I was surprised when I got to the Aston Flight to find it closed, as it was being repaired, as there was no intimation of this when we turned under Spaghetti Junction, so had to go back.
As we use these canals often, I knew I could get into the city via the Digbeth Branch, and then we were stopped at Garrison Locks, because of an unsafe building I was told, so were stuck with other boats, and I can tell you none were very happy to put it mildly, talking to them stuck at both ends.
I told the other boaters that as a regular user of the Aston Flight, preferring this to the rickety Garrison Flight, that the Aston had needed some attention for a long time, but was surprised that CaRT chose this time to do it. Another boater told me that they had contractors who wanted regular work, so it was spread throughout the year.
If true then this is a strange state of affairs, but would certainly explain all the stoppages we get in the season that we certainly did not get under British Waterways.
Jake Letheridge