We descended the first 13 locks through Brum with the help of Tony. Yes, he is another cheerful, helpful CRT Volunteer who had traveled the system extensively during his time of narrowboating and was well aware of how arduous a flight can be with just two on board. He prepared all the locks for us as we travelled through the waterways history of Birmingham. It is fascinating to see the old alongside the new and we should be so thankful that the easy option was not taken during the city's transformation of simply filling in the canals and building on top as has happened in other parts of the country. Some amazing 20th and 21st century engineering nestle side by side with pioneering canal engineering of the 19th century.
Tony left us at lock 13 and we proceeded to the Ashtead flight - just 6 this time - through bridges and walls adorned with graffiti, some better than others but still with the feeling of the thousands upon thousands of boaters who had passed this way over the years. It would have been a far more threatening place in the 19th and early 20th century. On a Wednesday morning it was very quiet and once again we descended uneventfully.
At the Junction with the Grand Union he sense of history is all around. The Fellows, Morton and Clayton boats of yesteryear would have been moored all along this stretch waiting for loads to take to London. The noise and bustle of canal life would have been rather different from the tranquil passage we experienced today.
Three and a half hours after our departure from our overnight mooring we arrived at our 25th lock and stopped for a very well earned lunch. We both enjoyed this part of our journey enormously and are looking forward to passing through this fascinating city again.
The old and the new!
Emerging from Newell Street Tunnel
New over old and CRT Volunteer Tony
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