Farmers Locks - Birmingham and Fazeley

[Jennifer McM]

We started our day at Cuttle Inn, and mindful of warnings from a couple of volunteers the day previously, that we were entering 'bandit country!'

 

Out plan was to overnight just before Salford Junction, but we thought better of it when we got there. We'd only come across 2 other boats on the canal all day, which added to spooky thoughts. So we 'went' for it doing all of the 27 locks till we got to Gas Street!

 

Not the pettiest of journeys but so educating! The historical atmosphere was so hands on!

 

Getting the boat through the 13 Farmer's Locks was a bit of a challenge for a newbie, especially one with a touch of virtigo, a symptom of a head cold.

 

A couple of the locks had actually been 'built over' with a high rise office block. Vandalism on a grand scale!

 

Got to say the most scariest part were the mountain bikers without a bell. Why do they have to travel at break neck speed?

 

When we eventually got to Gas St we were tired and ached all over, but a nice Indian meal delivered to the boat through the services of a food app was just so welcome!

 

As a newbie; I feel like we'd gone through a 'rite of passage'!

 

Glad we did it, but not sure if it's to be repeated!

Edited October 8, 2016 by Jennifer McM

[alan_fincher]

Well done!

 

Just for the future record, though, they are called Farmers Bridge locks!

[Jennifer McM]

Ha ha thanks Alan

[Laurie Booth]

Excellent, where was the Indian meal from?

[Dave_P]

Loads of people call them Farmer's Locks.

 

Also Minworth to Gas Street is a fairly short day. Dog & Doublet to Gas Street is more like it. Fazeley Junction to Gas Street is a long day. ;-)

[Jennifer McM]

Excellent, where was the Indian meal from?

Amr's I believe - as we'd only had 2 ginger biscuits for breakfast though a treat was due.

[Jennifer McM]

Loads of people call them Farmer's Locks.

 

Also Minworth to Gas Street is a fairly short day. Dog & Doublet to Gas Street is more like it. Fazeley Junction to Gas Street is a long day. ;-)

We stopped the night at Cuttle Inn bridge. Woke as normal when 'daylight comes in from the mushroom above', and it wasn't until I'd put the kettle on when I realised it was only 12.30am! Damn floodlights from the Cuttle Inn!

[RLWP]

What route did you choose to get to the bottom of Farmer's Bridge?

 

Richard

[Dave_P]

We stopped the night at Cuttle Inn bridge. Woke as normal when 'daylight comes in from the mushroom above', and it wasn't until I'd put the kettle on when I realised it was only 12.30am! Damn floodlights from the Cuttle Inn!

I can't keep up with what it's called, it's been so many different things over the last few years. Nice to see it being used though, was heading for total dereliction a couple of years back.

[Jennifer McM]

What route did you choose to get to the bottom of Farmer's Bridge?

 

Richard

 

Fazeley Junction,

through Minworth Locks

Salford Junction to Aston Locks

Aston Junction, took right fork to Farmer's Bridge locks

I can't keep up with what it's called, it's been so many different things over the last few years. Nice to see it being used though, was heading for total dereliction a couple of years back.

 

Didn't look to busy though by the looks of cars in their carpark, it's a sort of Premier Inn/Travel Lodge type place now.

[RLWP]

 

Salford Junction to Aston Locks

 

We usually go the other way, just because I like the Garrison and Ashted flights

 

Richard

[Captain Pegg]

If the comment about bandit country was from CRT volunteers that's very unhelpful. Judging by questions on the forum too many people are still unnecessarily apprehensive about the approaches to Birmingham.

 

JP

[Victor Vectis]

If the comment about bandit country was from CRT volunteers that's very unhelpful. Judging by questions on the forum too many people are still unnecessarily apprehensive about the approaches to Birmingham.

 

JP

Agreed!

 

Are the Garrison Locks open now? They were closed a while back due to an unstable building by one of the locks.

[Jennifer McM]

Agreed!

 

Are the Garrison Locks open now? They were closed a while back due to an unstable building by one of the locks.

 

Yes it was I'm afraid. They were painting locks, and judging by the graffiti daubed over the locks at Aston, then I guess from their viewpoint....

 

We took their warnings.

[rivergate]

I had the same warnings about 'bandits' on the Bottom Road when planning to got to Stockton from Hockley recently with a beginner crew...we came the other way instead

 

Last time I went that way was 20 years ago and while clearing rubbish on maintenance I picked up a human thumb from the lock side! Scary stuff !

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

 

Fazeley Junction,

through Minworth Locks

Salford Junction to Aston Locks

Aston Junction, took right fork to Farmer's Bridge locks.

That's the route I take in from Fazely.

staying midwayish at curdworth tunnel.

 

Were the resident alcoholics at the bottom of Farmers Bridge? They'll chat with you.

[ditchcrawler]

Nice to see it being used though, was heading for total dereliction a couple of years back.

It got there before they revamped it, ripped it to bits, build bedrooms, etc

Edit

We use to moor slightly further along from there.

Edited October 8, 2016 by ditchcrawler

[Victor Vectis]

Were the resident alcoholics at the bottom of Farmers Bridge? They'll chat with you.

We've found them very friendly when we've been that way.

 

Quite keen to help pushing on lock beams and so on.

 

Having said that, however, a year or two ago I came across a hire boat going down the Knowle Locks. They said they had moored at the bottom of the 'Farmers' locks and their boat had been tagged by graffiti vandals while they slept.

 

Much as I love the BCN I don't think I would moor there overnight. Stab, sorry, Star City or the top of the Ashted flight as alternatives.

[Rob-M]

We met a couple at Knowle Locks recently who had stayed overnight at Aston Junction as they wanted to go in to Birmingham but didn't want to do Farmers Bridge up and down. Wouldn't be my choice for an overnight or to leave the boat during the day.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

We've found them very friendly when we've been that way.

 

Quite keen to help pushing on lock beams and so on.

 

Having said that, however, a year or two ago I came across a hire boat going down the Knowle Locks. They said they had moored at the bottom of the 'Farmers' locks and their boat had been tagged by graffiti vandals while they slept.

 

Much as I love the BCN I don't think I would moor there overnight. Stab, sorry, Star City or the top of the Ashted flight as alternatives.

No I wouldnt moor there either.

The drunks are pleasant enough while passing through but I wouldnt stay the night.

 

Curdworth straight through. 4 or 5 hours.

 

Might try star city though

For a change.

[Dave Payne]

Loved farmers bridge when we went through a couple of months ago, wasn't expecting the building's growing over the locks, and yes we encountered the bikers also flying up the towpath.

 

Aston flight, now that was grim.

[cuthound]

and yes we encountered the bikers also flying up the towpath.

As if the drones weren't bad enough! :)

 

Edited a bit more of the OP's post out.

Edited October 9, 2016 by cuthound

[NickF]

I love Farmers Bridge, I think it must be my favourite urban flight.

[Grassman]

 

Curdworth straight through. 4 or 5 hours.

 

Might try star city though

For a change.

 

We go into Brum regularly from our moorings at Fradley and usually overnight at Curdworth before next day making the rest of the journey into the city centre.

 

But Star City is an excellent alternative if we want to overnight further into Brum. It's an offside floating pontoon with capacity for 4 boats (we've never found it full). It's secure and has access through the Star City boundary fence using our CRT watermate key if we want to make use of the many restaurants and other entertainment. There's CCTV, and security patrolling as well.

 

You'd think it would be noisy but being on the edge of the complex and adjacent to a perimeter car park that's mainly used only at busy times, it's remarkably quiet, although admittedly we've never moored there on a Friday or Saturday night.

 

Being located only a couple of hundred yards from Salford Junction means that it's fairly easy to reverse to or from the junction if you aren't planning on continuing along that stretch the following day.

[Grassman]

Just to add, that in the many times we've travelled in and out of Brum from whichever direction, we've never encountered any serious problems with the natives. And that includes all of the BCN including the quiet north eastern parts.

 

It may be that we've been lucky, and obviously one can be unfortunate to be in the 'wrong time wrong place' , but I think if you give some thought and common sense to where you overnight, times you travel, engage with the locals etc, then this will minimise the chances of problems with the local 'bandits'.

 

Birmingham has some wonderful canals, and not just in the city centre, and it's a shame they aren't used more due to folk being put off by a few scare stories.