had risen about half way up I climbed of via the roof and opened the offside paddle. But even doing it this way we still never got to the top of the flight until 15.20 so where running late. It was also at this point Rose said she was getting tired. Anyway after clearing lock 1 on the Aston flight we turn left and head for the farmers bridge flight. The Farmers Bridge flight some people might not agree with me but my opinion is that this is the hardest flight of locks we have ever worked and remember we have done the Rochdale lol. Stiff paddles heavy gates, the last 3 locks where worked by me as well as steering the boat because Rose physically could not do anymore. Can only say if I never do the farmers bridge flight again it will be to soon and that's coming from someone who loves locks. At 17.05 I was tying the bow rope outside the NIA knowing we had arranged to meet a friend from Birmingham at 17.10 by the sea life centre. Luckily she phoned to say she was running late as well so all was well. Wednesday 5 October 2011 The original plan for today had been to go on to the Black Country Living Museum but the night before Rose had asked would I mind if we spent an extra day in Birmingham so she could rest. I spent the day exploring Gas Street Basin on foot and one of the loops also on foot. In the evening I sent a text to a friend from Birmingham asking could she suggest somewhere we could eat with good food but not expensive. She recommended the Malt House (beautiful steak and chips lol) Disappointed we never got to the museum but there is always when we do the StourPort Ring again with a twist lol. Thursday 6 October 2011 So after taking a day out to rest we where now behind schedule. On the Wednesday evening we had just caught the very end of a news report of chemicals leaked into a canal around Wolverhampton but had not heard the full report so had no idea if we would be able to get through the 21 or not. I really wanted to go via the old main line but after thinking about it decided that the new main line would probably save us about 30 minutes time wise so we went that way. It was easy going until we started getting into Wolverhampton and the dead fish started appearing just a few at first. But when we arrived at the top of the locks we got a shock seeing so many dead fish in the water but the smell was the worst bit, I said to Rose I really really hope we have no need to go down the weed hatch. A couple of BW / EA workers worked us through the first lock while Rose set the next one. Then we where on our own, every lock was against us and had to be filled before I could take the boat in. While all this was happening the wind had got up as well making steering hard and lining up with the lock near impossible at times and went aground at one point after being blown onto the off side. Solved this problem by getting ashore with the centre line on the lock landings and holding the boat until the lock was set. After starting at 07.15 we eventually tied up on the visitor moorings at Autherley Junction at 17.00 Friday 7 October 2011 The plan for today was to get as far as Tixall wide and we almost made it, in fact we would have made it if we had not had a lay in lol. Anyway after making a late start we had a lot of time to make up but where slowed down mainly by Rose being a little nervous crossing some of the locks mainly to close paddles and gates after the boat was out as I could help a little going in. It turned into another very long day with us arriving at bridge 105 and crossing the aqueduct at 17.20 with the light starting to fade. So we moored for the night just after the aqueduct. Saturday 8 October 2011 The boat had to be back at the hire base for 09.00 so we headed back at 08.00 cleared Tixall lock with no problems arriving back at Anglo Welsh Great Haywood by 08.40. Did we enjoy it even with the hard locks at farmers bridge and the effects of pollution in Wolverhampton. Well we are boaters what do you think bring on the next cruise