Worcestershire

End of the Staffs and Worcs in Stourport

Stourport
Well, it turned out to take 9 days for the river to drop to a point where we were happy to move on. We used the time whilst here to get a few jobs sorted. 

In Flood

Lime Kiln Chandlery who are located in the upper basin kindly allowed us to use their shop as a point of delivery for a few things. I decided to replace the boat batteries I bought last June as the long miserable winter has all but wiped them out. They were only cheapies but living aboard puts a lot more strain on them. Hopefully the new ones, proper deep cycle, should last a bit longer.

Stourport is an interesting town, owing its existence to the canals as before they arrived there was nothing here. The town boasts several basins spread over two levels and in its day it was an important and very busy inland port, linking the Trent and Mersey and Birmingham Canals to the Severn. The basins have two connections to the river, a pair of large barge locks and two pairs of narrow staircase locks, all designed by James Brindley. The basins are looked after by a team of volunteers working with Denis from CRT. He and his team take great pride in keeping the basins and canal neat and tidy, always busy cutting the grass and picking up litter, ensuring a pleasant stay for any boaters. They are always on hand to give advice and instruction as well as provide info about the local area. They are a credit to CRT and I hope that the hard work they put in is appreciated.

Stourport Upper Basin

The town became a magnet for visitors from the Black Country and soon developed into and inland resort,  it still has the feel of a seaside resort with fun fairs and parks and shops full of the things you would normally associate with the seaside.

Monday 16th April
At last we were under way, Denis and his team appeared as we approached the locks helping us through to the river. Leaving the upper basin via the first staircase one enters the lower basin, it is an awkward manoeuvre in to the second pair as they are not in line, fortunately I managed to get into the lock without too much scraping of the hull!

We were into the final chamber and as the gates opened we made our way onto the river, the flow was still high and we soon settled into the fast journey down steam with Stourport quickly shrinking into the distance behind us. 

Leaving Stourport

I called the first lock, at Lincomb, on the radio and was informed that the lock would be set ready for us, and passing the large weir on our right we made our way into the lock channel. The locks on the river are all traffic light controlled and as we approached we got a green light telling us to proceed into the lock. We were instructed to keep a loose line attached as the lock emptied and very soon the large tail gates opened in front of us and we were off again. 

Lincombe Lock

I really enjoy travelling on rivers, the boat responds well to the deep water and we soon covered the four miles to the next lock at Holt Fleet. Again using the radio ensured swift passage through the lock,  and again we were given helpful advice about rejoining the main steam after the lock and also about the approach to the next lock at Bevere. Just before Bevere lock we passed the junction with the Droitwich canals at Hawford, somewhere we would visit in the near future.
Radio contact with Bevere lock proved fruitless as it transpired the lock keeper was cutting the grass, however he saw us as we approached and soon got us through.
A couple of miles downsteam we passed Worcester racecourse and on into the picturesque city, passing the magnificent cathedral before arriving at the locks at Diglis.

Diglis Locks

Approaching Worcester

Making our way up the locks, we passed through the basin at Diglis and made out way up to lock 1 on the Birmingham and Worcs canal, mooring just above the lock next to the Commandary Museum. This museum is dedicated to the English Civil war that began and ended in Worcester.
We decided to spend the following day exploring the town, we have been before but I wanted to go and see the tomb of King John who was laid to rest in the cathedral in 1216, John was the brother of Richard I (Lionheart) both sons of Henry II. He came to the throne on the death of his elder brother and is most notable for the signing of the Magna Carta, forced upon him by the barons of the land and somewhat limiting his royal powers. 

King John's Tomb

There is also the tomb of Prince Arthur here,  he was the elder brother of Henry VIII and would have been King if he had survived longer than his fifteen years,  dying on his honeymoon at Ludlow in 1502.
Worcester is always a pleasure to visit with its attractive riverside and elegant buildings.

Wednesday 18th April
We decide to move on climbing through the 12 locks taking us up to Offerton top lock where we passed under the busy M5 motorway. At the start of the accent we passed through the home of the Worcester Warriors Rugby club, the Sixways stadium on one side of the canal and some impressive 4g facilities on the other.
The canal above Offerton passes through idyllic Worcestershire countryside, the weather had also become very sunny and warm making for a very pleasant journey. The sun had encouraged the leaves on the trees to burst out with the Hawthorn now in full leaf, the canal banks here are lined with Blackthorn in full blossom. 

On the way to Dunhampstead

We moored up at Dunhampstead, a tiny hamlet with a lovely pub, The Fir Tree Inn, we sat out in the beer garden enjoying the late afternoon sunshine.

Up early the following morning and more lovely sunshine, we were soon on our way to the junction with the Droitwich canals at Hanbury. The left turn on to the Droitwich is tight coming from our direction and it took a little care inching round and through the narrow bridge. We very soon arrived at the first lock of the 6 taking us down into the town. 

Hanbury Junction

Top Lock on the Droitwich

From this first lock you can appreciate the descent you are about to undertake with fine views down the hill over looking the Droitwich marina and Rugby club. All that you see here is new, the first 3 locks of the descent are the originals restored on the reopening of this canal but below here the canal was completely rebuilt, a testament to the enthusiasts who had the vision and drive to see the project through. 

The top three locks are unusual in that they still have working side pounds,  these are used to reduce waste usage,  the principle being that the lock is emptied into the side pound first so only half a lock full is lost to the locks below, the side pounds are then used to refill the lock for the next boat.
The next pair of locks are a staircase and were rebuilt along with the lock below dropping the canal down to the culvert under the M5, it was this culvert that enabled the restoration of the canal, it being built to allow a brook to pass under the motorway. It is a very tight fit, fortunately the level of the brook was low giving us a couple of inches clearance above the roof. 

Duck!!!

Leaving the culvert behind we arrived at the lock, below which the canal joins the river Salwarpe for the run into town. The entrance to the town is via the busy Vines Park, here we encountered the Barge lock,  the first of seven wide locks taking the canal down to the river Severn.
We had planned to travel  down to the river, turn round and return to moor in the town, however time was running out so we decided to find somewhere below the town and return in the morning.
The section from barge lock down to the river is known as the Barge Canal, it is a lovely trip down to the river, through beautiful countryside made all the better by the warm sunshine.  We did not find any moorings en route and we started to consider our options, do we go back down the river to Worcester? or make our way back through the six locks to town?
We arrived at the last two locks and were relieved to find that new moorings had been constructed, presumably to provide a safe haven when the river is in flood. 

Droitwich canal junction with the Severn

We had to carry on down to the river to turn round, Lucia let me through the locks and I pulled out onto the river, there was still a strong flow and as I made the turn the boat was carried downstream requiring full throttle to get the boat round and heading against the flow. As I approached the lock entrance the flow pushed the boat hard against the lock pontoon requiring several attempts to get the boat of the river. We climbed back up the two locks and onto the moorings. 

These are lovely moorings out in the open countryside and apart from the prep school on the opposite bank it felt as if we were in the middle of nowhere. This feeling was soon removed on the arrival of the local running club on a training run along the tow path with close on to a hundred runners hurrying past.
I decided to have a go at fishing as there seems to be a lot of activity in the water. It has been 45 years since I last cast a line and I really didn't expect to have any success,  it was a nice surprise to land a couple of small Roach.

Friday 20th April

We awoke to another beautiful morning with warm sunshine,  the trees are coming into full leaf and the bluebells are beginning to make their presence felt with their heady scent mingled with that of the wild garlic. Another noticible thing in these parts is the amount of mistletoe in the trees,  easily mistaken for birds nests from a distance. 

Mistletoe

We made our way back up to Droitwich and moored at the small marina close to the town centre. We walked into the town to take on supplies, the shopper is well catered for here,  with a Morrisons, Waitrose and Aldi as well as a range of local shops. The town is very picturesque and has many old buildings some of which sit at jaunty angles due to subsidence from the extensive salt mines that had provided for the area since roman times. 

Droitwich

Whilst Lucia was in the shops I met a lady busker who was playing a hand wound pipe organ. This was a fascinating instrument the music being produced by cards passing over a series of valves with the individual pipes sounding whenever the valves were covered. It must take great skill to cut the cards as they are cut in reverse i.e.  the holes represent gaps in the sound, it was an interesting way to spend the time waiting.
We made our way back to the boat then continued the climb back to the junction at the top of the hill. On our way up we called in to Droitwich marina to empty the cassette and get rid of the rubbish, the marina wanted to charge £5 for the toilet and £5 for a bin liner. We protested and manage to get both for £5, we don't mind paying a small fee to empty the cassette but this was a bit steep and we will avoid this place in future.
We arrived back at the junction and moored just beyond, heading towards Birmingham.
I am really glad to have made the trip along the Droitwich canals and would suggest it is a worthwhile diversion from the mainline,  it really is a credit to those determined enough to have persevered to get it reopened.

New Locks

Close by to the mooring is a household refuse site and I was able to dispose of the engine oil I had been carrying since the oil change in Worcester.

From here we will be climbing up the locks to the Birmingham plateau,  42 in total! Our intention is to head back up into the basins in the city centre before heading south east on the Grand Union towards Warwick.

 

Rocks and River

Tuesday 3rd April 2018
Having turned round and called back into the basin at Stourbridge, we soon got underway heading down the short Stourbridge arm back to the junction with the canal. Here we turned left making the difficult turn under a very narrow bridge before setting off down through Stewponey down to the junction with the Staffs and Worcs canal. It was a lovely morning, there were a few light showers when the sun came out there was a real warmth, a fine but typical April's day.
The canal meanders down the valley of the river Stour, a raging torrent following the Easter rains, through some beautiful scenery, before reaching the top of the four locks that drop the canal down to the junction. The locks were quite busy with a number of hire boats making their way up from Stourport, fortunately for us they were all coming up the locks easing our progress as they left all the locks full and in our favour.

Stourton Junction

On reaching the junction we turned left again heading down stream towards Kinver, our target for the day. The Staffs and Worcs canal is at its best around here, the wharf at Stewponey lock is a fine example of canal architecture with its small hexagonal Toll House now converted to a small shop.

Toll House

We soon passed the lock making our way down the valley, the valley sides here are cut into soft red sandstone, with steep cliffs to the left and the meandering river to the right. We arrived at the short but dramatic Dunsley Tunnel with Dunsley Hall sat at the top of the cliffs overlooking the canal.

Dunsley Tunnel

Continuing along the canal we soon arrived at Hyde Lock and the outskirts of Kinver, there are a lot of moored boats here but these are all away from the visitor moorings so we continued down through Kinver lock to moor just below. Here we noted the amount of water flowing down the system flowing down from the plateau on which Birmingham sits.
Kinver 
This is our second visit to Kinver, we passed through here a couple of years ago and always wanted a second visit. The village nestles beneath the red sandstone ridge providing a natural shelter from the westerly winds. The church, built in the local stone, stands way up on top of the ridge over looking the main street keeping watch over its congregation.
Kinver has always been a popular place for visitors, due mainly to its unusual houses carved from the sandstone. The houses are now in the care of the National Trust having been rescued from decay and are an interesting place to visit,they also have a tea room in one of the restored buildings.

Restored Rock House

The last inhabitant left the houses back in the sixties, prior to this the residents realised the potential of their homes so set about selling refreshments and souvenirs to the hoards of visitors who came here from the black Country.

Awaiting Restoration

We were told by one of the local guides that there are some large caves in another part of the village, these were carved and extended to provide an underground factory, producing parts for aircraft and vehicles during the war. He told us that the Luftwaffe were aware that these were hereabouts and heavily bombed that part of the Black Country trying to destroy the works. Kinver also had a large iron works at Hyde although there is no trace of this now.

The view from Kinver Edge Dudley Castle is in the centre of the horizon

We continued our walk from the houses up to the top of the ridge, there is an incredible view point at the top with views down to Worcester Cathedral and the Malvern Hills to the south, and Dudley and its castle to the northeast.
Back into the village we went to explore its range of  shops and pubs, again another place well worth visiting if you are ever in these parts.

Views of Kinver

Thursday 5th April
A coolish morning but stunningly clear blue skies and bright sunshine, birdsong all around, spring has truly arrived! We set off to travel the short trip down to our next stop at Wolverley passing through pretty countryside, made all the better with the fine weather. We followed the course of the river Stour still in full spate, a reminder of the rain we have recently experienced. Our journey took us through a couple of locks and we were sandwiched between a couple of hire boats making thier way back to base so we tied up and helped them through the locks as we were taking our time and were not in a rush. We soon arrived at the moorings above Wolverley Lock, this lock is overlooked by a pub unsurprisingly called the Lock and its beer garden right on the edge of the lockside.
We took a stroll down into the village and up to St Philips church, like Kinver stood high up on a sandstone rock overlooking the village. Wolverley is a charming little place, again it has houses built into the sandstone. It used to have a large hall, now demolished, only the gatehouse remains.

Scenes of Wolverley

We made our way back up to the Lock and decided to have lunch, sat outside in the busy garden in warm sunshine.
The next morning brought slightly more cloudier weather but it thankfull remained dry as we made our way down to Stourport and the river Severn. Ou route took through a couple of locks before arriving at Kidderminster and its lovely church overlooking the town lock.

Kidderminster Church

Unfortunately this town has a terrible reputation and we had been advised to stop there only for a short while to do shopping, we decided to press on, thankfully without incident, soon leaving the town behind travelling through the woods into Stourport.

River Severn in flood

We were relieved to find that there was plenty of mooring space in Stourport, we were concerned that there would be a lot of boats there waiting for the flooded river to drop back to safe levels. We dropped through the lock into the impressive basin to take on water etc before making our way back up to the five day moorings to wait for the passage along the river to Worcester to re-open.
Having walked down to the river it looks as if we may be at Stourport for a few days.

Birmingham and the BCN

Monday 25th March 2018
The morning was bright and sunny, although there had been a frost, the ice soon cleared and we were on our way along the main line heading for Birmingham.

Coseley Tunnel on the improved old main Line

It wasn't long before we reached the junction of the Wyrley and Essington canal, this canal heads up to the northern reaches of the BCN and it was our original intention to explore these back waters,  however,  due to our discussions with the other boaters at Wolverhampton, we decided against it for the time being. Maybe we will reconsider later in the season when some of the rubbish has been removed.
We carried on impressed by the depth of the canal making for quick and easy progress. This stretch of water follows the original course of Brindley's route but was modified and improved by Telford in later years. We soon arrived at Tipton where the old and new lines separate to be reunited closer to Birmingham.
This junction known as Factory junction requires a sharp right turn to continue on the old line or straight on to descend the three locks down to the new line level some forty feet below. We had no option other than to take the old line as the new line had been dewatered due to repairs to an aqueduct just below the locks.
Just after the junction we passed another junction leading to the Dudley canal,  Black Country Museum and the Dudley Tunnel visitor centre, somewhere we plan to visit later in the week. The old line twists and turns following the contours of the hillside,  this was Brindley's preferred method of canal design leading to a sometimes torturous route to cover a short distance. Telford's  route, on the other hand, takes a straight line using embankments, cuttings and tunnels, in this case shortening the distance by a third. Travelling along here we passed many old and new factories some were old engineering works with that old engineering smell taking me back to my time as an apprentice then suddenly, around the next bend being brought back up to date by the smell of samosas and onion bhajis from a local bakery.

The Netherton branch on tunnel from Tividale Aqueduct

We crossed Tividale aqueduct where the old line crosses the Netherton branch of the New Line, we were able to look down onto the canal and saw the portal of the 3027 yard long Netherton Tunnel. Shortly after we reached Bradeshall junction and it's three locks down to the New Line. The old line and all its links to the new were retained as there was industry and mining activity along its banks, relying on the system for moving goods in and out.
A few miles further on the canal reaches the M5 motorway, built over the top of the canal. There was significant work going on under the flyover and the atmosphere led to a very surreal feel with our route passing beneath and in between all the scaffolding installed for the work. It was strange to see old  humpbacked canal bridges  in this artificial environment.

Under the M5

The New Line from the Stewart Aqueduct

Under the motorway we also came across another couple of junctions the first being a short arm leading down to Oldbury,  the second, Spon Lane junction, yet another link to the new line via three locks. Immediately before this junction we crossed over the new line on Stewart aqueduct affording us views up and down the straight new line below. We continued along our elevated level passing the old Smethwick Pumping Station, this was built to return water from the new level back up to the old, significantly increasing the number of boats able to pass through the locks each day. The original beam engine was built by Boulton and Watt, this is now on display in the Thinktank Museum in Birmingham. Shortly after the pump house we reached engine arm again crossing the new line to a basin on the opposite bank.
At this point we had arrived at the top of the three Smethwick locks where old and new are again reunited. Lucia went to set the lock up only to find that the tail gate would not close,  I went to help but to no avail, so a call to CRT was required.
I was informed that it would be about an hour before anyone could help and we debated whether we should turn around and head back to Spon Lane junction locks or sit it out until help arrived. We left Scruff of the boat and she jumped down to the towpath falling as she landed, following this she was hobbling around obviously hurting her leg in the fall.
Our decision was made for us as a couple of minutes later three CRT men arrived, they pushed and pulled at the gate eventually freeing the obstruction. They also set about clearing all the rubbish that had accumulated in front of the head gates, I enquired about the scum and grease that had also collected around the rubbish,  they informed me that this was Ghee used in Asian cooking, the canal being a handy place for disposing of it. Alongside the engine arm the walls had been rebuilt only to have been recently vandalised with the top few courses of bricks pushed over much to the dismay of our three helpers, also we were sorry to see that vandals had also set fire to a fine example of an old BCN toll house at the top of the locks..

Vandalised Wall

Burnt out Toll House

Amongst the rubbish pulled out of the water was a bag of mobile phone covers and a black bin liner full of old cannabis roots.
The CRT lads helped us through the next two locks, we were grateful for their help as the second lock had a problem with the tail gates and low water, combining to cause us to become stuck, they let through more water to flush us through to the next lock. Arriving in the next chamber it became obvious that we had something on the prop, requiring a visit down the weed hatch to clear it, not something I wanted to do in all this filth, also not knowing what we might have picked up. Fortunately it was only a tote bag along with a few of the usual carrier bags.
It was with great relief that we arrived at the bottom of the flight and onto the junction, we thanked the CRT guys with a bottle of beer each before moving onto the new line, feeling we had made the right decision not to visit the back waters.
The run into Birmingham was straight forward, it was intesting to see the old Brindley loops going off to each side of the dead straight course of the new line.

Birmingham

We arrived in the centre of Birmingham and were really impressed with the centre around the canals, we cruised through the basins to turn around at the start of the Birmingham and Worcester canal. We retraced our steps past Gas Street Basin and moored alongside the Arena just past Brindley Place.

There are plenty of moorings around here varying from 2 to 14 days.

Canal scene in Birmingham

The canal side offers a bewildering array of eating places and I would imagine it would be very difficult to decide which one to choose.

The developments have embraced the canal scene with modern architecture blending in well with the old.

Birmingham Moorings

We spent a couple of days here and visited the Art Gallery and  The Thinktank Science Museum, poor old Scruff was still suffering from her fall so we left her on the boat to help her recovery.

The weather was a bit disappointing again with frequent rain showers and a cool breeze, and a third visit from the "Beast from the East" threatened for the easter weekend.

We decided to move on to get to the Black Country Museum to find a mooring before the Easter rush, we took the New Main Line for our return, passing beneath our route into Birmingham.

Smethwick Pumping Station from the New Line

Engine Arm Aqueduct

The new route is almost a straight line and is wide and deep, we would have continued along this route upto the junction at Tipton but due to the closure we had to return up to the old line at Albion Junction and the three locks at Bradeshall. Once on the old line we continued along to Tipton Junction and the sharp left turn onto the Dudley Canal. A short way down the canal we reached the Black Country Museum and the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust visitor centre.

Black Country Museum and the Dudley Tunnels

This area is a mecca for the industrial archeology enthusiast, the moorings are right in and amongst it all, with the Museum on one bank and the Tunnel visitor centre on the other, there are also useful boater facilities here too, the mooring is limited to 48 hours so we planned our time here carefully to take in all the sights.

We called into the tunnel centre and decided take the trip into the tunnels.

The tunnel passes through the Rowley Hills, the hills contain beds of limestone, coal is also found close by, the tunnel was dug to exploit these resources, the limestone being use as a flux in the iron works to the south of the hills. The tunnel is still accessible to boats of the right dimensions, ie quite a low headroom, there is a gauging point close to the centre, also, due to lack of ventilation, no combustion engines are allowed, so unless you leg your boat through you will need a tow.

Dudley Tunnel Portal

Light and sound inside Dudley Tunnel

The trip takes visitors through the portal,  almost immediately you come to a basin with tunnels leading off in all directions, this is open as the roof was removed in the 19th century. visitors are then taken to various underground caverns created by the limestone miners, in one of these there is a light and sound show recreating the experience of victorian visitors. All in all it is well worth a visit and reveals a lot about the industrial history of the area.

Black Country Museum
(the small boat behind ours belongs to Gary and Karen)

The Black Country Museum is a joy, with life in the old Black Country being recreated with a school, mines, forges.shops etc all rebuilt around the canal basins. The site has been used as a location for the TV series Peaky Blinders and this now sets the theme, all the staff wearing flat caps. We had been told the that the Fish and Chips, sold from a re-creation of an original chip shop, are a must, we can certainly agree they are delicious.

On Good Friday we walked up to see Dudley Castle and Zoo just up the road from the moorings. The castle ruins are worth a visit in their own right, being located on top of the Rowley Hills, the views all around are impressive and we could not help to wonder how it must have looked in its industrial heyday. The zoo occupies the hill sides around the castle and is also worth a visit.

All in all this area has a lot to offer and would require at least a couple of days to do it justice, We certainly recommend this area for a great family weekend away.

Saturday 31st March

A wet start to the day, however it was time to move on so we readied ourselves for our departure. During our time here we met Karen and Gary, a couple from California who were exploring the canals in a small converted sailing boat. We saw them arrive in the rain on Thursday. The boat had a small electric outboard motor powered by a battery fed by a solar panel. They began their trip in Nantwich but due to the poor weather had to tow the boat for most of the journey, they were on their way to Stratford Upon Avon. Due to cold and damp weather they spent most of the evenings keeping warm in the services buildings. Incredible people on an incredible journey.

We offered them a tow along to the locks at Bradeshall, from here they would turn right to Birmingham, our route was to the left up the new line to turn left again at Dudley Port junction. From here our route took a straight line to the northern portal of the enormous Netherton tunnel, passing under the aqueduct of the old line above as we approached.

Entering the gaping Netherton Tunnel

Inside the Tunnel

Netherton tunnel is 3027 yards long and the channel is wide enough for two boats to pass as well as a towpath on each side, it is dead straight and due to its size it is possible to see the portal at the opposite end.

It took us just under an hour to get through emerging at the southern portal at Windmill End junction.

We stopped to take on water at the junction before continuing to our mooring for the night at The Waterfront at Brierley Hill.

This is an impressive new development built on the site of the old Round Oak Steel Works.

The Waterfront

The site extended down the hillside to the Merry Hill shopping centre, the works must have been as impressive sight. The waterfront had a couple of pubs but now consists of mainly offices and the large Copthorne Hotel.

The following morning we continued on our way, soon reaching the top of the 8 locks making up the Delph flight. These locks have an unusual but effective side pound arrangement with weirs to the side of each set of tailgates.

Delph Locks

The unusual weirs

They seem to be a bit confused round these parts as, at the top is nine locks bridge and at the bottom is a pub called the tenth lock?

The canal twists its way around the contour level for a couple of miles before reaching the top of the Stourbridge locks, an impressive flight of 16 chambers with fine views across the valley below. These locks were a pleasure to pass through with something new to see round every corner. Our task was made easier by the fact that the locks were all in our favour and we were assisted by John of the Dudley Canals Trust who helped us down the last 10 locks.

The old Staircase Lock

There are some unusual sights along the flight, one pair of locks used to be a staircase but have been converted to two individual locks with about 6 foot between the tail gates of one and the head gates of the next.

Redhouse Bottle Kiln

We also passed the old Redhouse glass works with its museum in an old bottle kiln, the other factory buildings have been redeveloped into offices and apartments. A Little further down a new residetial development had been built in the style of the old Black Country factories, in keeping with the canal and its environs.
Arriving at the bottom of the locks we said goodbye to our assistant John, repaying him with a beer, here we had arrived at the short arm into Stourbridge, turning left we headed down the arm to arrive at the historic wharf at the end. The wharf and its bonded warehouse have been restores by the Stourbridge Canal Society and they have done a great job.
We walked up into the high street and were surprised to find a small market town, still retaining its own identity even though it has been consumed by large conurbation surrounding Birmingham.The town has a lot of character made famous for being the centre of the glass industry. One notable building on the High Street is the Edward VII college founded in the 16th Century.
We stayed on the moorings just outside the wharf, these are quiet and newly developed and make a good place to moor for a couple of nights. Across the field from the moorings are the remnants of the old loco works, the remaining building is now a medical centre but the exterior has been carefully restored. It was in these works that the first steam loco to be used in North America, was built.
The threatened weather was not as bad as predicted, although we did have a lot of rain so we stayed put on Easter Monday.
Our intention is to leave here on Tuesday making our way down to the Staffs and Worcs canal where we will turn south towards the river Severn.

Stourbridge Loco Works

Stourbridge Moorings

Edward VII College