Trent & Mersey Canal:Barlaston

We set off lateer than usual to arrive at Canal Cruising Co, just above the next lock, after 8:30 so that we could get a pump out.   An interesting location as all the buildings look original dating back to the early canal days and the Cruising Co itself claims to be 60 yeaars old.  With such a history you wouldn't expect new fangled equipment like a shiny pumpout machine.  They use a tanker just like at Harefield but whereas most systems use a red handled switching spigot with a perspex viewing ring on the end of their pipes, here they just stuff the pipe in the hole and it worked brilliantly.   We then stopped to drop rubbish off at the next lock and then carried on to the Meaford Flight.  Two C&RT inspectors were checking the locks.  I pointed out how some of the bolts holding the gate collars protrude into the line of the lock scraping boat side if unlucky enough to come in contact.   The first two locks are not aligned and one needs to get the turn going in the lock itself resulting in inevitable contact with the collar.   I noticed how the bolt looks as if it has almost sheared off after many such incidents.   Helped by well timed opposite direction traffic we were soon on our way again.   At Bridge 100 we were hailed to stop by nb Bittern.  They had engine overheating and RCR had suggested they get a tow to Barlaston to facilitate their repair team.   We were happy to oblige and just used a short line to our stern dolly.   With the small rudder as most narrowboats have in contrast to a regular butty, steering is difficult for the towed boat but all went well and we slowed down well in advance and slipped the line to let them coast into the wharf by the bridge and pub.  We moored a feww hundred yards further on.   We never found out what the outcome was.   They had disappeared when I went back later in the afternoon.