UK Canals - Journey reports

Stratford and beyond

Late last night, a boat arrived from the north so there was a good chance that I might have more luck with the locks.   Locks on the Upper Avon Navigation are more standardised that the Lower Navigation.  The gates are substantially made all of steel and are heavy to move. The lock-gear is simple and well engineered.  I heard that the assemblies come from France.  So to be able to cruise straight in to the lock is a bonus.  Many more bollards are provided and right on the lock edge which makes access from the boat much easier, so I settled down into a now well rehearsed routine.   It was interesting to notice that nearing locks the channel would narrow and the current increase markedly, so that much more power was needed to maintain way.   Approaching the last lock before Stratford a remnant of recent floods was half obstructing the channel, a narrowboat with its stern on the bank.   Fortunately, that lock gates into Bancroft Basin were also open, so within a short while I was up off the River.   The Royal Shakespeare Theatre is undergoing major refurbishment and looks a mess.   Similarly the lawns aroud the basin are all cleared and a major redesign is underway with more paths, so for the moment there is no pleasure in staying there.  Taking the chimney down I pressed on under the low bridges to the first (narrow) lock.   No more need for the ropes, but what is the boat going to do when I open the top paddles?   On this canal the locks appeared docile, no rapid movement of the boat.  With a boat behind waiting, there is often help available for silly little tasks like closing gates, so I was able to walk up to the next lock and prepare it to get a head start on the one ahead.  Even single handed I could then keep well in front and not feel that I was delaying the boater behind.  However, at the bottom of the Wilmcote Flight there was a mess of boats ahead some going up, some coming down, but not synchonised in a sensible way so long delays.   Ideally opposite direction boats should just cross in the intervening pound, not have to moor up between each lock.   Towards the top, help was forthcoming from a friendly BW lengthsman ostensibly involved in hedge trimming.  Contnuing on I passed over the scary Edstone Aqueduct and through Wooten Wawen and stopped for the night almost at Lowsonford.   A swarm of opposite direction hire boats in the last hour suggested that I would have a good road in the morning with every chance of making Hatton in good time.

The River Avon

I had planned this part of the trip in my head from recollections of previous trips.  Evidently my recollection was wanting, for I had promised to pick up Pat at Hatton Railway Station on Friday morning.  Today was Wednesday.  It was dawning on me that I had better get a move on, so a 6:00am start saw me on the way.  The river level was "in the green" and the flow (as I was going upstream) not bad because I could easily maintain 4 mph, the speed limit, on 1400 revs. However, how would I be able to deal with the Avon Locks single handed?  The rules on the Lower Avon are that both gates should be opened and the boat roped up fore and aft.  Fortunately at the first lock, Strensham, I had help from a small cruiser moored nearby, once I had moored below on the awkwardly sited lock landing and opened the gates.  As there are no steps up from below, the only way is to enter slowly, throw the stern rope up, then get on the roof with the centre rope and get up the lock ladder with it to secure the boat initially.  Then the stern rope can be tied off to the bollard and a further trip down the lock ladder will retrieve the bow rope to tie off.   The top gate paddles a quite vicious and there is no way to control the boat without adequate lines.  Thanking my helpers I carried on.  The handbook provided by the Lower Avon Trust gives lots of useful information including diagrams of approaches to all the locks with navigational hazards explained, so I was ready for the odd ground paddle on the other side of the lock island at Pershore.  There were short relationships with other boats, but in essence, all the locks were against me, a shame really, because the other rule is that both exit gates are left open.  It was becoming evident to me that progress on the water was slower than progress in my mind.  Evesham was reached at 15:00hrs and I was only halfway up the river.   Such a shame that I was in such a hurry, this journey really deserves a couple of weeks.  I decided that I would stop at 19:00hrs wherever.  So, just past Bidford, I moored up at Elsie and Hiram Billington Lock on the overnight moorings.  I didn't take long to heat up the remains of yesterday's chili and I retired to bed early anticipating another long day in the morning.

The Journey Home - Day 1

I would be alone for the present, Pat having a bad ankle sprain, so having telephoned the Gloucester Lock Keeper to ascertain the state of the river, I winded the boat (actually winded, letting the bow swing round in the strong wind) and set off for Gloucester once again.  A call to Llanthony Bridge and the lock-keeper were dealt with promptly ad I was on the River Severn again.  It must have been running at about 1 - 1.5 mph because I needed 1700 revs to maintain 4 mph which I estimated would get me in to Tewkesbury at about 5 pm.   The problem with the Severn, other than its tendency to flood, is that there is very little to see but the high banks.  Wainlode Hill and the pub at Haw with its modern bridge are just about all there is to break the monotony until the massive Upper Lode Lock, but then one is almost there then.  No crew to make cups of tea for the helmsman.  A call ahead to the resident lock keeper of the Avon Lock at Tewkesbury ascertained that the lock would be ready for me and he could arrange a mooring (£3).   All that remained was for me to buy the licence for me to be on the River (£50).   A quick visit was made to the local Somerfield supermarket to buy a few essentials and an early night for an early start in the morning.

Rea Bridge

Whilst cruising the canal we had spotted tidy moorings at Rea Bridge.  The grass was cut and there was space, so this is where I took the boat.  As a bonus (for some) there is a Tesco store a 10 minute walk away.  As a further bonus there is the bridge keeper who obviously keeps an eye on things in the day time.  I secured the boat with some chains to the angle iron which is ubiquitous on the top of the piling on this canal.  It was a nice warm day and I had just set a chair out on the grass with a can of beer and reading the newspaper when Oliver Cromwell came by.  I guess this is the largest vessel regularly operating on the canal - a mock stern wheeler used as a hotel boat.   The draw from its passage broke the bow chain (actually an old dog lead) and the bow swung out.  Easily rectified, but only because I was watching.  I reverted to two stakes and a proper spring line with a further centre high tensile locking wire on the centre!   

Abingdon

Yesterday we moved the boat from the Prison Loop to Reading Bridge so that we would have a clear getaway today with two less locks to negotiate, because we would have around 27 miles to cover to Abingdon.   So this morning, at 6:30 we set off and one hour later arrived at Mapledurham Lock to do a self service winding job. This went well and WHitchurch lock likewise.   Time for bacon rolls!   Thereafter we had serviced locks.   By Cleeve Lock the weather was not getting any warmer but out came the canapes and Pimms anyway.   We tried the trick of lighting the stove with the experience that this brought the sun out, but this didn't work either.   So we were surprised to reach Abingdon at 15:30 and get a good mooring by the bridge.  We had time then for an exploration of the town and the French Market as well as reconnoitering for the evening meal.   We tried "Broad Face", expensive but not disappointing.

Rest Day

Our mooring, quiet though it was had one disadvantage.  It was under a horse chestnut tree and occasional falls of conkers during the night woke us from time to time, one hitting the mushroom like ringing a bell.  There is convenient access to the railway station and Pat left at 11:00 for her day trip to Orpington.  I remained to do some cleaning and then in the afternoon, take the boat to the Thames & Kennet Marina for fuel and water.  This oinvolved passage of Blakes Lock, unmanned going down, and the whole exercise took two hours.  Pat returned at 18:30 and we repaired to Wetherspoons for Curry Club.

The Abbey adjacent to the moorings

Reading

We only had three locks to negotiate today, so a leisurely start at 8:00 am.  Dodging a few isolated rowers we soon arrived at Marsh Lock and the task of working the lock ourselves by winding a large wheel to generate the hydraulic pressure to operate the gates and sluices.   The top gates were open and the sluice too, so lots of action to deal with those before moving to the other end to drain the lock and open the gates.  As we set about that, a cruiser appeared in the distance and reached the lock just as I had the gates open.  It seems that the skipper had no idea that we were doing this ourselves and thought Pat was the lock-keeper.  25 minutes from beginning to end.   By the time we reached the next lock is was, of course, manned being after 9.00am.   Arriving at Reading we were pleased to find a mooring outside Tesco supermarket.   Usually they are full.   There was much debate about where to stop for the three nights we Will need to stay here.  Pat has to go to London as do I and we are meeting friends on Friday evening to join us to Oxford. In the end we settled for the Prison Loop (pictured) on the River Kennet, one lock away but reasonably quiet.  As the name suggests, the mooring is by the Reading Jail - and the Abbey ruins.  There is quite a stream running on the Kennet which makes manoeuvering interesting!

Henley

A long day anticipated.  A sort of test really as we will need to try and do Reading to Abingdon on Saturday with our guests.  So we left at 7:15 and did Old Windsor Lock ourselves.  This is push button automated and the gates were already open for us.  As we were in the lock a bunch of Environment Agency Maintenance men arrived with wet suits to inspect the local weirs.   On to Romney Lock where we just beat the lock-keeper to open the gates.  We had no real delays until the small Bray Lock where only two plastic cruisers ahead of us could get in.   Weather wise we still had the chill wind and decided to light the fire, partly to induce the sun to appear, which it duly did.   By Marlow it was shirt sleeves.   There were plenty of moorings at Henley, but the warden was waiting and got our £6 very promptly.   Supper in the Wetherspoons in the main street.      TV reception analogue only, though how much the damaged aerial is the problem I cannot say.   There is a free WiFi here.

Runnymead

The meteorologists promised us a fine day, but high cloud kept the sun off (so much for global warming) and the chilly north wind was not at all pleasant.

We took about an hour to get to the first lock at Hampton Court.  There was little traffic on the move, so no real lock delays from then on.  At Staines we found a mooring to allow Pat to get off to buy a paper and very soon we were at Runnymead where there are decent public moorings for overnight.   Tomorrow we will make for Henley

On the move again

We are now on our way to a CUTWEB gathering at the Blue Lias pub (again).   Our route is the reverse of our trip there in April, i.e. Thames Oxford Canal and back via GU.   The tide at Brentford today was suitable for a 17:00 hrs locking out, so we left Harefield early, at 7:30, treated ourselves to a cooked breakfast at the lockside cafe by Cowley Lock and then a quick shopping expedition to Tesco at Bulls Bridge to stock up of essentials.  We paired up with Alan & Pam on nb "Dawn Chorus" for the Hanwell Flight and arrived at Brentford in good time to get tideway preparations done.   A few boats had gone down the gauging locks ahead of us, so we lingered a bit knowing that we would otherwise only be held up hovering in the wind above Thames Lock.  As it was we arrived just in time to join the last boat, nb Ataraxia, and set off up River on a 7.1m tide.  There  had been some sunshine earlier, but out on the River, the wind was very strong and a coat needed.  I wanted to give the engine a bit of an exercise, so wound it up to 1800 rpm and we were in Teddington in 40 minutes, joining the earlier Brentford Lockings in the lock. (Later, the washing up water was so hot it must have been near boiling!). Paying our £5.50 to the lock-keeper, we found a space on the new Teddington moorings and settled down to a night on the telly.    Unfortunately, it has to be reported, that one of the aerial reflectors fell off into the water.   No sign of the bottom, so that's that!   Good digital TV from Crystal Palace and 3G phone.

Teddington

Not far to go today and we need diesel to be safe for the tidal river.   We would look stupid to run out although we have enough in theory to get back to Harefield.  So .. we delayed leaving until 9:00.  Before we left the first canoe came past.  Pat said it looked like army chaps with backpacks, so something serious.  As we found out later it was the Devizes to Westminster Canoe Race and they must have been the leaders.  We went into Shepperton Marina for diesel as all the other yards we passed had boats moored in front of their pumps and this would have made manoeuvring tricky with the fast flowing river.   As it was, Shepperton Marina is tricky too.  A narrowboat has to reverse between a gauntlet of expensive looking cruisers to get to the diesel pontoon and there is just enough room to turn between all the closely moored boats.   Do not try this on a windy day!    By Kingston we were starting to see the main body of the canoeists passing us.  Some were looking decidedly tired.  The seniors race non-stop and this is the longest continuous canaoe marathon in the world.   We stopped at Teddington, paid our overnight mooring charge to the lockkeeper and arranged for a locking out in the morning.

Staines

As we made preparations to leave our mooring, the sun was a red ball in the sky above an almost grey scene of the footbridge framing Temple Lock approach.   There was a thin mist rising from the water.  Needless to say when we got to Temple Lock it was a wind up self service job completed in 15 minutes. (For the novice by way of explanation: Thames Locks below Oxford are all hydraulically operated, gates and paddles. Although some have been converted to push button powered use out of hours, many still have the power switched off in the absence of the lock keeper and the only way of using them is to generate the necessary hydraulic pressure manually winding a large wheel).  Marlow, our next lock promised to be the same but as we approached, we saw a large cruiser moored on the only easily usable lock layby, but the gates were just being wound open obviously not just for us.  So we got cheeky and went straight in, noticing a small one man launch just in front of the lock.  Today's quiz!  Which boat belonged to the man winding open the gates?   The massive multilayered cruiser, or the tiny launch?  Clue: the man was wearing a life jacket.  Yes, of course.  It was the tiny launch and he was shortly joined by a rowing four and two singles.  We did our bit on winding the handle and continued our lonely journey down the river.  Only at Bray lock did another boat join us and by Windsor (Romney Lock) almost full lockfuls were coming up, but again just two of us going down.

 

Romney Lock. A load coming up!

We were warned that Bell Weir Lock might be closed due to "an incident" but this came to nothing.   Having booked Monday morning to enter the canal at Brentford we planned to stop at Runnymead, but the moorings were full, so we continued to Staines and found a spot in the bushes just below the Swan Pub.  We are making good time as there is quite a stream running on the river and the GPS indicates that we are easily maintaining 5 mph (the river speed limit) on canal type power settings.  The cruisers always overtake, so must be going faster, but then they have to be seen to do so or lose face.

Plain sailing

We left the moorings at 07:40.  Departure was a little tricky because of the current, the fact that we were partly aground - the river had dropped slightly overnight - and the bows were some 10 feet away from the bank.  We detached all mooring ropes and stowed the pins.  Then I stood on the bank securing the boat with the stern rope while Pat put into reverse tickover.   This dislodged the bows and turn them into the stream and at the appropriate moment I slithered aboard.   We arrived at Cleeve Lock about 10 minutes before opening time, so took on water but by the time we had finished the lock keeper had not arrived, so we used the newly fitted electric controls and worked it ourselves.   The trip then on was uneventful.  Wanting to stock up on provisions we aimed for Tesco at Reading.   For an important shopping opportunity like this the moorings are poor and could be vastly improved.  We had to wait for a space.   Tesco was heaving and not very pleasant.  Pressing on we experienced a mass of gongoozlers at Marsh Lock.   There was a steady stream of onlookers walking up the path on the opposite side.  "Its always the same when the sun comes out", said the lock keeper.   There is a pleasant mooring below Hurley Lock (£3) which we aimed for.  Otherwise there is not a lot that I know of until Maidenhead.   We have booked Brentford for Monday morning 7.30 tide.

Wallingford

A cold and frosty morning with blue sky and promise of a warmer day welcomed us.  Pat walked off to prep the lock and I started pulling the stakes.  Just as I pushed the front of the boat off I saw another boat approaching in the distance.  We were down and away by the time it arrived, but we must have spoilt their day.  At Dukes Lock the boat Manitee that we had followed last evening was just entering the cut.  They told Pat that they moored at Trupp normally, but were escaping the bank holiday mayhem that they said was the norm there.  We followed and down Kings Lock.  Godstow Lock was unattended, but the Kings Lockkeeper drove round to work it for us.  Very helpful.  There was a very strong stream through Osney which made mooring just below the bridge a little difficult, but we made it in the end.   Pat bought a few essentials and we carried on, now behind an ownerships boat on the way to change crew at Devizes.  Cudham Lock is quite deep and has large gate paddles.  It was the end of lunch hour and the lock was empty apart from a small narrowboat which had just come in and the gates were being wound closed.  Our crew moved in to help, but there was a lot of high pitched shouted instructions and counter instructions being shouted from the helm to the poor chap on the lockside.  I opened the ispilateral paddle a bit and after a short while was asked to open it more.  When the lock was half full, the helmswoman must have lst control in the swirling water because the boat started running forward and there was a lot of panicky shouting.  The chap on the lockside dropped his rope at the bow and rushed back to help, but this made matters worse.  There was just enough rope for me to hold the boat on the front bollard and bring it to a stop before it hit the top gate.  There was no way that the paddle could be closed in time to make any difference.
By lunch time it was getting warm and by 2 pm it was shorts and beach wear.  Lots of folk were out picknicking and walking and the kids were out enjoying the sun.  Wallingford seemed our best overnight destination, but the left bank moorings were taken and we were left with the dodgy spot below the bridge.  An anchor provided extra security, but moored right on a sloping bank, would the level drop overnight?

Fallen Trees

The morning dawned fine and the wind was now just a pleasant breeze.  So after breakfast I upped stakes and set off for Harefield.    There was one tree down below Cowley Lock, but not obstructing the canal enough to stop a narrow boat.  A full size gravel barge might be another matter.   Cowley Lock bottom gates were ajar, so no problem there.   Uxbridge was the same, but no sign of the gravel traffic which I would have expected to pass by now.   Exiting Uxbridge Lock and turning the corner the reason was clear.   A large tree was down across the canal with its topmost branches reaching the towpath side.  Orange HiViz coated men appeared to be at work, but from a very small boat low in the water.   As I got closer, I recognised the boat.   It was Arundel, the working narrowboat fully laden and low in the water and straddling the canal - the stern had been hidden by the tree trunk from a distance.   I recognised Richard, the helmsman and one of the usual broadbeam barge team and they were hacking at the branches with a small saw trying to make a passage.   Much of the obstruction was, of course, below the water and inaccessible to them.  It seemed that if I could get into the heart of the tree with Nuggler, it might be possible to saw the larger branches and then drag the resulting pieces out with the boat itself.    This proved successful and a path was cleared, however, Arundel was well and truly stuck across the flow with the stern into the offside bank.   No amount of pulling on the stern from the towpath using a long rope would work.   Richard suggested getting a rope bow to bow and using my boat to pull Arundel off.  It worked, but only after about a dozen run back and snatches.   We were both on our way, but no chance for the braodbeams.   They would need the full tree recovery.    Between there and Denham deep lock I met Peter on "Serenity" and Sarah on "Alice".   Sarah is a pretty good signwriter by the way.  She has done a beautiful job on her boat.  Once back at Harefield, the job of sorting the re-winterisation kept me busy for a few hours bfore returning home at the end of an exiting week.

Limehouse to Cowley

The weather for the next few days does not look good.  Heavy rain and increasing wind is forcast for Wednesday and the wind is set to increase with storms and heavy rain on Thursday.  Our intention was to be home early on Thursday, but we cannot leave Limehouse early enough - due to availability of water at Thames Lock Brentford - to make Harefield in a day.   As the likelyhood is that weather will be to bad to travel on Thursday (that's a personal thing, just that I have had bad experiences single handed in strong winds before), we decided that if our guests, Rosie & David, could help us up Hanwell then they and Pat could leave at Hayes and I would travel on alone not being under any pressure  to make a deadline.

So Wednesday dawned windy and wet with torrential rain just before we called up for the locking out.  Heavy wet weather gear was called for and proved necessary as the rain continued for two hours.  There was very little traffic on the river save a couple of catamarans and a rubbish barge train which preceeded us part of the way, so the boat ride was remarkably smooth although the water was choppy in the wind. Welcome bacon rolls and a mug of tea appeared after after Putney.  The lock keeper was waiting for us at Brentford and the sun came out.  We were soon on our way up Hanwell.  The same trouble with lock 95 was experienced as we had previously, coming down.  The culvert to the side pond is partly open, delaying the filling and emptying of the lock and making gate operation very difficult to open the exit gates.  We had left Limehouse at 9:00 am and reached Hayes bridge 200 at 16:00.  I then continued alone on in the failing light, passing two gravel barges before reaching Cowley opposite the Packet Boat Marina where I moored up for the night.  About half an hour later Pisces and Lupin passed but went further on.   No TV signal here, so after a light supper, tried to watch a DVD, but fell asleep.

The IWA Parliamentary Campaign Cruise

Why a campaign Cruise?  First thing to point out that the majority of English waterways are managed and financed by either the Environment Agency or British Waterways.  The Environment Agency is responsible for a lot of other things like flood control and receives its grant in total from the government.  British Waterways (BW) also receives a grant from the government but is allowed to generate income, mostly from property and other commercial activities relating to its infrastructure, eg water management, and communications - there are miles of cable buried under towpaths.  A proportion of funding comes from licences or registrations, but this is not enough to keep the organisations self sustaining.  Both rely on government grants, and both receive these grants from DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).   DEFRA wants British Waterways to become totally self sustaining, claiming that increased grants in recent years have enabled the backlog of safety related maintenance to be eliminated and so a reduction has been planned and in general accepted.  Whether elimination of the grant in Toto is possible or desirable is disputed and can be debated, however, what is now of great concern is that the grant has been further cut in year due to what many consider to be gross mismanagement by DEFRA of its other interests, but particularly farming.  This has forced BW to make unplanned cuts resulting in some 160 staff losing their jobs, closure of offices and implying that maintenance will be postponed even to the possibility of some canals being abandoned.   Licence holders are being expected to pay substantially more and some see us entering the realm of diminishing returns. Of course the law of unintended consequences also applies when decisions are taken arbitrarily.  So one might understand the concern that is is unacceptable, not just for boaters, but the multitudes who also enjoy the waterways such as fishermen, walkers, joggers, cyclists and the property owners who have invested in waterside properties in the expectation that these will remain attractive places to live and do not want to see the waterways degenerate into dirty rubbish filled smelly ditches.

Resistance to these changes is being mounted by the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) among others including a self funded ad-hoc group with the website "Save our Waterways".   The Campaign Cruise has been organised by the Inland Waterways Association and Nuggler is part of that.

The Cruise:   All the boats taking part assembled in East India Dock ship lock by 9.am.  Our departure was delayed by one narrow boat with engine starting problems and also partly by the need to raise the road bridge for mv Reliance, a dutch barge and this cannot be done before 9am apparently (rush hour maybe).  Once out on the river, the melee of boats gradually sorted itself out into the planned and detailed staggered formation.  Banners were suitably fixed on the out facing sides.  A swarm of two or three police boats then set to boarding most of the boats (not ours - we feel unloved) to "have a chat" and fill out paperwork no doubt.  Usually, we understand this is for the boarding officer to get out of the cold and have a mug of tea, but we notice that their boats now have enclosed cabins, so maybe the excuse no longer works.  Arrival at the Palace of Westminster was timed for 11:10, so periodically the convoy leaders slowed down causing temporary disarray behind.  After Waterloo Bridge we were joined by a trip boat hired by IWA and hosting many MPs who support our stance, and the press.   We were impressed to see the rear end of Nuggler moving out of shot on the BBC local evening news bulletin.   Once the convoy had turned above Lambeth Bridge, the race back to Limehouse began, with the predicable suspects in the lead.  Limehouse can only take 3 full length boats at a time, so with 25 or so boats to get in (the most ever on one tide - think of the paperwork!) it was going to take some time.   Lady Mehr Noor - a Braidbar boat who moors in Limehouse and knows the local waters was first in, but most of us had to wait outside stemming the tide.  It took us about 2 hours wait.  Two boats had engine failures waiting and were breasted up and given priority.   I guess this is a lesson for us all.  It can happen, but why?   I for one would love to hear the full story.  Pictures on the photo album site.

Back safely in the marina we moored on the opposite wall to the majority, thinking of our expected guests who might not appreciate crawling over three or so boats to get aboard and the fact that we needed to leave early.  We met our guests, Rosie and David and had a splendid meal in the Grapes fish restaurant overlooking the river.  (See photos )

Royal India Dock

Lockings out this morning were all well organised.  We were in the second group with Terry on Arun and John on Ernest.   Out on the tideway we made good progress and soon caught up with the first lot who were holding back for us.   Once the third group was seen leaving the marine we all pressed on, the idea being to wait at Deptford Creek until the group from the Royal Docks had passed though the barrier.  We had not long to wait and were soon waiting for some rubbish barge tows to pass before entering the huge West India Dock Lock.     Because of the ample time allowed, there had been no rush and no need for panic.  The cruise was, therefore, thoroughly enjoyable and a great experience.   Why have so few signed up?   Tomorrow we are off on the Campaign Cruise proper, our banners distributed by the IWA and AWCC have all been fixed and our relative positions in the convoy agreed.   Tomorrow is going to be an interesting experience!

Tidal transit to Limehouse

The day dawned bright and sunny, but cold.   After breakfast we readied the boat - anchor out and the warp attached and neatly stowed in a bucket with the chain for rapid deployment, the VHF aerial set up, and ourselves kitted up with multiple layers of clothing etc.  It can be cold out there!   At 8:30 we dropped down the Gauging Lock and found Thames Lock waiting with both top and bottom gates open, so we were straight through and onto the river.   We were leaving an hour before high water, but there was little evidence of the tide flow and soon we were on 6.4 mph which remained fairly constant until much lower down the river where we hit 7 mph briefly.    Having failed at Brentford and at intervals below to raise London VTS, we finally did at Battersea.   A call to Limehouse at Tower Bridge confirmed that the lock was ready and we joined Ro-An, our friend from yesterday, in the Lock.

At 7pm we had a briefing from Andrew Phasey of St Pancras Cruising Club on the plan for the morning.    Excellent laminated documentation!   A return visit to "The Grapes" followed.

Positioning for the "Parliamentary Cruise"

We need to be in West India Dock on Monday to join the 20 or more (hopefully) boats taking part in the protest cruise past the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday.  The journey there for various logistical reasons, tides being one of them, takes place over three days, the first (today) to Brentford, then out on the tidal river tomorrow to go down to Limehouse and finally on Monday, to go out on the river again to join the flotilla of boats returning from the Excel Boat Show to go into the lock.

The weather has been very stormy recently, so we were pleased that things are settling down although there was still a strong breeze blowing.  The rain looks as if it will hold off.  Leaving Harefield at first light, Denham and Uxbridge locks were against us.  By Cowley, other boats were moving; Ara and Archimedes were starting a fuel run down.  We decided to stop off at the Toll House Cafe for breakfast - well worth it.  Then Tesco at Bulls Bridge for re-stocking of the ship's stores.   Once on the move again we were beind a broadbeam - "Ro-an" - which being well crewed was helpful in cracking top paddles for us on the way down Hanwell.   Pat was working ahead whilst Mike was working the locks single-handedly.   Lock 95 proved too much.  There appears to be a leak in the old side pond culvert, so that a lot of water enters the lock from the side when draining preventing the bottom gates opening for quite a while.  Then rubbish jammed behind the towpath side gate, once the water had subsided, prevented it opening fully and he had to change sides - tricky when not on the boat.   Help was needed to avoid wasting too much time.   Recent storms have produced large amounts of flotsam which come down the River Brent and build up above Osterley Lock.  Finally, nowhere to moor at Brentford on the towpath side, so we settled for a spot on the opposite side just above the lock.   Out at 8:30 ish tomorrow.

Supper on board - Liver & Bacon with profiteroles to follow.

Minicruise

Set off yesterday pm for Cowley where we enjoyed a pleasant meal in the "Malt Shovel".   This place is now more of a restaurant than a pub, with full table service and a new menu.   Very well looked after, we were.

Overnight lots of heavy rain, but this morning the rain has cleared and were got going at 8:00 for TESCO at Bulls Bridge where we will become re-victualled.  Then, hopefully on to Paddington for a day or two before returning home.

Updating ....  After Tesco, it started raining, gently at first, then thunder and finally really heavy rain for about an hour.   We were probably moving at about the same speed as the shower.   The Gortex jacket proved its worth again, but shorts soaked.    I go barefoot in the summer.  Barefeet dry quickly and keep warm in the rain on the engine deck board.

Plenty of mooring for us in Paddington Basin.

Progress South III - Arrival

The last few days have been quite busy, although the decision to delay return to Harefield until Friday has taken the pressure off somewhat.   Our meal at the Globe Inn was not quite up to expectations, though perfectly acceptable.   We were off early as usual on Wednesday and hit TESCO at Leighton Buzzard for a few essentials.  Moving on, the pound above Grove Lock was very low - our first real indication that water availability might be a problem.  A temporary large pipe seemed to emerge from the back of the pumping house at Church Lock filling the pound above, so no problem here, or indeed further up.  Some of the pounds in the Ivinghoe Flight are often low, so one could not read too much into that.   Traffic ahead was slowing us down by this stage, then opposite direction boats really held us up so that by the lower Marsworth Locks traffic behind caught us up and we had enjoyable company with two experienced boaters on "Goosamoor" for the rest of the Marsworth Flight.    There was plenty of water down to Berkhamsted where we spent the night.  The next morning, we continued down hill.   Below Sun Lock the pound was very low and the River Bulbourne feeding it, dry.   It turned out, however, that the level was down due to some metal stuck in the top gates of the lock below - now thankfully removed.   Progress was so good that we reached our planned overnight stop by 2 pm, so decided to continue on to Croxley (Cassio Lock).  Working boats Bletchley and Argos were in Cassiobury Locks when we arrived.   This pair were being worked by one helmsman, on cross straps out of the bottom Cassiobury Lock, then breasted out of Ironbridge Lock.   It explained why we had been running against open bottom gates for a while.  We stopped alongside him for diesel (49p) and coal at Cassio Lock, then left him behind.   No moorings there as hoped, so we stopped at Common Moor Lock instead and went up into Croxley Village for the pub.    Our last day, Friday, was a fast and uneventful run down to Harefield where we arrived at 10:30.

Progress South II

Starting early, we had Stoke Bruerne Locks to ourselves and were down in an hour and 5 mins where the boat stopped for a long drink of water.   Pat went to Lakeside Stores for a few odds & ends at Cosgrove, then we faced the long drag through Milton Keynes.   Passing Willowbridge Marina we noticed diesel at 48p/l.  Pity we had filled at Whilton (56p).  Making good progress on further up the three locks at Soulbury we decided that we deserved a treat, so have stopped at the Globe, Linslade.   Looks like our anticipated arrival at Harefield will now be Friday Midday.

Stoppage at Kings Sutton

From time to time things go wrong on the waterways.  The thing is that being waterways, rectification is not always straightforward and delays can sometimes be counted in days.  We have known about the stoppage at Kings Sutton for two days, so it is no surprise.  The gate seal had failed and requires major repairs, so the lock has been drained down with stop planks in place.  We left at 8:00 leaving nb Ernest at Aynho and have now joined nb Minihaha in the queue at the lock.  Bill and Ann are fellow Cutwebbers, so if John & Margaret join us here we will be able to have a mini-gig.

Kings Sutton Lock

Fisher in Aynho

According to the Nicholson Guide 2000 edition, there are no villages with stores with easy access from the canal until Banbury.   Down to our last pint of milk I was dispatched on the unfolded bike at 7:30 am to search out a convenience store.  The trip was successful, so by 8:00 Nuggler was mobile (slowly).  First the half mile or so of moored boats, then the curiously shaped Shipton Weir Lock.  The river reach followed when normal speed could be resumed, but then progress slowed again.  Locking were not a problem.   Although there were quite a few boats about, they were evenly spaced and for the most part we only had to wait for boats coming down.   Now about ships stores: There is a good farm shop just above lock 39; There is allegedly a small shop selling milk, bread etc at Lower Heyford Wharf and similarly at Aynho Wharf.  So my earlier bike journey was unecessary (but interesting).   Our target was Aynho wharf and the Great Western Arms for an evening meal in company with nb Ernest John & Margaret.   They arrived about an hour after us having tales of their own adventures.

Thrupp - and more trauma

The mist this morning was much denser than yesterday.  Although we could see clear blue sky, it took 1 ½ hours for the mist to clear – just before Iffley Lock.   Abingdon was hand wound and Sandford Lock fortunately now has power.   By the time we reached Iffley Lock we were shivering cold, had donned warm clothes and lit the fire, then suddenly it was sunshine and shirt sleeves.  We didn’t stop in Oxford, but proceeded directly via Isis Lock to the Oxford Canal.  Progress slowed sharply, although was steady for the most part.  The bottom gate at Kidlington Green would not open cleanly and it needed a rush and full throttle to get into the lock.  At Thrupp we found the last mooring space waiting for us.  Just about to get the chairs out for a civilised cold beer etc. when Grannie slipped getting into the boat and injured her shin with screams and blood etc.  There was nothing for it but to call for an ambulance as I no longer have the kit for dealing with this injury.  However, John Radcliffe A&E were very kind and she was back with us, still rather shaken, by 7:15.  We settled her down and then shot off to the “Boat” for something to eat and were pleasantly surprised to be entertained by 10 or so musicians having fun with folk music.  One would start up a tune and the others would pick it up in the style of a jam session.  Great stuff.

Return to Beale Park

What a day!   Everything went wrong.   The aim was to get Grannie, two aged labradors and a mountain of luggage to Reading, mobilise the boat and then make for Wallingford if possible, although overnight mooring might have to be reviewed in the light of progress.   So a box of frozen dog food, two folding bags, a collapsible table, my computer case, one cabbage and ... were strapped to the luggage trolley.  Our plan was to take the tram to East Croydon and get the one direct train service per day to Reading.  It was a good idea to build a bit of extra time in to get the train, so we arrived 40 minutes early.   We might as well have not bothered.  The train had never left Brighton as Virgin was waiting for train crew, so we decided to cut our losses and take the train to Clapham Junction which meant a tiresome transfer with stairs (bad for Grannie) over to the Southwest Trains platform for the Reading train.  We just missed it.  Half an hour later we were nicely set up on the next service, but at Richmond the doors failed and after a 25 minute delay we were all detrained.  The next Reading train had been diverted in consequence, so we were told to get the next train to Staines and change again there.  This worked and 1 hour and 25 minutes late we got to Reading.  Pat, Grannie and dogs were to walk to Caversham Lock while I got a taxi to the marina to bring the boat round.  This all worked fine, but when I got to the boat I found that the 240volt circuit breaker had popped and there had obviously been no power all week.   Why I know not.  So we had no food and the whole point of paying £100 to have shore power was negated.   At least the batteries were fully charged, although with the solar panels, in the absence of mains use, they would have been anyway. Moored outside TESCO were our friends Terry & June on PLUTO.  So after picking up the girls, we returned to moor up next to them to catch up and go shopping to replace our spoiled food.

Now we were seriously later than expected, so pressed on and at 5 pm took the advantage of mooring up outside Beale Park.   Even this was not straightforward, for it took 4 attempts to find a mooring where some part of the boat was near enough to the bank to allow the dogs off. Supper of Spanish Chicken and a bottle of Pinot Grigio was a welcome end to a disastrous day.

Abingdon

Our trip to Napton was neatly cut up into 6 hour days by Nick Atty's Canal Planner, but Friday was planned as a full day, so we should have spent last night at Wallingford.  This meant a bit of catching up was necessary to reach the planned stop for tonight - Abingdon.   A usual early start saw us off at 7:00 (leaving another mooring pin behind as we found later).  The sky had been clear overnight with a brilliant moon, so as expected the river was very misty even to the extent of fog in places where the two banks could scarcely be seen together.  However, by the time the river left the steep hills on the left, the sun was visible and the mist quickly cleared.   We were grateful that Goring Lock and Cleeve Lock have both had the new powered controls added so we were through in quick time.  Proceeding on there was very little traffic and only when reaching Culham Lock were we waiting for down stream traffic.  Minutes before lunch time, the lock keeper let us (and a plastic boat) in saying he would let us up, then leave us to wind ourselves out.   As it happened a cheery boat going down stream helped us out.   There are lovely (free) moorings at Abingdon below the bridge and although we fitted in nicely to a space between the cruisers already moored there, the bank was just too high for the dogd and Grannie to get off.   This meant a lot of pfaffing around trying to find somewhere else, especially as we needed shopping.   Eventually we found the perfect spot between the bridge and the lock - just for the rear half.   Shopping done, a cool beer on the bank was the order of the day.

Thames & Kennet Marina

Up at 7:00 this morning and I arranged to be at Caversham Lock just before opening time.   There was no point in being early to do a manual locking as I would then only have to wait for the marina office to open.   There being plenty of visitor moorings available, I had been told to simply announce my arrival at the office on the day.   Prompty at 09:00, the lock-keeper and her accompanying dog emerged from the house and immediately prepared the lock for me, there being no other boats in view.  Soon I was approaching the marina entrance, which proclaimed "moorings available" on a large banner, and phoned the office again to be told to report to the fuel pontoon.   This is a vast marina with separate sections for cruisers and narrow boats.  I was soon directed to a short pontoon and tied up stern on so as to position for the power hook-up.  The front of the boat is secured to a large post.   There is water and power at each mooring, but to get power it was necessary to obtain a hook-up converter to adapt the connector size from 32 amps to 15 amps as well as purchase a card (10, 50, or 100 KwH).   Reaching the office and chandlery requires a long walk, out of the security gate (numeric keypad lock), and round the approach road.   Once secure, I left the boat for a £10 taxi ride to the station and a the only direct service of the day from Reading to East Croydon and the tram home.

Sailing Barge

Whilst doing a bit of paint touching up I had to rush for the camera to record this majestic sailing barge doing, for a change, what it was meant to do.   Click on the pictures to enlarge.   Is this a Humber barge?   It has HULL on the back.   Enlightenment requested.