Droitwich

Another lovely sunny day on the Worcester and Birmingham and Droitwich Canals. We left Stoke Prior at 10am, heading down Astwood Locks to Hanbury Junction.
The volunteer lock keeper was on duty at Hanbury locks, pity he was not at the staircase locks as when we arrived a first time owner was trying to fill the bottom chamber, with the top chamber paddles all open and wondered why water was thundering over the bottom gates.

Heading to Astwood locks in the sun.

Astwood locks.

Lovely cottage and gardens at Lock 40.

Heading into Astwood bottom lock.

Hanbury locks.

The M5 culvert was a really tight squeeze, we had plenty of clearance the last time we cruised this way, clearance to the cratch board at the bow was only a few millimetres, good job we had a full water tank and 2 stood in the bows.

Tight squeeze under the M5 motorway culvert.

We stopped in Vines Park for lunch, then moved on to moor in Netherwich basin prior to a look round Droitwich. Droitwich is known as a salt town, hence the "wich" in the name, Brine Pumping was common here, hence a lot of the buildings in the old town show signs of subsidence.

Pimm's time again at Vines Park.

Netherwich Basin

Vines Park and Church.

Brine Pump.

We visited the Salt Museum and the Museum to the Radio Station, "Droitwich Calling" was the call sign of a new high power transmitter set up by Marconi in 1934 to broadcast to the UK. It replaced the transmitter at Daventry. Items from the station have been saved for a museum.

The girls on the mike and control desk.

They also tried a bit of Brass Rubbing.