The Gloucester-Sharpness Canal.

To avoid the treacherous (30 ft. rise and fall) tides,currents, sandbanks and narrow winding of the lower (navigable part) of the River Severn; the 16-mile long Gloucester-Sharpness Canal was opened in 1827. This enabled Gloucester to become quite a major port. Its many brick-built warehouses and factories are still extant, and this part of the city has become a lively hub of retail and recreation ... never envisioned when I lived here from 1952 to 1959.

The two dry-docks of T Nielsen and Co shipyard are now greatly in demand for the restoration of heritage craft; of which this Pilot Cutter is particularly graceful example.

Wanting to include as much exploration as possible: we set off down the canal, to Sharpness. Approaching the southern end of the canal, we spotted this unusual structure,

and found it to be the sole remaining part of what had been the Severn Railway Bridge ... 

 ... until 1960; when this crashed into it and damaged it beyond repair! Treacherous indeed.


Whilst in Gloucester - the focal point of the trip, in fact - I had an excellent (standing room only!) concert, at The Fountain Inn, as a fund-raiser for the SECOND ANNUAL GLOUCESTER SHANTY FESTIVAL. It was a great success; raising about £500.

Whilst we were in the area, our new friend: Robin Burton; was a wonderful guide and mentor. One day he took us to see the MECHANICAL MUSIC MUSEUM, in Northleach ... fascinating! Additional to the superb examples of some beautifully crafted musical boxes and Edison cylinder recording players, we saw mechanical pianos, barrelorgans, juke boxes which play (about 20' diam.) steel 'floppy' discs and even a mechanical 'player' button-accordion! There exists a small factory - near Portsmouth - which still makes those steel discs; which is why we were able to listen to a David Bowie melody!!!

This plays better than ever I will be able to.
You just pump the bellows and press the switch!

Then there was the gig at the Tooting Folk Club; on Saturday evening! Being over a hundred miles from where we were moored, this involved getting a train to Warwick, collecting the car, and driving to London. It was all very well worth the effort, as Ruth and Rupert (no mean musicians, themselves!) organize a really nice club and turned out a large and enthusiastic audience ... thanks guys. Right now - Monday morning - Lyn is driving the car back to Warwick whilst I prepare for a solo run, back up the canal to Gloucester ... in the rain!!! I'll meet her there this afternoon, then we'll wait for the weather to clear before proceeding upriver towards Birmingham. 'Bye for now friends!