Adrian’s wrist has been getting worse rather than better, so a plan was hatched to visit the Minor Injuries Unit at the hospital in Fazeley. To allow for plenty of waiting time, we thought we’d better get going relatively early today, and Macc must have got the memo because he wanted to go out at 6.15 and then wouldn’t go back to bed. Consequently we were slipping away from our moorings at about 8.10. It had rained overnight, but during Macc’s walk the sky had been visibly clearing, and as we pushed off the sun was making its presence felt.
The next stretch is rather pretty, particularly with such nice skies.
The railway line is very visible across one field, and I noticed on Signalbox that the next train expected north was Euston to Carlisle run by West Coast Railway. I thought it might be something unusual, and sure enough along came a loco hauling InterCity coaches.
We managed to get through all the tricky bridges of Polesworth without meeting anyone, but then a boat was pulling off the moorings as we approached; he went back in while we passed and then set off. There was a brief glimpse of the top of the stack of golden leaves between Polesworth and Alvecote, and then we were going past the marine. It seems the Samuel Barlow pub is open again.
The back gardens of Amington passed surprisingly quickly, and then Glascote Locks came into view. A boat pulled off the moorings right in front of us to go down so I had to hang around while they were on the lock landing. At least a boat was already coming up, so they weren’t there long. They went down and swapped with another boat coming up, a single hander so I worked the lock for him. Then it was finally our turn to go into the top lock.
Yet another boat was coming up the second lock so we could swap in the middle pound, and then there was another one to come up as we went down so everything was very efficient.
It always seems much further than expected between the locks and Fazeley Junction. Adrian and Macc got off for a short time as Macc appeared to be asking for the loo (although actually it seems he just fancied a walk) and then we crossed the aqueduct over the Tame.
Eventually we got to the junction bridge. It was about 11.45 and there was a bus in ten minutes, so Adrian jumped off to get himself to the hospital.
There were a few spaces on the moorings, and I chose one opposite Peel’s Wharf so we’re away from the flats at the junction and the pub, and we have a nice grassy area alongside.
I had lunch and took Macc for a walk along the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, while Adrian texted updates from the hospital. The cafe was closed because there had been a fire alarm, and the staff at the Minor Injuries Unit were apologising that waits were longer than usual because of it. But he was seen within an hour and there was no-one else waiting for an x-ray. That showed that rather than just spraining his wrist, he’s actually broken his arm. It’s the distal radius, so they put it in a temporary half-cast and have referred him to the fracture clinic in Burton.
This means we’ve had a bit of a change of plan. The hospital in Burton is quite close to the canal, so when we get to Fradley we’ll turn right instead of left and hope his appointment comes through fairly rapidly. We’ll get the time back later in the trip; he won’t be able to drive, so a planned trip. Down to the south coast for various appointments and meetings has been cancelled. At least we now know why it wasn’t getting better, it’s being treated, and we have a plan.
9 miles, 2 locks. (235 miles, 153 locks)
Ouch!
I know what it is like have crew with a fracture! ‘She’ fractured her shoulder a while back and it did take all the time they say to heal and then some. At least he should be able to steer into and out of locks quite soon (No DVLA to say otherwise!) That made a tremendous difference from my perspective of doing the rest.