Wandering along.

Not much to report, folks. After dozens of locks, and about twenty-seven miles, we arrived at the Black Country Living Museum, in Dudley ... exactly two miles from the other end of the tunnel which is too low for Moonstone.

This museum must be a favourite of ours, as this is probably (about) the fifth or sixth time we've visited ... there's always something we've not seen before. Sadly; the weather wasn't suitable (snow squalls!!!) for the fun-fair to be operating ... 

... we'll be back in the summer (excellent free moorings) so that I can have a go on that helter-skelter! The museum also has wonderful examples of the transport of ages past

... and here's the itinerant pastor!

Of course, this area has a huge canal-related history; so we were thrilled to see the steam-tug: PRESIDENT; starting out on a journey to tow its butty: Kildare; to Liverpool.

That's the Chief Tiffy leaning out of the engine-room hatch!!!

 Note the large blade of the rudder, necessary as there's no propellor.

The midlands has a long tradition of trades-union activism, so we enjoyed finding out about the chain-makers strike of 1910. Talk about: "There once was a union maid"! (I love the way Billy Bragg and the rest haul out their union membership cards at the end of the song. I do that!)



You can read about the chain-makers strike here.








Once we departed the Black Country Living Museum almost two miles of our journey South was actually UNDER the M5 motorway!

Once we left the urbanity of Birmingham a few miles behind, we pulled over at the small town of Knowle, for a post-office and groceries. Some of these lesser-known places have surprises in store. Of course this is England, so delightful churches abound ... 

... but we had never before even heard of a 'knot garden', viz:

So ... now we are moored at the Navigation Inn, near Kingswood Junction. We'll be having a visit - for lunch in the pub - from our daughter: Jane, our son-in-law: Max, and their dog: Spike. Speaking of canines; on Friday evening we were moored by 'BUNTS WOOD'!!! Sad to relate: we cannot report any sightings of a Heinz-57 Dachshund. :-((

More anon. Thanks for taking an interest. Tom.