Jump to content

Kidderminster


doratheexplorer

Featured Posts

24 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Quick question. Is there a water point for visiting boats in Kiddy? CRTs online map says there’s a tap, but unclear if it’s only available to permanent moorers?

I’m not sure I’d stop even to fill with water in Kiddy!! ??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There’s a tap at Caldwell Mill bridge that’s accessible on the offside. There’s a substantial brick wash wall and mooring bollards in between the bridge and the offline CRT moorings in the basin. I suspect the access to the basin is from the bridge and along the bank at this point rather than via the housing that surrounds the basin. It’s an odd mooring.

 

JP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

There’s a tap at Caldwell Mill bridge that’s accessible on the offside. There’s a substantial brick wash wall and mooring bollards in between the bridge and the offline CRT moorings in the basin. I suspect the access to the basin is from the bridge and along the bank at this point rather than via the housing that surrounds the basin. It’s an odd mooring.

 

JP

Thanks. Is the tap in front of the houses?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, doratheexplorer said:

Thanks. Is the tap in front of the houses?

No. Not the new build ones. It’s against a wall just north of the bridge. Looks like a normal water point but a bit unusual for being on the offside. I suspect it was put there for the moorings but is accessible to all. I think there’s also an online mooring that’s for CRT workboats only so hopefully they won’t be blocking the water point. But at least you won’t find frangar there so that’s a bonus.

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

But at least you won’t find frangar there so that’s a bonus.

 

JP

We stopped once at Sainsbury’s.....sent the OH in while I defended the boat with a sharpened boat hook.....

 

In all seriousness it’s where one of the boats I helped build was torched by kids one night when it was moored at the bottom of the owners garden.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last year we stopped in Kidderminster to go shopping, when I came back a guy was sat by the stern of the boat. Started chatting to him, didn't sound very happy. He then disappeared off to Tesco and came back with bottles of beer and wanted to join us to get to stourport. I thought we were going to have trouble when I refused but he gave me a beer and walked off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This water-point appeared in a you tube video the other day.  The vloggers were a bit worried because said that it's listed on the C&RT website, but isn't included on the Open Canal app, but I've just had a look and it is, named as "C&RT Services".   So it seems to be available to all.

 

 

Edited by Tom Morgan
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Tom Morgan said:

This water-point appeared in a you tube video the other day.  The vloggers were a bit worried because said that it's listed on the C&RT website, but isn't included on the Open Canal app, but I've just had a look and it is, named as "C&RT Services".   So it seems to be available to all.

 

 

Do you have the link?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 hours ago, frangar said:

We stopped once at Sainsbury’s.....sent the OH in while I defended the boat with a sharpened boat hook.....

 

In all seriousness it’s where one of the boats I helped build was torched by kids one night when it was moored at the bottom of the owners garden.....

 

13 hours ago, The Dreamer said:

If you mean the bit between Oferton flight and Blackpole lock, I agree.  But the rest is all fine IMHO and the homeless guys at Blockhouse lock are harmless...

I’ve heard of issues with pounds being drained on the northern side of Worcester but never experienced any issues personally. I have no real reason to be mooring in that area anyway. Of course there’s a travellers site on Offerton Lane so you will get a certain nervousness from some folk about that area. It was actually at Commandery lock where I was spat at from the bridge. I wouldn’t advise anyone to avoid Worcester though, quite the opposite in fact. Same goes for the Black Country. I don’t think it’s wise to create doubt in boaters’ minds about whether they should go somewhere or stop somewhere. Most of these stories are poorly supported by strong recent evidence of problems.

 

That said though it pays to think about where you stop overnight and Kidderminster still has some issues but I think it’s been improved by canal side development. There are a number of boats on permanent moorings in Kidderminster. Ultimately Stourport or Wolverley are better places to stop overnight.

 

In case anyone who doesn’t know the place has formed an impression of Kidderminster here’s a picture of the middle one of the three locks fitted with anti-vandal equipment.

 

JP

 

 

 

 

5821C9BE-9ACA-4C1F-A7CE-BFF1C5BF7BB0.jpeg

Edited by Captain Pegg
Link to comment
Share on other sites

27 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

 

I’ve heard of issues with pounds being drained on the northern side of Worcester but never experienced any issues personally. I have no real reason to be mooring in that area anyway. Of course there’s a travellers site on Offerton Lane so you will get a certain nervousness from some folk about that area. It was actually at Commandery lock where I was spat at from the bridge. I wouldn’t advise anyone to avoid Worcester though, quite the opposite in fact. Same goes for the Black Country. I don’t think it’s wise to create doubt in boater’s minds about whether they should go somewhere or stop somewhere. Most of these stories are poorly supported by strong recent evidence of problems.

 

Amen to that.  It's definitely one of the negative aspects of these forums, and the social media generally, that a few isolated incidents can whip up a sense of danger out of all proportion to the reality.   I notice hire boaters seem immune to this.   You see hire boats moored in the most unlikely places, probably because they couldn't be bothered to research whether the area was "safe" or not.  

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Whilst Kidderminster isn't on my list of overnight stopping places, and probably isn't on any list of loveliest British towns, the whole area being discussed here - Worcester itself and the canal up from Stourport - is one of my favourite cruises. The journey through Kidderminster doesn't detract from that and a brief visit to the town itself isn't actually one to be avoided. The view of the church and it's gardens as you lock up from the town is a memorable highlight. Please don't be put off - quite the contrary!

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Rob-M said:

Last year we stopped in Kidderminster to go shopping, when I came back a guy was sat by the stern of the boat. Started chatting to him, didn't sound very happy. He then disappeared off to Tesco and came back with bottles of beer and wanted to join us to get to stourport. I thought we were going to have trouble when I refused but he gave me a beer and walked off.

I think the key is that you treated them as a person and not as a threat. If they were in a bad place in themselves they were probably glad that someone took the trouble. And they’ll have known they were chancing their arm asking for a lift.

 

Urban canals are a refuge for all sorts of people - including boaters - and generally folk are happy in whatever they are doing and happy to let everyone else get on with whatever everyone else is doing. Sometimes that may actually be dubious activity but I find that whatever and whoever you encounter it helps to get on naturally with your own business, don’t assume the worst in everyone you see and if an opportunity arises acknowledge people as you would if passing one of your neighbours in the street.


And as we know Rob, you even find that when conventional wisdom says you’re at your most vulnerable - such as being stuck in the Walsall flight at dusk - the response from locals who have their own reasons to be on the towpath is the most friendly and supportive you’ll ever encounter on the canals.

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
  • Greenie 1
  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

In case anyone who doesn’t know the place has formed an impression of Kidderminster here’s a picture of the middle one of the three locks fitted with anti-vandal equipment.

In fairness to the town, it is largely a picturesque canal run, even the more urban parts (thinking of the church towering over the first lock) are quite spectacular. Also, there ain’t many towns where you can moor in the supermarket car park, and in Kiddy you can moor in two supermarket car parks, which is useful for stocking up.

 

Unfortunately, my tainted view of the town comes from working there, professionally, with disadvantaged families, and it is a neighbourhood that for a large part is down on its luck.  It suffers from the demise of the carpet industry, it has a disproportionate level of mental heath difficulties due to the closure of an institution, in the 80s, and all the residents being “cared” for in the community.  The last of the trio of adversity, ironically is the fault of the canals!  It is said that Kiddy had a county lines problem, before the term had even been coined, back in the early 20th century, and the chosen mode of transport for the supply line...yep you guessed it!

 

All of the above said, the majority of the people are lovely, with real Black Country charm, but it only takes a few... 

2016-08-26 13.50.49.jpg

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On ‎18‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 08:15, Captain Pegg said:

 

I’ve heard of issues with pounds being drained on the northern side of Worcester but never experienced any issues personally. I have no real reason to be mooring in that area anyway. Of course there’s a travellers site on Offerton Lane so you will get a certain nervousness from some folk about that area. It was actually at Commandery lock where I was spat at from the bridge. I wouldn’t advise anyone to avoid Worcester though, quite the opposite in fact. Same goes for the Black Country. I don’t think it’s wise to create doubt in boaters’ minds about whether they should go somewhere or stop somewhere. Most of these stories are poorly supported by strong recent evidence of problems.

 

That said though it pays to think about where you stop overnight and Kidderminster still has some issues but I think it’s been improved by canal side development. There are a number of boats on permanent moorings in Kidderminster. Ultimately Stourport or Wolverley are better places to stop overnight.

 

In case anyone who doesn’t know the place has formed an impression of Kidderminster here’s a picture of the middle one of the three locks fitted with anti-vandal equipment.

 

JP

 

 

 

 

5821C9BE-9ACA-4C1F-A7CE-BFF1C5BF7BB0.jpeg

 

This puts the run out of Manchester even more to shame; I read very few positive stories about going through or stopping in Manchester on here, even Castlefield nowadays seems to have lost its previously good boater reputation.

Edited by Philip
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

Best never to leave the marina, there have probably been incidents in every town that have a canal passing thought it at some time.

Be careful which marina is selected though, you never know ?

 

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.