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Posted

Hi all, we are looking to get across Birmingham in the next week or so - with stoppages we have the following route planned (quickest?)

 

From research my plan is as follows:

 

Day 1, Hockley Heath (or a few miles closer) - Gas Street (we will cruise round there to find a good mooring?)

Day 2 Gas street - Black country museum 

Day 3 Black country Museum - ???

Day 4 ??? - Brewood (first safe moorings?)

 

Any local advice welcome, we do have dogs on board and would like to spend atleast a morning / afternoon in gas street. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted

The route you've shown on the map doesn't take you past the Black Country Museum. If you are also going via Stourton as the map suggests you would have to double back to Netherton Tunnel (assuming you are not going through Dudley Tunnel). Otherwise just carry on from Tipton along the Main Line to Wolverhampton.

Posted
5 minutes ago, David Mack said:

The route you've shown on the map doesn't take you past the Black Country Museum. If you are also going via Stourton as the map suggests you would have to double back to Netherton Tunnel (assuming you are not going through Dudley Tunnel). Otherwise just carry on from Tipton along the Main Line to Wolverhampton.

 

The wolverhampton flight it closed until march, i think i have picked the quickest diversion?

Posted

Can you not do Black Country Museum to Brewood in one day? It's a while since I've been on the BCN but I didn't think it was too far from the top of the 21? And Brewood is not too far from the bottom of the 21. 

I always like the stretch on the Shoppie after the M54 bridge but before Brewood. Stopped there a few times, been the only boat and felt very safe. Good phone signal as well, which unless things have changed in the last 7 years, there isn't in Brewood.

Towpath in Brewood will be FILTHY wet in this weather. 

Posted

Be aware that the canals may well freeze over for the midweek period to Friday, it might not be iced in Gas St, but you might set off and hit ice away from the centre.

Posted

Doing a similar route myself, but I got time to take time, yea the 21 is shut, shut today

 

So it’s down the Stourbridge flight we go. 


I don’t think there’s anywhere on this route to worry about for an over night mooring. All safe enough. In fact there’s a lot of good moorings. 
Through Netherton you got windmill end,

then, Brierley hill,

bottom of the Delph flight, there’s the back of the Samson and lion on the Stourbridge flight, And all those villages up the staff and Worcester. 
 

Being winter with short days and all, you might be lucky to get as far as you want in the time you’ve given yourself. 
But hey, with a good crew  🤷‍♀️


Double check the opening times at the Museum. Ring and check if you need. The museum can be open but with the back gates closed. The back gate is where we moor. 
 


 

  • Greenie 1
Posted

If your aim in going to the Black Country Museum was solely as a safe mooring (and since it is now closed there is currently no other reason to do so) then going straight through the Netherton Tunnel is a better option. Moorings as 5329's suggestions between there and the S&W or if you fancy the side trip down to Hawne Basin it's a good place, including very cheap diesel.

 

Up the Shroppie it isn't that far to Brewood but there are also decent moorings right at the bottom at Autherley (large supermarket in walking distance) and several other places before Brewood, either for a stop or a proper mooring. As soon as you are under the M54 it gets pretty rural.

 

Alec

Posted
1 minute ago, agg221 said:

fancy the side trip down to Hawne Basin it's a good plac


I need to double double check but I think there’s a stoppage along there too,


 

Posted
6 minutes ago, 5239 said:


I need to double double check but I think there’s a stoppage along there too,


 

Yes you're correct. Oh well, scrub that idea then.

 

Alec

Posted
31 minutes ago, agg221 said:

If your aim in going to the Black Country Museum was solely as a safe mooring (and since it is now closed there is currently no other reason to do so) then going straight through the Netherton Tunnel is a better option. Moorings as 5329's suggestions between there and the S&W or if you fancy the side trip down to Hawne Basin it's a good place, including very cheap diesel.

 

Up the Shroppie it isn't that far to Brewood but there are also decent moorings right at the bottom at Autherley (large supermarket in walking distance) and several other places before Brewood, either for a stop or a proper mooring. As soon as you are under the M54 it gets pretty rural.

 

Alec

If the museum is shut for a long period I wouldn't mind betting that the moorings are already full of linger longers

Posted
10 minutes ago, agg221 said:

Yes you're correct. Oh well, scrub that idea then.

 

Alec

Yes shut til March,

 

I had a plan to leave Brum and go counter clockwise around to the Shroppie but stoppage at Fradley too until March. 
 

Thats two years on the trot I’ve stuffed up because I didn’t plan for the stoppages proper. Hey ho. 
 

The 21 has been out for at least 3 years now through February. Im hoping this is last time, it was looking good when I came up in November. 
 

 

 

1 minute ago, Tonka said:

If the museum is shut for a long period I wouldn't mind betting that the moorings are already full of linger longers

I’m not sure if the museum shut or not has any effect on longer longers.
 

This linger longer has just  had a 5 week run there. 

😃👍

 

 

Posted

Good advice thank you, 

 

So from gas Street straight through the tunnel and onto Merry Hill, then down the locks to wilderness?

Posted
1 minute ago, Adam said:

Good advice thank you, 

 

So from gas Street straight through the tunnel and onto Merry Hill, then down the locks to wilderness?

Stourbridge 

Posted

If you are doing this in four days -

1st stop Birmingham (I've always found plenty of space on the main line near the Distillery)

2nd Stourbridge (Samson and Lion)

3rd Wombourne area

4th Brewood

  • Greenie 1
  • 3 weeks later...
Posted
17 hours ago, Adam said:

To note I swung round by the top of farmers bridge locks for water and asked one of the CRT beggers which pontoons were visitor mooring, none apparently you need to have waterside mooring contract atleast somewhere on the system to use them.........

towpath side is still visitor moorings,

and I noticed the other week a boat moored under the balcony where the pub has put up their ‘No Mooring’ signs,

maybe they’re not that bothered, they never used to be

 

How did you get on with this awful weather?

did you manage to avoid the storms and wind?

Posted
On 06/01/2025 at 21:01, 5239 said:

The 21 has been out for at least 3 years now through February. Im hoping this is last time, it was looking good when I came up in November

Since oak lock gates have a typical life of 25 years, a long flight like the Wolverhampton is going to have a set needing replacement most years on average. If not there, then one of the other main flights on the BCN is going to be out of action at some point during the winter, if maintenance is being done as it should.

Posted
1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Since oak lock gates have a typical life of 25 years, a long flight like the Wolverhampton is going to have a set needing replacement most years on average. If not there, then one of the other main flights on the BCN is going to be out of action at some point during the winter, if maintenance is being done as it should.

When I first started exploring the BCN in the mid 1970s there were gates date marked before 1920 - I think the oldest I saw were 1908. So 50+ years old.

Although perhaps the amount of tar and chemicals in the BCN waters back then may have contributed to their longevity!

  • Greenie 1
Posted
35 minutes ago, David Mack said:

When I first started exploring the BCN in the mid 1970s there were gates date marked before 1920 - I think the oldest I saw were 1908. So 50+ years old.

Although perhaps the amount of tar and chemicals in the BCN waters back then may have contributed to their longevity!

D'arn these environmentalists and their water quality standards. Raw sewage just doesn't have the same preservative effects as good old fashioned industrial waste.

  • Happy 2
  • Haha 2
Posted
3 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Since oak lock gates have a typical life of 25 years, a long flight like the Wolverhampton is going to have a set needing replacement most years on average. If not there, then one of the other main flights on the BCN is going to be out of action at some point during the winter, if maintenance is being done as it should.

yes, it’s a surprise there ain’t more stoppages around the BCN,

Someone with a better memory might know the last time there was a run of winter free maintenance on the Wolverhampton 21?

I know for sure the last three winters have seen work,

not complaining mind, quite the opposite,

 

a very quick count of locks on BCN before I gave up came to over 100,

there’s a few score more I’ve missed I’m sure,

 

 

 

 

 

Posted
12 minutes ago, 5239 said:

a very quick count of locks on BCN before I gave up came to over 100

100 locks in 24hrs is a challenge we tried one year for the BCN challenge but got scuppered in Walsall so didn't make it.

  • Greenie 1
Posted

Counting off the top of my head there are 129 locks on the BCN.

 

A total of 134 perhaps includes the five Garrison locks which are not part of the BCN but are usually included in the BCN Challenge.


It would never be possible to do them all during the Challenge. Realistically you can only do one of Curdworth, Delph or Wolverhampton which are dead ends.

 

As I recall the 100 locks attempt only worked with a finish at Titford and including the ability to score the Walsall flight in both directions. In reality I doubt it would have been possible in 24 hours even without getting stuck at Walsall.

 

 

 

Posted

Yes, I counted Garrison,

so I’ll deduct that 5

but I forgot Brades,

 

when I can arsed, I’ll do the research and count proper 😃

 

either way it’s a lotta locks to maintain 

 

 

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