north birmingham: help with locks

[whitebeard]

I'm thinking of coming through Birmingham, and onwards up the fazely canal towards Tamworth.

I'm looking for the right individual to join me just for one day, here and there, along the way.

To serve primarily as a lock runner, so I don't have to keep mooring up every time.

Some decent knowledge and experience of the canals would be preferable.

Also some help researching the route would be very much appreciated, double checking for closures and bridge heights and that sort of thing.

If it goes well, there might be further adventures at some point in the future...

 

[Captain Pegg]

Do you mean directly out of Birmingham city centre down Farmers Bridge and Aston flights?

 

If so the locks on both flights - bar the bottom two or three - are so close that you set the next one up while still in the previous lock and go directly between them. When going downhill on most you'll probably just walk back to close the gate on the lock you've exited. Going uphill its easy to close the gates on exit by stopping the boat in the jaws of the lock.

 

No planned closures providing you go the direct route and no real issues with height unless you've piled stuff on your roof so it's not properly fit to cruise.

 

[dmr]

1 hour ago, whitebeard said:

I'm thinking of coming through Birmingham, and onwards up the fazely canal towards Tamworth.

I'm looking for the right individual to join me just for one day, here and there, along the way.

To serve primarily as a lock runner, so I don't have to keep mooring up every time.

Some decent knowledge and experience of the canals would be preferable.

Also some help researching the route would be very much appreciated, double checking for closures and bridge heights and that sort of thing.

If it goes well, there might be further adventures at some point in the future...

 

 

If you're going to Bernigum then it will be a lock hobbler that you need. 😀

[doratheexplorer]

10 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

Do you mean directly out of Birmingham city centre down Farmers Bridge and Aston flights?

 

If so the locks on both flights - bar the bottom two or three - are so close that you set the next one up while still in the previous lock and go directly between them. When going downhill on most you'll probably just walk back to close the gate on the lock you've exited. Going uphill its easy to close the gates on exit by stopping the boat in the jaws of the lock.

 

No planned closures providing you go the direct route and no real issues with height unless you've piled stuff on your roof so it's not properly fit to cruise.

 

To be fair, they'll be doing Curdworth locks to, which are a right PITA for a single hander.

[Rob-M]

I've never found Curdworth to be a problem single handing going up or down them.

[doratheexplorer]

26 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

I've never found Curdworth to be a problem single handing going up or down them.

I was responding to Captain Pegg's comments about Farmer's/Aston locks being close together.  At Curdworth the locks are spaced out so you can't really set the next lock while still in the previous one.

[Captain Pegg]

1 hour ago, doratheexplorer said:

I was responding to Captain Pegg's comments about Farmer's/Aston locks being close together.  At Curdworth the locks are spaced out so you can't really set the next lock while still in the previous one.

That’s true but unlike Farmers Bridge and the bulk of Aston there are plenty of mooring spots as you progress down Curdworth so the passage can be broken up into chunks.

 

As it happens I single handed Curdworth to Brum yesterday.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

18 hours ago, whitebeard said:

I'm thinking of coming through Birmingham, and onwards up the fazely canal towards Tamworth.

I'm looking for the right individual to join me just for one day, here and there, along the way.

To serve primarily as a lock runner, so I don't have to keep mooring up every time.

Some decent knowledge and experience of the canals would be preferable.

Also some help researching the route would be very much appreciated, double checking for closures and bridge heights and that sort of thing.

If it goes well, there might be further adventures at some point in the future...

 

mmm…

I might consider this

But it’ll cost you the price of a pint for each lock. 
 

6 hours ago, doratheexplorer said:

To be fair, they'll be doing Curdworth locks to, which are a right PITA for a single hander.

they’re ok single handing,

a very pleasant and pretty flight. 
 

I would say there’s one or two at the bottom of the Aston flight that are a bit of pain to do on your own but even so..

 

As a single hander I find the Bosley flight coming down are possibly the most irritating, with their double top gates. 

[whitebeard]

Many Thanks for the information.

I think the price of beer sounds fair enough, more or less,

I mean we could negotiate the details.

 

The height of the boat including roof boxes is approx 205cm / 6.725 feet [from the water level]

the boxes are basically not really removable, or at least it would be very very difficult and time consuming.

 

I'm not against doing the sandwell - walsall - perry barr locks route as an alternative.

It might add up to less locks that way maybe.

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I was only kidding about doing it for beer - If I were around I’d help you down a flight for nothing.

I’ve too much on at the moment so I don’t think I would be able to help.

What you need, maybe, is a travelling companion who has their own boat.

And you could help each other along.

Team up with LadyG who posts on here.

[Captain Pegg]

There is scaffolding overhanging the canal below lock no. 10 at Farmers Bridge at present but the sign on it says minimum headroom is 2.4m.

 

Other than that Newhall St bridge that sits over lock no. 9 is probably the tighest but being an arch it shouldn't be a problem.

 

There is one less lock going via Ryders Green and Perry Barr but in no way will that be easier than going down Farmers Bridge and Aston. If in doubt just take a walk down the Farmers Bridge flight, it's only a short walk entirely within Birmingham city centre.

[David Mack]

10 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

There is one less lock going via Ryders Green and Perry Barr

And 12 more miles, which will add half a day to your trip.

[blackrose]

On 11/05/2023 at 21:57, whitebeard said:

I'm thinking of coming through Birmingham, and onwards up the fazely canal towards Tamworth.

I'm looking for the right individual to join me just for one day, here and there, along the way.

To serve primarily as a lock runner, so I don't have to keep mooring up every time.

Some decent knowledge and experience of the canals would be preferable.

Also some help researching the route would be very much appreciated, double checking for closures and bridge heights and that sort of thing.

If it goes well, there might be further adventures at some point in the future...

 

 

The way you've phrased this I think think you might need to understand that anyone volunteering to do locks for you is doing you a big favour, not the other way around.

 

I've had some help from a couple of forum members in the past moving my widebeam through locks and sometimes I've let them steer while I do the locks because I don't think it's fair to expect them to give their time to me driving to wherever I am and then run ahead and set locks. And I certainly wouldn't expect them to do the research on bridge heights, lock stoppages, etc. As skipper that's your job.

 

Make them a decent lunch and offer to pay their fuel from wherever they have driven from too.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Where abouts you coming from whitebeard, do you moor in Brum?

 

is there a reason you need some help, a disability or something or do you simply want some company?

 I know some people are nervous about that route and want to do it as quickly as possible with someone as support. 
 

Don’t mean to be rude, genuine question. 

[whitebeard]

Yes I would prefer to move through Brum centre and aston as quickly as possible.

I'm capable but fairly slow if I'm on my own.

I wouldnt feel comfortable walking on and leaving the boat unlocked, even for 5 mins.

It can get crowded and busy around there.

So really it's that extra time it takes for securing and mooring the boat in between.

Anyway I needed a rest after doing only 3 or 4 locks before,

so it's a lot of locks in one go....

I'm willing to negotiate a reasonable deal, wouldn't assume that somebody would do the work for free.

But I'm not really looking for a travelling companion, just help with the locks.

 

 

 

[arbutus]

What date are you planning to be in Brum?.

 

I could get an early train into Birmingham, meet at the top of farmers bridge and leave you at Aston bottom lock as there is a train station by the canal.

 

No charges involved, I'll even bring my own sandwiches and windlass. My dates are flexible.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

On 14/05/2023 at 12:09, Goliath said:

Where abouts you coming from whitebeard, do you moor in Brum?

 

is there a reason you need some help, a disability or something or do you simply want some company?

 I know some people are nervous about that route and want to do it as quickly as possible with someone as support. 
 

Don’t mean to be rude, genuine question. 

I thought the same, I was wondering age? Being single handed, like yourself I would be a bit perplexed if I showed up to assist and the person asking for help was half my age and able bodied, they say they want to go through quickly and don’t feel comfortable in that area, so they have a reason to ask.

Edited May 17, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[Dave_P]

14 hours ago, arbutus said:

What date are you planning to be in Brum?.

 

I could get an early train into Birmingham, meet at the top of farmers bridge and leave you at Aston bottom lock as there is a train station by the canal.

 

No charges involved, I'll even bring my own sandwiches and windlass. My dates are flexible.

My advice to the OP is take up this offer.  Arbutus helped me on this exact section a few years ago when I had a leg injury and a tight deadline to get my boat to a slipway.  Top bloke!

[whitebeard]

I will have to insist on paying your expenses for the day, at the very least.

 

[arbutus]

9 hours ago, whitebeard said:

I will have to insist on paying your expenses for the day, at the very least.

 

Well that will be £5.90 for the one way train fare.

 

I have an OAP bus pass and as I live in the West Midlands, I can use it on Trains and Trams in the area after 09:30. So getting home is no cost.

 

I've sent a PM Hopefully you can receive it, I don't know how many posts you need before it is active. 

Whitebeard, if you didn't receive the private message, email me at knockoffthearris - at - gmail - dot - com

 

Edited May 18, 2023 by magpie patrick
Email address edited

[S.Marcus]

I cannot pm you as I need to have posted 10 times. When are you passing through and do you still need help?

[whitebeard]

Arbutus helped me to get through Brum city centre and Aston locks.

Thank goodness I took him up on his very generous offer.

I really can't imagine how stressful, time consuming, and exhausting it would have been if I'd been on my own.

He did 95% of the physical work, calmly and cheerfully, and was a massive help also in navigating around obstacles and other boats.

I can't thank him enough for his time.

It was a smooth journey, without any major drama,  and I was able to get to Curdworth before dark.