Apart from some issues with the depth of water at the first few locks our ride up the Wolverhampton 21 went well. We met a couple of descending boats which ensured that most of the locks were set for us and when we reached the last three another boater assisted us.
After grabbing some lunch we continued to the Black Country Museum to moor. We were too late to get fish and chips from the chippy in the museum which still used beef dripping to fry.
How things have changed here. Since the
Dudley Canal & Tunnel Trust received funding from the Heritage Lottery and others, they have built a remarkable structure which includes a cafe.
In the process they have built a new car park which is locked at night and a swing bridge which cannot be crossed after 5pm. The result is that boaters who moor on the side of the canal that we used are unable to get out of the area in the evening.
A man on the boat next to us had to catch a train back to London which he accomplished by swinging the boat over to the other side of the canal, and then we pulled it back and tied it up again.
10 miles / 22 locks
Are you sure you can't get out at night?
ReplyDeleteI haven't been there since the new build but before you could cross over the canal using the lock beam by the tunnel entrance.
Once on that side there was a gate, locked with a BW key, up behind the service block.
Even easier was getting out from the museum side through a gate, also locked with a BW key, onto the road bridge over the entrance to the moorings.
SAM
NB 'Red Wharf'
Sam
ReplyDeleteWe have stayed in this arm on many occasions prior to the new build and access has never been a problem. The all-new car park is gated and locked in the evening. The only access after 5pm now is through the pedestrian gate by the road. This is ok if you are moored on that side. Otherwise it is not possible to get across there from service block side. The bridge by the tunnel is passable but a new gate on the other side does not use BW key. The swing bridge which pedestrians can cross during the day is locked in the open position at night.
Peter