To Brum or not to Brum, that is the question

[BargeeSpud]

Update:

 

Set off at 8.45 this morning from Edgbaston, good mooring between bridge 84 & the winding hole, used facilities before the turn into Gas street, then set off through Gas Street & onto the old Mainline. Found it to be a great stretch of canal & enjoyed the trip until Dudley Port after which, I'm sorry to say, it became quite drab, so pressed on down the Wolverhampton 21, every b******d against us, until tying up at Autherly Junction at 7pm.

 

I'm glad I chose not to be put off as the 1st half of the trip through Brum today was great, just a pity the 2nd half wasn't much to write home about.

 

Thanks for all your input.

[nicknorman]

Update:

Found it to be a great stretch of canal & enjoyed the trip until Dudley Port

 

The long straights on the new mainline are a bit tedious. The old mainline is much more interesting though, and these days as deep (fast) as the new line. Of course if you found it drab after Tipton (which it is a bit, in places) there is nothing you could have done about that.

[BargeeSpud]

The long straights on the new mainline are a bit tedious. The old mainline is much more interesting though, and these days as deep (fast) as the new line. Of course if you found it drab after Tipton (which it is a bit, in places) there is nothing you could have done about that.

 

Overall, you're right of course & I probably only found the straight bits interesting because they were fresh to me. Still, it was an experience not to be missed & I have no regrets at all, I've been through some towns that have been drab & dull from start to finish & I can't level that at Birmingham. I wouldn't have missed Edgbaston & Gas Street to Dudley for the world & that stretch more than compensated for the rest. If I'd done it the other way around I'm sure I'd feel different having the great bit to finish off.

[muddywaters]

I love taking a boat into Birmingham and over nighting there.

Enjoyed it so much last time stayed for a second night

[Mike Tee]

Came down the old main line today, from n.i.a to Black Country museum. Depth was fine, and saw one other boat cruising from start to finish! It was also wide in many sections, so may have inadvertently broken the 4mph speed limit once or twice.

And bright sunshine the whole way..

[BargeeSpud]

Came down the old main line today, from n.i.a to Black Country museum. Depth was fine, and saw one other boat cruising from start to finish! It was also wide in many sections, so may have inadvertently broken the 4mph speed limit once or twice.

And bright sunshine the whole way..

 

Hi Mike,

 

I'll be flying over the aqueduct tomorrow morning to tie up in Trevor before coming back down the Llangollen. Depths are good, moorings good & frequent, only downer was tying up at Wrenbury outside the caravan park - dog s*** city so if you tie there, watch your feet! A good reason to tie up there is the Cotton Arms pub are doing a 2 course lunch for around the £7 mark. Unfortunately we'd already eaten when we found out! We'll look in on the way back, something else to watch for is the approach to Grindley Brook bottom & 2nd locks, tests your skills nicely.

 

Allow for loads of moored boats on the Shroppie, there 2 or 3 3/4 - 1 mile stretches on farmers fields & some of the towpaths were very wet in places, but apart from that it was fine.

 

Hope to pass you near Hurlestone sometime in the next few days.

Edited June 2, 2014 by Spuds

[OldGoat]

Came down the old main line today, from n.i.a to Black Country museum. Depth was fine, and saw one other boat cruising from start to finish! It was also wide in many sections, so may have inadvertently broken the 4mph speed limit once or twice.

And bright sunshine the whole way..

 

 

Dinna fash yer'sel - It's (relatively) deep in some sections, so there's nae wash.

Anyway the weeds could do with some bashing

 

So much nicer that the New Mainline, doncha know.