Fazeley Marina to Gas Street Basin - how long?

[Sammie]

Title says it all really

A rough idea of how long it will take from Fazeley Marina area to Gas Street Basin, obviously dependant on boat traffic and lock hold ups. And is Gas Street Basin the only safe place to moor? Saw another post saying Birmingham full - is this an ongoing situation this weekend? Any info would be great. Thanks.

[Hairy-Neil]

I once moored for the night in the approach cutting on the Birmingham side of Coseley Tunnel. There were mooring bollards available and it was a short walk up to an excellent pub.

 

I've previously had and seen problems at GSB area. Nothing serious, the usual drunken exploits of untying mooring lines etc. Was also pelted with fruit from a bridge on another occasion in the centre of Brindley Place.

 

Also be aware that the area is the night life centre of the city, so is noisy till 3.00am....

[NB Alnwick]

Title says it all really

A rough idea of how long it will take from Fazeley Marina area to Gas Street Basin, obviously dependant on boat traffic and lock hold ups. And is Gas Street Basin the only safe place to moor? Saw another post saying Birmingham full - is this an ongoing situation this weekend? Any info would be great. Thanks.

 

We did it in a day and that was after having a lot of difficulty because we became stuck hard aground half way into Aston bottom lock. Ok, I had lots of help from 'cheshire~rose' and 'Postcode' but I didn't start from Glascote until about 10:00 and did the 'country' section single handed. After going aground and needing help from BW near Curdworth, I stopped for a couple of hours - and on arrival in central Birmingham, it was nearly an hour before we found a suitable mooring point. Nevertheless, we eventually tied up in the centre at around 22:00 and enjoyed an excellent meal in the Indian Restaurant that straddles the canal near Gas Street Basin.

[Smelly]

I once moored for the night in the approach cutting on the Birmingham side of Coseley Tunnel. There were mooring bollards available and it was a short walk up to an excellent pub.

 

I've previously had and seen problems at GSB area. Nothing serious, the usual drunken exploits of untying mooring lines etc. Was also pelted with fruit from a bridge on another occasion in the centre of Brindley Place.

 

Also be aware that the area is the night life centre of the city, so is noisy till 3.00am....

 

However I've not passed by Coseley without ballistic masonry and the lads at Watertravel uised to call it "Damnation Alley" for exactly that reason; so I'm told. One of their boats got all it's windows smashed there a few years back, also it's a bloody long run from Fazeley, or even Minworth, to Coseley.

 

Fazeley to Brum's a long day to travel but do-able, otherwise stop at Minworth. The accepted wisdom is don't stop above Minworth 'til you hit the top of Aston locks, by the Uni.

 

There should be an available mooring on Camrian Wharf on Saturday, look for the logs on the pontoons and tell whoever challenges you that Dan said it was ok. It'll be noisy 'til midnight because of the Flapper but there's rarely any trouble these days.

 

We'll be back weekend 5th Sept, unless we don't spend all our money in which case we'll probably stop somewhere nice and commute in to work for a week or so.

 

At GSB you'll get bottles and glasses thrown from the balcony of the Aussie bar occasionally; the natives are trying to get that balcony closed at the minute, if you moor on the W&B side you're right on the main drag for posh drunkards. You can moor on the mainline which might or might not be doable considering it's been quite rammed recently, or in the first bit of the Oozels St loop. Have a look at Cambrian first, if my spot's there it's probably worth grabbing it. If not walk round and have a look's probably good advice.

 

if you're less than 55 ft you'll fit along the end on the pontoon on Cambrian, you can't really see it from the cut so it's rarely taken.

 

Brum was full because of the build up to the National which should have cleared, however Alvechurch and Anglo Welsh turnaround on Saturday so there'll be a lot of hire boats in town (entertaining to watch on Sunday morning!)

[Smelly]

enjoyed an excellent meal in the Indian Restaurant that straddles the canal near Gas Street Basin.

 

Yep Barajee is indeed worth a visit... Top Nosh! If you're into Chinese theres a reet good all you can eat job about ten minutes walk away as well, looking up from the Farmer's Bridge side of Tindall Bridge turn right (onto King Edward's road) as you come up off the canal by the NIA and keep walking. When you come to the big junction you can see a builidng with red and blue neon strip lights around it... that's it!

[Hairy-Neil]

However I've not passed by Coseley without ballistic masonry and the lads at Watertravel uised to call it "Damnation Alley" for exactly that reason; so I'm told. One of their boats got all it's windows smashed there a few years back, also it's a bloody long run from Fazeley, or even Minworth, to Coseley.

 

Well we did tie up as it got dark and left soon after first light......

 

All I'm saying is nowhere is 100% safe, nowhere is 100% certain for trouble.

[Smelly]

Well we did tie up as it got dark and left soon after first light......

 

All I'm saying is nowhere is 100% safe, nowhere is 100% certain for trouble.

 

Very true!

[classicstove]

Sammie

 

You may find this link helpful as I record the time it took me along a canal so that the info can be useful to others and myself for the next time

 

http://www.boatmail.co.uk/Birmingham%20&%20Fazeley.htm

 

I would not moor anywhere further north than Minworth thinking the last 'safe' place to be The Kingsley Arms pub - good moorings outside

 

When you get to GSB, the better moorings are outside the NIA as these are generally quieter and have CCTV to keep an eye on you !

 

John

 

www.boatmail.co.uk - secure and responsive mail forwarding

[Richard Fairhurst]

We spent a couple of overnights the other week in the Winson Green and West Bromwich areas of the New Main Line, popping out to local pubs in each case - no problems at either location. I guess most of the nutters in Winson Green are safely behind bars...

[Sammie]

Huge thanks everyone for all the info and mooring tips. Really useful. Will post how we get on.

Sammie x

[ditchcrawler]

Huge thanks everyone for all the info and mooring tips. Really useful. Will post how we get on.

Sammie x

We were in Brum about 10 days ago and moored overnight a Holiday Wharf, if you use that one try to get between the water point and the bridge as it is a bit quieter as its further from the Mail Box. We had no problem. Several friends were on the Main Line near the end of Oozell Street Loop for several nights with no problem. The most secure place we found was at the end of the Engine Arm where you are fully locked in with residential boats for company

[Smelly]

Shout if you're commited to coming all the way and I'll set the attack dogs on our mooring in anticipation of your arrival!

[Odana]

Title says it all really

A rough idea of how long it will take from Fazeley Marina area to Gas Street Basin, obviously dependant on boat traffic and lock hold ups. And is Gas Street Basin the only safe place to moor? Saw another post saying Birmingham full - is this an ongoing situation this weekend? Any info would be great. Thanks.

 

 

If you get to top of Aston Locks and it's getting too late to go up Farmer's Bridge, go left and moor up either on offside (quiet, even if there will be people drinking above you on the bank) or past 1st bridge on towpath in sciene park- covered by CCTV and there are security guards about - it may not be safer but it FEELS safer! You'll probably have to reverse back to the junction, but it's not far.

 

Did from there to Drayton bridge in 9ish hours the other day, inc lunch stop. The Drone chippie at Hansons Bridge is just about luchtime positioned for those rainy days when you can't be bothered to be healthy...

 

Weekend mooring in central bham - either in Gas St basin or by the NIA I'd say - anywhere down towards the mailbox is a bit too 'en route back from the club'-ish

 

Have a good trip!

[Sammie]

Well we are back and apart from one incident, had a lovely weekend. We left Fazeley later than anticipated so ended up mooring just after Curdworth Tunnel. Left there at 7am and arrived at Gas Street Basin about 1ish. We moored there overnight and apart from some people standing on the boat during the night and causing it to rock about, we had no problems. However, it was loud until gone 3am, so with a 10 week old baby needing night feeds, we got very little sleep. The only trouble we hit was on the Stratford Upon Avon canal between bridges 6 and 7. It was a wooded stretch with very steep, high banks. I was sat out with my 18 month old daughter and Dad was driving when I thought some twigs fell from some trees. We then realised someone was throwing stones at us. Just as I started to head inside with my daughter, a huge stone missed us by inches. My husband rushed out and the rest of us stayed inside until it stopped. Whilst I was prepared for the possibility of yobbish behaviour through Birmingham, I was really shocked, and still am, that someone would deliberately target us when I was quite clearly holding a young child. I think I must have lived a sheltered life until now! Anyway, thanks for the advice from you all and to "smelly" for the offer of the use of mooring. Really kind, although not needed.