Team Rebellion Virtual BCN Challenge 2020 Cruise Log

[HuggableHamster]

Log Time: 17:45, Thursday 22nd January 1959

Location: Blue Ball Basin

 

We passed some men raising a barge that looked like it had been sunk for some time.

(Credit http://blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/GB145_p_2073/)

[HuggableHamster]

Log time: 17:55, Tuesday 10th September 2019

Location: Oldbury Loop, North junction with Old Main Line

 

Traveling in the present day there wasn’t much to see here, but we have a hunch that with an appropriate tweak to the Automat, tomorrow a loop of the old main line will appear heading left.  And so, we tied our lines for the night, and went in search of orange chips from a local chippy.

 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=14DTZ6L-V-Dc2k2KlIsBdrtdTW5R36awN&ll=52.53999362466787%2C-2.0526729290847925&z=15

[smudgepuss]

40 minutes ago, HuggableHamster said:

We've come so far!

[RebelMike]

3 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

I couldn't get the swan video to play. I don't know if anyone else did? It's a shame because I am enjoying your little animations

It seems directly uploading it didn't work, so I've added it to youtube!

 

 

[RebelMike]

@HuggableHamster would like to introduce you to our time machine:

 

 

 

Oh no!  We weren’t very careful twiddling the dials and accidentally ended up in 2233!

 

We initially had a few problems getting back to the present, and a C&RT environmental police drone tracked us down, rather upset about the emissions from the Bolinder.

 

But before the situation could escalate we set Herschel up in the Handy Auxiliary Movement System To Enable Recharging, carefully applied the software glitch fixer to the auxiliary controls, and hit the big red button nice and hard.  We were very relieved to rematerialise in the present!

[RebelMike]

Log Time: 11:00, Friday 8th May 2020

Location: Oldbury Loop

 

Guest log from Amy - @Amynotontheforum

 

This morning @RebelMike refused to leave his laptop alone and come to help start the Bolinder, he could be heard muttering something about making alternative plans in case there was a problem with the route but I didn’t really understand what had got into him - everything had gone fine up to now.  Anyway, we finally started our journey at 11.

 

As we began to untie our mooring lines I decided to try out the Automat once more, after accidentally taking us back in time earlier in the trip I’d had my time privileges revoked, oops back to coffee and beer runs. Fortunately Lizzie and Mikie are were up top so I thought I would do a mild jump back 3 years. 

 

Unfortunately I sent us back a few more than 3 years and with Mikie being off the boat left him behind! 

 

I came up top to find a rather miffed @HuggableHamster and after meeting “The Monkey Boats” Lizzie returned us to present day (give or take a few minutes to pick up Mikie). 

 

They gave me this flyer in case I fancied a trip some day. If anyone pops back to 1890 give them a bell! 

 

Although I don’t think Lizzie will let me at the big red button again any time soon. 

 

(Flyer credit http://blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/GB146_PHS_2470/

[cheshire~rose]

13 hours ago, RebelMike said:

@HuggableHamster would like to introduce you to our time machine:

 

 

 

Oh no!  We weren’t very careful twiddling the dials and accidentally ended up in 2233!

 

We initially had a few problems getting back to the present, and a C&RT environmental police drone tracked us down, rather upset about the emissions from the Bolinder.

 

But before the situation could escalate we set Herschel up in the Handy Auxiliary Movement System To Enable Recharging, carefully applied the software glitch fixer to the auxiliary controls, and hit the big red button nice and hard.  We were very relieved to rematerialise in the present!

Thank you

 

I know how to pronounce Automat Sensucht now!

[RebelMike]

Log time: 11:25, Friday 11th May 1821

Location: Junction with Valentia Arm

 

We had come around the Oldbury Loop, avoiding the traffic on the main line that was all heading through the brand new cut.

 

We wanted to head straight over and explore the Valencia Arm (also known as the Churchbridge Arm), but it didn’t yet exist!

 

We hopped forward in time to 1875, and were able to explore down towards the Valentia Colliery.  Bricks from the Churchbridge brickworks were waiting to be loaded at the wharf at the end of the arm.  Again questions were being asked about what we were doing bringing our boat into a private arm, so we made our excuses, hastily winded and retreated back to the old main line.

 

Leaving the arm, we engaged the Automat again to reach 2019 and snapped this picture of where we'd just been:

(Credit, @Capt Ahab)

 

Our GPS tracker is up and running again

[RebelMike]

Log time: 11:50, Friday 4th May 1956

Location: Houghton Chemical Arm

 

We turned in to the arm following a heavily laden working boat.  We knew it would be carrying 28 tonnes or so of raw material for the phosphorus plant.  Rumour has it effluent from the plant went straight into the arm, so we didn’t want to stay in the milky looking water for long. Quickly turning at the end we resumed our journey towards Oldbury Locks.

 

As were travelling back to the main line the lights started flashing on the Automat readout and we began to slip forward in time.  We caught this glimpse of the arm being filled behind us when the display read 1977:

(Photo from http://www.whatliesbeneathrattlechainlagoon.org.uk/?page_id=2540)

[RebelMike]

Log time: 12:15, Friday 8th May 2020

Location: Oldbury Locks Jn

 

The crew jumped off eager to set the first lock for us, but were shocked to discover little water in the pounds up to the pump house.  There was no way we would make it up the locks today - the pumps must have failed.

 

We activated plan B, good job I’d made that alternative route plan!  Reversing back under the M5 we headed off back the way we had come.

[RebelMike]

Log time: 13:00, Friday 8th May 2020

Location: Gower Branch, top lock

 

The Gower branch has been a fast run for us the couple of times we’ve travelled this way on the BCN Challenge before - the staircase at the top normally saves us time over two independent locks.

 

Today was a different story however.  We couldn’t get enough water into the lower chamber to allow William to get over the cill - the bottom gate was leaking badly.  We needed to improvise a fix otherwise we’d be draining the Wolverhampton Level for the rest of the day!

 

We took our barge pole down to the bottom lock gates and positioned it vertically in the corner of the lock to cover the leak around the side of the gate.  This helped to get just enough water into the lock to allow us to tease William over the cill and continue down the flight, but we had already lost a lot of time and today the Automat didn’t seem to be keeping us on track.

 

We stopped below the lock to take stock, grab some lunch and allow the Automat’s battery pack to recharge in the sun.

Edited May 8, 2020 by RebelMike

[smudgepuss]

Minion’s Log (Supplemental)

We are at Pudding Green.  There is no pudding.  I have been lied to.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/wednesbury-old-canal)

 

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, smudgepuss said:

Minion’s Log (Supplemental)

We are at Pudding Green.  There is no pudding.  I have been lied to.

 

It's behind you! 

[smudgepuss]

Log time: 14:55, 10 July 1929

Location: Junction with the Izon branch, near Pudding Green Junction

 

We had missed the turn at Pudding Green Junction, so continued to Bromford, winded and returned.  Back at Pudding Green, we made the easier right turn at the junction, following the course of the Old Wednesbury Canal before part of it was incorporated into the New Main Line.

 

Very shortly after, we saw some junctions that we’d not encountered in the modern world!  How exciting.  We didn’t have time to explore, but we did hear a bit of a celebration going on on the Izon branch.  We were just close enough to hear that it was Mr Izon’s 50th birthday, and the works staff had presented him with a lovely illustrated page to commemorate the occasion.  He’s not the original Mr Izon, as the company started in 1763, but it’s good to see the company is still in the same family hands.

 

 

(Credit http://blackcountryhistory.org/collections/getrecord/WEDSD_P186/)

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by smudgepuss
Forum decided to merge my posts; posts unmerged.

[smudgepuss]

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

It's behind you! 

Are you sure?  Behind me looks a lot like it's just falling into manky canal...

[smudgepuss]

Minion's Log (supplemental)

Behind me was indeed a wet canal.  And still no pudding.  Do not trust @rusty69 .

 

Rest of the crew now yelling at me.  Am apparently a bad minion who should not do what strange men on the internet tell me too. But at least they're letting me have a wash now, and because we can't stop, I get to use the actual shower, rather than a hose at a water point like normal!  Luxury.  Maybe I am a good minion after all.

[Scholar Gypsy]

26 minutes ago, smudgepuss said:

Minion’s Log (Supplemental)

We are at Pudding Green.  There is no pudding.  I have been lied to.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/wednesbury-old-canal)

 

But there is quite a lot of Green

[smudgepuss]

Log time: 15:10, Friday 8th May 2020

Location: Riders Green Jn

 

 

This is where we normally dispatch a crew member to take a photo of the polluted Wednesbury Old Canal while we start down the locks, so we were looking forward to discovering what it was like to cruise.

 

[TheBiscuits]

10 minutes ago, smudgepuss said:

This is where we normally dispatch a crew member to take a photo of the polluted Wednesbury Old Canal

 

Allow me ...

 

 

 

[RebelMike]

Log time: 15:30, Friday 9th May 1952

Location: Interchange Basin, Wednesbury Old Canal

 

We’re about to cruise to the original end of Brindley’s Wednesbury Old Canal, the winding section up from Swan Village that later became known as the Balls Hill Branch.

 

But first we come to the Great Western Railway interchange basin, where goods were transhipped between boat and train.  We snapped this photo:

Edited May 8, 2020 by RebelMike

[smudgepuss]

Minion’s Log (Supplemental)

 

Very pleased to report that Balls Hill Branch is as inaccurately named as Pudding Green.

 

@Amynotontheforum was less impressed. Very disappointed. She was as it were, not “balls to the wall”.

[HuggableHamster]

1 hour ago, smudgepuss said:

Minion's Log (supplemental)

Behind me was indeed a wet canal.  And still no pudding.  Do not trust @rusty69 .

 

Rest of the crew now yelling at me.  Am apparently a bad minion who should not do what strange men on the internet tell me too. But at least they're letting me have a wash now, and because we can't stop, I get to use the actual shower, rather than a hose at a water point like normal!  Luxury.  Maybe I am a good minion after all.

Remember:

Rule 0: Don't go in the cut

Rule 1: Don't empty the cut

Rule 2: Don't be on fire

Rule 3: Use the facilities at the pub!

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

Would you like the giraffe back? We are exploring the Ridgacre and its various appendages this afternoon. We haven't found anyone else to give it to I am afraid !!

[RebelMike]

18 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Would you like the giraffe back? We are exploring the Ridgacre and its various appendages this afternoon. We haven't found anyone else to give it to I am afraid !!

Yes why not, we could look after him again for a bit!

[RebelMike]

Log time: 17:10, Friday 9th May 1952

Location: Junction of Ridgacre Canal with Halford Branch

 

@HuggableHamster had been very quiet today, I wondered what she’d been up to.  Turns out she had captured that 23rd century C&RT drone and had been rewiring it to allow us to get some aerial photographs.

 

As we were coming to the end of the Ridgeacre canal and turned on to the Halford branch, she released the drone.  It behaved itself and came straight back to William after taking this shot of the junction:

 

As we were travelling the branch we found the end beyond the Jesson arm was already closed.  It was time to hop back to 1945 and spend the rest of the trip enjoying the celebrations of Victory in Europe Day!

 

We deployed the drone again - it took this shot of the arm.  I wonder why its photos are black and white?

 

 

(Photos from @Capt Ahab's blog)

Edited May 8, 2020 by RebelMike