Canal UNDER Birmingham
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Tuesday September 24th 2024:
After last week's disappointment of train-cancellations, I once more took to the railways and went from Hereford to Birmingham New Street station - courtesy of West Midlands Railways. Happy to report there were no signals or points failures today and my trains - both there and back, were bang on time.
I wanted to walk a section of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, which goes from the city centre out to Salford Junction, (which is situated directly under Spaghetti Junction). Opened in 1789, it is 15 miles long, and has 38 locks. It was a very rewarding walk and I did a circular route by leaving the Fazeley Canal at Aston and instead walking along the Digbeth Branch before turning back into the city after Typhoo Basin.
Lots of locks to see - and, the big attraction of this walk, many of them are now subterranean - where buildings have been constructed over the canal. Fantastic engineering.
Plenty of boats to see too - including an 88 year old workboat.
I hope you'll enjoy the video - and will like my latest new hat!
Cheers,
Jeff
By the way, if you do enjoy the video, then please consider subscribing - it really helps me to grow the channel! (Don’t forget to switch on ‘notifications').
You can see more of my videos, including my journeys along the canals, and of my Brompton bike at:
/ @gladysthenarrowboat
What a great vlog! Another view I haven't ever seen on any other narrowboat video. Thanks for bringing us such great content!
Thank you Rachel! Very glad you liked it! A great comment! 👍😁
Great video, Jeff. Some amazing canal architecture. Some of those intricate tunnels.
Thanks Madison! Yes, its astonishing how determined they must have been to build those canals and locks. Fabulous architecture, as you said. Great towpaths for cycling too! Have a great weekend! 😁
The canal was there a long time before those concrete monstrosities.
yes indeed, opened 1789 according to wikipedia. Have to admit, I find some of the modern buildings there are ok but others like New St Station and the Selfridges building are ghastly.
Another great video to kick start my Monday morning as I've only just sat down to watch it.
This canal takes in so many types of built up areas it shows how important canals are for giving people access to the outdoors & water for both mental & physical health.
Graffiti can be very artistic & add character but I'm sorry to say most of what I saw on the video is of the trashy variety, don't think I spotted anything worth looking at.
The massive brick built road bridge I couldn't begin to guess how many bricks. When you think how long ago these things were constructed without any of the modern machinery available today to help they're testament to the skills of the people who designed & built them.
Have a great week Jeff & keep making your informative & very welcome videos.
Morning Annie! Thanks as always for the lovely comment! It's a fascinating canal and amazing to realise they built these things in another age - no computer aided design back then! That huge bridge... I can't imagine how many bricks there are - it's even more awesome in real life than I can show on the video. Incredible craftsmanship.👍
Graffiti is a debatable thing. I do admit that I find some of it quite attractive - it's a bit like some modern art - some people will adore it (and pay silly money to buy it), while others think it was done by a small child who accidentally tipped their paints on the floor!
Thanks again Annie - have a great week too. I'm just debating where to go to tomorrow to film next Saturday's offering - sadly, everywhere is very wet now. ☹️
Hi Jeff. Another enjoyable watch. I remember watching your video from last year when you cycled this stretch of canal and recalling the fond memories I had of cycling the same route everyday to work with a dear friend of mine, sadly passed now, well over 20 years ago.
I cycled the same route a few months ago too. It wasn't as easy riding back up all those locks as I remembered. A case of the brain remembering the daily ride but the body forgetting me thinks.
Birmingham's City architecture does work in terms of the old an new constructions together but I will never accept that "Stainless Steel Tit" as I call it, being built next to the splendid Birmingham Moor Street Station. The Stainless Steel Tit being the Selfridges Building of course. I'm on the fence when it comes to the graffiti, a lot of it does look fine but I just think there is just too much.
Great to see that you've passed the 900 subscribers. It wont be long before you hit the magic 1000 and when Gladys is on the water that subscriber list will rocket.
I'm glad our trains were on time for you Jeff and thank you for the thank you. By the way, you didn't catch a glimpse of Tom the Gardener while you were in Birmingham? I heard that he may have been around in Birmingham too.
Great video Jeff, see you in the next one 👍
Hi Dave and thanks for the great comment as usual.
Im stuck using a laptop this weekend and hate typing on it but I'll have to do so once Gladys is finished.
Yes, I rode it last year but it was dreadful on the Brompton owing to the raised cobbles. A fabulous ride otherwise. This time I wanted to explore Digbeth and I'm sure I heard Tom the Gardener's unusual accent somewhere down there - but then a Scottish maniac caught my attention, as you may have noticed on the other channel. Believe me though, Tom will return!
I share your thought about the Selfridges building- I walked past that and it gave me a headache 😒
@@Gladysthenarrowboat- I don’t know this building. But I’ll look it up.
I dont doubt you'll identify it DC! 😁
Thanks, I really enjoyed this . I've only seen the canals in Brum from a narrowboat view. It's an iconic city with an amazing canal network and a fascinating history. ❤❤❤❤❤
Hi Vicki! Thanks for the lovely comment - really pleased that you liked the video! I agree, the canals around the city are awesome - there are still a number of them I haven't got to yet! 👍
Brilliant video. We were visiting Birmingham on Tuesday as well and took a stroll from Edgbaston to Gas Street. Can't believe we missed you😂
Hi Daniel! Thanks so much - very glad you liked it! Shame we missed - but better luck next time (I often visit Gas Street area on my travels!) Give me a shout if you ever recognise me! 😁
The Beeb do seem a persistent bunch.
Hi DC! Yes, I tried creeping by them but an eagle eyed producer spotted me. They dont seem able to take 'bugger off' for an answer... Maybe I'll offer an olive branch and do a few Jackanorys for them...
I say…what a stunning collection of graffiti along this canal. 😢😮Seems to ruin an otherwise interesting city canal area IMO.
Hi Angela! Great to hear from you again! I think graffiti polarises opinions - love it or hate it! That said, I'm somewhere in the middle and can sometimes appreciate the artwork - not to mention the risk to life that the artists must take sometimes! 🤔
Interesting how the canal negotiates Birmingham Jeff, thanks
Hi Iain! Yes, it is an incredible thing - there is an extensive network of canals in and around Birmingham. A testament to the engineers of a couple of hundred years ago. Ironically, I bet many of the locals dont give the canals a second thought!
Always nice to visit the canals with you!
Thanks Cathy! That's really sweet of you! Very glad you enjoyed it! 👍
Hi Jeff, another enjoyable vlog of yours always a pleasure to watch with some great editing, I'm aware of how time consuming it can be.
Looking forward to seeing more especially when Gladys is on the water.
As always take care and stay safe out there 😊
Hi John! Thanks for the comment - glad you enjoyed it! And thanks for the remark about editing - it does take time! As you know, I filmed 2 videos at the same time when there last week, and spent most of Wednesday sat here in front of the computer editing them!
As for Gladys videos - yes, you and me both! 😁
Jeff, I had to pause watching this and when I came back you had 5 more subscribers! Very enjoyable watch.
Hi John! Thanks for watching, and for the comment. Glad you enjoyed it! Yes, a lot of people have watched and liked this video and as a result have subscribed, for which I'm very grateful as you'll imagine! 938 subscribers at the time of writing this reply 😁👍Cheers!
I LOVE THIS VIDEO ❤❤❤❤
Thank you Marie-Louise! I am delighted that you liked it so much! 👍
I walked along that exact route for the first time just a couple of months ago, but in the opposite direction. I also walked from your starting point up to smethwick before which Is quite a nice walk.
Hi Fred! That would be a nice walk too. Im really impressed by the canal network in Birmingham! Ive covered the canal right up to Wolverhampton previously (either on bike or walking) - so many off shoots and other canals along the way - really great👍
So cool 😎
Thank you very much!!! 😁
Excellent vlog!
Thank you very much! Glad you enjoyed it. By the way, if you like off the wall comedy, you may find some of my more silly videos amusing - on my other channel:
University of Abertillery @ViraMay-b1y
Cheers, Jeff 😁
Really interesting insight into a city canal, though it would be a relief to escape from the horrible concrete into the beautiful green countryside. And all that awful graffiti - YUK!
Morning Hilary! Thanks for commenting! Yes its a different world up there and what a contrast with the Monmouthshire canal which I often go to! The graffiti is debatable... I do admire the artists' bravery in actually reaching some of the places and I do actually like some of it. Trouble is, I usually dont know what, if anything, it means! 😁
Hi Jeff, I subscribed with my other channel too, my campervan channel, why not; only 90 subscribers to go until the big 1000 👍 Good show, I really enjoyed this walk, some work in all that graffiti; some colourful works to brighten up the drab grey and terra-cotta
Oh wow, thats great - thanks very much!! Much appreciated! Yes, its looking like I will get to 1000 before too long now - I'll be counting down!
Yeah, the graffiti certainly cheers up the place and I really do admire them for reaching what sometimes appear to be pretty inaccessible places! 😊
@@Gladysthenarrowboat 😀👍