Canal Boat Diaries (2019–2022): Season 2, Episode 3 - Stourport Basins to Kingswood Junction - full transcript
I'm Robbie Cumming
and this is my boat.
I gave up a busy life on land
for a supposedly quieter
existence afloat.
Well, you're not a boater
until you've actually fallen in.
Over spring and summer,
I'm making my way to the heart
of our canal network,
soaking up the scenery...
..and enjoying our industrial
heritage along the way.
While filming,
I'm aware life is on hold
and difficult for many people.
And I'm lucky to have
this chance to escape
through some quintessential
English landscapes.
Starting in Cheshire,
I'm heading south
to the River Severn and Worcester.
I'll take a detour
to Stratford-Upon-Avon
and then up
into central Birmingham -
around 200 miles in all.
I can't wait.
And I'm glad I can share
the experience
in my Canal Boat Diaries.
Before I set off on this part
of my journey,
I'm getting a bit of work done.
I want to make sure
everything's in order
as I'm about to take on a stretch
of the Severn in Worcestershire.
I've got to come down here
tomorrow morning
and go out onto the river.
I'm just going to go and check out
the river itself to see
what sort of state it's in
and see what the levels are.
I've had a whole load of stuff
done to the boat
to prepare it for this journey.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
For example, the ballast
was all wrong.
It was sitting more than two inches
in the water than it should be.
We've fixed the steering
so there's less rattle
and there's more control.
And just, in general,
I've made sure the boat
is as safe as I could
possibly get it.
ENGINE RUMBLES
Right, here we go.
Bye-bye, canal. Hello, river.
A big river.
And this is the longest river
in the UK.
220 miles.
On this section of my journey,
I'm heading to Worcester
before I reach Tardebigge - the
longest lock flight in the country.
A rite of passage
for any inland boater.
After that, I'm heading deep
underground at Wast Hills...
..ending up at Kingswood Junction
in Warwickshire -
a service station for boaters.
It's around 50 miles by water,
through 84 challenging locks.
Cruising on the river does mean
you've got to think
a little bit more about safety.
I don't normally have to wear
a life preserve
but, with a fast-flowing river,
it's essential.
Thankfully, today, it's calm
and I'm going with the flow.
But I still need to keep
my wits about me.
Some boats can give off
quite a wake as they go past.
Let's have a look at this one.
Woo-ee!
See? That's not going too fast
and that has sent my boat
a little bit wobbly.
The locks on the River Severn
are manned by lock-keepers...
..and he's waving at me to tell me
which way my boat should go,
so I'd better listen to him.
I've picked up some top tips from
lock-keepers around the country.
They know their patch, and river
locks can be a bit daunting,
even for experienced boaters.
What are the dangers of being
in a lock like this?
Anywhere with water and obviously
in an enclosed space
where you've got boats that
are heavy, if someone goes in,
you can be trapped between
the boat and the wall.
There's a lot of things that
could go wrong, but they won't,
you'll be fine. OK. As long as
I listen to you and make sure...
Follow the instructions.
Follow the instructions.
What do you want me to do with this
rope? Tie it round...?
These locks are huge,
so you have got to pay them
a little bit of respect.
Definitely follow what the
lock-keeper tells you to do.
Oops.
Ohh!
Argh!
Right.
I have scraped myself a little bit.
I feel really stupid because
the lock-keeper did tell me,
watch out, don't fall between
the boat and the wall,
and I did just that,
and scraped my arm,
so all I need to do
is keep it clean.
Ouch!
How did you manage that?
I just slipped.
I was tying that
and I just slipped down
and like, shinned...kicked my shin
in and just did that on the wall!
Oh!
This is Holt Fleet Bridge,
designed by Thomas Telford.
It's an incredible arched bridge
made of cast iron.
But one of the most interesting
things about this
is that during the Second World War,
it was actually mined
so that they could blow it up
if need be.
Thankfully, that never happened.
The bridge has a twin.
Telford reused the design on
the Birmingham Canal Navigations
in Smethwick.
It can get quite lonely,
living on a boat,
and it's times like this when
you are in the middle of nowhere
on a huge river
where you feel that most keenly.
ENGINE SLOWS
When I bought this boat,
I was lonely.
All my friends had either
gotten married or were having kids.
I suffered with anxiety,
panic attacks, depression.
I'm not sure if I could say buying
a boat helped me with anxiety.
There's a lot of stressful
situations you have to deal with.
But it's certainly been
a good lifestyle for me.
Wow. Just turned the corner
of the river
and suddenly,
Worcester comes into view.
Quite impressive.
All the bridges going across,
the cathedral.
What a way to see the city.
I've visited Worcester before
by road, by rail.
I've never done it by a river,
but this is the way.
This is the way!
ROBBIE CHUCKLES
Absolutely incredible.
The cathedral is a beauty.
A great place of worship...
..but also one of England's
architectural gems...
..attracting visitors
from all over the world.
Diglis Lock. I've got to take this
turning now. A pretty sharp one...
..to double back on myself
to get in there.
This is the way...
..to the Worcester
and Birmingham Canal.
It looks like I've got
quite a wide lock
so we can get two boats in here
easily and save a bit of water.
Going back onto the canal.
See you later, River Severn.
And here we go.
The locks in Worcester were
designed for wide barges.
A major user of this route
was Cadbury's
with its canal-side
chocolate factories
in Blackpole and Bournville.
When you arrive into a city from
being in the middle of nowhere,
it can feel a little bit...
..a little bit awkward.
But doing it with someone else,
arriving with another narrow boat
does take the pressure off,
especially if there's loads
of onlookers.
Seems like an OK mooring
to just explore the city,
so I'm going to leave the boat here
and have a little look around.
That's the castle,
that's the cathedral.
Where's the canal?
Well, I did find something out about
Worcester that I didn't know before,
and that was that it's famous
for being the birthplace
of Edward Elgar, one of England's
greatest composers.
My gran was certainly a fan of his.
MUSIC: Land of Hope and Glory
by Edward Elgar
The difference between mooring up
in a city centre location
as opposed to out
in the middle of nowhere,
it's mostly to do with the noise.
In the city, you've got it
all going on,
from planes flying overhead
to shoppers walking past
and even people late at night...
..perhaps a little bit worse for
wear from all the pubs and clubs,
but I guess it all depends on
if you're a light sleeper
or a heavy sleeper.
TOOTHBRUSH BUZZES
Thankfully, I'm the latter,
and after that river journey,
I'm shattered.
It's good to plan ahead and read up
about the place I'm passing through.
Every now and then,
as you go through a lock,
you come across some buildings
by the side of the lock,
and in this case,
this is The Commandery.
It's a civil war museum now
because of its role back in 1651
when King Charles II used it
as a base for the Royalists
in the Battle of Worcester.
In my five years of cruising
around the UK, living in this boat,
I've not been tempted
to put down roots anywhere
except maybe where
my girlfriend lives.
I'd like to spend more time with my
girlfriend and her daughter, really.
Since we met, it's been hard
spending time apart,
but we try to see each other
as much as possible.
We're going to take
a holiday together,
so I need somewhere to put my boat.
I've found the perfect mooring
for my boat.
It's in a lovely spot
in the middle of nowhere,
but yet close to other boats
and a road, so it seems ideal.
I don't think I'm going to be
troubling anyone here anyway.
The only problem is,
it's a little bit overgrown
and I'm just trying to hack back
some of these reeds
with my trusty shears.
Leaving your boat
can be really worrying.
Will the windows be smashed in?
Will there be items stolen?
Will someone have taken it
for a joyride?
You just don't know
until you get back
and, erm, open up those doors again.
Ah! Back on the canal again
after almost two weeks away.
And my first thought is...
..is my boat actually still there?
BIRDSONG
KEYS JANGLE
It's great to have a break
from being on the canals...
..but it's also great
to come back as well.
And I'm just glad my boat
is as I left it.
A lot has changed for me
over the past year,
including meeting my soul mate.
She does not want to live on a boat
and that's her decision.
I'm at a real junction, you know.
I want to carry on exploring
the canal network,
but I also want to be happy
with my girlfriend and her daughter.
Will I have to get rid of this boat?
Will this be my last journey
on the boat?
I just don't know.
ENGINE RUMBLES
As I approach Tardebigge,
I'm about halfway
on this 50-odd mile journey.
After the longest lock flight
in the country,
I'll be navigating Wast Hills Tunnel
and the often busy Lapworth Locks...
..before arriving at Kingswood
Junction in Warwickshire.
Well, this flight of locks
I'm coming to now
is it for boaters.
This is the greatest challenge
that you can ever face.
30 locks, all in succession,
without stopping.
HE EXHALES
Here we go.
HE GROANS
Well, that's Tardebigge Bottom Lock
done.
One down, 29 to go.
There are no overnight moorings
on the flight
but there are plenty of places
to take a breather.
And next to this lock,
there's free fruit on offer.
It's all about spotting
opportunities
as you're travelling along.
I haven't got much food on board,
but I've just seen a plum tree,
so I've got my bowl with me
as well as my windlass this time.
Right, let's just see how many
I can pick for lunch later on.
I want to get through the locks
before sunset
so on days like this,
I'm pleased to get help
either from my friendly producer
or these kind chaps -
locky volunteers.
It is almost two hours
into the journey
and I've only done eight locks.
I need to get cranking.
Just the other side of this bridge
is Tardebigge Reservoir
and I'm told it was meant to fill
5,000 locks.
And it's still used today
to supply this canal.
Well, this is it, the last lock.
It's a bit deeper
than the other ones.
And this is what I was hoping for -
some of the spectacular views
that can only come
at the top of a flight
of a ridiculous amount of locks.
I don't know what to say.
I've made it to the top of 30 locks,
but I've had to do it all in one go.
Bill, thanks so much for helping me.
You're welcome. Cheers. See you. OK.
All was going so well
throughout the day,
just nailing the locks
one after each other,
and then, right at the end...
Are you all right, mate?
Well, we've finally done it.
HE LAUGHS
It's quite nice after a long
day of working the locks.
Pfff.
Urgh.
Well, you're not a boater until
you've actually fallen in.
Oh, soaked.
But refreshed.
Don't believe it.
It's actually a few years since
I've taken a dunking like that.
It goes to show, you need to watch
your step on the back of a boat.
I prefer to cook simpler things
when I'm on board,
especially if I've been
travelling all day.
After a cold dip yesterday,
a warm plum pudding made from
free fruit is just the job.
Mmm.
BIRDSONG
ENGINE RUMBLES
With a breeze in the air, it's going
to be a cool day out on the Cut.
And this dam is an exposed spot.
Water supply created challenges
for canal builders,
especially in hot summers
when locks could run dry.
Reservoirs were needed
to keep them topped up.
The Bittell Reservoirs
were latecomers.
Construction took so long,
they were completed
decades after the Worcester
and Birmingham was built.
By this time, the golden age of
canal carrying was all but over.
Right. I'm just going through
Hopwood and on my map,
I can see that there's a really,
really long tunnel coming up.
Wast Hills Tunnel -
2,726 yards.
That is a long one!
There are lots of things you have
to do before you go into a tunnel.
The most important I can think of
is turn your navigation light on.
And I can see from the boat ahead
of me that's coming this way,
that there is another boat
coming out of the tunnel.
Going through a canal tunnel
is good fun
but much in a same way as it's
good fun to watch a horror movie.
You're going into this long,
deep, dark, wet tunnel.
You know, you're not sure what
drips down the back of your neck.
Is it water? Is it a spider?
It's quite exciting and scary,
and I love it.
I can still see the light of
the other boat but it is...
..quite far away.
Or is it quite close?
I've no idea.
Ooh, yeah.
Hello, my friend!
The ventilation shafts were
also the construction shafts
used to remove earth and rock
while the tunnel was being dug.
At Kings Norton Junction,
the Worcester and Birmingham
meets the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal.
I could go that way and get
to Birmingham very easily,
but I think I'm going to take
the scenic route...
..because obviously
I haven't had enough of locks
because there are a lot coming up.
Ahead is an unusual
guillotine stop lock.
Canal companies jealously
guarded their water supply.
This device stopped the flow
between the connecting waterways
using wooden gates that moved
vertically in an iron frame.
Today, the lock remains open
for boaters.
Here, I'm coming up to a very
interesting lift bridge.
It basically uses exactly
the same method of opening
as the Tower Bridge in London.
It's called a bascule bridge.
Right, here we go. First, I've
got to find the control panel.
"Press open button
until bridge is fully open."
Here we go.
I've got to run back to my boat,
get on it,
get through before
any angry people...
..shout at me for leaving
the bridge open.
Lift bridges can be a real pain
for motorists and narrow boaters
at the same time because this
is where the two worlds collide.
And for my part in this,
I need to get through the bridge
as quick as possible so that
I don't keep anyone waiting.
And I am actually keeping
someone waiting,
so let's get this bridge
closed quickly for them.
I've probably seen enough
of locks for one journey,
but there's one final challenge -
the Lapworth Flight.
Apparently, in the '60s, the
local council wanted to fill in
this stretch of canal
and build a road.
Fortunately, the plans were thwarted
by passionate campaigners.
This is definitely the busiest I've
ever seen it on a flight of locks.
I've got boats behind me,
I've got boats in front me.
We're all trying to get
through these locks.
It's a bit like boat Tetris, this.
We're all jostling for space
and trying not
to crash into anything.
Well, I've made it.
I'm here at Kingswood Junction.
I've taken on a part of the
longest river in the country,
the River Severn, 50 miles
of canal on 84 locks,
and I've even fallen in
the canal as well,
which I really didn't think
I was going to do.
I'm taking a break for a while
before I take on the final leg
of the journey, which sees me
taking my boat
right into the centre of Birmingham.
And I really, really can't wait
for that.
and this is my boat.
I gave up a busy life on land
for a supposedly quieter
existence afloat.
Well, you're not a boater
until you've actually fallen in.
Over spring and summer,
I'm making my way to the heart
of our canal network,
soaking up the scenery...
..and enjoying our industrial
heritage along the way.
While filming,
I'm aware life is on hold
and difficult for many people.
And I'm lucky to have
this chance to escape
through some quintessential
English landscapes.
Starting in Cheshire,
I'm heading south
to the River Severn and Worcester.
I'll take a detour
to Stratford-Upon-Avon
and then up
into central Birmingham -
around 200 miles in all.
I can't wait.
And I'm glad I can share
the experience
in my Canal Boat Diaries.
Before I set off on this part
of my journey,
I'm getting a bit of work done.
I want to make sure
everything's in order
as I'm about to take on a stretch
of the Severn in Worcestershire.
I've got to come down here
tomorrow morning
and go out onto the river.
I'm just going to go and check out
the river itself to see
what sort of state it's in
and see what the levels are.
I've had a whole load of stuff
done to the boat
to prepare it for this journey.
INDISTINCT CHATTER
For example, the ballast
was all wrong.
It was sitting more than two inches
in the water than it should be.
We've fixed the steering
so there's less rattle
and there's more control.
And just, in general,
I've made sure the boat
is as safe as I could
possibly get it.
ENGINE RUMBLES
Right, here we go.
Bye-bye, canal. Hello, river.
A big river.
And this is the longest river
in the UK.
220 miles.
On this section of my journey,
I'm heading to Worcester
before I reach Tardebigge - the
longest lock flight in the country.
A rite of passage
for any inland boater.
After that, I'm heading deep
underground at Wast Hills...
..ending up at Kingswood Junction
in Warwickshire -
a service station for boaters.
It's around 50 miles by water,
through 84 challenging locks.
Cruising on the river does mean
you've got to think
a little bit more about safety.
I don't normally have to wear
a life preserve
but, with a fast-flowing river,
it's essential.
Thankfully, today, it's calm
and I'm going with the flow.
But I still need to keep
my wits about me.
Some boats can give off
quite a wake as they go past.
Let's have a look at this one.
Woo-ee!
See? That's not going too fast
and that has sent my boat
a little bit wobbly.
The locks on the River Severn
are manned by lock-keepers...
..and he's waving at me to tell me
which way my boat should go,
so I'd better listen to him.
I've picked up some top tips from
lock-keepers around the country.
They know their patch, and river
locks can be a bit daunting,
even for experienced boaters.
What are the dangers of being
in a lock like this?
Anywhere with water and obviously
in an enclosed space
where you've got boats that
are heavy, if someone goes in,
you can be trapped between
the boat and the wall.
There's a lot of things that
could go wrong, but they won't,
you'll be fine. OK. As long as
I listen to you and make sure...
Follow the instructions.
Follow the instructions.
What do you want me to do with this
rope? Tie it round...?
These locks are huge,
so you have got to pay them
a little bit of respect.
Definitely follow what the
lock-keeper tells you to do.
Oops.
Ohh!
Argh!
Right.
I have scraped myself a little bit.
I feel really stupid because
the lock-keeper did tell me,
watch out, don't fall between
the boat and the wall,
and I did just that,
and scraped my arm,
so all I need to do
is keep it clean.
Ouch!
How did you manage that?
I just slipped.
I was tying that
and I just slipped down
and like, shinned...kicked my shin
in and just did that on the wall!
Oh!
This is Holt Fleet Bridge,
designed by Thomas Telford.
It's an incredible arched bridge
made of cast iron.
But one of the most interesting
things about this
is that during the Second World War,
it was actually mined
so that they could blow it up
if need be.
Thankfully, that never happened.
The bridge has a twin.
Telford reused the design on
the Birmingham Canal Navigations
in Smethwick.
It can get quite lonely,
living on a boat,
and it's times like this when
you are in the middle of nowhere
on a huge river
where you feel that most keenly.
ENGINE SLOWS
When I bought this boat,
I was lonely.
All my friends had either
gotten married or were having kids.
I suffered with anxiety,
panic attacks, depression.
I'm not sure if I could say buying
a boat helped me with anxiety.
There's a lot of stressful
situations you have to deal with.
But it's certainly been
a good lifestyle for me.
Wow. Just turned the corner
of the river
and suddenly,
Worcester comes into view.
Quite impressive.
All the bridges going across,
the cathedral.
What a way to see the city.
I've visited Worcester before
by road, by rail.
I've never done it by a river,
but this is the way.
This is the way!
ROBBIE CHUCKLES
Absolutely incredible.
The cathedral is a beauty.
A great place of worship...
..but also one of England's
architectural gems...
..attracting visitors
from all over the world.
Diglis Lock. I've got to take this
turning now. A pretty sharp one...
..to double back on myself
to get in there.
This is the way...
..to the Worcester
and Birmingham Canal.
It looks like I've got
quite a wide lock
so we can get two boats in here
easily and save a bit of water.
Going back onto the canal.
See you later, River Severn.
And here we go.
The locks in Worcester were
designed for wide barges.
A major user of this route
was Cadbury's
with its canal-side
chocolate factories
in Blackpole and Bournville.
When you arrive into a city from
being in the middle of nowhere,
it can feel a little bit...
..a little bit awkward.
But doing it with someone else,
arriving with another narrow boat
does take the pressure off,
especially if there's loads
of onlookers.
Seems like an OK mooring
to just explore the city,
so I'm going to leave the boat here
and have a little look around.
That's the castle,
that's the cathedral.
Where's the canal?
Well, I did find something out about
Worcester that I didn't know before,
and that was that it's famous
for being the birthplace
of Edward Elgar, one of England's
greatest composers.
My gran was certainly a fan of his.
MUSIC: Land of Hope and Glory
by Edward Elgar
The difference between mooring up
in a city centre location
as opposed to out
in the middle of nowhere,
it's mostly to do with the noise.
In the city, you've got it
all going on,
from planes flying overhead
to shoppers walking past
and even people late at night...
..perhaps a little bit worse for
wear from all the pubs and clubs,
but I guess it all depends on
if you're a light sleeper
or a heavy sleeper.
TOOTHBRUSH BUZZES
Thankfully, I'm the latter,
and after that river journey,
I'm shattered.
It's good to plan ahead and read up
about the place I'm passing through.
Every now and then,
as you go through a lock,
you come across some buildings
by the side of the lock,
and in this case,
this is The Commandery.
It's a civil war museum now
because of its role back in 1651
when King Charles II used it
as a base for the Royalists
in the Battle of Worcester.
In my five years of cruising
around the UK, living in this boat,
I've not been tempted
to put down roots anywhere
except maybe where
my girlfriend lives.
I'd like to spend more time with my
girlfriend and her daughter, really.
Since we met, it's been hard
spending time apart,
but we try to see each other
as much as possible.
We're going to take
a holiday together,
so I need somewhere to put my boat.
I've found the perfect mooring
for my boat.
It's in a lovely spot
in the middle of nowhere,
but yet close to other boats
and a road, so it seems ideal.
I don't think I'm going to be
troubling anyone here anyway.
The only problem is,
it's a little bit overgrown
and I'm just trying to hack back
some of these reeds
with my trusty shears.
Leaving your boat
can be really worrying.
Will the windows be smashed in?
Will there be items stolen?
Will someone have taken it
for a joyride?
You just don't know
until you get back
and, erm, open up those doors again.
Ah! Back on the canal again
after almost two weeks away.
And my first thought is...
..is my boat actually still there?
BIRDSONG
KEYS JANGLE
It's great to have a break
from being on the canals...
..but it's also great
to come back as well.
And I'm just glad my boat
is as I left it.
A lot has changed for me
over the past year,
including meeting my soul mate.
She does not want to live on a boat
and that's her decision.
I'm at a real junction, you know.
I want to carry on exploring
the canal network,
but I also want to be happy
with my girlfriend and her daughter.
Will I have to get rid of this boat?
Will this be my last journey
on the boat?
I just don't know.
ENGINE RUMBLES
As I approach Tardebigge,
I'm about halfway
on this 50-odd mile journey.
After the longest lock flight
in the country,
I'll be navigating Wast Hills Tunnel
and the often busy Lapworth Locks...
..before arriving at Kingswood
Junction in Warwickshire.
Well, this flight of locks
I'm coming to now
is it for boaters.
This is the greatest challenge
that you can ever face.
30 locks, all in succession,
without stopping.
HE EXHALES
Here we go.
HE GROANS
Well, that's Tardebigge Bottom Lock
done.
One down, 29 to go.
There are no overnight moorings
on the flight
but there are plenty of places
to take a breather.
And next to this lock,
there's free fruit on offer.
It's all about spotting
opportunities
as you're travelling along.
I haven't got much food on board,
but I've just seen a plum tree,
so I've got my bowl with me
as well as my windlass this time.
Right, let's just see how many
I can pick for lunch later on.
I want to get through the locks
before sunset
so on days like this,
I'm pleased to get help
either from my friendly producer
or these kind chaps -
locky volunteers.
It is almost two hours
into the journey
and I've only done eight locks.
I need to get cranking.
Just the other side of this bridge
is Tardebigge Reservoir
and I'm told it was meant to fill
5,000 locks.
And it's still used today
to supply this canal.
Well, this is it, the last lock.
It's a bit deeper
than the other ones.
And this is what I was hoping for -
some of the spectacular views
that can only come
at the top of a flight
of a ridiculous amount of locks.
I don't know what to say.
I've made it to the top of 30 locks,
but I've had to do it all in one go.
Bill, thanks so much for helping me.
You're welcome. Cheers. See you. OK.
All was going so well
throughout the day,
just nailing the locks
one after each other,
and then, right at the end...
Are you all right, mate?
Well, we've finally done it.
HE LAUGHS
It's quite nice after a long
day of working the locks.
Pfff.
Urgh.
Well, you're not a boater until
you've actually fallen in.
Oh, soaked.
But refreshed.
Don't believe it.
It's actually a few years since
I've taken a dunking like that.
It goes to show, you need to watch
your step on the back of a boat.
I prefer to cook simpler things
when I'm on board,
especially if I've been
travelling all day.
After a cold dip yesterday,
a warm plum pudding made from
free fruit is just the job.
Mmm.
BIRDSONG
ENGINE RUMBLES
With a breeze in the air, it's going
to be a cool day out on the Cut.
And this dam is an exposed spot.
Water supply created challenges
for canal builders,
especially in hot summers
when locks could run dry.
Reservoirs were needed
to keep them topped up.
The Bittell Reservoirs
were latecomers.
Construction took so long,
they were completed
decades after the Worcester
and Birmingham was built.
By this time, the golden age of
canal carrying was all but over.
Right. I'm just going through
Hopwood and on my map,
I can see that there's a really,
really long tunnel coming up.
Wast Hills Tunnel -
2,726 yards.
That is a long one!
There are lots of things you have
to do before you go into a tunnel.
The most important I can think of
is turn your navigation light on.
And I can see from the boat ahead
of me that's coming this way,
that there is another boat
coming out of the tunnel.
Going through a canal tunnel
is good fun
but much in a same way as it's
good fun to watch a horror movie.
You're going into this long,
deep, dark, wet tunnel.
You know, you're not sure what
drips down the back of your neck.
Is it water? Is it a spider?
It's quite exciting and scary,
and I love it.
I can still see the light of
the other boat but it is...
..quite far away.
Or is it quite close?
I've no idea.
Ooh, yeah.
Hello, my friend!
The ventilation shafts were
also the construction shafts
used to remove earth and rock
while the tunnel was being dug.
At Kings Norton Junction,
the Worcester and Birmingham
meets the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal.
I could go that way and get
to Birmingham very easily,
but I think I'm going to take
the scenic route...
..because obviously
I haven't had enough of locks
because there are a lot coming up.
Ahead is an unusual
guillotine stop lock.
Canal companies jealously
guarded their water supply.
This device stopped the flow
between the connecting waterways
using wooden gates that moved
vertically in an iron frame.
Today, the lock remains open
for boaters.
Here, I'm coming up to a very
interesting lift bridge.
It basically uses exactly
the same method of opening
as the Tower Bridge in London.
It's called a bascule bridge.
Right, here we go. First, I've
got to find the control panel.
"Press open button
until bridge is fully open."
Here we go.
I've got to run back to my boat,
get on it,
get through before
any angry people...
..shout at me for leaving
the bridge open.
Lift bridges can be a real pain
for motorists and narrow boaters
at the same time because this
is where the two worlds collide.
And for my part in this,
I need to get through the bridge
as quick as possible so that
I don't keep anyone waiting.
And I am actually keeping
someone waiting,
so let's get this bridge
closed quickly for them.
I've probably seen enough
of locks for one journey,
but there's one final challenge -
the Lapworth Flight.
Apparently, in the '60s, the
local council wanted to fill in
this stretch of canal
and build a road.
Fortunately, the plans were thwarted
by passionate campaigners.
This is definitely the busiest I've
ever seen it on a flight of locks.
I've got boats behind me,
I've got boats in front me.
We're all trying to get
through these locks.
It's a bit like boat Tetris, this.
We're all jostling for space
and trying not
to crash into anything.
Well, I've made it.
I'm here at Kingswood Junction.
I've taken on a part of the
longest river in the country,
the River Severn, 50 miles
of canal on 84 locks,
and I've even fallen in
the canal as well,
which I really didn't think
I was going to do.
I'm taking a break for a while
before I take on the final leg
of the journey, which sees me
taking my boat
right into the centre of Birmingham.
And I really, really can't wait
for that.