Tag: Bentley

April 3rd – Another job I thought would be well and truly over by now that wasn’t is the demolition of the former Boat pun in Darlaston Green. Derelict, burnt out and plagued by antisocial behaviour, it was measure for it’s coffin years ago, and last week when I saw demolition crew here I thought it would be only hours to go before the landmark was lost – but this is clearly a thoughtful, reclamation demolition where the material removed are salvaged for resale, and for a while at least, this sad husk of a building remains.

A sad but fascinating sight.

April 3rd – Running an errand from work into Walsall mid day, I decided to avoid the traffic and take the canal, as the resurfacing of the towpath would surely be finished – sadly, it wasn’t quite, and there’s still some plant and workmen putting the hours in around the rear of James Bridge cemetery, but mostly it’s now tarmac all the way through with a coating of tar and chip. 

At the moment, there’s lots of loose grit on top so take care – it’s skinny and hard going in places, but will improve once settled and swept.

A decent job executed well. I just didn’t really see the need, but hey-ho…

February 14th – A few people have asked, so as I passed the canal towpath resurfacing works today I took a pic of the map and details.

I’m still baffled as to the concentration on this stretch, and not the awful sections through Aldridge/Rushall and Pelsall/Bloxwich, but who knows what goes on with funding for these things?

There are very few notices up this time, so keep your eye out.

February 13th – On the canal near Bentley Mill Way Aqueduct, a pair of swans feeding on canal-bottom greens, enjoying the company of each other and honking noisily.

They were far too busy browsing the algae to be disturbed by me, and they performed beautifully. You can say what you like, but a swan with only it’s arse sticking above the water is very amusing, and certainly not graceful. A lovely thing to watch. 

But those feet too, though. Swan feet are fascinating, and they look almost pre-historic.

June 1st – A grey morning crossing the still inexplicably closed Bentley Mill Way viewed from the aqueduct on the Walsall/Darlaston border. The roads has, over many months been lowered beneath the bridge to allow taller vehicles, and new signals added. In such a wet area, I hope the drainage pumps are capable and reliable, otherwise we could be in for fun. 

The road has been complete for about a month now, and remained closed as some brickwork was pointed on the bridge, but now seems closed with no activity ongoing. Considering this whole show was due to open ‘Autumn 2015′, it’s all a bit of a puzzle.

May 31st – The season of the dog rose is upon us. You can keep your fancy hybrids, your blobs of colour on thorny sticks; give me the colour and scent of a wild rose any day of the week – bringing colour in an uncontrolled riot to towpaths, hedgerows and edge lands all over.

These were just by the canal in Walsall near Bentley Bridge. A joy to the heart.

May 24 – I ‘m convinced that whatever gave rise to moorhens and coots existing had the plans backwards. Baby coots – featured here last week – look, as Phil Griffin put it ‘Like badly knitted moorhens’ – and he’s right. On the other hand, apart from  the remarkable feet, these moorhen chicks could easily thought to be coots.

The antics of both are hugely comical, however. So nice to see.

May19th – I passed along the canal at Bentley Mill Way later than usual, and noted that the swan brood here had hatched. I say brood, but I’m not sure what the singular of brood actually is; momma swan clearly only laid one egg this year, the remnants of which are all I can see in the nest.

I noted the parents travelling down the canal with their cygnet between them, proud attentive parents. I also noticed an interested heron; lets hope he decided not to run the gauntlet of the angry swan couple.

This pair do seem to have small clutches. I hope little one survives.

May 10th – What a horrendous day of commuting – heavy rain in both directions left me soaked with frayed nerves.

Such was my desire to escape the traffic on the way to work, I hopped on the canal knowing how bad the mud would be – but I was past caring.

In the warm, actually not unpleasant rain, the canal rang with raindrops, almost musical, and the swans at Bentley Mill Way didn’t seem to mind.

Hope it’s a bit drier tomorrow.