UK Canals - Journey reports

Oxford Canal: Brinklow

Set off with the low early morning sun almost completely dazzling our view ahead.   Very pleased with myself making the left turn at Marston Junction in one go.  Straight through Hawkesbury Junction to the marina and home.

Ashby Canal:Burton Hastings

We had booked a service for the boat with River Canal Rescue (RCR) some weeks ago expecting to be back at the marina.   This was to take place on this date, Thursday, and we are not there.   However, this is of no consequence as RCR can be anywhere, so we have chosen Bridge 16, Nutts Lane Bridge, for this to happen this afternoon.   There was plenty of time to get there from Stoke Golding.   On the way we passed Ashby Boats at Stoke Golding Wharf where Pat dropped off another load of rubbish and shortly after an interesting farm shop (Spinney Bank Farm Bridge 23).   Next time we come we must factor in a visit to our catering plans.  Passing the less than ideal moorings opposite the marina at Hinckley we found the mooring we had spotted on the way up at Nutts Lane.  The strange thing about Hinckley from the canal perspective is that there seem to be no useful shops, only a petrol station near bridge 17 which does sell newspapers.  It's all just one large industrial estate. 

Steve from RCR came at 13:15 with a mate and did a thorough job on the inspection and service.  Of note was a change of first fuel and water trap filter which was contaminated with detritus from the fuel.  The starter battery could do with replacement but otherwise everything else was in good shape.   Of interest was a report on our starter motor which was pretty well seized and no doubt the relay failure was a secondary thing.  Once done we motored on to the mooring we had used before at Burton Hastings which puts us in good shape for a shot at Brinklow tomorrow.

Ashby Canal: Stoke Golding

Up early this morning.  A dark cold damp morning too, with the constant threat of rain.   We made it up to Shakerstone, past the inevitable row of moored boats offside by a field of sheep grazing, and on to a very generous winding hole just on the upstream side of bridge 53.   Then back again, past our old mooring and on to Stoke Golding.   The wind was getting up again but the skies had cleared somewhat by the time we arrived.  We made Stoke Golding in good time and found a good mooring right on the corner by the road.   It's not a good idea to take the shortcut across the field in the dark because of numerous cowpats!  The road is not much further but in total darkness a torch is essential.   The Mango Tree restaurant lived up to our expectations.  A clean simple decor, decent background music,  pleasantly laid tables, and very smart attentive waiters.  The freshly cooked food was excellent and the postprandial coffee even came with cream - the proper way to serve coffee as a tiny spot of cream does not cool the drink and enhances the flavour.  Americans know this, but Brits seemingly not.  So all in all definitely worth a visit.

Back to Congerstone

Returning from home we got to the boat at about 11:30.  The batteries were at "76%" and 12.8 volts so the wind generator had done something, but the conditions were almost calm now.   It looked as if an engineer had been - there was a bolt on the rear seat and the engine had rain drops still on it, but still no start.   A telephone call confirmed that an engineer had indeed attended and taken the old starter motor away.   We learned later that the replacement he had brought was not the correct one, some subtle difference in the length of the gear apparently.  He would be returning around 13:00 with another one.    So we put the fridge on with our new supply of frozen goodies.   Interestingly, the milk we had left Friday before was still good, it was so chilly anyway.   The chap came at about 14:30 brandishing a starter motor.   "Won't be long", he said.   It was getting dark when he finished - working by torchlight.   The new motor would just not work.   It turned out that it was a faulty relay causing this problem, most likely damaged by the faulty motor in the first place.    So at 16:00 the engine fired up and all was well.    Now we are 6 days behind schedule and must return home without too much delay, so tomorrow up to Shackerstone, turn and head for the Indian Restaurant at Stoke Golding.

 

London

With the fridge now off, and being careful with power, our batteries were as good this morning as they were last night, so we dared 45 minutes of water heating - now a luxury.  Triple AAATaxis arrived early for transfer to Atherstone station.   Standing room only all the way to Euston.   We now have an expectation of having the part fitted on Tuesday.   I shall be very interested to see what the battery state is when we return.

Ashby Canal:Congerstone

We haven't gone anywhere!   All set to go this morning.  Pat had even cast off.   Turned the "ignition key" (diesel so there is technically no ignition) and nothing happened.   Fortunately the stern was still at the bank, so a bit of centre rope play and we were moored up again.   Investigation revealed no obvious reason.   The starter battery was up to voltage and all the engine lights and squeaks were normal.   Turning the key produced a click, but no motor.   We have had this sort of thing happen before and it has taken engineers some time to find the cause, the last occasion mud in the relay.   I do not really understand the wiring.  It is different to the diagram in the manual but with many similar features.   Not wishing to fiddle but wishing I knew how to hot-wire the starter, I called River Canal Rescue.  The engineer arrived about 1:30 with his hot-wire in his hand but to no avail.  Conclusion: starter motor failure.   It's the same old problem we have now with the fridge freezer.   No way now to charge the batteries, except for the wind generator, and that is definitely not up to keeping the fridge going. With the sun so low in the sky, the solar panels do nothing.  The expectation was that we would be stuck here over the weekend.  We could turn the fridge off and keep the food in the cratch, but we are out of books, Pat is running out of knitting wool and TV would be out also. I definitely do not want to run the batteries down into the dust.  While we were deliberating over this, the forecast storm hit us with very strong winds.  The wind generator survived, though the guy cables were juddering something scary.  The electrical output peaked at 12 amps in gusts and the batteries were gaining charge in spite of the fridge still running, but of course as soon as the wind dropped it was a different story.   We could keep the boat running on wind power alone, but no fridge and no TV and we like our home comforts, so we will shut the boat up and go home tomorrow

Ashby Canal:Congerstone

After the gloom yesterday, today started bright and sunny.   However, there was a little bit of dithering before starting off because we had a red light.   In Nuggler parlance that means that the toilet holding tank is almost full.  A pity that the boat yard is now behind us and there are no more opportunities to get it emptied ahead of us unless the new marina at Market Bosworth (not in our ancient Nicholson Guide) is now up and running.  Without a telephone signal or internet connection there was no way of finding out, so we took the chance.   It had been windy all night and the wind generator had been singing.  The wind was quite strong this morning too but mostly behind or sheltered by hedges until we reached the marina.    The service pontoon was immediately ahead of the entrance and it was necessary to reverse in to reach the pump-out machine with the outlet on the right side.     The first attempt at mooring was an utter failure, the boat being blown off, so a more indirect approach was necessary by getting Pat off with the boat at right angles to the end of the pontoon, then using the bow rope to hold it round the corner.    One of LeeSan's modern German machines made short work of our large tank and we were soon on our way.    Threatened rain showers then materialised, so we have stopped at bridge 47, a stone's throw from Shackerstone and about 500 yards from the village of Congerstone.   We have just got a telephone signal here but not a whisper of broadband.   Spotting there there was a pub in the village I set off to explore and was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually quite an up-market gastropub.   Worth a visit if you like that sort of thing.

Ashby Canal:Stoke Golding

Another gloomy day!   Nothing really of interest until Hinckley.  There were some suitable moorings after bridge 13 and just before bridge 15 (A5).   Thus far all the bridges have been stone arches with plenty of room, although one or two show signs of subsidence.   Bridge 15 is low as are others in Hinckley.

The A5 Bridge at Hinckley

  I remember that last time we came this way it was a problem for us with the wind generator on the roof.  No longer with the folding fin modification, but it's still a "duck your head" job.   We had expected to be able to buy a newspaper in Hinckley, though easier said than done.   After the A5 bridge huge distribution hub warehouses are apparent.   There are moorings above bridge 16, but there is nothing there.   Round the corner above bridge 17 there are more industrial units in a trading estate with offside moorings (all taken) and rather incongruously a "Brewers Fayre".    There is little in the way of towpath mooring and what opportunities there are on short stretches of piling is either opposite a marina entrance or somewhat shallow.   We moored off one of these sites for a quick walk back to bridge 17 and a nearby petrol station for our paper.    Moving on there was space for two boats before bridge 17A.    Pat found the rubbish drop at Ashby Boats and then we continued on the the good official opposite side moorings after bridge 27.   There is a stile and footpath across a field to join the lane leading to the three pubs, convenience store and post-office.    The White Swan and George and Dragon were closed lunchtime, the latter seemingly open only on Sunday apart from the integral Indian Restaurant open evenings.   The Three Horseshoes opens at 12:00 and serves food.  We had a friendly welcome there with an excellent range of draught ales to boot.   In the evening went to the George & Dragon for a "curry and pint" £7.  So it was open!  The curry actually prepared fresh from the adjacent Indian Restaurant, fantastic.  Makes us want to go back!      One  problem here - there is no internet signal on the boat and telephone is very patchy.

Ashby Canal:Burton Hastings

Rain overnight but just gloomy and overcast this morning.  However it feels warmer.   Darker mornings make our usually early start later.   But we are in no hurry having no target - unusual for us, except that Pat needs cheese.  Ain in delth search of google shows a total dearth of supermarkets near the canal for the next couple of days.  Even Hinkley has possibilities but quite a walk.    There was just one possibility - a Costcutter in the middle of the housing estate by bridge 5 on the Ashby.   So that became our destination.    

Charity Dock, The dry dock is just visible centre left.

On the way we passed Charity Dock, recently a feature by Andrew Denny in one of the waterway magazines.   There's usually something new in the garden of fashion dummies and the dry dock does not look exactly accessible.    Marston Junction came soon after and I was chuffed to make the turn essentially in one, albeit a second of reverse just to slow forward movement at a critical moment.   The secret seems to be to start the turn with the boat almost motionless, and then only in tickover.   Shall have to try this approach when returning.    There are good moorings with rings at Bridge 5.    The shop is up the bridge turning to continue along the road in the towpath side direction, first right, first left and first right again.   A well stocked little supermarket and only 10 mins walk.   The next mooring is after bridge 6 just before the sharp left turn.   Its not official as such, but a good one on piling, so we stopped there.

Coventry Canal:Hawkesbury Junction

This will most likely be the last trip of the year.   The plan is to return to the Ashby Canal just for something to do, but we did enjoy it on our last (first) visit.  The boat does need to be used.  We have visited from time to time to do minor maintenance.  For example as we are now using the solid fuel stove for the first time this winter season it seemed a good idea to check the flue.   I purchased a small flue brush some time ago, but had nothing to attach it to except some redundant plastic pipe.   This worked, but the pipe was not long enough and I was concerned about losing the brush inside if it was not securely fixed enough.   Nevertheless, several pounds of sooty material was retrieved from inside the stove afterwards.  A job well worth doing.   Also it's a good idea to run the engine from time to time to keep the starter battery in good condition if nothing else.

The weather has turned cold and it is really good to be able to run the central heating for an hour or two before we get to the boat.  This is done via our SMS control unit.   Once here we have to spend time transferring all the necessities, food, clean linen and clothes and then the tools and kit for any anticipated work on the boat.   This time I am trying to fit some spongy tape around the underside of the engine deck board to see if this will prevent ingress of rain water.  There is some guttering around the engine hatch which takes the water away, but somehow the water must be either overflowing, or over-topping the gutter by capillary action.   Perhaps the tape will stop that.

We set off at 9:20.   The boat appeared to be very slow and the prop-wash disturbed, suggesting rubbish on the prop.   This seemed to vary so we did actually make reasonable progress in the end.  Pat leaped off the bows at Rose Narrowboats to open the little pedestrian bridge for us, and leaped back on at the stern after closing it.   The canal runs alongside the railway here and the line was quite busy for a Sunday including one incredibly long car ferry train: exports to the continent no doubt.  We expected to have the canal to ourselves, but passed about eight over the four hours it took us to reach the junction.    We had to grit our teeth seeing the sign "Please slow down passed moored boats".     The word that the signwriter should have used is the adverb "past".  However, you could say "I passed moored boats" when that is a verb.  Funny language english!

We passed the stop lock, went past the Greyhound Inn, turned and moored just past the water point.