The Tenth Lock

Brockmoor Junction, another Silver Propeller Site was in our, err, sights, today. Having entered the Stourbridge Canal at the bottom of the Delph Locks we carried on through a mix of small industry and residential estates. In the 19th century the area was packed with collieries, claypits, brickworks, glassworks, iron and steel factories.

A left turn at Leys Junction would have taken us down 16 locks to the the Stafford and Worcester Canal, but we turned right towards Brockmoor Junction near the Dell Stadium. Here the canal split into two dead ends; the Stourbridge Extension Canal and Fens Branch which keeps the canal topped up from Fens Pools.

The area was run down with rubbish in the water and on the towpath. Grafitti tags were everywhere and sadly there was a long dead cat in the canal. The people we saw were friendly though and we definitely got the feeling that few people visited by boat. A fallen tree made turning at Brockmoor Junction difficult, but a worker at the adjacent factory came out and advised us to avoid the shallows, directing us towards an easier spot.

Having photographed Rainboat at the Silver Propeller site we retraced our path and ascended the bottom Delph Lock to moor in a tiny arm only 2 boats long. It was opposite the Tenth Lock pub; a reference to when there used to be 9 Delph Locks. Having yet to eat lunch, Will walked the short way up Delph Road to The Vine Inn; a pub known as The Bull and Bladder. Their crusty cobs are famous locally but he settled down to a steak and Bathams pie with a pint of Bathams to wash it down.Read more