Jump to content

Lock House Wenesfield staffordshire

jeannette smith harrison
 Share

Featured Posts

Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

Posted
Posted

Great pictures Laurence - thank you

 

I moored at the top lock with my father one or two times - we were tempted to go down but never did!

 

Do you know the date of the press cutting? Was the trip made just out of curiosity?

 

Thanks again

 

Joseph

It was early 1969. Our intention was to go right through but BW had made it impossible by blocking across the cut shortly after the bottom lock just past the former Nechells branch entrance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Joseph Collaborator

Joseph

Posted
Posted

Many thanks Laurence.

 

David, you asked when the canal officially closed. I think the technical answer to that is that the 6 locks closed when the Transport Act 1968 came into law - there was then no public right of navigation and no reason why it should not be closed.

 

Was there any sort of campaign to keep this section open...as a dead end?

 

Joseph

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tarboat Engager

tarboat

Posted
Posted (edited)

I found some more views on Flickr.

 

4327931895_f802fbee87_z.jpg
Wednesfield, Wolverhampton scenes no more - 8A by Oxendale-mac, on Flickr

4330278765_a2a306e455_z.jpg
Wednesfield, Wolverhampton scenes no more - 10A by Oxendale-mac, on Flickr

 

4329945439_6066fdd94e_z.jpg
Wednesfield, Wolverhampton scenes no more - 12A by Oxendale-mac, on Flickr

 

10082855236_765cc157c0_z.jpg
Bentley Canal 1989 by BattyTheBat, on Flickr

Edited by tarboat
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
NB Alton Proficient

NB Alton

Posted
Posted

This is the view from Coalpool Bridge, the canal house I mentioned would have been close to where the people are fishing , this is 1999 and the house wasn't there then

nq9w7p.jpg

I've just spotted this photo. I was there that day, steering the second day boat. That day is one of my happiest memories on the cut, Joe made it look so easy steering the tug, I learnt so much watching him.

 

Just had to share that :-).

 

Cheers, Brian

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rob-M Veteran II

Rob-M

Posted
Posted

I've just spotted this photo. I was there that day, steering the second day boat. That day is one of my happiest memories on the cut, Joe made it look so easy steering the tug, I learnt so much watching him.

 

Just had to share that :-).

 

Cheers, Brian

Is that a young Joe Hollingshead...? He still makes it look easy steering the working boats with the Heritage Working Boat Group, it is great spending time talking with him about his life on the boats.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

Posted
Posted

Is that a young Joe Hollingshead...? He still makes it look easy steering the working boats with the Heritage Working Boat Group, it is great spending time talking with him about his life on the boats.

It is indeed "young Joe". The train was a bit of a fake as the second boat wasn't loaded, it was the bricklayers flat which had a sprinkling of coal on its deck so it appeared loaded. "Nansen 2" is also not a BCN tug, she was built as a centre wheelhouse icebreaker tug boat for the South Western division of BW, She was first brought up to the midlands to trial the compartment boats built to work in trains similar to the tom puddings, this was a failure but "Nansen 2" remained up here and eventually was converted to tiller steering only, previously this was a second option. Steering working boats under load or loaded is actually easier than when they are unladen, this is simply down to the fact that the hulls are designed for being loaded or pulling a load, the hydrodynamics simply work better.

 

We filmed this re enactment and it features in our DVD series in the compilation "BLACK COUNTRY CANALS – PAST AND PRESENT".

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

Posted
Posted

although Nansen was at Anglesey Basin that day

309q4jo.jpg

Didn't there used to be a centre wheelhouse ice breaker stationed at Pelsall ( I think it was named "Byrd" )

Byrd was converted to a centre wheelhouse at Ocker Hill, I have photos of it being worked on at various stages. It was for sale in 1972, I almost purchased it but got married and acquired a house instead!!

 

That's deep in the water for a day boat with just dust on some boards.

 

A 70' pointy ended flat?

Yes that's exactly what it was. It was a cut down (in height of sides) Bantock joey that was the "bricklayers boat", I think CRT still has it.

 

I believe one had "dust covered boards" ( the second in the train?) but certainly the other two were loaded.

There is a DVD available of the trip.

Dan

Its on my DVD "BLACK COUNTRY CANALS - PAST & PRESENT" in the "Wryley routes" chapter.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
NB Alton Proficient

NB Alton

Posted
Posted

The Tug was Enterprise Not Nansen

io3iif.jpg

Great photos, thanks for sharing winja :-)

Is that a young Joe Hollingshead...? He still makes it look easy steering the working boats with the Heritage Working Boat Group, it is great spending time talking with him about his life on the boats.

Yes, Joe is great chap, with a wealth of knowledge. As you say it's great to spend time chatting with him & listening to some of his memories.

Is that a young Joe Hollingshead...? He still makes it look easy steering the working boats with the Heritage Working Boat Group, it is great spending time talking with him about his life on the boats.

Yes, Joe is great chap, with a wealth of knowledge. As you say it's great to spend time chatting with him & listening to some of his memories.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Rob-M Veteran II

Rob-M

Posted
Posted

Great photos, thanks for sharing winja :-)

 

Yes, Joe is great chap, with a wealth of knowledge. As you say it's great to spend time chatting with him & listening to some of his memories.

 

I went down the Severn with Joe last year taking Swift to Droitwich and his stories of working the boats on the stretch from Stourport gave a totally different experience to the journey.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Capt Ahab Proficient

Capt Ahab

Posted
Posted

Jeanette, I know the area extremely well and there is now nothing to see, the site of Well lane lock cottage is now being turned into a lorry park, interestingly they dug up six lock gates which were in remarkably good condition having been buried for years on the site, these are now with the Lichfield & Hatherton restoration chaps who are going to reuse a set if possible on the Lichfield canal.

 

The only visible remains of the canal is the preserved bridge within the TATA steel factory, the guards on the gate will normally let you in to photograph it.

Laurence - dont forget the next bridge down under Neachells Lane. The more modern version still there and accessible but not very lovely. Second to last picture on the blog post:

http://captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.co.uk/2009/12/bentley-canal-wednesfield-junction.html

You can get under it from the industrial site opposite.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 5 weeks later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.