Two invitations to visit Birmingham, both refused!

 We are now moored at Stourport and will be going out on the River Severn tomorrow. But after another spate of moorings with no internet signal, I have some catching up to do. So this posting covers the end of our cruise on the Shropshire Union and the first part of our passage down the Staffs and Worcs towards the Severn. The font sizes on this posting are a bit variable. This is not my doing but I do apologise if it is a bit offputting. So here goes:

This is the iconic bridge for the Shropshire Union with the telegraph pole on a crosspiece of the bridge. It is in Grub Street Cutting, another of Telford's very deep and straight cuttings.

On Saturday (31st August) we stopped at Norbury Junction for diesel. At 87p base cost per litre, it's the cheapest we've seen this year. Norbury used to be a junction with the Newport Branch which went westwards to meet the Shrewsbury Canal. The branch goes left in the picture by the big tree. Sadly today all that is left of this canal at this point is a short length for mooring and the first lock of the Newport branch, now used by a boatyard as a dry dock.

Here is the short length of the Newport branch with the first lock in the white building at the end.

Coming through Gnosall we found these very well decorated gardens backing onto the canal.

This is Cowley Tunnel, at 81 yards one of the shortest. It is cut through solid rock and remains unlined.

And here we are at Wheaton Aston Lock. Most of the locks on the Shropshire Union are in groups - 15 at Audlem, 5 at Adderley, 5 at Tyrley and 2 at Hack Green. Wheaton Aston however is a lock all on its own and only 7 feet deep.

Here's a double helping of Thomas Telford. The Aqueduct at Stretton is on the Shropshire Union built by Telford and is crossing the A5 also built by him!

Looking back to the aqueduct we admired the masonry towers at each end.

After a last stop on the Shropshire Union south of Brewood (pronounced 'brewed') we came on Monday to Autherley Junction where the Shroppie meets the Staffs and Worcs Canal. But first you have to go through a shallow stop lock shown in this picture. A stop lock was often built where two canal companies' navigations met to prevent water from one company being used by the other.

Having come through the stop lock we had to pass under a bridge and then turn right at a 'T' junction. A foolish boat (called Meridian, if you come across them) was blocking our exit, so we asked nicely for them to reverse out of the bridge. Nevertheless, as the picture shows we have no room to make the right hand turn. So we had to push their bow out of the way. What twits!

Having made the turn onto the Staffs and Worcs we had half a mile to a further junction where the Wolverhampton 21 locks come down to join the S&W. Here we had a choice to make - turn left up 21 locks to Wolverhampton and then Birmingham, or carry on towards the Severn. We had already discussed our decision and spurned this first invitation to visit Birmingham! The picture here shows the typical name plate at locks on the S&W. There are 33 locks from Autherley Junction down to the River Severn and they crop up frequently down the valley first of the Smestow Brook and then the River Stour.

Here at Wightwick Lock is a typical S&W bridge below the lock.

We like this picture of Leo passing a side basin at Dimmingsdale. Helen was walking down to the next lock as Ian brought the boat down solo.

Circular weirs like this one at Ebstree Lock are to be found at most locks but not on other canals. It is the peculiarities of the architecture of different canals that is part of the joy of canal cruising.

And look at the support for this lock bridge to aid those working the lock. Not only is it surprisingly ornate but also you can see where tow ropes in the past have worn grooves on the left of the support.

On Tuesday we came down the 3 Bratch Locks. The picture shows Leo in the top lock. The Bratch locks are like a staircase set of locks but in fact there is a small gap between the bottom gate of one lock and the top gate of the next. That gap is linked to a side pond so that some water can be saved on each lock operation. Paddles are marked in red or blue and woe betide the boater who uses the wrong one! Fortunately there are lock keepers to guide passing boaters.

Here is the middle lock seen from the top.

This view is taken from the boat looking up from the bottom lock. The nearest gate is the top gate of the bottom lock and a little further off is the bottom gate of the middle lock. I hope that is clear!

At Greensforge Lock, a neighbouring house had huge sunflowers in the garden. The tallest we reckoned were 10 feet tall.

This view is taken looking back to Ashwood Basin. The main canal north is to the left. Ashwood Basin  was originally used by the Coal Board but is now famous (or perhaps not) as the site of the boatyard where boatbuilders Orion made hulls for narrowboats, including, you've guessed it, Leo! Orion is no longer in business but there are plenty of Orion hulls about.

As we get nearer to the Severn there are some serious outcrops of red sandstone through which the canal has been cut. Here below Gothersley Lock at a place called Devil's Den a small boathouse for a narrowboat has been cut into the rock. It even has a door as shown in the picture. We've no idea of the history of this strange boathouse.

Just beyond the boathouse we came to Stourton Junction where, as you can see, we had another chance to travel via Birmingham. We have again decided to take the longer but more pleasantly rural route via the River Severn and so we headed straight on towards Stourport.

Here, to the left of our course, is the bottom of the flight of four locks that start the climb through Stourbridge to Birmingham.

 So that takes us on towards our present location at Stourport. If the internet signal permits I will do another posting soon to bring us right up to date. From Stourport our way tomorrow will be down the Severn to Worcester.