Friday, October 30, 2009

Boats on the canal (10)

Very happy to see this yesterday, Hamster is the name and it appears to be a working barge complete with it's own mechanical digger. Perhaps for canal maintenance?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Mind how you go

If you are heading along the Tame Valley Canal near Salford Junction make sure you are watching where you are going, there is a slight obstacle in the way!

Monday, October 26, 2009

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Bird life (3) : Goose Armada

An armada of geese heading from the Birmingham & Fazeley and onto the Grand Union at Salford Junction.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Bird life (2) : Geese and cat

One danger from canal walking is coming across an armada of geese. In this photo we see some geese invading a picnic spot at a fast food restaurant on the Birmingham & Fazeley. The cat is gingerly making it's way through this hazardous environment!

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Bird life (1) : Two little ducks

Of course a canal attracts wild life, especially birds. A little series of some of the latter.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Star City visitor moorings

As seen on the Grand Union, you can stop for a bit, see a film, then chug away!


Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Monday, October 19, 2009

More Tame Valley pics

I am definately on a roll, i took some more photos along the Tame Valley canal today, from Deykin Avenue to Brookvale Rd Bridge which is not a stretch i walk along much. Its a bit of a buddleia alley, but at least its not Japanese Knot weed, which is spreadingly alarmingly through parts of Perry Barr, Erdington and Aston i visit from time to time.


Gas holders

I'm proud of this photo, taken yesterday, of 2 gas holders reflected in the waters of the Grand Union.


Sunday, October 18, 2009

Grand Union Canal from Wharton St to Heartlands Parkway bridge

Felt inspired this morning to explore a little further along the Grand Union canal this morning so went from Wharton St up to the bridge carrying the Heartlands Parkway with my camera of course. Some great industrial decay on show!


Star City as seen from the canal

Near the junction of the Grand Union and Birmingham & Fazeley canals.


Friday, October 16, 2009

Tame Valley in Autumn

Took some pics along the Tame Valley Canal (for a change), autumn is really hitting now.


In the countryside... or Brum?

A nice rural setting... or is it? Appearances can be misleading, we are still in the Birmingham area more or less up by the Birmingham & Fazeley canal in Minworth. Behind the camera is a sewage works and other more industrial things.


Monday, October 12, 2009

Junctions (2) : Salford Junction

A big junction is this, the Tame Valley & Grand Union canals both terminate here where they meet the Birmingham & Fazeley. If that is not enough transport fun you have Salford Circus, the Gravelly Hill Interchange, the Birmingham cross-city railway line and the River Tame all crossing here too!


Friday, October 9, 2009

Junctions (1) : Rushall Junction

A few photos showing where canals meet. This one is where the Rushall Canal meets the Tame Valley Canal.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Boats on the canal (8)

Another tethered boat, this time at Cuckoo's Wharf, but this one seems to be listing a bit!


Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Under the Spaghetti

I took some photos yesterday underneath the Gravelly Hill Interchange a.k.a. Spaghetti Junction. Of course the Tame Valley Canal terminates there at Salford Junction though i didn't venture that far. Most of the photos are of concrete flyovers but there are a few of the canal in this photo set.

Boats on the canal (7)

Photoed on the Birmingham & Fazeley on Saturday. The owner seems to be out.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Boats on the canal (6)

Birmingham & Fazeley again, just before Salford Junction. I managed to get this photo of a boat juxtapositioned against the stark industrial landscape in that part of Nechells (or Erdington, its on the boundary). Old and new-ish. Of course ideally we'd want a photo of a canal boat and a wind turbine.


Monday, October 5, 2009

Boats on the canal (5)

As i've already said seeing boats on the Tame Valley Canal seems fairly rare, this was the first one i ever saw on there in fact, taken with my camera phone so the picture isn't that good!


Sunday, October 4, 2009

Latest photoshoot - The Boat to Wiggins Hill

Here are photos from my latest canal walk, on the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal from The Boat pub, Old Kingsbury Rd, to Wiggins Hill Bridge. The photos were taken yesterday, a rather cloudy and blustery day. Quite different from the last time i walked this stretch back in July!


Boats on the canal (4)

Birmingham & Fazeley Canal again however this one is taken in Aston near to Cuckoo's Wharf.


Saturday, October 3, 2009

Boats on the canal (3)

Months later but possibly the same boat and the same canal anyway. This was taken from Wiggins Hill Bridge.


Friday, October 2, 2009

Boats on the canal (2)

Another canal boat, this one on the Birmingham & Fazeley canal which runs very close to where i live. In fact this location is virtually on my door step... well 50m away maybe. There are definately more boats on this canal than the Tame Valley!


Thursday, October 1, 2009

Boats on the canal (1)

Despite walking along canals nearly every day seeing a boat on the canal is still fairly uncommon, but then again on the Tame Valley traffic is less than some other canals i believe. Here is a short series of boats i have seen. First up a photo i was waiting for the opportunity to take for some time, a canal boat heading towards Salford Junction and about to be swallowed up by the Spaghetti Junction!