Jump to content

Mooring near Dudley Canal Trust/Black Country Living Museum


Iceni_exporer

Featured Posts

7 minutes ago, Iceni_exporer said:

Hi

 

I am looking for a recommendation for a mooring somewhere near the Dudley Canal Trust/Black Country Living Museum.

 

I intend to stay 2 nights midweek.

 

Don't know BCN very well, have only moored in the centre previously

 

Many thanks

 

Mike


There are moorings and services at the BCLM/DCT. Take the Dudley Canal toward the tunnel from Tipton Jn on the Old Main Line and they are a few hundred yards down there. The official moorings back on to the BCLM and are behind a locked gate that needs a CRT key. There is access to the museum at the end of the moorings opposite the DCT. You can sneak in for fish and chips and/or a pint at the Bottle & Glass.

 

Some folks prefer to moor at the ‘John the Lock’ moorings which are on the offside at Tipton Green on the Old Main Line which is a short walk away from the museum and DCT.

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:


 

 

Some folks prefer to moor at the ‘John the Lock’ moorings which are on the offside at Tipton Green on the Old Main Line which is a short walk away from the museum and DCT.

I do, good takeaways near by and the Fountain for a pint, its fine mooring ether side, towpath or grass

  • Greenie 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I moored at the BCLM Visitor Moorings last October, which were fine, someone told me the code for the combination lock (which I can't remember, sorry) and the mooring is secure. Busy road not far away but don't remember it disturbing us, maybe we were further away.

I also moored more recently on the towpath side just before Factory Junction, opposite the residential moorings, and that was also fine. I moored just around the curve/out of sight from the pub by the junction, towards Dudley/BCLM, as the pub looked a bit rowdy. 

Both times has excellent meal at Mad O'Rourkes Pie Factory,  which I'd say is worth booking if you're interested. 

Edited by Jonkx
To add more recently
  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Jonkx said:

I moored at the BCLM Visitor Moorings last October, which were fine, someone told me the code for the combination lock (which I can't remember, sorry) and the mooring is secure. Busy road not far away but don't remember it disturbing us, maybe we were further away.

I also moored more recently on the towpath side just before Factory Junction, opposite the residential moorings, and that was also fine. I moored just around the curve/out of sight from the pub by the junction, towards Dudley/BCLM, as the pub looked a bit rowdy. 

Both times has excellent meal at Mad O'Rourkes Pie Factory,  which I'd say is worth booking if you're interested. 

Since when has there been a combination lock?  It's always been a standard BW key when I've been there.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a padlock with a combination on the side where the CRT services point is, which I think is the offside, at the access gate from Birmingham Road. I didn't see a CRT key but stand to be corrected. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, Jonkx said:

It was a padlock with a combination on the side where the CRT services point is, which I think is the offside, at the access gate from Birmingham Road. I didn't see a CRT key but stand to be corrected. 

Should be BW key on the museum side.  I've never moored on the other side because it's always full with workboats or it's the service mooring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, Jonkx said:

It was a padlock with a combination on the side where the CRT services point is, which I think is the offside, at the access gate from Birmingham Road. I didn't see a CRT key but stand to be corrected. 


That’s the private road to the service block used by CRT, that’s not strictly a general access point to the canal although I have seen it left open. It is possible to moor on both sides but I think the only official access to the outside world is via the gate that @doratheexplorer refers to. It’s there to prevent public access to the BCLM by the back door. I think it’s pretty much always possible to walk from one side to the other via the swing bridge between the BCLM and DCT but it might require vaulting or moving a barrier or two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Captain Pegg said:


That’s the private road to the service block used by CRT, that’s not strictly a general access point to the canal although I have seen it left open. It is possible to moor on both sides but I think the only official access to the outside world is via the gate that @doratheexplorer refers to. It’s there to prevent public access to the BCLM by the back door. I think it’s pretty much always possible to walk from one side to the other via the swing bridge between the BCLM and DCT but it might require vaulting or moving a barrier or two.

If the swing bridge is open, you can still cross down by the tunnel entrance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Update as of 21.07.21 as I am sitting on the CRW Moorings here.  BCLM have changed all their locks to combination locks meaning if you moor on the services side you can neither leave or gain access after they lock the gates at night.  The swing bridge is pulled open and locked.  The path by the tunnel entrance is closed by combination locked gates, as are the gates to the road.  If you go to the pub, tough!! You're sleeping on the pavement. 

2 girls got trapped there tonight having gone to use the services from their boat on our side. Luckily the boaters here tonight teamed together to swing a boat across the canal and get them back.

The services side moorings are signed as CRW 24hr.  I'll be writing to BCLM and CRW to find out what the situation is, as it needs a sign at least. This could ruin someone's holiday, without thinking about the H&S implications. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Lancshoppy said:

Update as of 21.07.21 as I am sitting on the CRW Moorings here.  BCLM have changed all their locks to combination locks meaning if you moor on the services side you can neither leave or gain access after they lock the gates at night.  The swing bridge is pulled open and locked.  The path by the tunnel entrance is closed by combination locked gates, as are the gates to the road.  If you go to the pub, tough!! You're sleeping on the pavement. 

2 girls got trapped there tonight having gone to use the services from their boat on our side. Luckily the boaters here tonight teamed together to swing a boat across the canal and get them back.

The services side moorings are signed as CRW 24hr.  I'll be writing to BCLM and CRW to find out what the situation is, as it needs a sign at least. This could ruin someone's holiday, without thinking about the H&S implications. 

 

It’s been like that at the BCLM for years. The towpath side is a standard CRT key, the other is a combination lock, which is not meant for general use. I was given the number a few years ago, but it may have been changed and shouldn’t be posted publicly!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Lancshoppy said:

moorings are signed as CRW 24hr. 

 

Presumably you can use the moorings for 24 hours and then depart  - the locked gates do not stop you leaving ?

Generally when moorings are signed for '24 hours' it means that the maximum time you can stay is 24 hours - NOT - that you have 24 hour access to the services and unlimited time mooring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Presumably you can use the moorings for 24 hours and then depart  - the locked gates do not stop you leaving ?

Generally when moorings are signed for '24 hours' it means that the maximum time you can stay is 24 hours - NOT - that you have 24 hour access to the services and unlimited time mooring.

 

 

Fair enough, you can stay on the moorings for a maximum of 24 hours, and the gates do not stop you driving your boat away, but there should be some indication that you can't leave your boat during the time you are moored there as you may found access to it blocked. It's not unusual to want to go for a meal, or the local Tesco, and expect to be able to return for the night. I don't know anywhere else that effectively locks you in outside office hours. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, Lancshoppy said:

 

 

Fair enough, you can stay on the moorings for a maximum of 24 hours, and the gates do not stop you driving your boat away, but there should be some indication that you can't leave your boat during the time you are moored there as you may found access to it blocked. It's not unusual to want to go for a meal, or the local Tesco, and expect to be able to return for the night. I don't know anywhere else that effectively locks you in outside office hours. 

 

But you are not really 'locked in'. As MHS has said (above) the public side (C&RT) towpath side is accessed by the normal C&RT key.

The side with the combination locks is private and not for public access anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think they mean if you are off getting say fish and chips round the corner or further there’s a chance you can get locked out as there’s no warning. Not everyone carries a crt key with them. 
it certainly was I thought free access some years ago, possibly vandalism has altered that which is a real shame. It was a lovely mooring then just opposite the museum 

Edited by Stroudwater1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can anyone confirm whether the moorings on the service block side are actually meant to be visitor moorings, or are there just for using the services and the CRT workboats?  If they're not meant to be visitor moorings, then tough, you shouldn't be mooring there.  If they are meant to be for visitor mooring, as the sign seems to imply, then the signage needs updating to make it clear to boaters that they'll be locked in (or possibly out) after hours. 

 

@Lancshoppyhave you contacted CRT about this?

 

Also:  What's CRW?  Canal and River Wrust?

Edited by doratheexplorer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The services side is just that, not for overnight mooring. Hence the combination lock to stop access other than by boat. It has been like that for years, certainly before the visitors centre was built.

You may be right, but I remember the signage being somewhat unclear on that.  May my memory is playing up, that's why I asked.

 

Lancshoppy says "The services side moorings are signed as CRW 24hr".  Most people would say that means overnight mooring.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There is a mooring on the service side.  I wouldn't recommend staying on the towpath side outside the gate; last time I was there, tins, detritus and possibly needles not to mention dog mess on the grass.  It's popular with the uncivil members of town.

 

John the lock and opposite are very good as well as the obvious attractions of ale and pies!  You also see clearly down to the bottom of the cut!

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.