Oddingley.

No rain, so we took the opportunity to cruise a bit further along through Dunhampstead Tunnel and moored up for coffee just beyond it. Then the sun came out which put us in the mood for a walkabout. We set off down the towpath to seek out Oddingley Level Crossing Keepers Cabin at a junction of the railway over a small country lane. What a quaint little box it was too, a survivor of the old Midland Railway between Gloucester and Birmingham.

 

Passenger and goods trains were quite frequent, but travelling too fast for me to photograph going by the cabin. The crossing is continuously manned in order to lock and unlock the gates. The trains are controlled by lights operated from Gloucester.

   

Crossing over the canal bridge we made our way up to St James Church in Trench Lane. A simple mainly fifteenth century stone church with a lovely carved wooden entrance porch.

Inside there were a few beautifully restored stained glass windows,

and an 1870 brass memorial to the Galton Family of Shelsley Grange. 

This is the lovely view of the church and farmhouse looking up from the canal.