Yards with a boat lift in the Wolverhampton/Birmingham area?

[originalsmoothie]

I fought my way up the Wolverhampton 21 through ice and low water yesterday. I'm now on the visitor moorings at the top of the flight in a sea of ice. I need to get through the Farmer's Bridge flight before they close on 4th Feb. Given the forecast for the next few days, that's going to be a bit of a challenge. I have to get to Napton Junction ASAP. If I can't get through Farmer's Bridge, the route south is closed to me until March. The only alternative will be to have the boat transported by road. The Wolverhampton 21 is also due to close on 4th Feb so will block my escape from Wolverhampton. Are there any boatyard's able to lift a 62' narrowboat out in the Wolverhampton/Birmingham area?

 

I look forward to your usual helpful replies.

[David Mack]

You don't actually need a boatyard, only somewhere where a lorry annd crane can get to the edge of the canal. Talk to the boat movers and they may well know of suitable locations.

[Movin' on]

The only one I can think of is Oxley marine at the BOTTOM of the flight you have just done or Sherbourne Wharf in the centre may know how as the infamous wide-beam/sales office for Port Loop must have been dropped in somewhere.

If you contact a relevant crane operator they may know isolated spots that work for them so Ray Bowern and Tuckeys (and the BCNS) may be worth a call

Edited January 31, 2019 by Halsey

[originalsmoothie]

I know that. I’m trying to avoid the ridiculous cost of crane hire!

[Movin' on]

Just now, originalsmoothie said:

I know that. I’m trying to avoid the ridiculous cost of crane hire!

In which case sadly I think its a no go

[David Mack]

Just now, Halsey said:

In which case sadly I think its a no go

Agreed.  I don't think there is anywhere with a crane on site.

 

Just a thought though - do CRT have any suitable facilities at Bradley?

[Movin' on]

17 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Agreed.  I don't think there is anywhere with a crane on site.

 

Just a thought though - do CRT have any suitable facilities at Bradley?

Hence my advising the OP to contact BCNS - I think, even if they have facilities, 62 ft is too long for Hawne Basin but wonder about Longwood, Norton Canes or the Black Country Museum all of which BCNS would know about

[doratheexplorer]

The ice isn't all that thick on the BCN yet.  Definitely breakable.  You could always get some blacking in Napton

[Graham Davis]

In the good (bad) old days Lyons Boatyard on the North Stratford had a crane. Don't know if they still do.

[doratheexplorer]

16 minutes ago, Graham Davis said:

In the good (bad) old days Lyons Boatyard on the North Stratford had a crane. Don't know if they still do.

That's the wrong side of a stoppage.  Also, further to get to then just going down Farmer's Bridge.

 

I'm still a bit confused by all this.  If the ice isn't so thick to stop you getting to a fixed crane, then it isn't so thick that you can't just carry on your journey.  I'm currently moored on the BCN and the ice was still fairly patchy by lunchtime yesterday.  Plenty of stretches of open water.  It's nearly all frozen now but it's not really thick at all.  You could get to Farmer's Bridge today I'd reckon.

[Graham Davis]

1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

That's the wrong side of a stoppage.  Also, further to get to then just going down Farmer's Bridge.

 

I'm still a bit confused by all this.  If the ice isn't so thick to stop you getting to a fixed crane, then it isn't so thick that you can't just carry on your journey.  I'm currently moored on the BCN and the ice was still fairly patchy by lunchtime yesterday.  Plenty of stretches of open water.  It's nearly all frozen now but it's not really thick at all.  You could get to Farmer's Bridge today I'd reckon.

I fail to see how Lyons Boatyard on the North Stratford can be the wrong side of the Farmers Bridge stoppage in relation to getting lifted out.

[doratheexplorer]

 

It also occurs that you could avoid Farmer's entirely by going via the W&E and down Perry Barr locks to Salford Junction.

1 minute ago, Graham Davis said:

I fail to see how Lyons Boatyard on the North Stratford can be the wrong side of the Farmers Bridge stoppage in relation to getting lifted out.

Because the poster is in Wolverhampton and the Broad Street tunnel is closed.

[doratheexplorer]

I've had a walk along the Old Main Line and it's clear that boats have been through today.  The ice is all brkoen up with lots of clear water. The ice looks to be no more than a 3-4mm thick.  No reason not to press on except it's flippin cold.  Make sure you don't go down Factory Locks, the New Line is closed there.  Go down Brades or Smethwick.

 

 

[pearley]

4 hours ago, Halsey said:

The only one I can think of is Oxley marine at the BOTTOM of the flight you have just done or Sherbourne Wharf in the centre may know how as the infamous wide-beam/sales office for Port Loop must have been dropped in somewhere.

If you contact a relevant crane operator they may know isolated spots that work for them so Ray Bowern and Tuckeys (and the BCNS) may be worth a call

Sherborne Wharf definitely suitable for craning. Was moored there before they took over the drydock and watched their trip boats being craned out for inspection. 

 

Jeannette has just reminded me that CRT have a maintenance yard just past Horseley Fields Junction. Minerva Wharf. Definitely get a crane in there.

Edited January 31, 2019 by pearley

[haza]

what abt norton cannes but they may have stopped taking boats out of the water now ,i am not sure  they took me out abt 3 years ago ,,

hawne basin 

[john6767]

If you don’t make it down Farmers Bridge before the 4th, you can go Old Main Line, Brades, Ryders Green and Perry Bar to get to Salford Junction.  Don’t see any reason to start craning the boat given there is still a route open, unless I have missed something.

[doratheexplorer]

30 minutes ago, john6767 said:

If you don’t make it down Farmers Bridge before the 4th, you can go Old Main Line, Brades, Ryders Green and Perry Bar to get to Salford Junction.  Don’t see any reason to start craning the boat given there is still a route open, unless I have missed something.

You and me both.  As I'd already said, you could go round the W&E.  But also, the BCN isn't really that icy so there would have been no real reason not to have just gone straight to Farmer's Bridge today, to go down the locks tomorrow.

[originalsmoothie]

Thank you for all your advice. I got as far as Smethwick locks before dusk. Someone had gone before me on the Old Main Line but the ice had begun to freeze again. It was half an inch thick for much of the route, but not too bad. If the temperature doesn't drop too much tonight I should be OK for Farmers Bridge flight tomorrow. Thank you for the alternative route suggestion if I miss it. This forum has come up trumps again.

[john6767]

2 hours ago, originalsmoothie said:

Thank you for all your advice. I got as far as Smethwick locks before dusk. Someone had gone before me on the Old Main Line but the ice had begun to freeze again. It was half an inch thick for much of the route, but not too bad. If the temperature doesn't drop too much tonight I should be OK for Farmers Bridge flight tomorrow. Thank you for the alternative route suggestion if I miss it. This forum has come up trumps again.

My guess would be that once you get to Farmers Bridge, there will not be much ice on the flight given how sheltered it is between the buildings.

[BWM]

Just press onto Napton, you can use the £2000+ that you save on docking/blacking if needed. 

[john6767]

In Birmingham at the moment, not on boat, but it does not look frozen, did the OP make it down Farmers Beidge?

[originalsmoothie]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

In Birmingham at the moment, not on boat, but it does not look frozen, did the OP make it down Farmers Beidge?

Yes, the OP made it down Farmer's Bridge and moored at Aston University for the night. I did the Ashted and Camp Hill flights today and got as far as Catherine-de-Barnes. There was a little ice on the Ashted flight and then nothing until the top of Camp Hill. There was ice pretty much continuously until Catherine-de-Barnes, up to 1.5 inches in a few places. The pressure's off now so I'll stay here for a couple of days while the ice thaws. 

 

Thanks again for all the advice.

[doratheexplorer]

Glad to hear of your success!

[originalsmoothie]

1 minute ago, doratheexplorer said:

Glad to hear of your success!

It's been a good experience, one that has left me feeling far more positive about urban cruising than I have been in the past. Camp Hill was disgusting when I passed through in 2015. I stopped four times on the flight to clear my prop. The locks and the pounds between them were a sea of plastic and clothing. This time there was little sign of rubbish and the facilities block at the head of the flight is one of the most pleasant I have had the pleasure to visit. I look forward to returning.

[doratheexplorer]

1 minute ago, originalsmoothie said:

It's been a good experience, one that has left me feeling far more positive about urban cruising than I have been in the past. Camp Hill was disgusting when I passed through in 2015. I stopped four times on the flight to clear my prop. The locks and the pounds between them were a sea of plastic and clothing. This time there was little sign of rubbish and the facilities block at the head of the flight is one of the most pleasant I have had the pleasure to visit. I look forward to returning.

That's because I picked it all up on my prop on my last time through!