Friday 22 April 2011

Contrast at Compton

The Shropshire Union was the last main-line narrow canal to be built but at Autherley Junction it joins one of the first. Whilst the Shroppie strides confidently across the landscape using cuttings and embankments to keep a direct course, the Staffs & Worcester meanders along almost apologetically and its hard to believe sometimes that it was ever a major commercial artery.
Everything on the Staffs & Worcester seems to be built to a smaller scale, in particular the bridges and especially the diminutive variety found at the tails of locks like this one at Compton.
Compton Lock
Having spent most of the winter tootling up and down the Shroppie, I'm looking forward to the change.

2 comments:

Adam said...

Is that boat going in the lock? With someone standing on the gunwale, and the gate still shut? Were you there to see what happened next?

Jim said...

Adam,
I think they were hanging back and waiting for the lock to empty itself and open its own gates (no crew on the bank!).