Monday 7th June 2025
Day 1. Broken down!
We were mooring outside the Roundhouse yesterday when the gearbox stuck in forward drive. We ended up acRoss the canal at Sheepcote Street. Bridge. We roped Sonflower back to a 14 day mooring. I could not budge the gearbox selector arm so we called River Canal Rescue.
An engineer arrived within 1.1/2 hours and diagnosed the failure of the gearbox, removed it and took it away to the workshop.
The crew of Churwell Force invited us to join them on the cruise today to Galton New Smethwick Pumphouse where we were guided through the history of the Old and New Main lines and some interesting canal crafts.
We then went on to Tipton where we moored and the. Walked to the Mad O’Rourkes Pie Factory for drinks in the garden and dinner with the other cruisers.
We called a cab to return to our boat in Birmingham Centre.
Tomorrow, Tuesday, we have a visit ti the Dudley tunnel planned. We expect to get there by bus.
No move ent for Sonflower today
