It was only a quick visit to central Birmingham

Our plan was to spend today in Birmingham and then to travel tomorrow to the Titford Canal, our rendezvous point for our Birmingham Explorer Cruise.  However the weather forecast for tomorrow looked terrible so after shopping in the morning we left central Birmingham and set off for the Titford Canal at 11:50.

Telford's Birmingham Main Line

Smethwick Junction

A hour's cruise along Telford's Birmingham Main Line brought us to Smethwick Junction where we turned right onto Brindley's old main line, up the three Smethwick Locks and back over the top of the Telford Main Line.  This area is surprisingly attractive,it was difficult to believe we were in inner Birmingham.

Smethwick Locks

Under the M5 - Spon Lane Junction on the Old Main Line

Soon afterwards we joined the M5 travelling beneath the motorway which formed an dominating feature of most of the rest of the journey until we turned left at Oldbury Junction onto the Titford Canal. We were soon faced by the 6 lock Oldbury flight.   Luckily Stuart, one of the organisers of the Explorer Cruise was on hand to help us up the locks.   We have moored with a couple of other boats just above the top lock.

The Titford Canal marks the highest pound on the Birmingham Canals at 511 feet above sea level.  It is a dead end terminating in the Titford pools which we may visit tomorrow.

Statistics - 5.55miles, 9 locks in 3 hours 10 minutes.