Tardebigge!

 Worcester still being 58 locks away, we got up early and decided to get on with it. We passed through Alvechurch, another suburban canal side development, and went through 2 short tunnels. Getting good at this now😉

Tardebigge is a flight of 36 locks in 4 miles 😳

We knew it was coming and now we’d arrived we knew we just had to get on with it. Someone coming up said it took them about 4 hours. He said this as he jumped between the open lock gates, which we just don’t do. I calculated around 5 hours for us, one lock after the other. It was already 11.30am, but the weather forecast for the next day was solid rain, so we had a cup of tea, made some sandwiches and bit the bullet. We decided, also, to share the driving and lock winding. 😀👍

Hmmm 🤔 

A single lock with no other boat coming up the flight involves:-

i.  Unwind very stiff lock gate with windlass. Carefully traverse lock gate to the other side and repeat the process. Wait for lock to fill and carefully cross back to the other side to open very stiff gate. Close lock gates carefully using windlass. Do not allow them to drop as this is bad for the lock and could result in a broken wrist, jaw, etc. 

ii. Allow boat to carefully enter lock. Meanwhile the breeze has probably messed up his aim so there may be a few bumps and knocks while entering. 

iii. When boat is settled, close very stiff lock gate. Remind driver to stay with the boat. 

iv. Unwind next very stiff indeed lock gate. This may require a different sized windlass. Walk around lock to the other side to repeat process. Remind driver to stay forward of the cill which could otherwise result in the boat tipping up and sinking. 

v. Wait for water to empty out of the lock. Open the gate ( this should be easy) then carefully wind the gate paddle closed using windlass, then walk around to the other side to open the other gate. Allow driver to head out of the lock ready for the next one which, in this case, is fairly immediate. 

vi. Close lock gate. Don’t be tempted to jump across to avoid walking all the way around again. Walk around the lock to close and lock the first gate. Drop the lock paddle  carefully using windlass. 

vii. Repeat 29 times. 

viii. Moor outside pub, the Queen’s Head. 

Tardebigge so far had taken us 6 and a half hours. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired. Andy’s knee made all the walking around locks a bit slow so…. 

Such is life. 

But we only had 7 more locks to go the next day, in the rain. 

Great work!