UK Canals - Journey reports

Stourport

We were promised nice weather today and indeed, eventually it was. However, even though the sun was shining when we left Kinver at 7:20 and was warm when the rays reached the boat, the heavy shade along this canal made the morning still chilly. The wind which we have endured for the last 10 days or so was still evident. We had a clear run through chased by nb Doc, so there was crew to close gates for us. Stopped at Kdderminster for supplies. At Tescos moorings we saw contractors removing shopping trolleys recovered from the canal. Plenty of moorings on the canal above the basin, but it loks as if there is nothing for visitors in the basin itself. The newly opened eastern basin is in water, but unfinishd and building continues on this development. By midday the weather was much warmer and by early afternoon we were settled in the Angel Pub overlooking the river enjoying a few beers. The river level is well in the green, so in the absence of further heavy rain our passage should be assured. Pat made use of the nearby laundry for a service wash, ready tomorrow, so we will not be leaving so early tomorrow.

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Kinver - or Don't forget the pole

Our Saturday overnight mooring with towpath lighting and CCTV security was not far from te top of the Delph 9, so Pat went on ahead. The only problem was that she had forgotten the handcuff key necessary to work the paddles. To her annoyance, all bar one of the bottom gates were open and paddles sill raised in many cases. So our progress was slow - 1 hour instead of the 30 minutes last year. Reaching the Stourbridge 16 the plan was for me to work the locks whilst Pat went ahead preparing the next and helping with gate closures as appropriate. In many of the locks it was possible to close the offside half gate by pulling from within the lock, then getting off to close the other, thus avoiding a potentially hazardous lock jump, or a lengthy walk round. All went well until lock 12. Here the boat grounded in the lock due to a low pound and I had to phone Pat to return to open a ground paddle to flush me out. However, the boat fared no better in the pound itself bumping along on the bottom in tickover until finally grounding firmly on some underwater reef. A call to BW was not particularly helpful as by the time the on call engineer replied jiggery pokery with the pole had swivelled the boat off its pivot and enabled me to push in on over. We were able to get to the next lock and carry on. So far we had seen no other boats moving and it was only on the way to the last 4 Stourton Locks that we passed a plastic boat, and then in the locks, another three. The Staffs & Worcs was much more busy but with no hold-ups we arrived at Kinver at 14:45. Tomorrow we should be in Stourport and will be able to assess the River Severn first hand.

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Merry Hill

As we traversed the New Main Line this morning I thought we really must make the effort to check out all the loops and branches of the BCN some time. We always seem to have a destination in mind and never get to do it. We could after all have taken the Tame Valley Canal to reach Netherton Tunnel, but of course would have missed out Birmingham Centre which we enjoy. We saw no boats moving until we drew near to the entrance of the tunnel when one was just about to emerge. Then another entered the opposite end when we were about a quater way in. That was it. One boat passed us when we were moored up at Merry Hill that makes 3 boats seen moving all day (now four as I write this). As usual the BCN has its generous quota of floating debris and some of it inevitably earmarked for our propellor. Its the juddering of the tiller which irritates me most, but there is also the reduction in propulsive power to consider as some energy is diverted to thrashing the water about instead of producing that nice clean jet from the stern. Mostly the symptoms can be relieved or the problem even cured by a short burst of reverse. I was wondering whether or not to visit the weed hatch before entering th tunnel,but the treatment seemed to have worked so carried on. However, there was a collection of wind blown rubbish just at the entrance and whether or not it was this I do not know, but once we were inside the juddering started again worse than before. So I cut the engine, shouted for a torch, and went down the weed hatch to produce one blue plastic bag. Very eerie exercise in the darkness. At the "Waterfront" development we looked at the secure pontoons, but carried on to the inline ring moorings on the embankment above the shopping centre. The pontoons are book and pay moorings and might be useful if one wanted to leave a boat for a few days. Pat found the large Sainsbury useful and I did some boat maintenance (like touching in paint, brass polishing and such). - Mike ----------------------------------------- Email sent from www.virginmedia.com/email Virus-checked using McAfee(R) Software and scanned for spam

Cambrian Wharf

We set off even earlier than usual today to get an early arrival at Birmingham City Centre hopefully to get a mooring in Cambrian Wharf.  As it turned out there was plenty of room.    Leaving Wiggins Bridge we soon reached the first of the Minworth three locks which was in our favour.   Expecting the same at the next we were pleased to see that a gentleman standing by the lock gate saw us and opened the gate for us.  Seeing the boat name he said; "I know that boat.  I follow your blog!"  After a pleasant chat we went on our way.   Arriving at the bottom of the Aston Locks we set about the climb up to the city centre. As we were leaving the first lock a boat appeared behind and was winding the bottom paddles as I closed the gate.   Pat had of course walkd on by this time.  Hmm, I thought - we are being chased.    As we reached the next lock a cyclist appeared with a windlass  My immediate thought was that was the lock wheeler from the boat behind. But it wasn't.  It was Aidan Matthews, the chap from the second Minworth Lock who had decided to come and lock wheel for us up the Aston Flight.  He said that he often helps Andrew Denny (Hi Andrew if you're reading this) and knew the late Mike Stevens.  What a mine of local information he was, and what a rapid transit. We never saw the boat behind us again.  He needed to get back to work and so left us at the Ason Junction.   Thanks again Aidan.     At the bottom of Farmer's Bridge we found ourselves behind two boats  One that had overtaken us yesterday afternoon and a BW workboat working its way along spraying the vegetation on the walls with weedkiller.   As I approached to stop behind them I took a fleece jacket (it later transpired once removed) on the prop and lost most propulsion and steering. There was a metallic clang as I hit the BW boat gently.    We actually had no delay going up and the BW chaps were kind enough to set the last few locks for us.  The underground section was more tricky that usual as it is a construction site and covered in scaffolding. Even less room than usual.   So, after reaching the top, and taking water, we moored up on the wharfside at Cambrian Wharf.  We like this mooring.   It is just out of the main waterway, away from the central bars and opposite the lock keepers office.   It is also 14 days.   Apart from the nearby "Flapper" bar at the weekends it is quiet.   There is a small convenience store reached round the back of the bar.

Minworth

An easy day in stark contrast to yesterday.  We set off at 7.05 am in anticipation of beating the queues at Glascote Locks.  Had it not been for a boat pulling off the bank head of us just before the locks we would have been first behind a boat going down and one coming up. Leaving the locks we passed 5 boats heading up before Fazeley.  One boater reported a 15 boat queue yesterday, but Pat couldn't hear exactly where. Turning into the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal we stopped at the deserted visitor moorings so that we could get a newspaper.  The B&F was pretty well deserted.  No hold-ups, no queues, moorings available.   We went up the Curdworth Locks in quick time although the wind made hovering around somewhat tricky.  Lack of other traffic gave the opportunity to hold in the lock throats whilst draining the locks.  We decided to stop for the night by the Kingsley Arms as a location not too close to likely bandit problems further on.   Good terrestrial Freeview TV here. It's only about 5 miles from the transmitter and straight down the cut!

Polesworth

Had an uneventful run to Atherstone this morning if one ignores the door that got stuck our bow somewhere and only brought to our attention by an opposite direction boater.  However at Atherstone we found ourselves at the end of a 4 boat queue holding ourselves off the line of moored boats. Pat took the opportunity to nip to the shops and  eventualy our turn came.  However at each lock pound we found ourselves second in the pound behind the preceeding boat and this continued all the way with lots of waiting for opposite direction traffic.   We arrived at the top at 11:00 and left the bottom at 15:30.   We have done Hatton faster - in fact had we gone that way we would now be in Birmingham - not that speed was an issue.   One thing struck me today and that is the grass verge on the towpath, all neatly cut in house by BW.   So why is BW South having so much trouble looking after its verges?
We are now mored at Polesworth - a well maintained mooring.

Sutton Stop

Several long term deferred maintenance problems for British Waterways were demonstrated today.  Firstly the landslip at Brunston Tunnel, worse this week than a year ago.   Secondly and thirdly,two accommodation bridges on the North Oxford, on of which was looking bad a year ago but today looked far worse.  Or perhaps are the bridges the reponsibility of the farmer?

We set ff at 7.30. Pat mostly works ahead and so comes into more contact with other boaters, either pposite directionor ones that we catch up with or are following. Todays batch, she reported, were both inexperienced and ignorant.  Opening bottom paddles with top paddles up and gates still open for example.   We took on some water at Braunston Toll House, then onwards to Rugby.   Lots of traffic on the N Oxford, though we were fortunate at Hillmorton.   We wanted to visit the supermarket at Rgby, but there was nowhere to moor suitable for our disabled passenger.  In the end we backed up to the footings of the footbridge by the water point.  We are trying to gain a day in our plan, so went on the Hawkesbury Junction.  Amost no moorings left there either!

Braunston

Yesterday evening, in the Boat, we chanced on a group of walkers attempting 40 miles along the towpath for a charity event.  They had started at Tring that morning and they were walking like cripples.   One of their obstacles, apart from the distance had be the appalling state of the towpath between Cosgrove and Bugbrooke.  The grass and weeds were over 4 feet high and they said that they had really needed machetes to make easier progress.  Evidently BW must be making economies, but these surely are false.  The cost of getting this under control must be more.
Overnight there was a violent thunderstorm with heavy rain but I was pleased to see that no water had entered the engine bay or side lockers.   Good job I had cleaned the drainage channels the day before.
The day was pleasant enough but marred by a very strong wind making keeping a course difficult between gaps in the hedges and by moored boats.  Increase in speed was needed to keep control.   We decided to stop at Whilton Chandlery for a precautionary pump out.  Then we moved across the cut to have a quick lunch before starting off again.   Whilst waiting a boater moored behind asked if we were going up and could be join us.  Once in the lock together we found out that the other boaters were total novices.   They had literally just taken delivery of the boat!  So there was a steep learning curve for them made very much worse by the wind.  In the second pound he got blown onto the offside and picked up a great deal of weed leading to little propulsive power and pretty well no steering.  Clearly a visit to the weed hatch was needed but he didn't seem to know what that was.  We had a look together and found it - a dry type with four bolts and standard nuts.   He had no tools, having just got the boat.   I have to take my hat off to the guy.  Once clued up he was down there and produced handfuls of weed in no time.   Proceeding on up the flight the wind was obviously giving him a lot of trouble and in the last pound at a particularly exposed section he got blown onto the towpaths side and seemed particularly stuck.   Waiting in the top lock for him we reluctantly decided to go on as we were then delaying other boaters.
Braunston Tunnel has been subject to another landslip at the other end and passage for broad beam boats was now impossible.   We were informed that whilst wet conditions persisted, the bank was too unstable for BW to get onto it to rectify the situation.  In reality, this is not insuperable but must be down to money.
We stopped for the night above the top lock.  No TV, No phone signal.

Stoke Bruerne

It was raining this morning. Pat needed a few last minute items, so we stopped at Wolverton.  The access if via a high metal staircase and mooring rings have been placed on the keyside by the new residential development there.  The canal is running in a canyon overlooked by the massive apartment building(s) on one side and the old railway carriage works on the other.   Used the time while Pat visited Sainsbury to remove some plastic bags from the propellor.   Cosgrove Lock was open for us and we were welcomed by the crew of a small fibreglass cruiser already in the lock and worried about getting a scratch.  I was politely asked to use a rope!    The cruise to the bottom of the Stoke Bruerne flight was used to cook a massive cholesterol laden breakfast which tested the smoke alarm.   Waiting at the bottom of the flight we were joined by Brian and guests, on Yallambie .   So a very pleasant and sociable hour and a bit was spent slowy climbing the flight dodging the opposite direction traffic and waiting for the aforementioned cruiser to clear ahead of us.   The rain had stopped in the meantime and we were lucky to find a mooring with decent TV possibilities.

Great Linford

We have arrived at Great Linford.  Milton Keynes.    Exiting traffic at Linslade Lock gave us a quick locking, but further on at Three Locks Pat needed to fill all of them.   We adopted our usual plan for her to go ahead, open a gate for me, then walk round and secure the opposite gate which will always open due to the piston effect of the boat entering the lock.   I close my gate and then we both walk forward to open our respective bottom paddles.   The boat has been secured to a rear bollard to stop it running forward.   Pat then goes on to prep the next lock while I switch the rope to a centre bollard to stop it running back onto the cill.   When the lock is ready, the opposite paddle is closed and one gate opened and its paddle dropped ready for me to rope the boat out.   If you get the timing right you can close the gate as the boat moves slowly by under its inertia, then walk down the steps and step aboard.

The adjacent pub looks a real mess still.  The "garden" is just a mass of tall weeds, the buildings need a coat of paint and the inside is basic to say the least.   Last time we were here, we had one pint and made a quick exit.  Seems such a shame for this prime location.  In contrast, Stoke Hammod Lock is beautifully maintained with cut grass and flowers.  I noticed that this lock garden is sponsored by Wyvern Shipping  - good for them.    Could not other locks be similarly sponsored?

Leighton Buzzard

An easy one lock and short 1 hour cruise to Leighton Buzzard where we were fortnate to get one of the three visitor moorings near Tesco's store.   There is a lovely stainless steel water point there, but it is not connected.  The real water point is by the sanitary station on the other side of the bridge.   Michael nipped home to get the post and check the garden.  Tomorrow we hope to make Great Linford.

Leighton Buzzard

An easy one lock and short 1 hour cruise to Leighton Buzzard where we were fortunate to get one of the three visitor moorings near Tesco's store.   There is a lovely stainless steel water point there, but it is not connected.  The real water point is by the sanitary station on the other side of the bridge.   Michael nipped home to get the post and check the garden.  Tomorrow we hope to make Great Linford.

Over the Hill

Thus far we have been slowly climbing the Chiltern Escarpment.  Today we reached the top at the Tring summit and descended the steeper section down to Marsworth which we reached by lunchtime.   The day had started with fine rain, but the weather soon cleared although remaining cloudy.    We were very much slow off the mark this morning.   Three Wyvern Shipping boats passed having been previously moored two locks down by the pub.  I recognised them from Bruce Napier's blog as the Incite, Team Building exercise.  Every Wednesday the three boats do Berkhamsted to Leighton Buzzard. They were followed immediately by two boats, one the lone boater from yesterday and the other a private boat not known to us.   Becoming tail end Charlie we were going to have a hard time of it turning all the locks round - and possibly held up by the last two boats.    Well the Wyvern Boats just disappeared of course and so did the others and we settled down to a steady pace alternating with waits for several opposite direction boats.  We were receiving reports from them of the high pressure passage of the Wyvern three with the crew running madly about shouting orders.  Once over the top things speeded up considerably and we stopped short of Grove Lock - our initial objective - as the mooring there is not spectacular and the clean piling below Church Lock was very inviting. 

Church Lock, from the mooring

Pat's Kitchen

Berkhamsted

We set off at 7:40.   The first three locks we were alone, but at Grove top lock we met up with Malcolm and Jane on Court Jester  and continued with them until Berkhamsted.   We quickly estalished the sort of unspoken organised way of working as you do with experienced boaters .  However our progress was marred below Apsley by a rather disorganised single-hander ahead of us.   The boat roof was too cluttered to work single handed in my view and she was not roping the boat in the locks and couldn't understand why it was going all over the place.   After Apsley, another single hander elected to let us go first - he was in no hurry to be anywhere.    Found a good mooring nearly opposite Castle Wharf (near the pubs!).   Castle Wharf looks very derelict now. The dispute over residential development there has been going on for ages, but I understand it is to remain a wharf.   Let's hope it can be restored attractively.

The derelict Castle Wharf

Setting off for Saul

We did our usual early start to miss the London Traffic, then a good bit of rearranging in the boat.  Crew of three.  Pat, Mike and Miriam (aka Grannie).   Must have left something in the waste bin because it stinks.   Also noticed that the grommet/ deck seal for the newest solar panel had broken loose.   We finally set off at 8:15 to find all the locks against us.   No rush though.   Stopped at TESCO Ricky for the inevitable food shop, then just below Lot Mead Lock for lunch.  This didn't take long because we saw a boat coming down, so signalled to them to leave the gates for us.   Our only easy lock of the day.    Quite a few boats moving, but no hold-ups.   We then decided to stop at the Grove rather than carry on to give me time to deal with a few boat jobs including the aformentioned grommet.   This is quite a popular spot to moor.   It's open views of the fields, golf course and hotel on the hill together with the historic Grove Bridge make it pleasant and it is quiet!

Got the TV aerial up with a good digital freeviewfrom the Hemel transmitter and 3G Vodafone for the internet.   Can't be bad.