Mike Stevens' UK Inland Waterways Pages

TRIP REPORTS : THE YEARS BETWEEN BOATS

A WEEK ON THE BCN

Easter 1986

Part 4 : Bumblehole to Hawne Basin & back to base

Starting at 08:05 we had an attractive run for the first part of the trip to Hawne Basin. We had to drag the bridge-hole before Gosty Hill tunnel in order to get through it. The tunnel itself is narrow and with a roof height that varies amazingly. Then we picked up a foam cushion on the blade at the far end of the tunnel. The next bit was through Coombeswood Steel Works - still working then. At Hawne Basin we were made very welcome by the residents. A lot of boats moor here and they keep a visitors' book, which we signed. They told us that the problems we had with the Gosty Hill bridge'ole are a regular occurrence and they'd had a working party there only the previous week. We watered and breakfasted. Peter bought some coal, from some way down a steep hill.

We winded and set off back through the tunnel, leaving the snow behind us. We had to drag the bridge-hole again (already) with the help of some local lads who claimed to know who it was who threw in the decorative concrete blocks from a nearby garden centre (!). At Windmill End we headed back through Netherton tunnel onto the main line, then we decided to detour via the Gower & Spon Lane branches for a bit of variety. This turned out to be uneventful, and we headed back to central Birmingham.

We went to Cambrian wharf. There was no sign of repairs yet on the previous summer's breach, so we couldn't moor in the basin, so tied up between Cambrian Wharf & Old Turn at 17:18. Late in the evening, Clayton's nb Dane came up Farmer's Bridge & tied up by us.

We moved off at 08:50 for the quick trip back to the yard after cleaning the boat. We had a nice chat with the boat-building side of the firm about their new and second-hand boats. Their new Super-Tug sounds a good bet for a summer trip. We left plenty of "gleanings" for the yard staff, including about half a bottle of scotch.

We'd had a good trip. It didn't get the BCN out of our system, but rather made us into hardened addicts. Fortunately Wendy and Ian later came to share this enthusiasm.