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Gas St to Longwood Junction


Rog Davies

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Does anyone have any info on safe overnight moorings on the Walsall, Tame Valley [top bit], and Rushall canals? According to the BCNS website there are none on the Rushall nor Tame Valley and a couple on the Walsall, but having searched on the forum there are no recent posts. I am particularly interested to hear first hand experience of the Ocker Hill Arm [CaRT suggest residential only], and the top of Ryders Green locks, offside.

I hope to travel from Gas St to Longwood Junction which should be fine in a day, but may need a stopover on the return trip.

Thanks for any info.

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Ocker hill resi moorings (up the arm) can usually accommodate though you may have to mix it with CRT work boats. We moored there with no problem, a few years ago.

I'd skip the Tame Valley bit to Rushall jn, always seems pretty grim. We've always found the Rushall very safe-feeling e.g. at the bottom lock but never nightstopped and it is pretty shallow at the sides. You don't see boats moored there. Of course Longwood is a great stopping place, frequent buses from near the bridge into Walsall and on to Brum if you wish, friendly natives, and services.

if you haven't done the Rushall flight, be aware that the bottom gates of the lock in the slight cutting (4th from the top?) refuse to stay open so unless you have one bod per gate + driver, it's best to tie the balance beams together while you enter and especially exit. Otherwise it's a surprisingly pleasant flight.

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There are visitor moorings at Perry Bar top lock but I've never stopped there. However did have an enforced overnight stay in the cutting beyond just after the high footbridge, Chimney Bridge and it was the quietest mooring with a fabulous sunrise. And many years ago did overnight at the bottom of Perry Barr.

The moorings in the arm at Ocker Hill are 'operational mooring, available if empty after 6pm, although there is room for two, or you could breast up. There is also a mooring on the left as you enter which we've used several times. Except you can't easily get to the outside world. I've seen boats moored outside either on the Walsall or on the Tame Valley. 

The BCNS cruises often moor at Moorcroft Junction on the Walsall overnight and a friend moored at Darlaston Road Bridge though not by choice. There has been ablot of tree cutting and rubbish removal on the Walsall recently, probably to prepare for the BCNS Spring Cruise. The section from Moorcroft Junction to Pleck is a bit shallow but shouldn't present any problems. My friend reported some badly moored workboats near the M6 crossing where the towpath is being 'upgraded'.

You can moor on the pontoons at the end of Walsall Town Arm but will be noisy on Friday and Saturday nights. Alternative moorings on the towpath between the narrows or on the pontoon at the entrance to the arm. 

As Nick has said, the moorings at Longwood are fine and from there to Pelsall are plenty of places to moor without worry. After Pelsall there is anything until Sneyd which doesn't have a visitor mooring but overnight shouldn't be a problem. Continuing round there are secure moorings at Lane Head outside the United Kingdom pub and plenty of moorings at Wednesfield/Bentley Bridge. 

Edited by pearley
Edited to add boats often moor on the offside just above Ryders Green top lock.
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28 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

I've moored below the Rushall locks with no bother. From Longwood to Gas Street, the obvious place to break the journey would be Ocker Hill. 

Can you give me the full reference (esp if online!) to that quotation, please?

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3 hours ago, pearley said:

...

You can moor on the pontoons at the end of Walsall Town Arm but will be noisy on Friday and Saturday nights. Alternative moorings on the towpath between the narrows or on the pontoon at the entrance to the arm. 

...

The NBT moored in the Walsall Town Arm on the Saturday night of the BCN Challenge, and wisely chose not to be right at the end. There was no trouble that I saw, but the area was very lively. Estate agents would describe it as "vibrant". Where we moored, down near the entrance to the arm opposite some flats, it was quiet enough once the cabin doors were closed.

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In addition to the above suggestions, we've also moored at the top of Ryders Green twice. Once only overnight on BCN Challenge, but another time we stopped there early afternoon and stayed the night (after getting stuck attempting Wednesbury old canal). 

Would definitely recommend Ocker Hill though as a stop over on that route and we found the residents very friendly and welcoming. 

Tom

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Just now, Farey said:

We moored up overnight by the Manor Arms pub at Daw End a couple of years ago. The moorings were very secluded, and it was a very nice pub.

Unless you go the long way round you would not pass the Manor, and anyway it is only half a mile from Longwood so you may as well go all the way if you did go the long way round.  Assuming you are going to go down Ryders Green and Rushall then the obvious place to stop is Ocker Hill, it the residential moorings, either on the operational mooring or the space on the left as you do in.

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