Click on a picture to see a bigger version.
Pictures by Mike
Stevens except where otherwise stated.
Saturday
The view from our boat
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The front of the blockade
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Seen from the footbridge
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A small-boat protester
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This was the first day of a two-day event whose climax is
expected tomorrow. Late on Friday afternoon the organisers were worried that
not many boats had arrived. By Saturday morning the place was full. The boats
assembled outside the National Indoor Arena, just west of Old Turn Junction.
Then, led by a group of ex-working boats, we moved into our blockade position
between Old Turn Junction and Broad Street tunnel. I counted 42 narrowboats
(including the trip-boat Euphrates Packet which joined us for a while)
and a couple of kayaks. All these filled the area between the junction and the
last footbridge before Broad Street. At intervals we gave a resounding "horn
serenade".
Once the blockade began to disperse, it was about an hour
before some of us were able to move. Actually we ourselves were near the back
and could have reversed out and back to our winter mooring long before, but we
thought it would be more fun to join the procession eastwards and wind at
Salvage Turn.
It was a successful demonstration for the Press, of a lot of
angry boaters and supporters. It was also a great day for meeting old friends,
both afloat and on foot. I was a little disappointed at the relatively low
numbers of the general public on the towpath. But those we spoke to already
knew why we were there (which shows our advance publicity had worked), and many
of them had come to support us. But tomorrow is another day, and Sunday's
usually a better day for attracting visitors.
Sunday
A view from the towpath
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View from the footbridge
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Looking towards the Mailbox
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Looking back towards Gas
Street
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At the centre is the vintage BCN
tug Bittell.
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We were in the middle of the
fleet.
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Sunday's turnout was even better than Saturday's, with 60 or
70 boats (different people's counts didn't agree) filling the cut from Salvage
Turn most of the way back to Gas Street Basin. As on the previous day there was
a good showing of historic boats at the front of the blockade. Musical
accompaniment was provided by the sound of Stour's Bolinder.
The place and time had been chosen to coincide with the
broadcast of The Politics Show from BBC Birmingham in the Mailbox Centre
overlooking Salvage Turn. IWA Chairman John Fletcher took part in the broadcast
as did Lord (Jeff) Rooker, formerly MP for Perry Barr and now a DEFRA Minister
in the House of Lords.
TV interview with Lord Rooker (left) and John Fletcher
(centre)
Photo by Kevin Maslin
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One of the AWCC banners in a prominent
position
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There were plenty of supporters on
foot.
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The towpath and the footbridge were full of people. Judging
by those I talked to, the normal city-centre passers-by were well outnumbered
by people who had come specifically to support the event. I found that as soon
as I set foot on the towpath with a pad of petition forms, a queue would form
to sign.
Once again the "horn serenades" were overpowering.
At the end of the demonstration we had an informal
boat-handling competition, as most of us reversed to Gas Street Basin to
wind.
It was a most successful weekend, and many congratulations
are due to the local organisers Vaughan Welch and Ivor Caplan.
Mike
Stevens |
