Canals of Birmingham

[jennyann]

Re: Canals of Brum

Thanks Peter. I like your detailed history writings very much and have learned a lot from them.  It's amazing how quickly you forget certain things after they have been removed.  Nechells Power Station cooling towers seemed always to be there when I was growing up and then they were gone.
I often wondered what it was like for people who lived close to Hams Hall since it seems there were 3 cooling towers there in all.

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

Great 1930's Ad. for
Callender's Cable and Construction Company Ltd.
District sales office: Daimler House, Paradise Street,Birmingham and District Contracts Office at
Callender Buildings Nile Street and Sheepcote Street

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

Just before you came to Salford Bridge (reply 63) walking along the towpath of the B'ham and Fazeley canal coming from Perry Barr locks you would see across the cut, James Collins Ltd Brassfounders which was opposite the lake in Salford Park..... pic 1958

 

[hmld]

Re: Canals of Brum:GALLOP

The notion there were relays of galloping horses around the clock, especially consign perishables, is quite quaint and sorta charming.
It is, though, utterly fantastic.A sturdy horse could trot-canter. That is surely so and some of the olden timers, with access to even older timers (such as Cromwell) can set matter aright.A fast pace horse on some stretches could jog along and no doubt there were relays.
If you, walk unimpared then you average a peregrination on flat of 3 mls per hour.So a horse, once the boat was flowing, at a sturdy trot would likely average, without negotiating locks, 5 mph.10 hrs is 50 mls.But galloping is quite out of the question. If you have ever pulled by yourself a narrow boat - empty - you'll appreciate what a daunt.Some narrow boats laden full could move as much as 70 tonnes. Twelve was ordinary. Once the vessel is flowing it is a matter of maintaining steady pace as sturdy plod. Think of rain, maritime condesation perfused with filth from coal and coke. As marvellous as the notion is of express sleek jobs yanked by galloping horses hurteling perishables to market it is not physically on. Clydesales would have hardly been able to negotiate much of BCN - they'd almost have to kneel down and hobble under some bridges.

Regarding slowing down from a rapid tug: This can effected with swift swish of yer tiller: to and fro. You would want to be with it to do so.
I once owned one which I bought by itself for 10/-.Oak. I was a wee strap of a lad and it took all my strength to lug it without winding down in the canal. I affixed it to one of the lightweight jobs to which the correspondent at this site refers. I can verify from first hand experience it is possible to reduce to still a narrow boat with the swish-swash to and fro rapid manoeuver. If you had horse sense and new the layout you would hardly be in need of resorting to such an extreme of desperation. (The speed limit on canals is 5 mph.)
Barges on the big breadth then I do not know. On a flat with a Clydesdale they could surely manage 5 mph, unless a strong headwind, including of course, gale force conditions, torrential rain, blizzard.

I wish to ask Cromwell doth he remember the BOLINDER single cylinder engine. One almight concusive item. The snapshot of the tugboat with the butties a tow twigged my memory.
Stroll some of the older stretches of canal where the lower fire redbrick bridges are in place and you will see deep cuts done over many years by the tow ropes attached to horses. And of course in the peak hay day of canal freitage then many operated around the clock. Hence gas illumine.

I France women pulled barges. Big pieces. Look that up. Women are more powerful from the waist down than blokes. Of course with intelligent formal disciplined training they can integrate the whole organism. What astonished myself was that the first photo I saw of such action was women pulling by a long stretch of rope by the head! A kind of cushioning scarf with a loop and they leaning forward into it.
I might be completely mistake but that traction seems sub-optimal. Wouldn't it make basic common sense simple logic to employ a waist harness? For either gender. Also I wonder what the problem was with find a horse in France. Even donkey let alone and mule could fare better than a woman lugging by her head. In any case why was it the fella was at the tiller? If she can reproduce the species surely she could steer a barge? "Oh, No Regrets................" Such stuff and nonsense.
Delightful to view the kinder on the narrow boat. What a thrill and delight. With that kind of stimulating growth energy environment I dare say they were for the most part accelerated learners.

To recapitulate: were I a horse you'd never catch me galloping towing a canal boat along the tow path. At the time of those round-the-clock consignments think traffic load as congestion. Notice by many locks there are the equivalent of automobile laybys.Time being premium. Of course the pubs were open around the clock as well so the horses could cool their hoofs while the geezer swigged a libation and gulped down a roast potato with onions and sauce.
I do not know if Cromwell was a nipper - likely way 'afore his time - but how did horse drawn canal boats cross in opposite directions?
The Grand Union springs readily to mind.
By the way that Salford, by the gasworks [?] expanse of water is not a lake. It is a pound. An idea of the volume of boats. There are some submerged which can be salvaged by mechanical pump. The traditional way of sinking was to drill a hole in the bottom about 1" dia..
They sank slowly and were embalmed in the canal. Steel is preferable to iron and if properly primed and sealed with outlast anything other than a glass structure.Phosphor bronze does surface tarnish but doesn't corrode, though I do not know if anybody was so eccentric as to make one of the metal. Aluminium, unless thick, is vulnerable to puncture, such as slob-lout-thug-hooligan-vandal canal dumping by cynical apathetic bozoidals. Terrible pity. Of course even vandals make certain philosophical asssumptions.

The allusion of galloping tow horses in rapid relay made me laugh. Nothing raucous or bellowing in public. It is funny, though.

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

hmld,Bolinder engines were worse than a donkey and could kick like a mule and if ya daint put ya foot right on the pin sticking out from the flywheel you was in trouble as it kicked back. But the laugh was if you wanted to go in reverse ya had to stop the engine and listened to the change and as soon as you heard it ya pulled the reverse lever to cut the main fuel pump and just when it was on its last turn,the reverse pump hit and the explosion drove the cylinders the other way then bang it into neutral but 5 out of 10 times it would stop and a kick was needed to start it again.
From Gloucester to Birmingham a horse boat took 7 to 8 days round trip going up with a tug......but if you had a Bolinder it could do it in 5 days.
Bolinders were made for pulling butty's up the river or cut......what you say about the French I have never heard but a lot of the Native Indians in America, Peru and Nepal use the headband to carry heavy weights
How did they cope if they meet another boat coming in the opposite direction see Reply 70*‚**
hmld, it makes you think about the rope wearing groves into brick stone and iron....you would think it would cut the rope but as the rope was very abrasive as it picked all kinds of dirt and grit up as it fell in the water and dropped on to the towpath .........you only have to look at an old iron bootscraper how dirt and mud wear them down
Bolinder engines were as tall as a man, handle middle right

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

Boats frozen in the cut at Olton 1929

 

[Rupert]

Re: Canals of Brum

Hmid, Thanks for the insight about the galloping horses. It does seem to be improbable even though it is stated on another site perporting to be canal oriented. Since I have only been close enough to a horse to touch one, a few times in my life, I welcome the input from someone with first hand knowledge on the subject. It adds to the overall understanding. Also the weight capacities seem higher than I mentioned earlier for narrow boats. The grooves in the old bridge structures and vertical steel tubes for preventing rope chaffing is also an insight, and Cromwell's passing technique is noted.
Since no one is around now who would have been part of these operations before motorization, it is only written material that we have to go on. Most of the written material is also based on second or third hand knowledge. What makes this site so valuable is the ability to talk about these things and discover reality over fable.
I do not find the notion of express services on the canal system improbable though. For perishable goods. It seems to me that light weight Flyboats are documented in more than one place and existed. With the growing cities, the need to get food to market would have been pressing and the canal system would have been the best system to use. I think that these boats possibly opperating with relays of horses and men on a 24 hour schedule could well have been factual. Passing and priority at locks would have been an understood necessity. The ordinary traffic may well have grumbled about it though. If you think about it, these boats would have been going by when ordinary traffic would be stopped for the night, a half of the time. There probably were not a great number of such craft so that letting one by or giving preference at locks would not have been a great inconvenience. It's not like you would have been held up for hours on end whilst a stream of them went by.
It seems to me that bringing a horse drawn barge to rest would be a manoeuvre that had to be planned carefully for the safety of the horse and the boat. Perhaps at bridge or lock approaches strong posts or bollards were placed that the boatman could throw a line around and thereby slow the assemblage down. Such heavy boats approaching at a combined speed of about 5 or 6 MPH would also have needed early planned management.

 

[Rupert]

Re: Canals of Brum

From another source, it seems that at the meeting of two craft, the laden one would stop and slacken it's tow rope to the ground. The horse towing the unladen boat would then pass over the stationary boats tow line and the tow line of the unladen boat would be passed over the length of the stationary boat. I thought it would be the other way around but this way makes more sense because the laden boat would be lower in the water, making it easier to pass the higher unladen boats tow line over. A tricky manoeuvre though. Maybe it was thus decided: lower boat stops and higher boat passes line over it. How they figured this out early enough to apply this etiquette is not known. Perhaps they had some means of signalling to indicate their respective loading depth.
I seem to remember looking over the side of a bridge on the Fazely canal watching a horse drawn barge come to a stop and it seems to me that the horse braced itself and took the load of stopping the boat. This was back in the fifties. It seems to me that there was only one man with the boat and he had brought the boat close in to the bank and jumped off and was also doing something facilitate stopping. I don't know, I think horse drawn barging must have required two operators to be safe.

 

[hmld]

Re: Canals of Brum

RUPERT: YOU GOTTA HAVE GOT THE TIP O' THE TAIL END IN THE 50s!
CROMWELL: THX EXPLANATION O' THE BOLINDER. IT ASSUMED MYTHOLOGICAL PROPORTIONS TO US STRAPS THE 60s. NO IDEA WHY IT WAS SO RIDICULOUSLY CUMBERSOME TO OPERATE. IT KNEW A FELLA WHO INSTALLED A MOTOR CAR ENGINE IN A NARROW BOAT. [THEN] HE TOLD ME THAT THE DRIVE-THRUST-TRACTION ON THE CAR WAS SPREAD OUT AS DISSIPATED - an engineer type of chap - ON THE ROAD AND THAT WITH A PROPELLER IN THE WATER ALL FORCE WENT INTO TO DRIVE.
THAT LEFT ME A TRIFLE WINDED - AS AN IDEA. I GUESS I CAN UNDERSTAND IT WITH GEARS.
NICE TO KNOW THE BOLINDER WAS DONE SO TO REVERSE. WHAT A KINDA PREPOSTEROUS MANOUVER! I JUST KNEW SOMEONE EXISTS WHO AT LEAST HEARD ONE! THEY WERE FORMIDABLE AND IF I MAY MAKE SO BOLD AS TO SAY SO, JUST BLOODY RIDICULOUS. I MEAN, WHEN YOU THINK LAND ROVER ABOUT 1947, MG, EVEN ROLLS ROYCE WAY BEFORE... SOMEONE TOLD ME THE BRITISH ARMY INSTALLED A ROLLS ROYCE MOTOR CAR ENGINE IN AN ARMORED TRUCK AND WHEN STARTED THE VEHICLE SHOT ALONG A COUNTRY ROAD AND SMASHED OFF INTO A BIG WOODED DITCH.

THOSE SKIFFS: NO CONTROVERSY ABOUT EXPRESS OVERNIGHT PERISHABLES WHISKED HITHER THITHER. BUT NO GALLOPING! AT THE CRACK OF DAWN I AWOKE GIGGLING AS TO THE CHANGING BZ. YES THE CAST IRON UPRIGHTS. SCAN THE OLD BRIDGES AND YOU WILL SEE NO SUCH PROVISION WAS MADE (in general). KINDA DAFT CONSIDERING THE GENIUS THAT WENT INTO THE GRAND PLAN.
AINT IT QUITE FANTASTIC THAT IF YOU GO TO THE EXERTION OF CONSTRUCTING A CANAL THAT YOU ONLY DO ONE TOW PATH? RAILWAYS WERE LAID MINUMUM PARALLEL TRACKS.

NARROW BOAT OR BARGE LADEN WOULD, AS YOU POINT OUT, R, SIT LOWER IN WATER AND SO LOGICALLY ONE UNLADEN WOULD GLIDE PAST WITH THE TOW ROPE A NIFTY YANK O'ER. HOWEVER, GIVEN THE VOLUME OF FREITAGE DAYS OF YORE THEN IT IS POSSIBLE SOMETHING THE EQUIVALVENT OF A PIKE WAS USED.

WHEN YOU CONTEMPLATE A GENTLEMAN THE YEARS OF CROMWELL WOULD HAVE GARNERED FROM HIS GREAT GREAT GRANDPARENT ACCOUNTS OF LIFE ON THE BUSY CUT THEN I OPINE BASIC COMMON SENSE SIMPLE LOGIC WOULD DETERMINE A KEEN CHILD WOULD HAVE WONDERED AS TO CROSSING.

THAT EPISODE OF THE BOATMAN LEAPING OFF AND LASHING TOO SEEMS A CLOSE CALL.

THERE IS NO EVIDENCE OF LASH-ANCHOR POSTS ON TOW PATHS. THE HORSE WAS TETHERED TO THE FRONT. THE BOAT MAN ("BARGEE") COULD PULL IN FROM THE REAR END. THAT'S A GENTLE SWATHE AND IF DONE ARIGHT THEN NO DAMAGE.
I'VE EXAMINED MANY LENGTH OF TOW PATH AND NOT NOTICED, NOT FOR WANT OF SCRUTINY, EVIDENCE OF GAUGING. BUT JUST THINK OF THE LEAP, SKIP, JUMP IN POURING RAIN, HIGH WIND, SLEET. EVEN WITH HOBNAIL BOOTS.

SIGNALLING BY WHISTLE, GONG, YELLING THROUGH A LOUD HAILER IS POSSIBLE.
ACTUALLY, CONSIDERING THE POPULATION OF THE ARCHITECTURE PRIOR TO AND INTO THE RAILWAY TIMES IT IS A WONDER OF COMMON SENSE.

AT THIS STAGE THERE IS NO PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION OF THE POUND AT STRATFORD UPON AVON? SURELY SUCH WAS AN APPEAL?

FIVE DAYS WAS QUITE A LEISURELY PACE PRESUMABLY, AS HORSES SLEEP ON THE HOOF UPRIGHT, THEY WERE SHELTERED. THAT BEING THE CASE, THERE ARE NO REMAINS OF SANCTUARY. STANDING UNDERNEATH A BRIDGE IS ROUTINELY BLOOMIN' COLD.

 

[Rupert]

Re: Canals of Brum

The vertical iron bars on bridge uprights was not to protect the bridge but to help reduce the chaffing of the tow rope that would occur if it ran up against the bricks and mortar. I am sure that the the systems would have been somewhat different in the days of horse only operation. That level of sophistication, if you can call it that, may indeed not have been common. I can't believe though, that the size of operations in that day could have been conducted without facilities for housing the horses over night and also support for the barge people. These facilities must have been at intervals along the way and the operators would probably aim for such places by nightfall. I can't imagine that you would leave an animal, that has worked all day, tethered to a post in the open all night. Looking after the livestock would have been common sense for system reliability. There must have been designated stops along the way with covered stalls for the horses. I don't know horses but I think I can recognise an untenable situation.
I am trying to develop an understanding of the life of a bargee and his family and the horse drawn operation. It seems to be next to impossible to even conclude that one man could operate a boat with his horse and jump off when coming to a stop. And yet, I believe I saw it happen but it's through the mists of time. Was there someone else on the stern of the boat who ducked into the cabin that I did not spot. It was early 50s. Fact is the horse was well built but did not seem to be very large. I thought the Clydesdale was a big animal.
How would a boat be maneuvered through a lock with a horse? I don't think horses towed through long tunnels. The boatman had to leg the boat lying on his back on top of the boat and walking on the roof of the tunnel. There would be a path above ground for the horse to walk to the other end of the tunnel. What sort of community did the boat people have when the families had to start living on board to reduce living costs when the railways arrived. They were not Gypsies but I think rather ordinary people who had that for a job instead of factory work. This is going to take a while.

 

[jennyann]

Re: Canals of Brum

Rupert>
I have a postcard of a bargee on the roof of his boat guiding it through a tunnel on his back
with his feet. I bought at the shop in the long boat tie up area near Stratford.

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

Rupert, I have drawn four simple diagrams to explain things a bit better on Rope marks Pic 1, Bridge protection on the canal.....and crossing over to opposite bank pic 3......
Were the canal widens out from going under a bridge(or a left turn) you would get rope marks on the bridge and protection would be needed on the bridge opposite side to the towpath
On a straight stretch of canal going under a bridge would leave no rope marks as the rope would never touch the bridge but protection would be needed on the bridge opposite the towpath
In pic 2 as the barge came to the bottom bridge the towrope would be released and attached again once it went under the bridge....but with a slit bridge the towrope went through the middle

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

An experience skipper on a modern boat knows just when to cut his engines on a canal and just glide to the towpath, the same with a fully laden or empty barge and I have handled one and just after a few days it becomes an art and you soon learn to bring it to a stop at the required place then just stepping off pull it in with a rope, knock a woodenl peg in an tie it up.Steel pegs were banned in case you forgot them when you cast off. wooden ones would rot and be less dangerous to animals.
In the early 19th century the River Seven steam motor tug use to pull half a dozen butties (Butty is a boat without an engine) right into the heart of Birmingham and into Gas Street basin to unload. But they had to pay tugging fees so it went through a whole period of change some getting their own horses while other enterprising people set up stables all along the canal system so horses could be rented out and dropped of at the next stable a few miles further down the canal and a fresh horse could be picked up to carry on and so on. Company byelaws ruled that a narrow boat should have a man on board to steer, able bodied and over 18 years of age and a boy 12 to 16 (according to which canal you was on) leading the horse. 60-ton barges had a crew of three, in the 1800's it was three men and a boy for an 18-ton coal barge and the practise of riding on the horse was made illegal after a spate of drowning when the horse slipped into the canal and a ruling came out the horse had to be on the canal side so he could not nudge you in, but I have seen this rule disregarded.
In the early days teams of men called bow-hauliers pulled the barges
Loaded coal barges from the collieries had strict rules and could not pass one another going the same way and always stayed on the towpath side, furious driving was punishable by a fine of 10 shillings.....
Many strange and curious things on the cut.......Slit bridges had a cut straight across them so if a horse was pulling the barge and the towpath switched to the other side
The horse went over the bridge and the towline was passed thought the slit in the middle of the canal.......and the horse carried on the other side without stopping...... Quite Clever
Two photo's I took last week on a dull day of the Aqueduct (built in 1813) taking the Stratford Canal over the Stratford Road

 

[hmld]

Re: Canals of Brum

WHEW! THE SLIT BRIDGE TELLS US THAT HEAVY AS IN DENSE POPULATION OF TRAFFIC. THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION IN BRITAIN WAS FLAT OUT BELT AND BRACES BY PRIOR TO MID 1700s. NO TIME WAS LOST IN GENERATION OF CAPITAL. AN ASTOUNDING PHENOMENON ALTOGETHER.
I DID NOT KNOW A BOLINDER WAS SO HUGE. A FANTASTIC STEAM DRIVEN CONTRAPTION.
WHAT AN AWFUL NUISANCE TO OPERATE - AS WELL AS THE NOISE AND VIBRATION.
THE CONCUSSION MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING FIERCE ON THE TUGGER! WERE STEEL CROSS BRACES INSTALLED ON THE OAKEN?
THX FOR THE MARVELLOUS DIAGRAMS! YOU JOGGED MY MEMORY THAT YES, OF COURSE, ONE QUICKLY (ie ANYBODY WITH APTITUDE) GET THE HANG OF IT AND CAN BIRTH WITH EASE AS KIND OF ELEGANT.
NATURALLY NO GALLOPING.
I HAVE LEGGED MANY TIMES (DUDLEY CANAL TUNNEL PRESERVATION SOCIETY. I WAS BROADCAST AS A LAD ON ITV WHEN IT WAS BASED IN ASTON. I THINK LUNCHBOX EXPRESS WAS TELEVISED THERE WITH NOEL GORDONS. WAS THAT THE FORMER ASTON HIPPODROME? I RECALL AN XMAS PANTOMIME THEREAT ONE SLATE GRAY LEADEN CHILL DAMP EVE. NICE FEEL. OF COURSE LAUREL AND HARDY WERE WAY BEFORE MY TIME.
LEGGING IS NOT AS STRENUOUS AS ONE MIGHT THINK ONE MOVING. THERE'S A PHYSICS EXPLANATION TO IT.
ON ENTERING A LOCK FOR ASCENT OR DESCENT THE WATER DOES EVERYTHING ONCE SET IN MOTION SO THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE BOATEE-ER TO DO ANYTHING AS THERE IS NOTHING TO DO. THE TOW HORSE COULD REMAIN TETHERED OR BE UNDONE AND PAUSE FOR A NOSH OF OATS, DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER. OF COURSE THE ANIMAL COULD ALWAYS PAUSE UNDER A BRIDGE FOR A GOBBLE. IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN HEALTH AND EFFICIENCY FOR THEM AS WELL AS HUMAN BEINGS IT IS NECESSARY TO SNACK CONSTANTLY. NOT DOING SO RESULTS IN PREMATURE AGING AND DEGENERATIVE DISEASE.
FAMILIES LIVED PERMANENTLY ON NARROW BOATS AND BARGES. ON AN NB THAT IS ABOUT AS CRAMPED AS IT GETS. ONE CAN REASONABLY ASSUME MOST ALL CANAL FAMILIES AS BOAT OPERATORS LIVED ON THE VESSEL.
THEY WERE ALMOST CONSTANTLY ON THE MOVE. THINK RAILWAYS THEN. WHEN THEY TARRIED THEN OF COURSE THERE WAS PROVISION FOR THE CHILDREN TO BE RAPIDLY INDOCTRINATED IN RUDIMENTARY III Rs.
THAT WAS ALL THEY NEEDED. (IN 1946 AT THE CONCLUSION OF WW II THERE WERE ONLY A QUARTER MILLIONS GALS AND LADS AT GRAMMAR SCHOOL. THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND BRITISH EMPIRE WAS BUILT ON GLORIFIED SLAVERY: WOMEN AND CHILDREN. A MIGHTY TOME RIVETING READING IS
The Silent Revolution : Cambridge : c 1977.)
AS CROMWELL ADROIT POINTS OUT THERE WAS STRICT OBSERVANCE. 10/- FINE FOR RUSHING COAL BOATS WAS A MIGHTY HEFT WHACK IN THOSE DAYS.
IT IS ALSO FASCINATING THAT THE TOW ANIMAL, ALMOST INVARIABLY A HORSE, WAS TO BE LED BY A CHILD ON THE INSIDE ON ACCOUNT OF MISHAPS WHERE THE HORSE FELL OVER AND TUMBLED INTO THE CANAL. THAT SMACKS OF THE ODDLY QUEER THOUGH LIKELY IN TORRENTIAL RAIN, SLEET, SNOW. IT IS BETTER THE CHILDREN WALK AS PLOD AS THEY ARE GROWING AND SO BENEFICIAL THE LIMBS. WE ALWAYS NOTICED, IN THE FARMING REALM, THAT CHILDREN WHO WALKED TO SCHOOL WERE IN GENERAL MORE STURDY. THE SPERM COUNT WAS HIGHER. (THERE IS A UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH UNIT WHICH MONITORS SPERM COUNT IN EUROPE FOR THE UN: WHO. I RECALL IN 1979 THE CHAIR, A WOMAN WHOSE NAME I FORGET, POINTING OUT THAT WHEN THE COUNT REACHES 26 IT IS CRITICAL FOR THE GENETICAL INTEGRITY OF HOMO SAPIENS. SHE FOUND THE AVERAGE IN INDUSTRIALIZED BRITAIN AND MUCH OF THE EUROPEAN CONTINENTAL MAINLAND TO BE AVERAGING 20-24 AND THAT THEN APRX ONE THIRD MEN WERE CLINICALLY IMPOTENT. IT HAS GOT WORSE. THE HIGHEST SPERM COUNT WAS AMONGST SCOTS HIGHLANDERS - WHAT'S LEFT O' EM AFTER THE LAND GRAB - AND BUILDING AS CONSTRUCTION AND DEMOLITION SITE WORKERS.) ALSO FIRMER DEFINITION AS BODY. THE MENTAL I AM UNABLE TO COMMENT ON. IS SUSPECT YOU WOULD DETERMINE SAME IN WALES, SCOTLAND, RURAL ENGLAND.

OBVIOUSLY WOMEN WERE CONSIDERED SECONDARY WITH THE CREW BUSINESS. SURELY A MAN AND WOMAN AT THE TILLER ARE INTERCHANGEABLE? [UNLESS MEDICALLY EXCUSED] ONCE A NB-BARGE IS LADEN THEN WHY WOULD IT BE NECESSARY TO BE POPULATED BY TWO PEOPLE (MALES) ONCE IN MOTION? NEGOTIATING LOCKS IS HARDLY A DAUNTING TASK. THE HORSE HAULS THE VESSEL IN, OR SINCE IT CANNOT GO ANYWHERE, IF THE ANIMAL IS WEARY THE BOATMAN/WOMAN CAN HAUL THE BLESSED THING IN. slower, of course.

I HAVE SEEN THOSE ANCIENT CAST IRON PLATES TO PROTECT THE BRICK WORK AND THEY WERE ALL DEEP INDENTED BY THOUSANDS OF ROPE PASSES. AS A CORRESPONDENT OBSERVES THE ROPES ROUTINELY WETTED AND OF COURSE SOME ABRASIVE GRIT-GRIME FROM THE PATH.
I DID NOT KNOW INITIALLY FELLAS PULLED THE VESSELS. THAT SEEMS DUMB SINCE ALL HANDS WERE NEEDED BUILDING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION. IT HARDLY TAKES A GENIUS TO FIGURE OUT THAT HORSES PULL CARTS OF VARIOUS KINDS ON WHEELS, EVEN SLEDS, THAT THEY CAN PULL BOATS ON A CANAL. MAYBE THEY WERE SO EMBALMED IN STOUT, PORTER, SCRUMPY IS SO THAT IT TOOK A WHILE TO COTTON ON.
THE CANALS, AS RAILWAYS, WERE BUILT BY HAND. BLOCK AND TACKLE, WHEELBARROWS. LOOK AT THE
SIXE OF THOSE GRANITE TOW PATH STONES ALONG THE CANAL SIDE. WHERE FROM, HOW EXCAVATED, CUT, TRANSPORTED, INSTALLED... BREATHTAKING, ACTUALLY.
HORSE RELAY WAS LIKELY A KEEN NIFTY BUSINESS DURING THE BOOM YEARS. I DO NOT KNOW OF RELAY STABLE REMAINS. IT WOULD SEEM LOGICAL FOR A PUB TO HAVE A STABLE COMPONENT. THE BOAT FOLK KNEW WHERE THEIR BREAD WAS BUTTERED - NOT MUCH OF IT EITHER - SO WE CAN REST ASSURED THEY MADE SURE THE HORSE WAS SHELTERED. HOWEVER, THE RSPCA [FOUNDED 1822: WILLIAM WILBERFORCE WAS DISTINGUISHED FOR CAMPAIGNING AGAINST SLAVERY IN THE BRITISH EMPIRE. THE BRITISH WERE PREMIER SLAVERS. BRISTOL, LIVERPOOL PROMINENT SHIPPING POINT OF THE SLAVERS. MANY WEALTHY BRITISH FAMILIES MADE THEIR INITIAL FORTUNES FROM SLAVING. IN 1840 QUEEN VICTORIA GRANTED THE SPCA ITS ROYAL CHARTER. THE SPCA WAS FOUNDED BEFORE THE SPCC. SAME AS IN NEW YORK.)

I KNOW CROMWELL KNOWS FULL WELL, HOWEVER, RUPERT: HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE CABIN OF A NARROW BOAT?
A NUCLEAR FAMILY RAISED THERE. MAY THE BEST OF GOOD FORTUNE ATTEND YOUR ENDEAVOR RESEARCHING THE LIFE THEN. IT IS INTERESTING TO NOTE THAT CANAL BOATS CARRIED PASSENGERS PRIOR TO RAILWAYS.
HOW ABOUT THAT FOR SLOW? THE JARRING FROM THE HORSE DRAWN ROAD COACHES WAS A FIERCE ORDEAL.
IF YOU LOOK UP THE LUNAR SOCIETY SITE YOU'LL SEE A NOTE OF REGRET FROM THE FATHER OF ERASMUS DARWIN. HE WAS A MEDICAL DOCTOR AND RECALLS HIS ORDEAL IN A HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGE TO ATTEND TO INFIRMITY, WHICH PREVENTED HIM FROM THE MONTHLY MEET WHEREAT HE POINTS OUT HE MISSED THE REGAIL.
AND HE TRAVELLED FROM LICHFIELD FOR THE GATHER! OF COURSE HE MIGHT HAVE RODE A SADDLED HORSE.

DID YOU KNOW THE OLD CROWN, DERITEND, ACCOMODATED 144 TEAMS OF CARRIAGE HORSES ON THE LONDON AND OXFORD ROAD OUT OF BIRMINGHAM, SOUTH FROM THE BULL RING, DIGBETH? I CITE AS AN INDEX GERMANE. IN 1837 THE MASSIVE VIADUCT JOB WAS DONE AND EUSTON-BIRMINGHAM (VAUXHALL) LINE WAS OPENED. BUT THE TRAINS WERE VERY SLOW. A WHOLE DAY EITHER WAY.
MOST ALL SOCIAL WELFARE LEGISLATION IS BRITAIN HAS BEEN ENACTED BEGRUDGEDLY. IT WAS NOT UNTIL 1980 WHEN MARGARET THATCHER WAS PM THAT LEGISLATION WAS ENACTED FOR EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK FOR WOMEN. THAT SUMS UP A GREAT DEAL.

A CORRESPONDENT AT THIS SITE MENTIONED WHEN WAS A WHIPPER SNAPPER HE USED GO WITH HIS POPA TO THE SAILOR'S RETURN TAVERN AT GREAT BARR STREET AND WATERLY LANE [THE FIRST MULTI STOREY BLOCK OF FLATS IN BRITAIN IS IN THE ALLEY ALONGSIDE. NOW USED AS A SHELTER FOR WOMEN VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.] AND SOME KIND OF YAMPY GOM WAGER WAS STANDARD FARE THAT THE LOOSER WOULD HAVE TO SWIM THE CANAL WITH ONE ARM TIED BEHIND HIS BACK BETWEEN TWO LOCKS: BETWEEN CAMP HILL LOCKS UNDER THE COVENTRY-LONDON ROAD. THAT GENERATION OF MEN WOULD HAVE ORAL MEMORY SPANNING AT LEAST A HUNDRED YEARS: GREAT GP TO TEENER.

BRO CARL IS BOLTEN THE STABLE DOOR WHEN THE HORSE HAS SKIDADDLED WITH HIS ORAL ARCHIVE PROJECT.
THE OPTIMUM TIMES FOR THAT VENTURE WAS THE 1950s AND 1960s.

 

[O.C.]

Re: Canals of Brum

Hmld, You have broached many subjects which made me smile.............but did you know that on the Continent it was noted in Napur that a horse was towing a barge against the stream in the middle of a river in 1815 and when the horse started to drowned he was hauled abroad and a second fresh horse was dropped over the side to continue the task...........
I have legged the walls of the tunnel at Dudley and to the person who does not understand....once you went into the tunnel if the barge(butty) had no engine the horse went over the top .........
A plank was laid'd across the barge and you would lie down on it shoulder to shoulder with another chap and just walk the walls..............and so propel the boat through the tunnel ..little effort was needed
Pic is Split Bridge at Hockley Heath on the Stratford Canal

 

[Rupert]

Re: Canals of Brum

Keep it coming guys, thanks Jenny. No hmid have never been on a barge but there are descriptions of the cabins and layouts. Also how things had to be packed in and located for fast retieveal. The drawings are great Cromwell. On your bridge could the configuration also have been such that the horse would walk over the bridge and instead of turning right on the other side he would turn left. Then down and around and under the bridge. This way you would not need a slot. Any idea of the preferred horse breed or would any strong horse do. When walking a boat would you tie a string around the bottoms of your corduroys, to prevent anything from falling off the roof and into your trousers. Would be a bit of a problem to get an earwig, or even worse, in your nickers half way through.

 

[hmld]

Re: Canals of Brum

THAT WAS QUITE A HAUL FOR HORSE OVER THE DUDLEY TUNNEL. THOUGH I'M SURE IT WAS A WELCOME RELIEF. IN THOSE DAYS THE FUMES FROM COAL AND COKE MUST HAVE BEEN ROUTINELY OPPRESSIVE, ESPECIALLY WITH DAMP. I KNOW THE MINE SYSTEM WELL - ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND SOME OF IT WHICH WAS UNSTABLE HAS BEEN DEMOLISHED - THOUGH NEVER TRACED A SURFACE PATH.
LEGGING IS ACTUALLY A GENTLE GLIDE.
IT IS WELL WORTH LOCATING A NARROW BOAT WITH THE FAMILY ABODE AND TAKING SOME FLASH SNAPS. IT ACTUALLY DOESN'T GET MUCH SMALLER. THERE HAS TO BE ONE SOMEWHERE IN PRISTINE CONDITION! IF THERE IS NOT THEN ONE SHOULD BE MADE TO SHOW HOW SO MUCH WAS ACCOMPLISHED GETTING THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION FULL BELT.

CROMWELL: THAT IS BIZARRE. THE HORSE IN MID RIVER. PRESUMABLY THE ANIMAL COULD NOT NEGOTIATE THE BANKS BECAUSE OF TERRAIN. A DESPERATE SITUATION IN NAPUR (ARE YOU SURE THAT IS NOT INDIA WAY?) REQUIRING DESPERATE SOLUTION. IT REMINDS ME, IN A PECULIAR WAY, OF THAT CHARACTER, A FORMER PARATROOPER IN THE BRITISH ARMY, WHO IN A DEEP SEA DIVING OUTFIT MARCHED THE LENGTH OF LOCH NESS A YEAR OR TWO AGO. IT WAS A FUND RAISER FOR A CONGENITAL CONDITION. APPARENTLY HE HAD A VERY AWKWARD TIME BECAUSE OF A FIERCE BOUT OF DIARRHEA INCURRED BECAUSE OF THAT HORRIBLE GREASY FOOD.
HE DID ENCOUNTER ANYTHING OTHER THAN A FEW SMALL FISH. BUT THEN HE NEGOTIATED THE EDGE OF THE LOCH. NOT MUCH MARINE LIFE. PROBABLY A RESULT OF WINGNUT CRANKS FISHING IT BARREN. JUST SAME AS COD IN NORTH ATLANTIC.

I ONCE DONATED A PAIR OF ASBESTOS IMPREGNATED LEATHER RAF KNEE HIGH FIRE FIGHTER BOOTS TO A FRIEND WHO WAS RESURRECTING AND CONVERTING A NARROW BOAT IN GAS STREET BASIN. HE TUCKED HIS TROUSER LEGS INTO THE BOOTS.
RUPERT, YOU'D LIKELY FIND THE FELLAS IN THOSE OLDEN DAYS WHEN PLODDING A CANAL TOW PATH WORE ANKLE OVER HOB NAIL BOOTS, USUALLY A TOE CAP.
YOU COULD COMPLETELY WATERPROOF THEM WITH MINK OIL. CROMWELL LIKELY KNOWS, OR CAN FIND OUT, ALTERNATIVES. I USED SOAK IN MINERAL OIL. HOWEVER, THE IDEA IS TO KEEP OUT OF THE WATER. PUDDLES, POOLS, RAIN BEING SOMETHING ELSE. AN OIL SKIN CAPE WOULD BE IDEAL IN RAIN AS SUCH AS BARATHEA IS A GUARANTEED SPONGE AND AS WELL BEING DRENCHED IN A SHORT DISTANCE YOU WOULD WOULD BE LUGGING A TERRIBLE WEIGHT. THOSE DAYS WERE BEFORE THE ADVENT OF PACAMAK (PLASTIC) AND DuPONT NYLON HOSE FOR WOMEN.
I OPINE THE LEAST BOTHER FOR THE BOATEES OPERATIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN STUFF FALLING OFF A ROOF. IN THOSE DAYS SLOB LOUT HOOLIGAN THUGS WERE NOT DISCHARGING OFF BRIDGES. THE WIDESPREAD BREAKDOWN IN THE QUALITY OF HOMELIFE IS TO BLAME FOR SUCH STUFF AND NONSENSE.
RATS ROUTINELY AVAOID PEOPLE UNLESS THREATENED. SO THEY WOULD NOT GO OUT OF THEIR WAY TO CLAMBER UP A TROUSER LEG OR UNDER A SKIRT.
I ONCE FELT A PECULIAR TICKLING SENSATION UP MY TROUSER LEG. FURRY AND LIGHT AS A FEATHER. I SAID TO MY FRIEND, ON THE SOFA, THERE IS SOMETHING CRAWLING UP MY LEG. IT WAS THEIR PET FERRETT. A LIME GREEN, YELLOWISH CREATURE WHO DECIDED TO TICKLE MY NECK. I KNEW A BLOKE WHO ATTENDED BIRMINGHAM SCHOOL OF ART AND DESIGN WHO HAILED FROM YORKSHIRE. AS A NIMBLE LAD HE KEPT A PET WEASEL UNDER HIS SHIRT. HE DID TROUT TICKLING WITH A VIEW TO CHUCKING THEM OUT OF THE WATER AND EATING THEM.
WALKING THE LENGTH OF CANAL FROM LAPWORTH TO STRATFORD upon AVON ONE MORNING MANY MOONS AGO AS A LAD I SAW A SNAKE, NOT AN EEL, AS THICK AS THE CALF OF CLIFF RICHARDS AND EASILY 5 ft IN LENGTH WHICH SLITHERED FROM A HEDGE LINED DITCH ACROSS THE TOW PATH INTO THE CANAL. IT WAS SNAKE SCALED AND A SILVER GREEN COLOR. ADDERS DON'T GET THAT BIG (UNLESS A GENETIC ODDMENT) AND I'VE NO IDEA. IT MIGHT HAVE ESCAPED FROM THE HOME OF AN AFFLUENT RURAL CRANK. SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE DEFINITELY MEMBERS OF THE LUNATIC FRINGE AND CRANK ELEMENT KEEP PETS AS MATTER OUT OF PLACE. SOME ARE LETHAL. I WAS WITHIN ABOUT 4-5 ft FROM THE CREATURE. EELS HAVE POWERFUL JAWS AND CAN SMASH THE THUMB OF A STURDY ADULT.

DURING A HARVEST GATHER IN IRELAND A DRAGON FLY FLEW UP MY RIGHT SHORT PANT LEG ONE HOT MORNING. IT WAS A PECULIAR TICKLE AND BEING A NAIVE CHILD I DID A KINDA PANIC WITH IT BUZZING ABOUT. IN RETROSPECT IT IS STUPID: BOTH THE CREATURE AND MYSELF. OF ALL THE PLACES TO RESORT. WHY NOT ONE OF THE GIRLS, AS THEY WORSE SHORT DRESSES SO THEIR BODIES COULD BREATHE?
I SUCCESSFULLY BANISHED IT WITHOUT INJURY TO EITHER OF US.

SOME OF THE OLDEN BOATERS MIGHT WELL HAVE WORN EITHER KNEE HIGH LEATHER BOOTS OR LEATHER SPATS. SEE ANCIENT PICTURES OF JOURNEYMEN BUILDERS.
HOWEVER, I SUSPECT SO APPOINTED WAS NOT A PROTECTION FROM AN ASSAULT BY INSECTS, REPTILES, ANIMALS. THE HOBNAIL BOOT ABOVE ANKLE LACE UP WAS STOUT SPIRITED ORTHOPAEDIC PROTECTION TO THE FOOT AND ANKLE. IT IS EASY IN A SECOND SWISH SWASHING TRUDGING TOW PATHS IN ANY WEATHER TO TWIST AND BREAK AND ANKLE. THERE ARE MORE NERVES IN THE FOOT THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE BODY. IF YOU WERE A BRIGHT KIDDO WITH YOUR CLIP BOARD IN GENERAL SCIENCE AND ASKED PERSONS PADDING ALONG A BUSY URBAN STREET WHICH PART OF THE BODY HAS THE MOST NERVES THEN MOST PEOPLE WOULD ANSER THE HEAD. NEXT WOULD BE THE STOMACH. THE FEET. THAT IS WHY FOOT MASSAGE, ACUPRESSURE, WORKS WONDERS.
A SQUADDIE TOLD ME ON TRAINING MANOEUVERS IN SNOWDONIA THAT THE CORPORAL MEDIC WOULD RIP THE BLISTERS OFF THE SOLES OF THE FEET AND SLAP ON SOMETHING LIKE CAMOMILE LOTION, A DOLLOP OF BLACKJACK AND TIE A CREPE BANDAGE AROUND THE AFFLICTED MEMBER. AND THAT'S MODERN. THE OLDEN BOATEES KNEW THEIR FEET AND HANDS WERE THEIR LIVELIHOOD, AS WELL OF COURSE AS SIGHT AND PREFERABLY HEARING. THOUGH THEY COULD MANAGE BEING DEAF.

I DARE SAY WE ALL LOOK FORWARD WITH EAGER BAITED BREATH TO WHAT CROMWELL HAS SLATED TO POST AS AN HISTORICAL VISUAL SCOOP!

I STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MOST CANALS WERE NOT DONE WITH TOW PATHS EITHER SIDE. THE WIDTH OF NARROW BOAT ONLY CUTS ACCOMODATES TWO PARALLEL WITH A GENEROUS WAFT EITHER SIDE.

I JUST THOUGHT THAT CRACKPOT UPSTREAM TOW WOULD BE A PRIME CASE FOR THE BOLINDER. THAT WAY THE HORSES COULD REST THEMSELVES ON DECK MUNCHING WITH A WARY EYE FOR TUBULENCE.

 

[Rupert]

Part of the BCN north of Birmingham did have tow paths on both sides because of the density of traffic in the region. Having two towpaths would have made for more maintenance of the banks and possibly in the country side passing was not frequent enough to warrent such a luxury. There was cost involved in towpath construction and banks had to be kept free from snags which would snarl tow ropes and endanger the horse possibly resulting in pulling the animal into the canal.
Possibly, as motor power took over the banks would have slowly degenerated and facillities for horses generally would have been abandoned; making the lives of the remaining stalwarts more difficult. It seems clear that there were transport companies that had complete infrastructure including livestock like Pickfords. I suppose there were individual freelance units too, with their own equipment and animal. Comments please.

As an aside. Since we have been discussing express 24 hour flyboats here, I wonder if the expression 'on the fly' was coined from this phenomina and not from shooting flying birds. The need to deliver the boat as soon as possible would have probably created the need to eat as you went along. Maybe changing from leading to stearing, thus being on the flyboat and having a bite to eat whilst still moving. The crews of flyboats must have taken turns at each function changing at a lock or a bridge.

Maybe there was competition in this occupation too. I wonder if there are any records regarding point to point times.

 

[bernie]

birmingham canals

Hi
I have just joined this forum, and seen the posts re the canals, thought i would tell you that mt gt grandfather worked for the Birmingham/Worcester canal company in the late 1890s-early 190os, he and his family lived in the lock keepers cottage at tardebigge.
Does anyone know if the canal company keeps any records or pictures of the people who worked for them, as trying to trace a picture of my gt grandfather.
Looks an interesting forum, and pleased to be here.

 

[O.C.]

In the 1920’s a River Severn steam tug would take up to 12 longboats up as far as Worcester and drop them off to carry the journey by horse to Birmingham.
Stables for the horses were usually at the canal side pub were you was charged 1 shilling and six pence and if you got a ticket you could reclaim the money back from the company you worked for,(and today you can still see the old stables if you know were to look) but like everything things were fiddled and if you knew the landlord of the pub and spent your money on his food and beer he would not charge you for the horse but he would give you a ticket, as long as you cleaned the stables out before you left in the morning………If you hit a bit of bad luck and got stuck fast by mud and the horse used all his energy to haul the boat clear you might not make it to a stables that night so the horse had a blanket over him and stayed in the open all night under a tree or hedge.
Sanitation on a Canal working barge was a matter of “bucket and chuck it” food was whatever you could get from the fields if you was hungry such as a cabbage or turnip,. But bread and cheese was the old favourite with a bit of pickle.
You got to were you was going to according to how high the water was…high or low..if it was low you had to plough through the mud.... which put you behind and most barges if their were no locks ahead travelled through the night with the horse guided by the sky shining on the canal this practise was nicknamed "Fly night"... boats that travelled through the day and night were called "Fly boats"
The Tack of a working horse had ropes running from his collar which had bobbins on them to avoid chafing his body, behind the horse was a wooden spreader were the ropes were joined into a loop to which the end of the towrope (proper name was a Cut Line) was attached. It was made of pure cotton about one inch thick and 80 feet long which would be attached to the mast on the boat.
The Towropes would only last for three round trips Maximum from Worcester to Birmingham wearing out most on certain canal bridges were the canal turned and the rope cutting deep groves into the brickwork of the bridge, iron was tried on the corners but even this wore the rope and became grooved.
On the subject of the boats coming to a stop most companies painted a blue line around the boat with a white line on the front and if you hit the front of a lock the skipper would know and tell you to get your eyes tested (so most "smart alecs" carried a tin of white paint)
Most boats carried an eel spear to catch an eel for supper and most bargees knew were the eels congregated…in basins by factories discharging salt into the canal (one of the best places was 5 mile pound) at Stoke Prior salt-works and with all the security measure’s in place the boatmen new all the fiddles and if carrying sacks of grain could skilfully open each sack take a bucketful out of each sack till he had a sack full of his own which he could trade it further down the canal for a meal or fresh produce and half a dozen eggs….and sew the sack back up so it looked untouched.
You are correct in what you say Rupert about some of the bridges the horse could cross over and under without unhitching the towrope these were called turn-over bridges
Hmld. In regard to Namur its in Southern Belgium…..river barges pass through the middle of the town a….. Namur was the major target of the German invasion of Belgium in 1914

 

[O.C.]

Rupert the practise of legging through a tunnel was quite easy and you did not walk on the roof…..a plank was put out in the front of the barge horizontal and two men lay down opposite each other shoulder to shoulder and walked on the side of the tunnel which propelled the boat through to the other end were the tow rope was tossed to you and off you would go again with the horse (see postcard)
Pictures show Shrewley tunnel (18 miles from Brum) Reached from Birmingham from Bordesley Junction on the Warwick & Birmingham Canal going through Olton, Solihull, Knowle, and just before Hatton is reached Shrewley Tunnel with no towpath but the horse goes through its own separate tunnel built in the bridge which is 40yds long but the canal tunnel is 433 yards long its about 12ft high and 16ft wide and was originally built with pull handles built into the walls so barges could be pulled along.
The tunnel was first started in 1796 to determine the nature of the soil and William Firkin sank the first shafts but problems soon developed when the Blythe aqueduct collapsed and it was blamed on him and his son so he was sacked and legal wrangling started …..the work was eventfully finished in 1799 at a cost of £5,801
Photo of postcard 1910 Shrewley Tunnel
Photo 2007 of my wife roughly standing were the chap is standing in the 1910 pic
Photo three other end on the tunnel
Photo three inside the horse tunnel
last photo shows the old horse path leading back to the tunnel entrance or exit
the stonework (on top of the tunnel to the side)was done in 1799 and now looking the worst for wear

 

[Peter Walker]

Last July we celebrated my birthday by going to the Black Country Museum, and among the interesting things we did there was the boat trip through part of the old Dudley Canal Tunnel. This is very informative and fascinating, and on the return journey, two younger lads were invited to leg the boat for the last bit of the trip. I would recommend this as an entertaining and exciting experience - just as good for kids too. Rather cold, and there's a few spots of water in places, but that doed no real harm.
Peter

 

[O.C.]

Peter a few years ago I was stuck in the tunnels of Dudley when we had that hot summer and the water levels fell,we had been on a Black Country booze cruise and the barge just came to a rest in the mud.....no one knew what to do till Crommie came to the rescue and we rock & rolled that barge all the way home.....worth pointing out that in the tunnel caverns on the side of the rock face walls you can still see fossils millions of years old that proves that Brum was once under the sea.....if you go their today on a trip they will be pointed out to you (I do a lot of work for the Black Country Museum with the Great War shows and displays) and I can recommend the fish and chips as we get ours free when we are their
And I don't know if you know but OAP's once checked in don't have to pay again
Photo 1 Dudley Tunnel
Photo 2 Empty Barge (Narrow boat) coming out of Shrewley tunnel (See pic 3 above)

 

[O.C.]

A photo is better that a 1000 words so here ya go...I took these the other day at Stratford upon Avon for my friend hmld showing when the pound at Stratford was opened and the link into the canal in 1964
The Pic of the Queen Mum was taken from the info by the side of the canal, the Queen Mums barge in the first pic was just in front of the lock in the last pic

 

[Rupert]

Super pictures Cromwell thankyou. Even more thanks for the research; I know it takes time. The pictures of the tunnel with your wife on and the old picture same place is a remarkable comparrison.

I had in mind to write a piece of fiction involving the canal system and made a start. However I have come to realise that the subject has much more depth to it than I had given thought to and must at least be as accurate as possible; even if the drama leaves something to be desired.

I don't know why length comparrisons are always being made between Birmingham canals and the ones in Venice it's of no importance. The English canal system taken as a whole is way out in front of most human endeavors anywhere. I think that you may see it that way too.

 

[O.C.]

Rupert, It was Leonardo da Vinci who invented the swinging mitre gates in the locks seen in the British canals of today.
John Trew was the first person to build a true canal to bypass a difficult stretch of a river in 1564-66 the Exeter Canal……..and by the 18th century Birmingham had 174 miles of canals now down to 114 miles …….canals were built in the early stages as branches from rivers to bring goods into towns such as the Droitwich Canal from the River Severn, but the Grand Union Canal was built as a direct link from Birmingham to London.
If you try to find the Shrewley Tunnel and you go by road it is very hard to find as it goes underneath the Village of Shrewley …..in the old days the horse would have gone through the tunnel and come out on top of the hill and then he would have gone down a horse path for a few hundred yards and met the barge coming out of the tunnel at the other end …..Today houses are built over the tunnel and it can be accessed by going in between two house’s (as it’s a right of way) on the main road but if you don’t know the area you would never find it.
Rupert if you need to confirm anything about the canals for your story PM me and I will try to help you if I can …..as I spent a lot of my childhood roaming the canal system of Brum and talking and helping the canal folk by opening locks etc.
Enclosed is a pic of us entering the Stockton Flight (no barge because I took the pic from the barge)of ten locks heading towards Hatton and Brum and coming out of the top two sons managing lock gates and American friend steering (first and last time I let him control the boat as he nearly killed us)

 

[brummie nick]

There's a book called Lock Keeper's Daughter by Pat Warner thats about Tardebigge lock

 

[Wendy]

A couple of years ago we went on a trip from Southam to Banbury on a friends boat (they have a share in one) it was so tranquil and the wild life amazing. I must admit the locks could be hard work though see photo. We had all modern facilities. It made me realise how hard the boat people worked.

 

[O.C.]

Moma P …..The canals have always fascinated me from when I was young and even last week was toying with the idea of buying a barge and floating off into the sunset..With all the info I have (long story) I have gone over old ground and sorted the canals info out …..Which is quite interesting so I will post info soon which is quite interesting and rare photo’s .....My wifes sister lives in Southam ....I see you only went on a short trip ......but even that is a great cure for stress as I was told

 

[hmld]

CROMWELL: THIS CORRESPONDENCE THREAD HAS DEVELOPED TO A PHENOMENON ASTONISHING, IF NOT ASTOUNDING.
YOU HAVE AN AMAZING COLLECTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS AND OF COURSE YOUR WEALTH OF FIRST HAND KNOWLEDGE IS JUST MARVELLOUS.
SO THANKS EVER SO. I SUSPECTED SOME SUCH SOURCE EXISTED.
(THE ACCOUNT OF BEING STUCK THE DUDLEY MINES IS HILARIOUS; ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE PRIOR REGAIL)
[INCIDENTALLY, I'M SURPRISED THERE ISN'T A WEALTH OF HISTORICAL STUFF ON THE VAST BLACK COUNTRY. EVEN AROUND 1970 WIVES WERE STILL SOLD AT PUBS IN eg WEDNESBURY. THE PRACTICE WAS OUTLAWED A LONG TIME PRIOR BUT IT WORKED SATISFACTORILY, OFTEN AMICABLY SETTLING PEACEFULLY AN UNCOMFORTABLE AS UNHAPPY MARRIAGE. ACTUALLY NO BUSINESS OF SELF APPOINTED PUBLIC CONSCIENCES AS ELECTED SERVANTS OF SOCIETY AS POLICY MAKERS AND LEGISLATORS.]

I DIDN'T REMEMBER ARIGHT THE S-u-A CANAL (13 MILES) WAS REOPENED 1961. I WAS WAY YOUNGER THAN I THOUGHT. ALSO I KNEW OF BHAM WG PRISONERS THOUGH NOT WORMWOOD SCRUBS. THEY WORKED VERY HARD SEVEN DAYS A WEEK. THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS DID A GREAT JOB WITH MIGHTY EQUIPMENT. APPARENTLY, UNLESS THIS BE JUST IDLE CANT YAP, ONLY ONE PRISONER ABSCONDED WITH A LOCAL WOMAN WHO HAD SOME HISTORICAL CANAL CONNECT (MAYHAP DAD).

DIDN'T THE WOMEN BAKE BREAD ON THE VESSEL? IF THEY COULD ROAST POTATOES THEN THEY COULD DO FLOUR. EELS HAVE TO BOILED, THOUGH I WAS TOLD CANNOT BE DIGESTED BY A HUMAN BEING. I SUSPECT THERE IS SOMETHING TO BE GOT OUT OF THEM, PERHAPS WITH A DOLLOP OF BUTTER, ONION. CHEESE, CABBAGE, BREAD IS A SURPRISING HIGH ENERGY ENDURANCE FOOD. THE MORE SO IN COLD WIND DRIVEN RAIN.

THE 80' LENGTHS OF 1" dia COTTON CUT TOW ROPE (THAT ABOUT WRAPS IT?) PLAITED TIGHT LASTING ONLY 3 CONSIGNS ON THAT VERY BUSY PASSAGE IS A TREMENDOUS START WHEN ONE LEARNS IT THOUGH OBVIOUS ENOUGH IF YOU WALK IT. THAT MUST HAVE BEEN AN EXPENSIVE ITEM IN ITSELF SINCE MOST ALL THE LENGTH WOULD BE FRAYED. OF COURSE IN THOSE DAYS CHILD LABOUR WAS STANDARD, AS WAS WOMEN: PAID PERHAPS A THIRD OF THE MALE COUNTERPART, AND IN THE CASE OF DROVES OF CHILDREN THEN: WELL THE OLD PHOTOS SAY EVERYTHING.

RUPERT IS KEEN ON THE FLY BUSINESS. THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE WITH THE MODERN CONCERN FOR EXPRESS RELAYS, CONNECTIONS. TO ME THE FLY BOAT MEANS THE EXPRESS JOB; AS I THINK YOU POINTED OUT IT WAS PRIMARILY A SERVICE FOR PERISHABLES FOR INDUSTRIOUS ARTISANS AND MARKET WITHIN A CIRCADIAN RHYTHM TOPS. OVERNIGHT MAKES PERFECT SENSE FOR INSTANCE THERE IS NO REASON A STOUT SPIRITED LAD, SUCH AS YOURSELF, MIGHT NOT STALK CLOSE AHEAD OF THE PLODDING BEAST OF BURDEN, BEARING A LANTERN. BUT HOW DID THEY KEEP IT ON OVERNIGHT WITH THE DENSE MARITIME CONDENSATION AND WITH DENSE THICK FOGS FROM INDUSTRIAL EXHAUST URBAN AS WELL AND TORRENTIAL RAIN? NO WONDER SOME HORSES TUMBLED INTO THE CANAL.
I MET A FELLOW IN HIS 90s KNOWN ONLY AS THE MAN WITH HAT. A TRIFLE HARD OF HEARING HE WAS SPRIGHTLY ACTIVE DAILY AND INSTALLED AN INTROVERT GIRLFRIEND IN HER 60s WHO SELDOM VENTURED OUT OF THEIR ROOMS. MANY WOMEN ARE HOOKED ON SOUL STIRRING CONSCIOUSNESS SEARING KITCHEN SINK SOAP OPERAS ON TV, SO THEY HAVE A SCHEDULE. HE TOLD ME HE OPERATED A HORSE DRAWN VALET LAUNDRY SERVICE WITH A SET TERRITORY. THE HORSE ABOUT 4 pm WOULD WEARY AND WONDER ITSELF BACK TO ITS STABLE REGARDLESS OF HIS INCLINATION. WELL OF COURSE ONE DOES NOT BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS. IN RETROSPECT HE THOUGHT IT QUAINT AND AMUSING. I SURMISE THAT HORSES ON REGULAR SLOGS WOULD REMEMBER THE PATH. IF THEY COULD SEE IT.

I EAGERLY AWAIT YOUR BONANZA REVEAL REFERENCED IN ONE OF YOUR DESPATCHES.

WHAT HAPPENED TO MOST OF THE CANAL WORKERS AS THE CANALS EXPIRED AS AN INDUSTRIAL OPERATION? IN THE 1960s CADBURYS STILL OPERATED FREIT NARROW BOATS. I SUSPECT AS PHILANTHROPIC.

A FULLY LADEN BOAT, WHETHER NARROW PIECE OR NEXT SIZE UP BARGE [14'] WOULD BE A MASSIVE WEIGHT TO EXTRICATE FROM MUD MUCK.
DREDGING WAS LIKELY IN A SLIGHT ATTENDANCE OR CONSPICUOUS IN ITS ABSENCE. THE THAMES, AS BUSY AS IT WAS, WAS SO FILTHY IS SO THAT AT THE TIME OF BENJAMIN DISRAELI [mid 1800s] AS PM MPs, INCLUDING LORDS, WERE KNOWN TO WHEEZE, COUGH, VOMIT, FAINT FROM THE VILE STENCH. BD ORDERED CLEANING THE RIVER, BUT OF COURSE WORKING FLAT OUT AT A SNAIL'S PACE IT WASN'T UNTIL 1981 A SALMON WAS SIGHTED BY THE PALACE OF WESTMINSTER. WHILE NICE I WOULDN'T GET EXCITED ABOUT IT. AT LOW TIDE IF YOU SEE PEOPLE SCRABBLING ABOUT IN SLUDGE FOR EELS IT IS DISQUIETING. THE CONTAMINANTS ARE MIND MIND BOGGLING. SOME LONDON POLICE CONSTABULARY WERE EXERCISED TO JUMP INTO THE RIVER I FULL UNIFORM. BOOTS ON. (COATS, CAPES OFF, ALSO HELMETS) TO RESCUE A HUMAN BEING. THIS WAS USUALLY THE DOCKS AREA AS NOBODY IN HER/HIS RIGHT MIND WOULD DIVE OFF SUCH AS TOWER BRIDGE IN FULL UNIFORM. (I SUPPOSE THEY DITCHED THE TRUNCHEON WITH THE HELMET.) DON'T EELS BREED THE SARAGASSO SEA?

SO TO HARK BACK: THE WAYSIDE TAVERN WITH STABLING IS AN OBVIOUS AND OF COURSE COSY FACILITY: IF ONE GOT THERE ON TIME!
1/-6 REDEEMED WAS ABOUT WHEN? WW I? QUITE A TIDY PENNY.
CLEANING OUT THE STABLE IS A NICE ARRANGEMENT. SO IF PROPER ALE WAS ABOUT 3d A PINT THEN IT WOULD LIKELY AMOUNT TO A BOWL OF THICK SOUP AND PLOUGHMAN'S LUNCH WITH MAYBE A HUNK OF BOILED BACON?
(WHEN BOTH CANALS AND RAILWAYS WERE BUILT NAVVYS TOOK SHELTER IN A ROOMING HOUSE AT PERHAPS A PENNY A NIGHT - WAY BACK - WHICH GOT THEM A PLACE ON THE FLOOR ALONGSIDE ANOTHER (AS MANY AS COULD FIT IN A ROOM) RESTING THEIR HEADS ON A ROPE WALL TO WALL ABOUT 6" OFF THE WOOD FLOOR.

RUPERT: MOTORIZED, AS PROPELLER DRIVE, CANALS BOATS ARE ACTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO CUT UPKEEP. THIS WAS AND MAYBE STILL IS A STRONG ADVOCACY DONE BY THE INLAND WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION WEARING ITS MOLARS IN A STRENUOUS EFFORT TO KEEP CANALS OPEN.
BUT NO HOT RODDING.

THE CONDITION OF THAT WALL BY SHREWLEY TUNNEL IS JUST APPALLING. THERE IS NO REASON FOR IT TO BE IN SUCH A LOUSY CONDITION AND SHOULD BE RESTORED TO RESPECTABILITY IMMEDIATELY. SOME OTHER ASPECTS ARE CAUSE OF PROMPT CONCERN AS WELL. MARVELLOUS PICTURES!

I HAVE TO RE-READ THE CORRESPONDENCE, OTHER THAN MY CHIP-IN, AS
I'VE JUST ESCAPED THE TIP OF THE TAIL END OF A FIERCE DOSE OF 'FLU, THENCE IT IS A VIRULENT COMMON COLD WITH EXHAUSTING HACKING COUGH. (OVER CHEMICALIZATION)

THERE'S A VERY STRONG LOZENGE CALLED SOMETHING LIKE 'THE FISHERMAN'S FRIEND' GENUINELY USED BY SEAFARERS ON SUCH AS LIGHTERS, FISHING BOATS (VERY LITTLE LEFT TO FISH NOW).