Stourport Ring

We have just released the Stourport Ring DVDs.

Just as for the Birmingham Mini Ring, the Four Counties Ring and the Llangollen Canal there are two DVDs - in Popular and Bowcam format.

The Popular format is a cross between a holiday programme and a documentary with a touch of history - all presented to entertain.

The Bowcam is filmed from a forward facing camera and is edited to provide a continuous high speed view covering all the ring.

Both travel clockwise around the ring from Stourport Basin including the alternative routes through the Stourbridge/Dudley Canals and via Aldersley Junction.  They feature the unique locks at Bratch and the Tardebigge Flight and the Popular version looks the the Droitwich Canals.

There are short extracts onto YouTube so you can see how they look yourself - but please be aware these are low resolution and quality compared to the originals.

Both versions are available Combined in one box.

Posted on Thursday, May 21, 2009 at 13:31        Comments (0)
Category(s): BCN , Droitwich , Dudley No 1 , River Severn , Staffs & Worcester , Stourbridge , Worcester & Birmingham

Experts make it Impossible

I remembered the 2008 Inland Waterways (IWA) Festival at Autherley Junction for several reasons.

One was this sign referring to the restoration of the Stratford on Avon Canal saying

“Fortunately none of us were experts, or we should have known it was impossible !”

It’s a good job much of the great restoration work on the canals is done by enthusiastic amateurs.

Let’s hope everyone working on the Droitwich Canals doesn’t know it’s impossible.

Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2008 at 20:43        Comments (0)
Category(s): Droitwich

Droitwich Canals DVD

Waterway Routes are proud to announce the release of the Droitwich Canals DVD.  The latest in the series of waterways DVDs.

It runs for 30 minutes and follows the route of the canals from Hanbury Junction with the Worcester & Birmingham Canal to Hawford Junction with the River Severn.

It covers the Droitwich Junction Canal, the River Salwarpe (in Droitwich) and the Droitwich Barge Canal.

Showing progress with the restoration up to September 2008 it includes the opening ceremony for the Barge Lock on 26th September 2008.

It’s similar in style to the Cotswold Canals DVD which some of you may have already seen.

Regular readers might wonder why there was no previous hint about production of this DVD and there is a simple reason - I produced it by accident.

We filmed the Stourport Ring this summer and planned to include a short section on the Droitwich Canals, which will form an alternative part of that ring when they are restored in a few years time.  Later this could be replaced by a section showing the open canals.

I walked the canals two weeks ago, capturing lots of film and I did a rough edit when I got home to check I had enough material.  I had too much and, after returning last week to film the opening of the Barge Lock I had enough for a full half hour, stand alone DVD - so here we are.

The DVDs, booklets, maps etc are being copied as I write this and we will be dispatching the DVDs from Monday onwards.

Now I can get back to the Four Counties DVD which has been nearly finished for a little while.

Posted on Saturday, October 4, 2008 at 15:26        Comments (0)
Category(s): Droitwich

Droitwich Barge Lock

The Droitwich Canals are under restoration and will provide a new route to cruise in the foreseeable future.

Today was the ceremonial opening of the Barge Lock which links the River Salwarpe to the Barge Canal.

After much hard work over recent weeks by the Waterway Recovery Group, British Waterways and many others the lock is ready for navigation.

The gates were bowed.  Not distorted but equipped with a large ceremonial bow and ribbon fastened along the gates.

After the speeches the dignitaries pushed the gates to open them on the count of three but nothing happened.

To hold the gates shut until the vital moment the organisers has let a couple of inches of water into the lock.  A quick wind of a paddle and the waters were levelled and the ceremonial opening happened as planned on the second count of three.  More info to follow in further blogs soon.

Posted on Friday, September 26, 2008 at 20:55        Comments (2)
Category(s): Droitwich