24 and Counting - Delph to Stourbridge

Sunday morning dawned, dull but DRY, so off we set at 7.45 to tackle 24 locks that would take us down the Delph 8 and then Stourbridge 16 and on towards Stourbridge town.

Looking down the Delph flight

The dramatic overflows on the Delph locks.  An extra pair of hands through this flight would have been beneficial.  The double bottom gates have no hand rail so my usual locking method of standing on one gate, gripping the handrail and 'kicking open' the other gate didn't apply, or at least not if I wanted to stay dry and safe!  The lack of boater bridges across the lock also meant that having opened one bottom gate I then had to scurry back to the top gates, cross over and scurry back to the other bottom gate to get it opened. This then repeated to close the gates before moving on to the next lock.  Still mustn't grumble... Especially as half way down the flight I received a text message from Adam and Adrian Nb. Debdale to ask where we were and could they visit? Could they visit, too right they could visit - as I mentally reviewed where the extra windlasses were!

Here we go, the first of the Stourbridge 16.

Looking down the flight towards Dadfords Shed and the bottle kiln of the Redhouse Glassworks.

At lock eight I spotted the terrible two, Adam and Adrian, approaching us up the towpath, the cavalry had arrived!

Adrian

Adam and Adrian working hard, well hard..ish

Dadford's Shed a restored wooden warehouse located between lock 10 and lock 11and I believe, Phil Speight's place.

Caxton fitting VERY snugly in lock eleven

Redhouse Glassworks bottle kiln.  This would have just one of the many (17) in the area as Stourbridge was a centre for the glass making industry.

Caxton moored up on the town arm

After completing the lock flight we turned on to the town arm and headed towards Stourbridge.  Leaving Joe to helm Caxton, Adam, Adrian and I climbed aboard and got the coffee and tea underway.  Thank you for the assistance gents, lovely to see you again!

We stayed here in Stourbridge for a couple of nights which enabled us to get in some provisions, fill the water tank and collect our post before we continue our journey.