The Finger Post, Pelsall Common to The Nickelodeon, Wednesfield (Wyrley & Essington Canal)

Chugging on from Pelsall

Coming around another bend

We are chugging on today and another dry day although not so hot today which is good.  We are doing about 11 miles today.  This stretch of canal is very winky wonky so we wound our way along and it was also quite shallow so slow going in places.

Passing junction with Walsall Canal

Leaving Sneyd Wharf

After a while we came to Birchills Junction which is the junction with the Walsall Canal.  On along there and next we came to Sneyd Wharf where we stopped to fill up with water, get rid of rubbish, etc.  There was a chap there cutting the hedges and he had his little dog with him who was very friendly and came over to see us, I think he knew we had dog biscuits on board and as he was so sweet, of course we gave him some.  

The old Essington Branch

Just by here is the old Essington Branch to Wyrley Bank, which was opened in 1798, some 2.2 miles long with five locks; this was extended towards Great Wyrley in 1799, but the extension was disused by 1829.  It was reopened and extended to reach Great Wyrley and serve the mines there in 1857.  When completed it was 3.5 miles long, with major wharfs at Broad Lane, Landywood and Wyrley. This branch was abandoned in 1955, under the powers of the Act of Abandonment, but you can still see the bottom lock.

Going under the M6

When we had filled up with water, we went on our way along the canal and under the M6 which was grinding to a halt, poor them stuck in their cars as we cruise past them on our way without stopping!

Coot babies in their nest

St Thomas Church

At Wednesfield we passed under Church Bridge where nearby stand St Thomas Church and then we were at the Nickelodeon pub where we moored up.  Just by the pub is the Wednesfield Junction where the remains of the Bentley Canal can be seen, it is now visitor moorings.

Bentley Bridge Retail Park

Beside where we are moored is Bentley Bridge Retail Park with a variety of stores, an Aldi and a Sainsburys.  There is also a Cineworld and Bowling.  We had a walk around and it seems quite nice here.

We are staying here tonight, then off back down to the Birmingham Main Line canal and down the Wolverhampton 21 locks tomorrow and onto the Staffordshire and Worcester canal, so another early start, but after this we will be having short days again, so looking forward to that!

Moored at The Nickelodeon