Return to Brum

Left the moorings at Merry Hill  9.30 this morning, the 48 hour moorings are filled with other boats that look permanent to me. Certainly the owners locked up and looked as though they where going to work, the one behind us has the path piled with pallets for firewood and ran generator till late!

Merry Hill 48 hour moorings.

We headed back towards Birmingham, up the 1 lock at Blowers green.

Blowers Green Lock.

Deja vu as we went along the Dudley No2 canal, through Netherton Tunnel again and along the main line, but at Bromford Junction we headed up Spon Lane Locks to the old main line.

Spon Lane Bottom Lock.

Spon Lane top lock underneath the M5.

Heading along the summit of the old main line we passed through the summit tunnel and Smethwick Pump House.

Summit Tunnel.

Smethwick Pump House.

Dropping down through Smethwick locks we picked up a load of plastic wrapping round the prop ensuring I get freezing cold down the weed hatch tearing it off the prop.

Smethwick top lock.

The locals seem to use this stretch as a dump, many cans of special brew are under and around the locks and bridges! What is annoying is that Canal and River trust clean up everyday around Brindley Place with a workboat and a couple of guys who scoop the rubbish out, but out in the suburbs its a mess. Suppose the real fault lies with the councils as the rubbish is from their residents. Saying that I saw someone 40ish feeding the ducks with a child, and then he threw the bag in the canal so there's no hope.
Now back in Birmingham on the Oozell Loop.