BIRMINGHAM

An early depature from the Black Country Museum will help avoid any chance of the local youth giving any problems as we travel through the Birmingham suberbs.

Out of the museum a right turn onto the Wolverhampton Level we are running paralell with the Birmingham Level Main Line some 1/4 mile to the left of us. As we travel we pass over a canal past another that joins to the B. Main Line and then a large wharf now a housing complex just the shape of the basin being the only clue as to the past.

Slowly we turn towards the B. Main and then pass over it and for a mile or so we are alongside it but some 20 odd feet above. As we drop down through the 3 Smethwick locks , like coming down a slip road onto a motorway but that was Birmingham past, a huge water road complex, we are now on the Birmingham Main Line passing canals going off left and right only to rejoin the main line a little further on.

With the map in one hand and tiller in the other we enter Gas St. Basin the heart of Brum.

Surrounded by wine bars , restaurants, the giant indoor arena , Sea Life centre and...............trust Tesco to get a small metro store in amongst it all. Still handy for some odds and ends during our stay. Moored up kettle on, this is home for 3 days.

Inside the Selfridges store.

The council building

An unusual visitor, the Mandarin duck.

The Waterbus transports passengers around central Brum stopping at several places and cost 50p per stop.

Should have been at the top of page but none the less it`s the Selfridges store at Bullring shopping centre. Can`t decide if i like it or not. It sort of looks like a silver pineapple.