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AMSTERDAM: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE BLACK COUNTRY

Alex Totney


The water glistening in the sun, the horizon portraying fantastic views, the boat chugging along - Amsterdam looks truly spectacular. But we’re nowhere near the Netherlands. We’re in the Black Country, as Alex Totney explains.

Amsterdam is hardly a name one would associate with the borough of Dudley, but to the boating fraternity of the Black Country’s waterways, it is a bye-word for ‘rare’, ‘one-of-a-kind’ and ‘unique’.

Built around 1929 as a working boat, Amsterdam has spent the last eight years in the careful ownership of local man Graham Fisher MBE and, to him, buying a boat like her represents the achievement of a lifelong ambition.

“When I used to draw pictures of my ideal boat as a kid, it would look like Amsterdam looks now,” he says, smiling. His passion is clear to see.

“This is my personal ideal boat.”

Graham also speaks about how privileged he feels to own Amsterdam. She is a one-off, having been converted over the years to provide a living space, though the work done to her since she was built has all been in keeping with her heritage.

To the untrained eye, it may be difficult to understand why Graham is so passionate about Amsterdam - after all, he has owned many boats in the past - but once aboard, it becomes far more obvious.

Looking inside, there is a framed, long, classic, black-and-white drawing hanging on the wall, depicting sailing boats in a harbour with various buildings in the background representing the city of Amsterdam.

There is also a traditional old bell, a stove and, whilst there are the modern-day necessities such as a kitchen, every remaining place is filled with something from yesteryear, from old Havoline motor oil jugs to lanterns.

Her engine will bring a smile to the face of any classic canal boater. With space at a premium on a narrowboat, modern day engines are now much smaller, based on engine blocks taken from the production line of companies better known for their cars, such as Isuzu and Mitsubishi. But this means that the engines fit nicely out of sight below deck, much to the disappointment of the traditionalist.

Amsterdam’s engine, affectionately named Boris, is more than visible, though. In fact, it takes up most of the central part of the boat, with only just enough room for people to squeeze by. Everything is on full display, from cogs to the fly-wheel, cylinders and levers - it is truly a nostalgic engineer’s dream.

Made in France in 1931 by Bodan Moteurs de Marseille, Amsterdam’s twin-cylinder six-litre engine is one of only 10,000 units ever made.

“It is one of the last ones left in existence and, almost certainly, the last one actually in a narrowboat,” Graham explains.

Then, with a smile, he adds: “A monstrous lump with a starting procedure to go with it.”

A mammoth starting procedure it is, too - there is certainly no ‘turn the key and you’re away’ with Amsterdam. A three minute carefully worked sequence is what is required to get her underway.

With his arms reaching out left right and centre, Graham presses, pushes and pulls all manner of switches, levers and handles before adding a bit of oil. Then, carefully monitoring pressure gauges, he pushes a large starter switch. The noise is of biblical proportions and the sound of the giant structure bursting into life makes one wonder if they made ear plugs in the 1930s, but the sound is one to behold.

Eventually, after a few seconds of deafening roaring, Amsterdam settles down to a soothing ‘chugging’ sound which is becoming all too rare on the waterways nowadays.

Today, Graham’s taking Amsterdam on a cruise on three stretches of the local waterways, starting off on the Stourbridge Canal. Leaving her mooring at the Bonded Warehouse just off Stourbridge Town Centre, Amsterdam makes the trip on to the Dudley Number One and Dudley Number Two canals.

The building of the Stourbridge Canal began in 1776, taking three years to complete. As Amsterdam heads uphill and through more than two dozen locks, the traditional gear mechanisms and paddles on the lock gates are clear to see.

The Black Country is an area famous for its industry - one of the most common theories as to how the region got its name is that it originated from the black soot that resulted from the old coal mines, iron foundries, glassworks and steel mills that were once the backbone of the local economy.

Yet, as we meander through the twisting and turning canal network, there is a disproportionate, green, rural environment that would be easily misleading to strangers, almost as if the waterway is trying to hide its industrial heritage.

Eventually, on the boundary of the Stourbridge and the Dudley Number One Canals, Amsterdam climbs the Delph Locks - more traditionally known as the Nine Locks.

It is arguably the most well-known section of canal in the area, but what is less well-known about the Nine Locks is that there are, in fact, only eight.

The original nine ran a few yards to the right of the current line of locks but were rebuilt over 150 years ago. Enthusiastic as ever, Graham can’t wait to impart the story of its history.

Standing on the site of what was the original line of the canal, he explains why they were rebuilt.

“Back in the 19th century, all this area was subject to mining subsidence and eventually mining took its toll - the whole area began to collapse.”

Just yards away, there is a modern-day reconstruction of part of the original locks. Graham leads the way through some trees and into a small wood, where a pool of water can be found, replicating the canal of the past.

Built around a quarter of a century ago, the replica is fascinating as it was constructed specifically to show the effects of the collapse. Because gravity will always keep the water at an even level, the subsidence is clear to see because the waterline is not parallel with the brickwork. The result is a bit like filling a bath and then tipping up the end of it - the water remains flat, but it appears far shallower at the other end.

Standing on some reused balance beams and reclaimed lock mechanisms, Graham explains what he calls an ‘interpretive feature’ of the former section of canal.

“The lock chamber was rebuilt with modern bricks to the same lines as where it subsided to and you can see the crazy angles - the brickworks have sloped in at the walls, dropped at the back and raised at the foot.”

A few yards further up the ‘new’ Delph Locks, there is a bridge and, as he walks across is, Graham describes how some very noticeable indentations in the handrail were actually caused by the wet ropes corroding the steel over time. These ropes would have been attached to horses, which pulled along the narrowboats before engines became the norm in the early 20th century.

For those wanting a contrasting view of the local waterways, the Dudley Canals give a wonderful insight into the past by leaving many historical clues along its path. But this is complimented by modern developments, notably the Waterfront business district through which the canal runs, overlooking the Merry Hill Shopping Centre - one of the largest shopping complexes in the United Kingdom and, as we head towards Netherton, modern housing estates give a taste of future regeneration.

No sooner has the journey seemingly travelled forward in time - it is suddenly thrust back again as we head towards Netherton Tunnel. A tunnel will always be the most wonderful place to hear a narrowboat’s engine because of the echo it produces, not to mention the sensory deprivation that one experiences travelling through the darkness, which adds to the appreciation of the classic sound that Amsterdam produces, as she chugs her way through.

At a mile and three-quarters long, there is some half an hour to sit back and appreciate.

Ironically, whilst witnessing a contrast of old and new, past and present suddenly combine as Amsterdam makes a turn to the right and sounds her harmonious horn, perfectly timed for a train to thunder past on its way towards Birmingham.

It was the link with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal that resulted in the Dudley Number Two Canal being commissioned in 1793 and, as we head further towards Dudley, we near journey’s end.

Graham steers Amsterdam to the entrance of what appears to be another wonderful time warp - the home of Dudley Canal Trust.

Looking as if the last half a century has somehow passed it by with its historical buildings and layout, even some of the workers are dressed up in the typical style of the mid-20th century.

The trust was originally established in the early 1960s, originally to fight the proposed closure of the Dudley Tunnel. Although it lost its battle, it later successfully lobbied to have the tunnel re-opened and now welcomes around 100,000 visitors a year, protecting what its members proudly call a “piece of industrial heritage”.

Amsterdam is registered with British Waterways as a genuine, bona fide historic vessel. There are so many ways in which one could try to describe what she means.

Graham, though, has realised that to explain her, it’s a case of ‘simple is best’.

Smiling appreciatively, he declares: "She’s unique. She’s mine. And I love her."

And how fitting that we should end our journey at a canal trust that serves to protect industrial heritage.

For Amsterdam is yesteryear’s epitome.

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