 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Dear Phil
Having read issue 162 which is up to your normal high standard, that there has been proposed the restoration of the Bradley Lock Flight. This proposal, and the comment from Martin O'Keeffe, made me think what simple quick project could benefit a large number of people to take a boat onto a section of canal that they cannot do so at the moment, not quite a restoration project more a lobbying project.
The simple project?
Dudley Tunnel. Yes I know that it is theoretically open, but and it is a big but, the headroom in the tunnel is very restricted and probably 75% of boats on the canal system cannot pass the gauge at the tunnel mouth.
Solution. Simple and not overly expensive. At the Tipton end there is a narrows. At Park Head end there is a flight of three locks. Why can the narrows at Tipton not be converted inti a lock with a drop of somewhere in the region of 9 to 12 inches and the weir at Park Head top lock be lowered by a corresponding amount.
The cost. Two locks gates at Tipton and the necessary brickwork, paddles could be gate mounted to save building culverts. The removal of possibly three courses of bricks from the weir at Park Head, probably a spot of dredging of the tunnel approaches and inside the tunnel itself.
The Benefits. As stated above the tunnel would be available to more boats. The availability would give an alternative route if Netherton Tunnel suffers another major problem. With lock gates at Tipton it would enable any boat that ventured into the tunnel and became stuck to be flushed out by opening the paddles at Park Head, a major safety plus factor.
Surely a project that it would be possible to sell to Waterways, and give some opportunity for volunteer work.
Finally a quertion. Those who have cruised the New Main Line must have seen on a bridge near Pudding Green Junction the graffiti "Tojo the Dwarf". Can someone please tell me how long has it been there and more importantly what paint was used, because I first saw it in the early 70's and it was old then. Paint does'nt last that long these days!
Yours Sincerely
Les Pitt
Ed...Welcome, Les, to the "Tojo the Dwarf" Fan Club - you join me and Peter Linzey as well as our esteemed Chairman and who knows how many others who have speculated on this intriguing graffito. My belief, for what it's worth, is that it was a piece of Second World Wartime propaganda aimed at the then Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo. Then again it could be just some local's nickname or less than literate attempt at "To Joe, the dwarf"
Dear Editor
The balance between heritage and development of the City Centre canals will always be difficult to achieve; quite how one reconciles the canals' heavy industrail past with the very real fact that, to keep them "alive", they have to be "nice places to go" (or no-one will visit) I am not sure.
One answer, of course, is blend. Redevelop some of the canals to be places of modern entertainment, whilst maintaining others as museum pieces of canal heritage, and practical facilities - boatyards, marinas, moorings - for the contemporary canal user.
It seems to me that this blend has an ideal opportunity for real-world realisation in the ongoing, long-term development of the Old Main Line Loops.
Clearly the loops themselves MUST be preserved. They are the "original" route, and the enduring memorial to Brindley who, whatever his shortcomings, started it all off.
The Oozells Street Loop has found its current consummation as home to the business of navigation, with practical facilities for boating people located therein.
There is much talk of what is to be done with the Icknield Port Loop, as development spreads out of the City Centre, and it seems likely that it will eventually be transformed from a repository of near-derelict industrail premises(with their backs to the canal) into more modern entertainment facilities of some sort. This, actually, is probably for the best, because it is so very near to the hub of things in Broad Street, and such an easy walk for partygoers along the towpath.
The Soho Loop has its future already decided as the almost "private entrance" to the permanant moorings at Hockley Port, and again, this is probably a good application for the present age.
What, then of the loop of which we hear virtually nothing (probably because, although "navigable" it cannot be navigated - nor walked - because you CAN'T GET IN!)? What of the Cape Arm, the logical continuance of the Soho Loop on the opposite side of the Main Line? Icknield Port, Soho and the Cape constitute a lengthy stretch of the Old Main Line, virtually unbroken other than for the stank at the Birmingham end of the Cape Arm.
The Cape Arm probably retains more of the 2original" ambience of the Old Main Line than either of the other three, surrounded by old factory buildings.
As development inevitably moves outward from the City, I would like to suggest that this loop be taken back into navigation, but very much as a museum of canalabilia.
The connection to the Main Line at the Birmingham end should be restored (well no-one needs to dodge the toll island these days), the whole arm dredgd and maintained, and the towpath re-instated, so boaters and walkers alike can use it.
The partygoers and business people have had their way with Birmingham's canals in the centre of the City, and I raise no objection, because thse places have to be kept ALIVE and IN USE.
Could the Cape Arm, when its time comes, perhaps be the small corner set aside for canal enthusiasts and industrail archaeologists ?
Mark Checkley,
Kings Norton
Ed.. A fine idea. What do other members think?
Dear Phil
My apologies to Peter Linzey (letter in BP 162) who has been on the edge of his seat for far too long. The reason for the Volvo Penta failure was a faulty fuel pump. A later model has been fitted and the skipper reports no further trouble. Hoever.... In the meantime.........
The Volvo agent in St Helier returned the fuel systen to working order and we returned to Salcombe. The boat is berthed during the summer in the Mayflower Marina, Plymouth. People ask why did we return to Salcombe and not direct to Plymouth. There are two reasons: first, surprisingly perhaps, the Channel Islands are well east of Plymouth. The route to Salcombe is more direct and reduces the time needed to cross the Channel. Second, the beer is better and the food cheaper in Salcombe than in the rather pretentious restaurant at the Mayflower Marina.
However, while making the short passage from Salcombe to Plymouth the engine faltered at least twice. The Mayflower is in the far north west corner of Plymouth Sound beyond which, just up the Tamar River, lies the Naval Dockyard. There is always a great deal of activity in the Sound including cross channell car feries. Access to both the Marina and Dockyard involves navigating a very narrow section known as the Gate. RN ships have right of way. Consequently, apart from the alertness normaly required, a suspect engine and un favourable sailing conditions added some anxiety. The skipper radio-ed the Mayflower who kindly sent out a boat to us in case we needed a tow. A few hundred yards fron the Marina entrance the "rescue-boat" shouted across, rather indignantly, that they thought we had engine trouble and made to depart. With perfect timing the engine did'nt just cough of falter - it simply stopped, and once again we were towed nto harbour.
Bryan Brock