2002 - Alvechurch > Warwick and back.

[mattuk1980]

Part 1:

I'm not sure what is classed as history/historical in the eyes of this forum but I thought I would share some photos we took 22 years ago on our first sojourn on the canals.  Given the age, I hope they can be classed as historical, as many of the views will have changed one way or another over the years.  All photos were taken on 35mm film and digitised during processing.

 

Our seven-day journey for this holiday started at Alvechurch on a 45-foot boat called Raven. We headed north to Birmingham then south through Knowle and Hatton to Warwick.  The return was via Hatton, the North Stratford and back to Alvechurch.  As mentioned, this was our first trip on a canal and it left a lasting impression, although we have not done as many holidays on the water as we would have liked over the years.

 

Image 1:  Yours truly as a mere pup, only half my current age.

 

Image 2: On our way north along the Worcester and Birmingham

 

Image 3:  Our first major canal feature, Wast Hill Tunnel:

 

Image 4: Almost 2726 yards later, the light at the end of the tunnel:

 

Image 5: Bourneville

 

Image 6: Near the end of our first afternoon on the canal, the center of Birmingham.

 

Image 7:  Moored up and now in the dark at Cambrian Wharf

 

I will break this up into separate parts as there seem to be restrictions on the number of photos that can be uploaded at once (I am still getting to know what you can do on this forum).

 

 

 

 

Part 2:

The first full day of the holiday saw us take on the first locks, Farmers Bridge.

 

Image 8: Me in one of the locks on the Farmers Bridge flight:

 

Image 9: Heading out of Birmingham, somewhere

 

 

Image 10: A small workboat called 'Thrasher' somewhere in the Birmingham industrial belt:

 

Image 11: Grand Union, somewhere (?)

 

Image 12:  Waiting at Knowle Top Lock to see if another boat came along to share the lock:

 

Image 13: Looking south From the top lock (

 

Image 14: Again on the GU, between Knowle and hatton

 

 

I Will continue with the pictures tomorrow.

 

 

 

[John Brightley]

Thank you for posting this Matt. In reality, even yesterday is 'historic'. Some of us may regard 2002 as very recent, but as time goes by your memories will become more important.

Most of the places you visited haven't changed at all in that time, but a few have. Image 9 is Aston Science Park, with Lister Street bridge in the background. The building on the left is no longer there. Image 10 is Sampson Road depot. Although the building in your photo is still there, buildings behind have recently been demolished.

Edit: I think image 14 is Copt Heath Wharf, between Birmingham and Knowle.

Edited August 1, 2024 by John Brightley

[Victor Vectis]

Yes. Thanks for posting.

I was going to say that image 10 is the loading bay above Camp Hill Top Lock but was beaten to it by the previous post!

But image 14 has got me stumped, any offers? Copt Heath perhaps, but that would hve been before you got to Knowle and the pics look as if they are in sequence.

And looking at it again image 11 looks like the RH curve just before the road bridge by Knowle Hall Wharf.

Edited August 1, 2024 by Victor Vectis

[Stroudwater1]

Is image 14 by the Black buoy cruising club moorings a little way after Knowle Locks?

 

Thanks for posting, interesting pictures. 

 

 

[Rob-M]

1 minute ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Is image 14 by the Black buoy cruising club moorings a little way after Knowle Locks?

 

Thanks for posting, interesting pictures. 

 

 

Just about to post the same suggestion of the long straight leading to Black Boy bridge.

 

But on second viewing of the bridge I don't think it is.

[Victor Vectis]

My first thoughts were that it was the Black Buoy moorings too but looking to the left ot the bridge in the distance the pub ain't there.

Yes, interesting pictures.

More please!

[magpie patrick]

Images become historic when something has changed since the image was taken. Images that have an approximate date are historic even if nothing has changed, as they help to date changes - if it hasn't changed since 2002, then changes in the scene since (say) 1990 are more tightly defined. 

 

I have several books of canal photos that were simply intended to illustrate, but 30,40, 50 years later the scenes have changed so much they are now valuable historic documents.

[mattuk1980]

Morning,

 

I am pleased that you are enjoying my photos, they bring back happy memories.

 

I think part of the problem is I am looking at files from an old photo CD that you used to be able to get from Boots back in the day and the file names are always the same per CD and there are no date stamps!  Having taken on board the comments and looked at the photos, No 14 is before Knowle Locks as it comes before these pictures:

 

Image 15: High Street, Knowle.  The old building is the Library and the Antique shop is now a hair, beauty and nail salon:

 

Image 16: Heading down, on the Knowle flight

 

Image 16:  No doubt that this is Knowle

 

Image 17: Moored up somewhere

 

Image 18

 

Image 19

 

Image 20: the bottom end of the Hatton Flight

Image 21: Heading back up Hatton

 

Image 22

 

Image 23

 

 

Image 24

 

Image 25

 

Image 27:

 

Image 28

 

 

Image 29

 

Image 30

 

And thats all I have for now,  for some reason, I don't have any pictures from the trip up the North Stratford on the PC.  I will have to look through the large amount of pictures I have here and see if I can find them.

 

[David Mack]

12 hours ago, Victor Vectis said:

 

But image 14 has got me stumped, any offers? Copt Heath perhaps, but that would hve been before you got to Knowle and the pics look as if they are in sequence.

And looking at it again image 11 looks like the RH curve just before the road bridge by Knowle Hall Wharf.

14 has me stumped too! If this was Copt Heath there would be a house on the left, and also there are some buildings on the right before the bridge.

11 might be just south of Waterfield Bridge (Hampton Road) no 73.

1 hour ago, mattuk1980 said:

Image 17: Moored up somewhere

About half a mile below Knowle bottom lock?

Confirmed by 18 being King's Arms Bridge.

19 is Rowington Wharf (by the Tom 'O The Wood), as is 30 seen from the other side.

 

28 is Hatton Station bridge.

Edited August 2, 2024 by David Mack

[Victor Vectis]

If image 14 is Copt Heath I reckon the house is just out of shot to the left.

17 is below Knowle Bottom Lock, just beyond the long term moorings. A favourite spot of ours for a quick jaunt out from our mooring.

18 is round the LH bend from there, looking at the start of the Black Buoy moorings beyond the bridge.

19 is Rowington. Water point to the right and the house on the left runs a hire boat 'Smoke' from their EoG mooring.

28 Bridge by Hatton Station?

29 The 'Picnic Spot', a small clearing on Rowington Embankment, Foxbrook Aqueduct No 6 on Canal Planner. A lovely mooring but more overgrown now than in the picture. We tied up just beyond there (more shade!) on Monday.

30 Coming back into Rowington, goat place on the right with the pub beyond.

[IanM]

2 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

28 Bridge by Hatton Station?

 

I'm with you on that one.

[mattuk1980]

I love forums such as this for one main thing, the collective mind. Thanks to all who have taken the time to provide locations for the photos with missing information.

 

I have remembered why I have no photos of the journey up the Stratford, my camera fell off the table on the boat.  It was repaired after we got home.

I have found some photos from our 2003 holiday, actual photos this time so I have spent my lunch break scanning them I will create a new topic for those.

[Ken X]

I well remember mooring at the location in photo 30 to visit the "Tom 'O the Wood".

 

The present Mrs X, on exiting the boat, took one sniff and declared" There's a Billy goat somewhere round here", and there was, just over the cut. 

 

She comes from a long line of mountain farmers at it still shows at times.

[Victor Vectis]

2 hours ago, mattuk1980 said:

I have found some photos from our 2003 holiday, actual photos this time so I have spent my lunch break scanning them I will create a new topic for those.

Yes please.

[IanM]

15 hours ago, Victor Vectis said:

Yes please.

He’s already started one 

 

 

[mattuk1980]

On 02/08/2024 at 08:50, mattuk1980 said:

 

I have just gone through the photos of our last holiday, where once again we tackled Hatton, and it looks like I have a similar view to the one above, there are almost 20 years between the two pictures.

 

 

@IanM Thanks for pointing @Victor Vectis in the right direction.

Edited August 3, 2024 by mattuk1980

[emm]

14 definitely Copt Heath Wharf.

I lived in the house at the time!