UK Canals - Journey reports

Osney Bridge

As usual, we had the canal to ourselves for the first few locks.  At Heyford the boaters were stirring.  We passed a hire boat with four elderly gentlemen busy round the boat with mop to hand.  "Last of the Summer Wine" came to mind.  Meeting other opposite direction boaters at locks many were asking if we had seen this boat.  Seemingly they were slow but had obviously created a big impression.  As had the boat ahead of us, seemingly impossibly slow.  We caught up with this slow boat above Bakers Lock, and they invited us to go first, thankfully.  Pressing on we decided to go for Osney Bridge.  Thrupp was full and there is nowhere decent after that.  A long day again, but we moored up on nearly deserted moorings at 16:50.

Aynho Wharf

We are, as you've probably guessed, making our way back to our moorings at Harefield via Oxford and the Thames.  Teddington is a pinch point because of the tides, so we have put this into the Canal Planner and come up with 8 days at 9 hours per day.  Actually, this should get us to Brentford if all works out nicely.   Normally we reckon to travel faster than the Canal Planner predicts if we have locks with us and no hold ups.  So today we were a little surprised that with a clear run down the Claydon Flight and no hold-ups to Aynho, we were exactly to plan.  The weather was sunny intervals with little wind.  We stopped at Banbury briefly to get some shopping, but that's it!  Manicured visitor moorings at Aynho are sparse with only room for about 4 boats opposite the boatyard and two on the otherside of the bridge.  Masses of permit only moorings of course.  Good Freeview from Oxford.

Fenny Compton

At Cutweb we were moored on the bank with a couple of boats breasted up against us. After extricating the boat with the help of our neighbours from the raft, I set off for the first of Stockton locks under the bridge and round the corner.   Pat had gone ahead but was just beginning to empty the lock.  A Canaltime that had set off 3/4 hour earlier had left a top paddle partly up and the pound above was quite low.  The BW lengthsman was sending water down and checking the flight.  Two more of our group, nb Levick and nb Pilgrim were following.  The BW lass had opened the first few gates for us and our friends were happy to see us out of the lock so we made rapid progress.  With Pat roving ahead we soon became independent and managed two opposite directions without hold up.  At Calcutt, Levick joined us. The canal seemed quiet and we were looking forward to a seamless climb of Napton Locks, but this was not to be.  We were quickly up the first lock, but then found ourselves behind another boat in the pound above and it stayed that way to the top.  At each lock opposite direction boats were either descending or waiting.  Mostly private boats, it seems that it was very busy yesterday and a good number thought it would be clever to "wait at the top until the morning".   It appears that to many had the same idea.  By the time we reached the top the rush had died down and we passed only a few boats all the way to Fenny Compton arriving there at about 16:10.   Time then to get a bottle of milk from the pub shop and for me to put some rust treatment on more rust spots appearing on the roof.  A good freeview TV by the way from Sutton Coldfield.

Up early and before others had appeared I started to polish the boat and finish dealing with some largish rust patches that had appeared on the roof.  Pat set to making a batch of samosas for communal lunch which inevitably involves a production line, one making, one deep frying.  Our numbers were swelling with road arrivals and by the afternoon there were about 30 present.  Our afternoon event was samba band training.  The Cutweb Samba Band was due to perform later that evening (if we only had known!).  Loony of course, but great fun, just like a load of school kids having band practice.  The weather was kind again, and after our banging and bashing session (ear plugs provided) we enjoyed tea with masses of cakes of all shades and sizes on tables set up round the lawn.

The evening began with a performance of "Mary Rose - A boat of Ill Repute" by Kate Saffin, herself a boater.  Then a magnificent buffet and our usual raffle but this time speeded up with prizes predetermined.    Finally the samba session.  Goodness knows what our audience really thought!  We enjoyed ourselves.

Calcutt Marina Rudder Repairs

After a bit of a lie-in and a cooked breakfast I followed up our discussions yesterday and phoned Calcutt.  After a very brief phone call an appointment was made for about 75 minutes later to fit in between two boats having blacking done.  We duly arrived and the problem was checked by one of the senior engineers and I went off to register at the office.  My cake was waiting!  Half an hour later the boat was up on the slipway.  As the picture shows, the rudder stock was bent.  All attempts to separate the rudder using the sledge hammer failed, so the gas torch was used to heat up the bent bit and a couple of whacks with the hammer had it back in line.  All in all an hour and a half later we were on our way. I have to say that I was very impressed with the whole operation.  The office communicates with the marina staff by radio.  As soon as the boat was in the water, I had walked to the office. The invoice was waiting and by the time I returned the second boat was already up on the slipway being washed down.   We then called our friends to say we were on our way and on arrival at the top of Stockton Locks a posse was waiting and we shot down to Blue Lias in 30 minutes.  What a team!

 

Cutweb Rally

A real lie-in this morning. Pat went off to visit the small convenence store in the housing estate reached through the hedge two locks down and I washed the side of the boat available on the bank. Then a very pleasant day chatting over coffee, scones clotted cream and stawberry jam, then wine and beer as more members arrived and the boats started to be rafted out. A pleasant meal in the pub in the evening.

Bridge 18 Rendezvous

We tootled down to Calcutt Top Lock and moored at the water point.  As we needed gas, a recce showed the Wharf at Calcutt Marina, one lock down, to be clear, so once the water tank was full we went down.  Very friendly and helpful service, so we took diesel at the same time.  I got tangled up in the obscure calculation necessary to make a declaration for HMRI and left behind a cake that I had bought at the same time.   Too much going on!   Leaving Calcutt, we locked down to find nb Pilgrim waiting shortly joined by tug Levick and we proceeded to our rendezvous by Bridge 18.  Lunch, and afternoon of chat and a barbecue followed, joined by nb Goosander.  Chatting over a drink I explained my problem with the rudder and was advised to give Calcutt a try as they have a slipway and can get boats out and back in very quickly.   Better than having to use a crane as I was expecting at Uxbridge.

A broken alternator belt

The wind is getting up, but otherwise looks like a decent day in prospect.  Pat went off to get some last minute items from Tesco while I took advantage of the last decent mobile internet signal for a week before we left.  In one's mind's eye, Hillmorton Locks are not very far, but in reality it is quite a long cruise.  So when we arrived there, things were on the move.  At the second lock pair Pat chose to wait for a boat coming down and got chatting to a couple from Australia who had just started their first narrowboat experience with Black Prince and, to quote, hadn't a clue how to proceed down the locks.  They were moored up near Blue Haven Marina and had walked down to see what was in store and how to work the locks.  We were soon at the top and carried on in the strengthening wind facing opposite direction traffic at regular intervals.  Reaching Braunston Turn we were faced with a boat manoeuvering with difficulty in the wind and had to slow, then being blown wrong side to take the turn.  This resulted in a burst of high revs which set an engine alarm off.  We stopped just after the turn to investigate and found the reason for an odd tapping noise that had occurred shortly before.  The alternator belt for the small alternator had broken.  So we moved forward to a more sensible mooring and had lunch.   This allowed the engine to cool a bit and within the hour I had the spare belt on.  We carried on and finished up about half a mile before Napton Junction,in good situation for our destination tomorrow.

Hawkesbury Junction

No crises today then!  We were first up Atherton Locks and had the benefit of the help from descending boaters for the last five.  I discovered the working side pond at lock six and it actually works.  The pond was at bywash level when I opened the paddle and actually dropped a foot filling the first half of the lock. It might have dropped more, but Pat had already opened one top paddle.   Pressing on, without overdue haste, we reached Hawkesbury Junction by 14:30 and found a mooring on the Oxford side just being vacated by another boater.   And I made the turn in one!

Polesworth

Woodend Lock was our first target for today.  We were first in line again to our surprise although again had to wait for an upcoming boat.  Chatting at the lockside we were reminded that this was the weekend of the Huddlesford Rally. The skipper told us of his experience passing through yesterday. Boats went on for "miles" and there was only a seven foot passage left for passing boats.  The two locks at Fradley gave us no trouble and we were off up the Coventry before long looking forward to momentarily joining the rally.  It was nowhere near as bad as portrayed, although slow, the only contentious bit was at the junction itself from where President was moored, in steam, smelling as nostalgic as ever, to about 100 yards past the junction where working boats seemed to feature. Groups of participants gathered at intervals with chairs on the towpath reminded us of our own gathering next weekend.  We are glad, though, to be ahead of our plan now, for tomorrow many will be leaving and Atherstone Locks will be a nightmare!  From Huddlesford Junction we pressed on and reached Fazeley (more shopping and a water fill) before tackling Glascote Locks.  No queue here either.  Strange, but probably the Rally we passed earlier was acting as a filter.  So Polesworth looked like a possible overnight spot.  The good moorings there were basically full, and as TV reception there is poor, due to the nearby hill in spite of being only 9 miles from Sutton Coldfield transmitter, we carried on monitoring the signal as we went using our short stub aerial.  Good digital signals were received just before the railway bridge, so we had our mooring on some decent piling.  17:00 hrs and a good day's cruise.

Rugeley and Armitage Tunnel

Haywood Junction is always a busy point on the network.  It's a popular mooring place and the discrete locks mean that queues are very likely.  So although we would not normally see moving boats until 8:30, we met out first opposite direction boat at Hoo Mill Lock, our first lock of the day.  Passing Haywood Junction itself we passed nb Sanity on the way to the Braidbar Boats open day next weekend.  We were first in line for Haywood Lock but had to wait for the first of a queue to lock up.  At Colwich Lock we were third in the queue, then we had a free run to Rugeley where the supermarket beckoned.  We considered staying there the night as we are well ahead of our schedule, however, noise from a nearby building site put us off, so we moved on to a spot just before the Armitage Tunnel and enjoyed a pleasant afternoon in the sunshine.

Weston Lock

Just under an hour saw us at the top of Stoke Locks.  We had them all to ourselves except the last where there was a queue waiting to come up.  We took our turn and then began the first of the long pounds to the first of the sporadic locks.   Pat wanted some shopping which she got at Burlaston, but we were overtaken by a green Stone hire boat and when we reached the top of Meaford Locks this boat was still waiting.  Oak and Ash, the Reed Hotel Boats were in the process of negotiating the locks.   The "Guvnor"  got them into the lock between his motor and the following butty.  We just watched with interest.   Finally our turn came just as a pair of BW types appeared probably doing an inspection.  I screwed up big time as one always does when being watched, as the boat was left in tickover reverse and the rudder caught on the cill, knocking it out of the skeg and probably bending it as well.   Good thing we know that the boatyard couldn't get it off when they attempted to change the bearing, so there is little danger of it dropping off now.  This will probably be an expensive mistake!  At least we can still steer the boat OK, though it needs a little more skill!   We carried on through Stone, "Birthplace of the Trent and Mersey Canal", so the sign informs us.  Finally coming to rest below Weston Lock.  Pat is now busy preparing a Bolognese from scratch.  Good Freeview here.  

 

Harecastle tunnel

We are aiming to be at a barbeque near the Blue Lias on Wednesday.   Nick Atty's Canalplan software tells me that we need to do about 9 hours per day to get there, however, we have three hours in hand as the clock starts ticking today.  We left Macclesfield at 7:05 and reached Bosley Top Lock at 9:15.  A hire boat which had leap-frogged us at the Royal Oak Swing Bridge was ahead, but with opposite direction traffic now and then we were not delayed.  Reaching Harecastle North at 15:00 we had to wait for 30 minutes and then we were off again.  Just as we went into the tunnel something seemed not quite right with the prop and I was convinced that we were going slower than usual for the given rpm.   Come what may we got to the stop sign at the end in 35 minutes, well ahead of a single hander "pop-pop" boat with smoky exhaust that followed us in.   Stopping to examine the propellor when we came out I found that the weed hatch cover had become loose.   We have a "wet" weed hatch so this is of no risk to flooding, but does affect the performance.   Pressing on we found a mooring at Westport Lake Park, so we have done nearly an hour extra, but are actually now nearly 8 hours ahead of schedule.   Soon we qualify for a day off!

Back on the boat - Macclesfield

We rejoined the boat after 10 days back in London, arriving early afternoon.  We met up with the owner of the boatyard to discuss the work that had been done and moved the boat to the water point.  When all was settled, we set off for Macclesfield, desperate really for some provisions as the larder had been cleared when we returned home.  The canal is shallow and speed was slow.  There was the niggling thought that there was rubbish on the prop slowing us down, but it was never bad enough to motivate me to stop and look.   We finally reached Macclesfield at about 19:15 and were surprised that there appeared to be plenty of moorings.  Our target was Tesco, down the hill and much further away that we had remembered.  So with a huge weight of shopping, it was a taxi back whcih the store arrnaged for us and was quick to arrive.   So back on the boat we settled down to a pizza supper, bottle of red and a reasonable TV picture on the stub aerial.