Stourbridge Canal Route From The Bcn

[Tinhare]

We did Delph and the Stourbridge flights today. Very tired now. Was a lovely trip despite the thunderstorms and torrential downpours.
Unfortunately we followed another boat all the way down Stourbridge flight so was hard work for the two of us.
When we got to the locks after the glass museum we caught up with the boat we were following sitting at the entrance to lock 14. We filled lock 13 ready to proceed but the boat was still sitting at the entrance to 14. Concerned I went down to see if they were OK. Yes they were thanks, just having dinner.
So, opened the paddles for them to fill their lock. They locked like they were sitting at a bit of an angle and seemed to have trouble getting going into the lock, by this stage I was back at our boat at 13.

Once they had set off we dropped down and entered the pound. Pulled up on the bollards just before 14 and filled the lock. Went to hop back aboard and said tot eh wife we wont be going anywhere. You could see the rear swim of the boat out of the water. So back to 13 to let some water down. Once enough water had come down we proceeded without problem.

I did notice that the upper gate for 14 was rather leaky and also despite our boat sitting hard on the bottom you could still hear water going through the weir next to 14 so all is not well there.

 

Currently we are moored in a lovely rural spot just after the bend after Newtown Bridge.

 

Cheers,

Alan.

[The Pipe]

Lock 14 on the Stourbridge flight is in need of serious attention and also a hole has appeared at the side of lock 2 on the Delph flight as well.

If either one of them goes it would make getting in and out of Birmingham interesting.

[cotswoldsman]

Lock 14 on the Stourbridge flight is in need of serious attention and also a hole has appeared at the side of lock 2 on the Delph flight as well.

If either one of them goes it would make getting in and out of Birmingham interesting.

Have you reported it to CRT?

[The Pipe]

Have you reported it to CRT?

No need too they are looking into the hole at Delph it appeared on Wednesday morning and lock 14 has been a worry for a long time a well known concern.

[RLWP]

lock 14 has been a worry for a long time a well known concern.

 

Yes, I had forgotten about the ritual filling of the flight around there

 

All good fun

 

Richard

[madcat]

ive used these on my own quite happily but never been brave enough to stop at the bottom of the delph, local feeling is that you need to do delph plus the 16 in one hit because its bandit country. I would love to be proved wrong as it would make Stourbridge a more appealing trip.

the BCN is great but can be a bit scary if you are a bit shy. We aquired some very enthusiastic youngsters on the Ryders green locks who were no bother to Atlas with a crew of 3 but I would have felt a bit anxious on my own. They were nice lads but the young are so full of bounce, its always a worry about their safety.

[andy3196]

ive used these on my own quite happily but never been brave enough to stop at the bottom of the delph, local feeling is that you need to do delph plus the 16 in one hit because its bandit country. I would love to be proved wrong as it would make Stourbridge a more appealing trip.

the BCN is great but can be a bit scary if you are a bit shy.

I have used the moorings on the Stourbridge Extension Canal a couple of times, once about 6 years ago in midsummer, and more recently in April this year. Really quiet with no houses that near. Although it is a fenced mooring, it isn't actually secure as there is a bit of the fence missing at the far end, and the latch on the access gate had been "modified" so the padlock can be just slipped off.

 

2013-04-18-0650 by andy3196, on Flickr

 

I don't think they get used at all often, as the next morning one of the local dog walkers did comment that he didn't realise that boats could get up there.

 

It isn't often that you get to have a whole canal all to yourself

 

Maybe I should mention that my regular crew consists of 1 GSD.

 

The BCN does have a lot more reasonable moorings than the official CRT VMs, I found the BCNS list really useful for the time I spent up there earlier in the year. I couldn't find a copy on the BCNS website last time I looked, but it is available at http://indigodream.wordpress.com/bcn-moorings-guide/

[Tinhare]

We've moved around to Swindon on the S&W now. Nice easy day after yesterday. Moored at Swindon Dock, 24hour mooring here. Houses backing on to the towpath but it is quiet. See what the night brings I guess.
Was talking to another boater heading South. He said he was delayed for three hours at Botteram today due to the traffic.

 

Cheers,

Alan.

[adam1uk]

 

 

Oh yes, there's another feature of the Stourbridge and the Delph nine - John. I don't know his surname, John turns up to help boats up and down the flight. He's a star, and likes a bit of cake

 

Richard

 

You've forgotten this thread you started about his sad death, then.

[RLWP]

I hadn't forgotten. If you follow through that thread, you'll find I got the wrong John

 

Richard

[adam1uk]

I hadn't forgotten. If you follow through that thread, you'll find I got the wrong John

 

Richard

 

I'll shut up!

[The Pipe]

 

I'll shut up!

I was talking to John today maybe we are all dead?

[RLWP]

I was talking to John today maybe we are all dead?

 

Don't you go all existential on us now

 

Richard

[The Pipe]

 

Don't you go all existential on us now

 

Richard

"Existential" Now that's an interesting word and after all the "Shropshire Lass" I've been drinking in the "Bird in hand" I shall have to look it up in the morning if I'm still alive.

[john6767]

Well we are at Merry Hill now, doing Delph/Stourbridge tomorrow. Seems as though most of the Black Prince and Alvechurch fleets are here too, I don't think we will bother getting off so early. Netherton tunnel was like the M1.

[Tinhare]

Well we are at Merry Hill now, doing Delph/Stourbridge tomorrow. Seems as though most of the Black Prince and Alvechurch fleets are here too, I don't think we will bother getting off so early. Netherton tunnel was like the M1.

Wow, glad we came around when we did. Yesterday we left Swindon stopping overnight at the Fox and Anchor near Coven and we're now moored at Tuppenhurst on the T&M. Fazeley and back at base tomorrow. Woohoo!

 

Had an excellent run yesterday and today, very rainy days make for a lot less boats out on the water.

 

Have a safe trip.

[PaulG]

Came up the 16 today. Don't do it on a Tuesday! Bloody chaos.

Anyway, in the "Tenth Lock" now enjoying well earned pint of Guinness. If I look out of the window I can see the boat moored in the basin. I love the BCN!

[john6767]

Came up the 16 today. Don't do it on a Tuesday! Bloody chaos.

Anyway, in the "Tenth Lock" now enjoying well earned pint of Guinness. If I look out of the window I can see the boat moored in the basin. I love the BCN!

We must have passed you then, we came down today from Merry Hill. Delph was very busy but Stourbridge less so, we did not leave Merry Hill until late morning though. Moored on the Staffs & Worcester north of Greensforge now.

[john6767]

So in the end we decided to do it in one go, thanks to those for the mooring suggestions though.

 

Clearly the Red/Blue paddles on Delph are a thing of the past now, some signs of the paint but no instructions about doing anything special.

 

Both lock flights were good, but the stretch of canal between Delph and Stourbridge locks is very poor, overgrown, shallow and full of rubbish, much worse than anything I have seen anywhere on the BCN. It is surprising it is so poor given it is a through route.

[Nine of Hearts]

...Enjoy the Delph nine

 

Richard

 

You've referred to Delph as "the Delph nine" before, and it's alsways puzzled me. Are you including the Pub? Or Blower's Green?

 

A very nice flight for timing your single-handing speed. I thought the blue and red paddle instructions were more about conservation than flooding, as they are deep locks with short pounds. So when descending, if you open the top paddles on the next lock before you open the bottom ones on the lock you're in, you can do the flight taking only one lock of water down with you, instead of sloshing eight locks' worth down the side weirs.

[The Pipe]

 

You've referred to Delph as "the Delph nine" before, and it's alsways puzzled me. Are you including the Pub? Or Blower's Green?

 

A very nice flight for timing your single-handing speed. I thought the blue and red paddle instructions were more about conservation than flooding, as they are deep locks with short pounds. So when descending, if you open the top paddles on the next lock before you open the bottom ones on the lock you're in, you can do the flight taking only one lock of water down with you, instead of sloshing eight locks' worth down the side weirs.

The flight does tend to flood when I came down last wednesday all the locks were set for me so the Mark the CRT man on site asked me to just single bottom paddle the flight as all the pounds were spilling so as to give the bottom spill a chance.

There was also a big flood on Monday at the bottom lock.

Edited August 7, 2013 by Jim Evans

[RLWP]

 

You've referred to Delph as "the Delph nine" before, and it's alsways puzzled me. Are you including the Pub? Or Blower's Green?

 

The Delph Nine is ye olde BCN jowke

 

Once upon a time, the flight went down the top lock, then straight on along the arm, then turned right and went down seven locks, a slight right and through the bottom lock

 

Then - the middle seven locks were replaced with the industrial magnificence that we have today with the stable block, huge weirs and so on - and there are only six of them. So, there used to be nine, there are now eight, the boaters of old always called them the Delph Nine - or so I am told

 

Richard

[Nine of Hearts]

 

... the boaters of old always called them the Delph Nine - or so I am told

 

Richard

 

Thank you for the explanation, I am now enlightened. But as I am very young and sprightly, I shall continue to refer to them as the delph eight. Although saying to yourself, as you exit the penultimate lock, "I've just done seven of nine", would give some geeks a cheapie.

[RLWP]

Trying to establish a new tradition?

 

Richard

[john6767]

 

The flight does tend to flood when I came down last wednesday all the locks were set for me so the Mark the CRT man on site asked me to just single bottom paddle the flight as all the pounds were spilling so as to give the bottom spill a chance.

There was also a big flood on Monday at the bottom lock.

I don't think any of the weirs had water going over then yesterday.

 

When we came down it was very busy with mostly hire boats coming up, and crossing in the short pounds brought about some interesting maneuvers from some boats with lots of use of ropes . A CRT volunteer (that knew what they were doing) would have been very useful, but as usual none in sight.