Leaving Birmingham on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

It was a false start as we headed off from our mooring. I went through the usual preparations for our departure from our mooring but when I started the engine there was no charge going into the batteries! After some basic fault finding I gave River Canal Rescue (RCR) (like the AA in Britain or the RACV in Australia) a ring for a bit of expert help. They were there in an hour and we were off around 11am but half way down Gas Street and the same issue again! Although, this time the problem had a burning plastic smell!

We returned to our mooring and gave RCR another ring and again they were out within a few hours but this time they replaced the offending alternator which had virtually no pin left to attach the exciter wire (for those technically minded). Then there was the burning smell which was easily located as I no longer had any instruments reading at all. The wiring was sorted out and all but the oil pressure were recovered, it seems I have a project to do a little later. It was now after 4pm so no cruising today!

The next day we did get away from our mooring, that's Serafina heading down Gas Street.

Gas Street beside the basin

Looking back towards the basin

Under one of the major entertainment streets of Birmingham

Nearly at the turn onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, just a right turn under the bridge in the distance and the work for the day begins!

Within one hundred metres of turning onto the new canal we arrived at our first lock of many for the day. After dropping down a couple of locks you are engulfed in multi storey buildings, that pretty much the story (excuse the pun) for the whole Farmer's Bridge Lock Flight, thirteen locks in all.

Still on the Farmer's Bridge Locks, this lock was under a bridge. You can see the other arch, possibly for an additional lock to speed things up. There is evidence of dual locks right along the route out of Birmingham although one of our readers (see comments) tells me that in fact they are just side pounds to maintain the water supply down the flight in the absence of any by-washes.

Same lock but from further back.

Still traveling under the buildings, all designed to accommodate the canal.

Starting to get out into the open as we make our way out of Birmingham.

Same lock again looking back.

Still continuing down Farmer's Locks.

Finished! The Farmer's Bridge Locks done we were able to get going but not for long.

It was only a short cruise before we made a turn at Aston Junction which, I don't mind saying, caught me by surprise as I nearly cruised pass the turn. It was tucked away very closely behind another bridge and I had to back up to make the turn. Lock 1 of the Aston Flight is right there at the start so I had to reverse back to the lock landing to get off and set the lock. Then it was back across to Serafina because I forgot my Lockmate Key to release the vandal proof lock.

The Aston Flight contains ten locks, several of which you had to slosh through the water as they overfilled.

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So that was another ten locks to knock over. The last lock was the only one that we needed to take extra care with, as we were passing a boat exiting the lock he warned us that there were a couple sitting under the bridge shooting up. We completed the lock without any drama though, You never know what they're using and sometimes can be unpredictable but we left them to do their thing.

We continued on and turned right at spaghetti junction (overhead freeways everywhere), making sure we didn't head off towards Star City (hard right) although Rachael was keen to double her money! It was still the outer suburbs of Birmingham and they took awhile to shake. We passed through the last three locks for the day at Minworth, the water at Minworth had an attack of blue/green algae but not for very far. Our day finished on a comfortable mooring at Curdworth.

Another fantastic cruising day as we head off from our mooring at Curdworth. Straight off it was the 57 yard Curdworth Tunnel. The cruising plan for today was to get to Fazeley Junction and see how we felt.

We almost enjoyed doing the eleven Curdworth Locks as we continued down the hill from Birmingham. These locks drop us a further seventy-four feet (approx). We passed the Dog and Doublet Pub just after Lock 8, lots of people out for lunch, very tempting. Not far to go now as we knocked over the rest of the Flight, this pic was the last lock for the day.

Not a flattering photo of me but the Old Lock Keepers cottage at the bottom of Curdworth Locks was looking great!

A popular bridge for photographers, the Drayton Foot and Swivel Bridge.

Less than half an hour from this bridge and we were at the junction turning left onto the Coventry Canal. It was only reasonably early so we continued on, we finished our day on the Visitor Moorings at Whittington. A late finish for the day, for us anyway! A little after four and we had no problems getting onto the visitor moorings, with school hols over there's a lot fewer boats on the cut.