Given that we have to be in Stoke-on-Trent early on Sunday there is some pressure to speed up progress. So we left our overnight moorings at 7:00hrs and pressed on. It is, however, difficult to make any real speed over 3 mph, so progress was slow. Nowhere near as slow as Atherstone locks. We joined a queue of two boats at the top, interlaced by upcoming boats. The locks empty fast enough, but filling is as slow as I remember from our last visit. There were so many upcoming boats that closing gates was largely unnecessary. This placed us at the bottom at about 15:30 and with a decision as to how far to go before finding an overnight mooring. I did not want to stop in Tamworth and it seemd unlikely that we would make Hopwas, so Polesworth it was. Good moorings there. We have two questions today like: Why are bridge holes always on bends? (We have had several emergency stops today); Why do BW yards look so derelict? (These appear as prime sites for BW Customer service bases)
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