‘Rain, proper rain’ Shefali had said last night and she was right. We could have stayed put until it stopped but that could be most of the day and we had Destination Christmas to reach and things to get sorted when we arrived. So after breakfast we put layers of waterproofs on, rolled and folded the covers, they were already soaked and so were we.
At least our lights brightened up the morning a touch
No photos as it was peeing it down. My phone came out from the Nicholsons shelf so that I could record the locks as we went through them, then it got tucked away again in the dry. Come the 1st January this will be the way we record our journeys on our phones. We’ll wait until we have more time to alter the way the trip computer works before using it again.
A long line of moored boats didn’t boad well for being able to moor up in Alrewas, that was until we realised these were boats on C&RT winter moorings. Bagnall Lock gave Mick the run around the bottom gates preferring to stay open as always. It took a while to get the masses of water leaking in through the top gates to hold one gate shut long enough to be able to close the second one without the first one reopening.
Now we just needed a space to pull into.
No boats moored round the bend or on the narrow section. Sandy’s boat came into view, moored all alone. We carried on, our preferred mooring to be near Alrewas Lock, but from a distance that looked quite full. We reversed back close to the footbridge, leaving 2 boat cat lengths between us and Sandy ( Jezebel and Tilly could hopefully have stretches of the towpath each). We had reached our chosen place for Christmas.
Once tied up, we unanimously decided to head straight off in the pouring rain to do our collections. A couple of months ago we’d been thinking of where to spend Christmas this year. Alrewas jumped to mind. A pretty place to be, plenty of mooring, most suitable for Tilly. But also, possibly more important was Coates the Butchers. A month ago I’d placed our order for a duck and a gammon joint via their website, payment had been taken. This morning whilst grimacing at the rain from bed I’d had a phone call saying that our order was ready for collection, very reassuring. We headed off to the butchers.
The main reason for coming to Alrewas
We’d been told to go to the click and collect under the canopy, no need to join the queue. The click and collect had been pushed to one side to give the queue some shelter from the rain. Chatting to the chap in front, he’d moved to Alrewas when he retired mainly because of the butchers. Then the lady behind started to chat, she used to own a narrowboat until a few years ago. Her son-in-law was part of the butchers family and for several years she used to make sausage rolls for them from November to Christmas Eve, 3000 of them!
Not a place for vegetarians!
Our order was brought to us after a while. We still wanted a few things so stayed in the queue. Fresh veg, bacon and a pork pie. Thankfully the veg outside the shop was replenished. We possibly spent as much as we would have done for big bags of veg from the Co-op, but I won’t have to make soup for the next week to use it all up.
Next a visit to the Co-op for the last few bits. All done apart from some parsley, hopefully they will have new stocks in the morning.
By now we’d started to dry off, so had the weather, the queue at the butchers was longer.
On our first ever visit to Alrewas I’d spotted a knitted narrowboat in the window of an old shop. Today the Alrewas Knitwits have a big display. By the War Memorial where Post Office Road meets Main Street has been taken over by them. Penguins ice skating, a tenth birthday cake, Father Christmas taking refuge in a phone box with a large plate of cakes, an Eskimo fishing next to their igloo.
Then across the road there are wall hangings for the twelve days of Christmas, each one made with applique. I especially liked the pipers piping being girls in gingham with recorders.
Tiptoeing around the puddles
Back at Oleanna we dried off and let Tilly explore for the afternoon. Although two big gun dogs did curtail her exploration for a while. She puffed herself up to almost their size! There was an extra shore leave rule today, ‘No digging in the graveyard’ That simply wouldn’t be good!
Christmas Eve.
Mick was sent on a mission for some parsley this morning. The butchers with only a couple of people in the shop came up trumps with the biggest bunch I’ve ever seen for 50p! Surplus is now in the freezer.
The day has been all about cooking whilst Tilly came and went avoiding the local woofers. Stuffing made. Bread sauce milk infused with flavour and garlic roasted to be added tomorrow along with bread. Red cabbage braised, only cranberry sauce to add. Cider gravy stock bubbled and reduced.
Christmas Eve sausage rolls were delayed as I’d forgotten to defrost the pastry last night! But they were enjoyed with a cuppa before cooking continued.
I wonder who’s birthday it might be?
As Mick did secret things in the bedroom I baked a birthday cake. Lemon and Almond Damp Cake, well that’s what my Mum used to call it.
The day has been much much brighter than yesterday. Plenty of people stretching their legs along the towpath and others visiting their relatives in the grave yard next door. Several boats passed a couple stopping nearer the lock.
Passing boat
Mick walked down to check the level below the lock, the next section is joined by the River Trent. As yesterday, it was Amber, the rain may still be on it’s way downstream, we hope the level drops over the next couple of days so that we can carry on our way. The next couple of weeks we are very much at the mercy of the River Trent.
A notice came through yesterday afternoon regarding Stoke Lock on the River Trent. There has been a winter stoppage which was due to be finished today. The notice said.
We are very sorry to advise that we need to put in place a navigational restriction over the Festive period. The repair works are complete, but unfortunately the testing and commissioning needs further work meaning we cannot return the lock to user operation as we are unable to open and close the gates automatically. The lock can be operated by a Trust colleague to allow boats to pass through and any boats wishing to transit through the lock will be able to book a passage between the hours of 11am and 12 noon on 28th 29th 30th and 31st December.
The churchyard Christmas Tree made from rubbish
We made a phone call to C&RT to make a booking. The chap Mick talked to read the notice a couple of times. He took it to mean that we’d only be able to ring to make a booking during the hours mentioned, on the dates mentioned. He was about to send us away to ring back on the 28th, but thankfully called his supervisor first. Unfortunately it turns out that the people we need to book it with had already broken up for Christmas, so we need to call back on the 28th. So if you were wanting to cruise the Trent between Christmas and New Year, you won’t be able to do it on the 28th as 24hrs notice is required.
Fingers crossed all calms down on the Trent quickly and our journey northwards can go ahead as planned with the tides.
We’re ready, are you?
The stockings are out ready and waiting for the big man in red. We’re all ready for tomorrow.
2 locks, WE 1.16 miles (not including reversing), Pip’s Nebo 1.4 miles, Mick’s Nebo 1.3 miles, 2 very soggy boaters, 1.85kg duck, 1.75kg gammon joint, all the veg, 1 last red cabbage, 2 woofers woofing, 1 bowl of stuffing,1 tuperware of milk, 1 pan of cabbage, 1 jug of stock, 1 plate of cake, 1 gammon the best ever, 2 much cream in the dauphinoise potatoes, 1 river to come down and stay down, 1 numpty, No 4, 1 rubbish Christmas tree, 3 stockings ready and waiting to be filled.
Today I turned 7 in human years, that’s 44 in feline years. She said that now I’m 7 that I am mature. She kept saying this most of the day. I don’t think I smell like cheese!
Where’s my presents?!
She said that I would be getting a present later on if all went to plan. I tried looking for it, but she said it wasn’t inside.
Last night was meant to be all wild and windy. Tom said that if I went into the outside I might have gotten blown away, but it didn’t sound that bad. It never sounds that bad to me, well not until it starts blowing at my bum, then I’m not happy!
Anyway I think someone needs to write a new version of the song.
Pussy cat Pussy cat where have you been? I’ve been to London to visit the Qu…… OH! Apparently Queen She doesn’t sit on a chair anymore.
She used to stand on this bridge and watch the big planes go by , especially Concord
Yesterday the outside had been wet but it had picked it’s ideas up this morning as they untied it and let it move away, the sun had come to visit. Only right as it’s my birthday! Did you know that it’s my birthday?
I watched the castle drift by. They caught a water point that was all smelly from a noisy little boat. But apparently it didn’t have the right fitting so they pushed it way and found another. This one was silly stupid as it sprayed water everywhere! Just as much went on the bank as into Oleanna’s tummy. After the summer we’ve had too! She said that it’s impractical for us to have a 7m hose, They’d have to tie the outside up in a very particular way for such a hose to reach.
Tom kept stopping the outside, I had to check he was doing it right. In fact he was just moving the outside down.
He had to have the help of another boat to do this on several occasions. Just look at all those flowers!
Then She and Tom got all excited, my birthday present (did I mention it was my birthday?) was just about in view, we all just had to keep our paws crossed.
Paws crossed
It took them a while to tie the outside up. Then She came in and wrote down the numbers, played the magic music and noted three words. Then she gave me the rules. 4 hours with no woofers.
An ISLAND!?!
My birthday present was an Island!
A WHOLE Island!
I know I couldn’t believe it, A National Trust Island at that! There was one other boat, but they left. We had it all to ourselves, well until another narrowboat tied it up at the other end. I don’t know why they had to do that as it wasn’t being awkward or troublesome. It was just being a nice and peaceful island.
She said she had something secret to do. But after a while we went for a walk, from nearly one end of MY BIRTHDAY ISLAND right to the very end at the other end.
TREES!!!!
Sideways Trees!!And friendly cover!
The end with water on both sides
She had more to do inside so left me to it, which was fine because She’s not as good at climbing trees as I am!
I don’t think I look mature, I certainly don’t smell mature!
Tom lit the stove so I could be all cosy and warm. Then after we’d all had our dingding I got a birthday cake!
I’m not fussed about the cake, they can have all that, but the cream cheese topping looks mighty fine!
My BIRTHDAY Island
3 locks, 2 self service, 8.2 miles, 6003.36 miles in total on Oleanna, 7 years old, not 7+ yet, 44 feline years, 1 island present, 4 hours of climbing and pouncing, 1 carrot BIRTHDAY cake, 1 cat who never ever eats human food licking her lips, 1 stove, 1 sunny BIRTHDAY,1 boating goal achieved, 1 Cliveden Island moored on.
Whilst Tilly continued her explorations we tucked into a bacon butty and joined the Geraghty zoom. Queues, sound rigging in suits and ties and flotillas were the subjects today along with telephonic sleeping sickness.
Time to tidy up, sweep through the boat. The galley got a good clean. It’s been a long time since we’ve had visitors so there was quite a bit to do!
Here we all are
Then the white sauce was made up and rolling out of pasta for the lasagne. I knew I’d made more than enough, maybe I shouldn’t have rolled it so thinly but there is more than enough now in the freezer for another lasagne for two or some tagliatelle.
The London Leckenbys arrived and there were tales of Josh’s trip to France with a school friend, lots about food and his first week of sixth form.
Presents
This year we’d not managed to be together for four out of our five birthdays, so presents needed exchanging, everyone apart from me had something to unwrap. Mick got a new pair of boating gloves and some overalls. The pair he’s had since we bought Lillian are now very diesely so hopefully will go into the bin somewhere. Everyone else got goodies from Cambridge.
Lasagne and green salad
They had brought with them my box of pasta and a parcel full of magnets that we’d bought cheaply due to imperfect paint which will be used to help tether fairy lights to Oleanna for the flotilla. All we need to do now is find time to have a try out.
Back to front 200
The lasagne was very tasty, its the first time I’ve made one quite so big and it ended up being rather gooey, a touch like soup! My meat sauce a touch wetter than needed for fresh pasta and the gluten free flours didn’t absorb as much as normal, so in the future I’ll try to keep the sauce drier. A nice green salad accompanied it.
An average of 50, sorry Josh
As today was a sort of birthday party, I’d totted up everyones ages. Excluding myself it had added up to a nice round 200 so the Queen of Sheba cake even had candles to mark the occasion.
A lovely day with family, although Tilly preferred to out and about.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 lie in, 2 cuppas in bed, 7 presents, 0 for me, 12 magnets, 1 big box of pasta, 1 soupy lasagne, 1 big chocolate cake, 1 punnet of raspberries forgotten about, 2 many woofers! 10 years without Dad.
A rail workers strike day, thankfully getting back to Oleanna shouldn’t be affected by it too much, but the hot weather could still have an effect. On Thursday trains between Ely and Cambridge were cancelled due to the heat in the afternoon and yesterday speed limits had been imposed, so I was eager to get heading back to the boat early on if I could.
Andrew and Jac were up just in time to say goodbye to me as I headed off for the bus then two tubes to get to Kings Cross, I’d ended up giving myself plenty of time to get to the station so had 45minutes to wait for my train, which was jam packed all the way to Cambridge. This meant sitting with my model box on my knee for an hour as there hadn’t been a seat near the luggage racks to keep an eye on it.
Kings Cross
Apart from it being busy it was really rather pleasant because of the air-conditioning. Oh why aren’t boats all built with air con!
Just past Ely the train slowed right down 20mph limits, slow going past all the Ely moorings, I think I spotted NB Misty Blue with other boats breasted up to him. Then about ten minutes late the train pulled into Littleport, the doors opened to a wall of heat. Blimey I’d had over an hour of not feeling clammy that I’d forgotten this would hit when stepping off the train.
The golden crisp dry world we live in
Back onboard Tilly was being a long cat. The fan was moving air around, wet towels hung up and a couple of windows had been removed to encourage a breeze through the boat.
My bags were unpacked and I was at work within minutes. We were near to a post box and two things needed to be sent off. 1 a full set of drawings for panto, 2 Josh’s birthday card, most important. Mick was going to bring it to London but that of course hadn’t happened, so presents will have to wait till we see them next.
Boy glass, girl glass
With a hot and bored cat the afternoon dragged on as we didn’t want to move at the hottest point of the day. Mick headed off to the Co-op to stock up on a few bits whilst I worked following up on notes from the meeting.
Boats came and went from behind us, the river quite busy well into the evening. Mick rang Denver to see if we could find out what time we’d be able to lock through on Monday, he left a message. We think it’ll be around midday, but hopefully someone will call back.
It’s nice to be home, but I so wish someone would turn the oven off!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 bus, 2 tubes, 1 train, 1 hot and bothered cat, 1 hot and dripping Mick, 31C inside, 1 cooler evening thankfully.
The alarm was set and we were breakfasted, none boating clothes on and walking to the station by 8:20am. Mick had forgotten to bring with him a mask so did a quick dash into Tescos. Then we were on our way to London for the day.
The birthday girl
A tube ride and a short walk brought us to the Walkie Talkie building where we joined the queue to head up to the Sky Garden. After security checks we zipped up to the 35th floor to join Marion, John and most importantly Fran, Mick’s niece who turns 40 tomorrow.
The first section of the viewing gallery really needs a good window wash as dribbles disturb the view across the river. What a view it was! My photos don’t do it justice.
360 degrees of London, all of it.
We paused for a sit down and a young lad was asking his mum what a flower in the garden was, a large yellow lavish affair with bright red stamen. She didn’t know and was suggesting they took a photo and found out later. My app came in handy and we discovered it was a Ginger Lily, the little lad was very pleased.
Fran, Kath and John
Next was a recce of Borough Street Market where we met up with Kath another sibling of Mick’s. A sit down whilst we considered what to have for lunch meant we had to have a drink!
The Wheatsheaf came up trumps with one of Mick’s old favourites, Young’s Original. They also had a couple of gluten free beers to choose from.
Yumm!
Fran and I had our eyes on the paella with giant langoustine, although the chap in front managed to get the last one! Mick and Kath had huge salt beef sandwiches, whilst Marion and John had empanadas.
A saunter along the south bank followed as we’d need to work off lunch. Mick pointed out YET again which buildings he used to work in along the river, along with all the pubs that he used to frequent when he was a yuppy!
Crossing the river
Across the wibbley Millennium Bridge towards St Pauls to catch the tube out to High Street Kensington and The Design Museum.
Lots of things
A cuppa and a sit down before some headed off to look round the Football: Designing the beautiful game exhibition, Kath headed into Holland Park to people watch whilst Mick and I looked round the rest of the displays.
Bethany Williams is a fashion and textile designer. She reuses waste in her work and involves communities. Several items were made from tents that had been abandoned at festivals, others are overprinted with bright bold designs.
Scrubb fabric
She was one of the three designers who in 2020 founded the EDN (Emergency Designer Network). Using their knowledge of textile manufacturing they created a network that galvanised over 200 UK volunteers who made approximately 12,000 scrubs, 100,000 masks and 4,000 gowns for frontline staff. They created their own pattern for ease of manufacture, had factories cut out the fabric and assembled kits for them to be made up.
Designer
The top floor houses an exhibition called Designer Maker User. Here items are displayed to illustrate how important each element of their creation is, whether it be design for a wonderful looking item or a user suggesting an item should be a certain size, each stage is as important as each other. Chairs, Telephones, logos, all sorts of things.
Time for another sit down in another pub The Prince of Wales where we all congregated and refreshed ourselves before crossing the road to eat at Dishoom. Here we were joined by Richard (Fran’s brother), Christine and Paul, leaving only one of Fran’s Aunts missing Anne who is currently with grandchildren in Wales.
Marion, Paul, Richard, Fran, Christine, John
Dishoom is a chain of restaurants based on the old Irani Cafes of Bombay. They serve breakfast, chai, lunch and evening meals. Here the restaurant is based in the old Barkers Department store, 1930’s decor surrounded us. For every meal they serve they donate one to a child who would otherwise go hungry. So far they’ve donated 13 million meals.
The menu took a little bit to understand as the dishes don’t tend to be quite the size of your normal Indian restaurant, so you are encouraged to order a couple each. There was a good gluten free menu, from which Mick and I chose a good selection. At the other end of the table a Lamb Biryani with a pastry crust resembled a cow pie.
Kulfi is always pointy
Paneer Tikka, Chicken Ruby, Bowl of Greens, Steamed rice, a roti for Mick and Kala Chana Salad, all very very tasty. I may have to put the Dishoom cookery book on my Christmas list. Oh and some Indian Chilled Medication of the mango variety.
A very lovely day to celebrate Fran’s 40th birthday, thank you for inviting us.
A little bit of hope on the board
We made our way back to Kings Cross believing there to be a train every half hour back to Ely. But two disruptions had occurred earlier in the day with overhead power lines so the departure board looked a touch discouraging with cancellations and delayed trains. We toyed with going to Liverpool Street Station for a train which would get us to at least Cambridge, but then the board changed showing a slow train to Cambridge. A later train was still showing as heading through Ely an hour later. We boarded the stopping service and hoped the later train would still run so we could change trains at Cambridge. We were fortunate that our plan worked, arriving back in Ely just gone midnight. Tilly was very pleased to see us even though we’d left her with her magic food bowl.
Phew!
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 3 tubes, 7 miles walked, 3 out of 4 aunts, 1 uncle, 1 nephew, 1 40 year old niece, 1 very lovely day with family, 1 Indian chilled medication.
My father Peter Geraghty was born 100 years ago. Today would have been his 100th birthday, I think we would have had a party!
Born in Hull in the East Riding of Yorkshire. His mother was Olive Geraghty (nee Wright) and his father Tom Geraghty. His father, after serving as an officer in the East Riding Regiment during WWI, was a journalist for the Hull Daily Mail and he ended up as Editor. Olive, as was the norm for the time, looked after the family and home. Peter had an older sister Joan and a younger brother Mark.
Joan, Peter, Mark
Peter went to school in Hull at the St Charles Borromeo School and often told us stories from his childhood of him turning up to school without any shoes or socks! I’m not sure of the accuracy of this and think it was probably his sense of humour coming through.
Teenager
Before WWII the family moved from Hull to the village of Hessle just to the west of the city. They lived on Boothferry Road next door to the Darley’s Arms. At 17, Peter started work in the office of the Hull firm Spillers, known to all as Spillers the Millers (now part of the Rank Hovis group whose logo is “Rank Hovis the Millers” which doesn’t have quite the same ring to it!). He was working here when war broke out in 1939. The office was moved out to Ferriby where it was considered a safer place to be than in the city centre.
Joan, Tom, Peter, Olive and Mark at the back door of 314 Boothferry Road
At age 18 in 1940, he volunteered for service in the RAF. He had to go to Lords cricket ground in London to sign up and so his flying career started. He did some of his training in North America and on completion was assigned to Bomber Command. After various roles he became a Flight Lieutenant at RAF Pocklington in East Yorkshire flying Halifax bombers. After a tour of 40 operations from Pocklington, he carried out further flying duties training pilots on Lancasters.
The aeroplane Peter first flew solo on
On the back. The sensor must have let it through.
Captain and crew at RAF Pocklington. PG in the centre
When the war ended he was demobbed and went back to Hessle. A company was obliged to employ people that had worked for them before the war but Peter was very sure that an office life with Spillers in Hull was not for him and he declined the guaranteed offer of employment. Instead he applied for a job as a pilot with the fledgling British European Airways (BEA). This would mean being based at Northolt airport on the outskirts of London.
For a long time he had been “seeing” Ruth Chignell, also from Hessle and when the war finished he proposed, the proposal was accepted. They were married in May 1947 and with his new job they moved to a house near Northolt Airport.
Peter and Ruth
Ruth and Peter
His flying job meant irregular hours and sometimes being away from home overnight. However BEA only flew to Europe so he was never away long. I suspect this is why he chose BEA rather than the long-haul BOAC. Their first child Christine was born in 1948 followed by Marion in 1950 and Anne in 1952.
Proud Dad
They needed a bigger house so moved to Ealing in 1952. Ealing was chosen as a new primary school St Gregory’s was being built there which was thought to be a “very good school”. It also coincided with BEA moving their operation to London Airport, now known as Heathrow.
I came along in 1958 and my younger sister Kathryn in 1966. All us children went to St Gregory’s and my mother ended up being a Governor. Peter was always a family man, every Saturday morning, if he wasn’t working, he would take all of us children to the local library in Ealing to swap books, followed by hot chocolate and a biscuit in a café on the High Street. And if his flying roster allowed every Sunday morning after church we would go to Kew Gardens (I remember it costing 1d) and back home in time for Sunday Lunch. There were often visits to the museums in South Kensington, my favourite being the Science Museum but sometimes my sisters made us go to one of the others!
Another favourite outing of mine was a visit to the cricket. Often he would take me up to Lords to watch the final session of a Middlesex game, as an MCC member there was free entry. We would sometimes go to a Saturday of the Lords Test Match which was a great day out. He also used to play cricket for Northolt Cricket Club.
Tea Interval
We lived a couple of miles from the Hanwell flight on the Grand Union. A regular walk was to visit what we called “The Six Locks”. Working narrowboats were still in operation (mid 1960s) some of them towed by little towpath tractors. I vividly remember one occasion when we had gongoozled a pair of boats down the flight. At the bottom one of the boaters asked if we wanted a ride to Brentford? Well you can imagine a 7 year old’s excitement at this prospect. But my dad came over all practical and said we had to get home in time for tea! But the seed of interest in canals and boating had been planted. It was about 50 years later that we first took our own boat down the flight and carried on to Brentford.
As I grew older Dad would sometimes, during school holidays, take me to work. We would drive into Heathrow and go into the BEA crew room office. I’d be shown the preparations for flying off somewhere, weather charts, route maps, loading weights, how much fuel to have on board etc.
At the controls
I would then head off on my own to the spectator viewing area (a thing of the past now) and with my VHF air band radio tuned to the ground or tower frequencies I’d watch him take off. If he wasn’t going far (maybe a return trip to Paris) I would wait 2 or 3 hours for him to return then meet him at the car park and get a lift home. If he was going further afield (perhaps a “night stop” Nicosia) I would stay watching aeroplanes all day and then get the bus home.
A view I saw many times.
As a family we would sometimes, but not very often, fly off on foreign holidays. I remember one time we all flew to Germany for a family holiday. When the plane was sitting on the runway preparing for take off our Dad (a Captain with the airline who had indeed captained this very aircraft many times) leant across the aisle and shook all his children by the hand and said “Well, it’s been nice knowing you all”. His sense of humour.
Me and my Dad circa 1968
His career with BEA lasted from 1946 until his retirement in 1977, by which time BEA and BOAC had merged to form British Airways. It was policy then that pilots had to retire at 55, it may still be the case. He started off flying DC3s and Vickers Vikings for BEA, then the Airspeed Ambassador (known in BEA as the Elizabethan because the Queen had just come to the throne!), followed by Vickers Viscounts and Vanguards and ending up as a senior training Captain on the Hawker Siddeley Trident.
Passport 1Passport 2
His family back in Hull had always been staunch Catholics and Peter was the same. He played a big part in the local parish community at Ealing Abbey, always organising things, on various parish committees and for a while was chairman of the Parish Centre. He also played a big part in the running of the parish Youth Club. His religion didn’t get passed on to me though. I think I rebelled at all the religion in my childhood.
In retirement he had more time for his beloved golf, at one time getting his handicap down to single figures. He played at West Middlesex Golf Club then Ealing Golf Club. He left Ealing GC when they introduced a rule that you had to spend a certain amount of money in the bar per year and if you didn’t they would take the money anyway! He wanted to play golf not drink in the bar.
Teeing off on a golfing holiday
Outside the family home in Ealing 1996
My mother finally persuaded him that they could make use of the concessionary travel that British Airways allowed him. But he never travelled extensively for leisure. He was a big worrier and there would have been too much worry that as staff passengers they would be the first to be off loaded should the flight become full.
One trip away
There was also football to be watched and supported. Hull City as a youngster but on moving to West London it was Queens Park Rangers, holding a season ticket there once he retired.
Peter and Christine on their way to Wembley to watch QPR
In his later life he fell ill with Parkinson’s disease, a disease which was also to affect my mother. He accepted his illness stoically for a number of years but eventually in September 2002 he suffered a stroke and passed away. A big funeral was held at Ealing Abbey with many old family friends there. British Airways sent a representative to his funeral which I thought was a lovely thing for them to do.
Peter on his 80th birthday
Happy 100th birthday Dad. Shame we are not celebrating it with you but you can be sure that we are definitely celebrating!
Thank you to John and Kath for helping collect together all the photographs.
Blimey the wind was going for it, luckily not a head wind, it was coming from the stern!
We made our way downstream. A couple of eights came towards us along the straight that was used for the Boat Race last year. These were novice crew, but who knows some of them may end up rowing for their University in years to come.
Leaving Ely
Behind us huge black clouds loomed over our wake, the engine revs higher today keeping our momentum on a straight course. We timed ourselves again, 42 seconds today, still not speeding.
Rowing
Was this boat quite so low in the water when we’d passed a couple of days ago? Checking back on photos (right), no it wasn’t. Was it down to the thunder storms that had passed over yesterday?
After the long straight we could see our intended mooring for the day, outside The Swan On The River. Here there are two EA 48hour moorings along with a patron mooring outside the pub. £10 a night with electric or free if you go in for a meal.
Ahead looked bright, but behind was a different story!
We pulled up on the EA moorings, but close enough to the last electric hook up for us to plug in. As I did a cat Health and Safety check regarding the proximity of the railway, Mick went to chat to staff at the pub about plugging in. They were fine about this as we’d a table booked for six.
Early evening a face popped into view, Christine, everyone had arrived! Christine, Paul, Marion and John have been staying nearby for a few days walking, sight seeing and bird watching.
Me, Christine, Paul, John, Marion, Mick
A photograph of William Henry Chignall was handed over to Marion and John to go on their wall of relatives, he’d been keeping an eye on our house in a back room and it was time he was reunited with family. This evening he was positioned at the end of the table to keep an eye on his great grand children.
The food was okay. I only had three choices and decided on a steak, which arrived devoid of any rareness that I’d requested. However the very gooey warm chocolate brownie more than made up for my grey steak.
Colours
As we left the pub the sun was just casting colours across the sky. It was lovely having an evening in the company of family, hope they enjoy the cathedral tomorrow.
Plenty of miles to tick off today so no lounging around in bed with a cuppa. Other people were up and at work, as we sat having our breakfast two Middle Level Commissioners vans arrived on the bank above our mooring, they’d come to make the mooring official by adding a sign.
The chaps worked away and as we got ready to push off they headed off to position the next new sign.
We pushed off and headed towards March. The birdies chirped and darted about in the reeds to each side of us. The banks a suitable height to give you a bit of a view, not block it totally. Yesterday we’d passed several pill boxes today at least one more.
Fairly soon we were approaching March, passing the marina where the hire boats have been coming from. Everyone in March seems to have a detached garden. Houses sit on one side of a road, their gardens on the other, terraced down towards the water. Plenty of people have made a great effort, places to sit out, landings, windmills, crocodiles. One stretch seems to have an epidemic of sheds going on, one after the other with just a narrow path between them.
The first public mooring we came across was closed the bank subsiding into the water. The moorings opposite the services was full, we pulled up to top up with water, dispose of rubbish and as it was on the right side we emptied the yellow water too. Thankfully through the bridge there was space, plenty of it for us to pull up to go shopping. Yes I did a shop in Peterborough, that was really just in case we couldn’t stop here in March, there was plenty we wanted and with Sainsburys close by it turned into a four bag shop. A visit to Boots too for some Hay Fever tablets of the right variety, I spotted a Boyes (possibly the furthest south they come), we’ll be stopping to have a better look later.
After an early lunch we pushed on, passing more houses and gardens, one stretch trying to mimic beach huts. The sky was now blue with fluffy clouds, no need for the extra layers we’d started the day with.
Straight on past the Twenty Foot River which seemed a touch wider than it’s name suggests. At Popham’s Eau junction we veered left keeping to the link route. We passed Charlotte Rose whom we’d shared the last Nene locks with and a hire boat sat nestled in amongst the reeds enjoying the afternoon sunshine, no rope visible, the gentle breeze just holding them to the bank.
As the channel now narrowed there was an increase of weed, the sort that hampers your progress somewhat. Thankfully today it wasn’t too bad, just the occasional blast of reverse to free the prop was needed.
A Lock!
A lock! Marmont Priory Lock would rise us up from the lower level by 6ft 8inches onto Well Creek. The lock was partially filled, hydraulic paddle gear needed to be wound so many times slowly inching up the slackers.
Oleanna waiting below the lock
Inside the lock was a layer of scum, possibly dead duck weed mixed with polystyrene, there was also a big plank.
The paddle gear at the top end only required one to be lifted and that had a marker on it. Oleanna rose up to Well Creek right by the rather pretty front door of the lock cottage. Progress was now slower than before. The gates of Marmont Priory Lock need to be very well closed so that the creek stays in water, a drop here can take days to rectify.
Upwell
Progress slowed even more as we reached Upwell where the channel narrows even more. We ended up on tickover to make any headway, the water around us just about enough for us to move.
Upwell and Outwell reminded us of villages we go through on our scenic route from Scarborough to York. The linear villages cling to the road and have a stream running alongside, driveways crossing on small bridges. Here the stream is far bigger and it’s mostly footbridges that crossed over our heads requiring us to duck.
The houses mostly have plaques boasting their names and dates. A butchers was spied and the fish and chip shop has it’s own mooring! I’ll have to check to see if they do gluten free. We made note of moorings as it looks like we’d need to have a good explore around here.
Sign posts to Littleport and Wisbech. An old college friend came from Wisbech, she used to say no-one had ever heard of it, well I have now! At the most northerly point of the Middle Level is where the Wisbech Canal used to head further north, now it is just a steep bend for us to negotiate. There’s a mooring here, but maybe you’d get biffed by passing boats!
That’s pretty wide
Over Millicourt Aqueduct we crossed over the end of the Main Drain, such a romantic name. It looked very wide down there so possible to wind, we’ll have to check our maps for any low bridges that would stop us from getting there.
Now a busy road, A1122 hugs close to the creek. The banks now lower giving more of a view. Pylons stretch off into the distance both ways, only broken up by two smaller towers. I checked on the OS map, almost 21 km straight before a slight kink.
Our planned for mooring just came into sight, Glady Dacks. A rather rickety afair, one end looked better than the other. We pulled in and stepped off cautiously. A bench and table sat by Oleanna, a good means to be able to step up to see the other side of the high bank separating the road from us. On one side it looked like Tilly heaven, the other side it looked like she’d be assisted on her way. Sorry Tilly, no chance.
But please!!!!
Now there were secret things to do. A birthday cake was mixed up, popped in a loaf tin to bake. It needed a bit of attention as it baked, added toppings, foil and an extra five minutes in the oven, then once cooled off some lemon icing.
Lower banks
Dinner was Turkey Schnitzel with spaghetti, I was too busy to take photos so the recipe will follow the next time I make them. Then Tilly and I had to hide away in the bedroom to do secret things. Wrapping on a bed isn’t the easiest of places but we managed. All done and ready for tomorrow just before the 10pm news, I don’t think Mick noticed a thing!
1 lock, 16.84 miles, 2 maybe 3 straights, 1 left, 1 big bend, 2 boxes wine, 1 Boyes, 60 hayfever tablets, 1 slab of salmon, 8 asparagus tips, 1 warm dry evening hoped for, 3 evenings no shore leave, 1 long day, 3 presents wrapped, 1 blueberry lemon cake baked, 2 much icing, 1 pooped Pip.
What a quiet day. Three fishermen turned up, I could hear them being disappointed that they’d not all be able to set up on the landing here, but they soon got settled around the basin. I could then hear the heron being disappointed that his favourite spot for fishing was now taken up by on of the chaps, this was followed by a disgruntled swan. We’ll be moving on soon, so all will return to normal.
Fishing
The doors front and back were opened as soon as I was dressed and Tilly came and went, mostly through the secret gap in the cratch cover, for most of the day.
First job was to glue Mick’s slippers. Mick has alien feet which seem to break slippers very quickly. Supermarket slippers only tend to last around 9 months before they fall to bits. His last pair of sheepskin slippers were replaced twice and then mended by myself a couple of times before the new pair took over at Christmas. The joint between sole and upper was starting to show a possible parting, so some Max Repair Uhu was put to use and then clamps were applied to assist in the setting. Here’s hoping this works for a while!
You will stick!
It was the turn of the bathroom floor to get a good scrub. Everything lifted from the floor, including the 30 litres of wood cat litter. Tilly’s numerous balls tend to hide behind her pooh box were found and moved elsewhere, then the floor was given a good scrub and a wash down. Now all we have to do is levitate and not molt!
Circles
I set about working on a little project. Model making things were retrieved from deep inside the dinette, reference photos printed out to a useful size. Then I started drawing out numerous circles, cutting them out and threading them onto cocktail sticks. I’m not going to say what they are for just yet, but I’ll give you little teasers in photos.
Circles stuck together
Mick arrived back late afternoon with two tins of sweetcorn and a parcel I’d had sent to Scarborough. Sadly the parcel only contained half of my order, so only half of Mick’s birthday present! Oh well that just means his birthday will have to be extended a touch.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 more trains, 2 buses to avoid the rain, 6 months, 2 tins sweetcorn, 1 spotless bathroom floor, 12 paw prints! 9 hours of open doors, 0.5 of an order, 1 project started, 26 circles, 1 cake decision to be made, 4 clamps, 24 hours to cure.
Time for the annual round up. Put the kettle on or pour yourself a glass of something stonger, put your feet up, this is a long post.
Looking out into a cold world!
As midnight turned from 2020 to 2021 we saw the old year out and new one in at the house in Scarborough, a quiet affair with just the three of us.
January and February brought ups and downs with them. Oleanna rose and fell with the water level at Viking Marina due to the breach at New Bridge whilst the country locked down. Despite the restrictions on travelling we made use of having a hire car for a few days at the beginning of the year to keep an eye on Oleanna.
Jobs around the house continued, our bedroom was redecorated and reclaimed from troublesome tenants. Tilly and I ventured out into the nearby park for the occasional walk, dependant on the number of woofers and the weather of course.
We walked, we ate, we drank, did our best to stay well and I started on the design for Chipping Norton’s panto in my reclaimed work room.
The spare living room was used as a workshop doing some work for Animated Objects, scrimming giant sci-fi guns and then painting model buildings all for The Odyssey. Beetroot burgers were made and pancakes consumed.
Then March came along and some easing of restrictions. Colour came back in nature with the daffodils popping up and my panto model started to get coloured in. A design for some origami paper arrived ready to be folded up to be part of 1000 ships display that would happen a couple of months later along the Yorkshire coast.
With new freedoms we had a couple of trips to Goole to check on Oleanna. First one was to swing her round and finally put fire extinguishers on walls all ready for her Boat Safety Inspection which she passed with flying colours and a comment that we seemed to like CO and smoke detectors, well I’d rather have too many than not enough!
The cofferdam at the breach site was completed and an access ramp created. My posts about the breach put us in touch with several people in Goole and at the beginning of April The Goole Escape Facebook group was formed. Due to the breach and lack of water in Goole Docks no leisure boats were allowed to use Ocean Lock out onto the Tidal Ouse. A joint calm voice was needed to try to find a way out for those boats wanting to leave, including us.
Of course March was also when Mick and I got our first vaccinations. Who’d have thought having a jab would put a smile on peoples faces! Not that you could really see them behind all the masks. A bathroom got a make over and we discovered parts of Scarborough we’d never been to before.
April was a very busy month. With lodgers on the horizon house jobs needed finishing. The roof needed attention along with a wall in my work room, both jobs were for the professionals. Pictures went up on walls, finally. The bathroom needed finishing with Frank fitting us a new bath surround.
Mid month out attention moved back to Oleanna. Way back when, we’d booked her in at Goole Boathouse to be blacked. We had a night on board before moving her from one marina to the other to come out of the water. She was jet washed down and the chaps began applying layers of 2 pack to her hull. We visited most days with jobs to do ourselves. Mick busied himself inside whilst I ground back rusty bits on the gunnels, repainted them and the tunnel bands. Inside the oak floor had a good clean and then was treated to two coats of oil. The weather had been perfect for it and she went back in the water a week after she’d come out, enough time for the 2 pack to cure. She looked smart again, well the cabin sides still needed a good wash!
Whilst in Goole we met up with David, Karl, Wendy and Martin, four members of The Goole Escape group. David had managed to negotiate with ABP passage for leisure boats through Ocean Lock at Goole Docks, this was limited to specific times of the tide. So escape was now possible but everything would have to come together to make a sensible plan. We wouldn’t be ready for a few weeks and hoped that there wouldn’t be a mass exodus before we could join people.
As I carried on trying to finish my panto model Mick made good use of his time doing a VHF radio course, we’d need to be able to use the radio to meet the criteria for going through Goole Docks and out onto the Tidal Ouse. Tilly visited the vet and got a years worth of flea and wormer treatments, we were all set to move back on board.
The first of May was that day. We’d hoped that Tilly would remember the boat after seven months on shore, within about two seconds of being back it was obvious she knew where she was. News that Goole caisson gates were now open and cruising up towards the breach site was possible we headed off to give Oleanna a good run and so that Tilly could venture back onto dry land. It was very good to be back on the move again. On our second such trip Tilly remembered how to swim!
Whilst in Goole Mick took his Short Range VHF Radio exam and passed. I carried on painting my panto model. We both had our second vaccinations. Heather Bleasdale came to visit joining us for an outdoor lunch. We got to know the Goole Escape Committee and discussed plans. We watched work going on at the breach site. Mick had a birthday and Joan’s Home Kitchen provided us with a celebratory meal a couple of days before we hoped to escape.
On 21st May an escape committee meeting was had early on, the weather looked hopeful for the tide in the afternoon, we were booked in at Ocean Lock. Our escape was to be via Selby, the Lock keeper was called there and our plan confirmed. At lunchtime we moved up to fill the diesel tank and await the other escapees, Sea Maiden and Lullabelle. Given the go ahead by the docks to proceed we were soon passing through to Ocean Lock where there was plenty of space for the three of us. At around 14:30 the large lock gates opened to reveal our way out of Goole onto the Tidal Ouse.
All three boats arrived safe and sound
We headed upstream following Sea Maiden being pushed along with the tide. Would we make it to Selby before the tide turned. Each boat arrived individually and was locked up into Selby Basin. We’d made it, now all we had to do was escape Selby as the swing bridge out of the basin there was broken.
We waited. Tides, times, weather and the amount of fresh coming down stream all had to fit together. Bridget and Storm came to visit. We twiddled our thumbs. The Environment Agency came and closed the flood barrier. We twiddled our thumbs. Daily escape committee meetings were held. By the 27th everything was looking to fit together apart from one thing, Keadby Lock would not be manned at a suitable time for us to get off the river. Sea Maiden and Lullabelle decided to stay put in Selby. Heather Bleasdale was joining us for the trip but Oleanna would be out on the river on her own heading to Trent Falls.
What a day that was! David’s advice was spot on. Leaving Selby just before 10am Oleanna zoomed downstream with the out going tide. We followed our charts keeping to the channel. At the Apex light Mick swung Oleanna round to head upstream onto the Trent our progress slowing instantly.
We then crawled our way to find where we should wait for the tide to turn. Two hours of very little, drifting on our anchor. We’d picked the day well, it was wonderful out there.
When Oleanna started to move round a touch more we managed to pull the anchor up and found our way back into the main channel to head upstream with the incoming tide. One plan had been to moor up in Gainsborough, but we decided to carry on and arrived at Torksey just as the last light was fading at just gone 22:00, 64 miles in a day, I doubt we’ll ever beat that.
Over the next few days we made our way up the Trent, dug out our windlasses to work locks in Nottingham. Once we rose up Derwent Mouth Lock onto the Trent and Mersey we had completed our escape. The going would now be much slower along shallow canals and plenty more moored boats to slow down past.
Now we should make our booked mooring at Rembrandt Gardens, every day would be a boating day unless the weather was either too hot or far too wet to cruise. Along the Trent and Mersey, pausing to stock up in Alrewas. At Fradley we turned onto the Coventry Canal to head southwards. We gave a tow to NB Burghley Girl to the bottom of Atherstone.
At Hawkesbury Junction we did the 180 degree turn onto the North Oxford Canal, through Rugby and up Hillmorton. NB Kamili with Andy and Irene passed as we arrived in Braunston where we paused for another butchers, then up the flight and through the tunnel.
Straight on along the Grand Union. On route we stopped for a drink with Lizzie at Bugbrooke. Paused for a hot day under some trees near Milton Keynes. Had a diversion along the Wendover Arm for a night. Picked up extra crew, my old college friend Jen, for a day through Hemel Hempstead. Came across our first sightings of HS2 cutting it’s way across the landscape.
At Bulls Bridge we turned left onto the Paddington Arm. On our trip into London we came across our friends Pete and Clare on NB Billy, it turned out we’d be neighbours at Rembrandt Gardens for a few days. We arrived on time and the next day headed across London by bus to Hackney to see the London Leckenbys for the first time since Christmas 2019.
Plenty more family to catch up with. Kath came for lunch, we had a trip to Eastbourne to see Marion and John, a lovely lunch with Christine and Paul. So good to see everyone again and not just on a computer screen every Saturday.
Happy Birthday Big Brother
Andrew’s 60th Birthday was celebrated, nothing fancy just good to be able to be together for it, we’d achieved our second goal of the year.
We heard there was a space at St Pancras Cruising Club for a long boat like Oleanna, so we took advantage of a more secure mooring close to Kings Cross whilst we had a visit back to Scarborough. Checking on the house, lodgers changing over and seeing the latest Ayckbourn play with Bridget and Storm, it all made for a good weekend away. I then headed off to Huddersfield for a couple of days work with Dark Horse, fitting costumes for a photo shoot.
There was to be a Tideway cruise from St Pancras Cruising Club and with one space left we jumped at the opportunity. Ten boats made their way to Limehouse, we breasted up with NB Misty Blue, Graham turned out to be another Goole Escapee. Three lock-fulls of boats headed out onto the Tideway on the morning of 10th July, special permission had been sought to go under Hammersmith Bridge which was closed to all forms of traffic at the time.
Tilly thought we were mad taking her onto such rough water, I was a little perplexed too! Very glad that I was the official photographer, clinging on as we did more than bob up and down! Tower Bridge, The National Theatre, Christine, Adam, The Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station. So many sights, what an experience!
The further west we got the calmer the water got. We were glad when Hammersmith Bridge was passed as there had always been a chance that it might close to boat traffic at anytime due to safety reasons. We turned off at Brentford along with several other boats and continued up to Hanwell where we had a very sociable evening at The Fox with everyone. Thank you Simon for mentioning the cruise to us.
Sadly our washing machine hadn’t liked the lumpy water so for the next month we cruised meeting up with engineers on route hoping it could be mended. Back through London, pausing at St Pancras again. Then down to the Herford Union to cut across to the Lee and Stort. We had another mooring booked on the Lee awaiting our arrival, alongside NB Billy.
Then up the Lee and onto the River Stort. We’d only ventured so far up the Stort during our first winter on Lillian, this time we headed all the way to Bishop Stortford. Our return journey was held up slightly due to the river going into flood overnight so we had to wait for it to lower to get under the bridge at Roydon.
Back through London we made use of the new Eco-moorings near Islington Tunnel, a handy stop off with electricity. Here we met up with Nick an old friend from York and Adam called in for a catch up after working the breakfast shift at Radio 2.
Goodbye Christine!
At the end of July we pushed on and left London behind us, returning to Bulls Bridge.
We headed up to Uxbridge for cheap diesel and finally got our washing machine mended. We turned around and headed back to the Hanwell flight, stowed the garden back in the shower and headed out onto the Thames again where we turned right towards Oxford.
With a weeks license we couldn’t dawdle, although a broken lock gate at Boveney Lock did hold us up overnight so our license would be extended. A space was spotted below Cliveden so we treated ourselves to a night moored in the grounds of the big house. We paused for a socially distanced chat with Sue on No Problem XL, good to see her looking so well. Henley Regatta was almost ready as we passed through and our favourite mooring above Days Lock did not disappoint. All too soon we turned up Sheepwash Channel and ascended Isis Lock back onto the Oxford Canal.
Whilst in Oxford I managed an actual face to face meeting with Dash the Director for Chippy Panto. He seemed happy! Then we made our way up to Thrupp where we’d booked ourselves in at the cruising club for a few days whilst the London Leckenbys came to visit and we had a trip back to Scarborough and we got to see the show at Esk Valley for the first time since we’ve been living afloat.
I had a day trip to Chippy where I did a final model meeting over zoom from a dressing room, but also had chance to measure things up. Then we were off up the Oxford Canal, mooring in our favourite spots, it was a touch busier than it normally is in the winter.
A pause to visit Village Meats in Braunston and we spotted our old share boat NB Winding Down so we stopped to say hello. On up the flight sharing with a boat full of actors, then left up to Crick for the first time in ages.
A prearranged boaters meeting at Houdini’s Field worked brilliantly, NB Panda and NB Kamili convened and we all enjoyed each others company over a fantastic barbeque outside so everyone could feel safe and Tilly could roam about. Oleanna was treated to a very good wash and brush up before we were on our way again. We now needed to get her north before I started on Panto.
News came through that the breach on the Aire and Calder had been mended and nine months after the canal had sprung a leek it was mended and open again. Boats could now move through the area, mooring however is still restricted.
Following the Grand Union we headed down the Stockton Flight to Leamington Spa. Tilly and I had a few hot days on our own moored at Radford Smelly then we were on our way again. An obligatory burger at The Cape of Good Hope the night before we teamed up with NB Mad Hatter to ascend the Hatton flight. One day my old college friend Emma will not have an excuse to helping us up the flight, this time we met for a cuppa and a catch up the following day.
On up Knowle to Catherine de Barnes, then Camp Hill Locks, the Ashted flight and Tunnel (!) followed by Farmers Bridge into Birmingham. The city centre is still full of building and tram works but with the sun out it looked stunning. We also caught up with Paul Balmer from Waterway Routes before carrying on with our journey.
A night at Hawne Basin filled the diesel tank up. A night at Dudley Port Basin got the cupboards filled. A pause at Urban Moorings meant we could donate our deposits and the next day we descended from the Birmingham plateau down the Wolverhampton 21.
Along the Staffordshire and Worcester we managed to have a mid stream catch up with Barbara from NB Bessie Surtees. At Great Haywood I managed a catch up with Kay from NB Pea Green as she set up to trade for the day and Mick filled Oleanna’s water tank.
Heading north on the Trent and Mersey we pulled in for lunch and a surprise hello to Barry and Sandra from NB AreandAre whom we’d got to know last year in the first lockdown. In the afternoon we were joined by Bill and Lisa for a trip through Harecastle Tunnel. Now we swung off the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield with it’s wonderful bridges.
It would have been nice to take our time but we had a rendez vous to make. The end mooring at Marple was free and from here we headed into Manchester by train to join the London Leckenbys for a meal of big red fish. The following day my old school friend Morag joined us for a night on board with some serious catching up to be done.
Our next deadline loomed, Standedge Tunnel. We dropped down the Marple flight, crossed the aqueduct and turned right at Dukinfield Junction onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We knew we were in for some hard work to climb our way over the Pennines, last time we’d enlisted crew to help as I was one handed. This time we’d be going solo. Apart from the very first lock it wasn’t too troublesome. The work is rewarded with stunning views.
Standedge Tunnel did not disappoint. Because of social distancing Mick got ride ride up front in the cratch leaving the helm to a C&RT volunteer. Bumps and scrapes made Oleanna wince along with us, but we all got through in one piece with no damage. Tilly wasn’t too happy about the trip, but at least I can now boast to the local cats in Scarboreugh that I’ve been through the longest deepest highest tunnel on the canal network whilst they just lazed around on their shed roofs!
On our way down the other side Oleanna had a belt that went taking out quite a few wires in the engine bay. RCR were sent for, the engineer suggested we’d need to remove a pulley on the alternator to be able to remove trapped wires, this could not happen where we were. We could move but the batteries would not charge. The only way to top up our electric was with the solar panels. Emergency power conservation went into operation, blogs were hand written, the freezer turned off and we gradually ate our way through our defrosting supplies. Every day Mick managed to pull more wire from the alternator and soon there was no need for an engineer again, just a new belt needed fitting.
We made our way down to Huddersfield and arrived the day before I had a production meeting at Dark Horse. After walking to my meeting I handed over the model and we stocked up on supplies before heading off east along the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
The Board locks are just that, but they are short. On Lillian we’d nearly got stuck here, but Oleanna was built a foot shorter so we knew we were fine, we still had to take great care in descending the locks diagonally. This continued on to the Calder and Hebble, taking our time and using our Hebble spike. The rebuilding work done at the Figure of Three locks, after flooding washed huge parts of the structure away, are only noticeable due to the new stonework.
Bigger locks were welcome, using the key of power once past Wakefield. The sun shone wonderfully for my last full days boating this year as we made our way to Castleford. Here we hired a car to get me down to Chipping Norton to start work on Panto whilst Mick and Tilly stayed on board with the plan to move Oleanna to a winter mooring in Thorne.
Whilst I painted the set working all the hours I could, Mick and Tilly gradually made their way eastwards. They passed through the breach site and headed to Goole to top up on diesel. On their way back towards the New Junction Canal the engine started to over heat, a problem that had happened a couple of years ago on the Thames.
The following day he winded and slowly made his way to Rawcliffe Bridge for easier access for RCR. Little could be done there and then, so Mick and Alastair (engineer) arranged to meet at Viking Marina in Goole. Oleanna managed the two and a half miles in three stages. After her cooling system had been flushed through the problem hadn’t gone away. The water pump was removed and was obviously the problem. A week later with a new pump Mick moved back out onto the cut and joined Lullabelle (a fellow Goole Escapee).
Taking a long weekend off panto, I headed up to join Mick and Tilly to help move them back to Scarborough. Wendy and Martin kept an eye on Oleanna for us whilst we settled Tilly back into the house, I knew where I was! Pah!!
Several days later with the weather on his side, Mick returned as early as he could, pushed off and single handed Oleanna back along the Aire and Calder to Sykehouse Junction where he turned onto the New Junction Canal. With swing and lift bridges to work he was glad of the assistance of a volunteer at Sykehouse Lock. Then the sharp turn at Bramwith onto the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigations. A few more bridges and two more locks before he arrived at Blue Water Marina, Oleanna’s winter mooring.
Tucked up for a rest
On our way back from Chippy a week or so later we called in to check on her. A boat in winter isn’t too friendly without the stove lit. We’ll have visits every now and then to check on her and do the odd job. The weeks are already flying by before we move back on board.
For a year that we’d decided would purely be about seeing our family and friends we ended up having quite an adventurous time. Trent Falls, the Tideway through London and Standedge Tunnel made it quite a year.
So our vital statistics for the year 2021 according to canal plan are
Total distance was 932 miles, ½ furlong and 627 locks . There were 42 moveable bridges of which 16 are usually left open; 169 small aqueducts or underbridges and 30 tunnels – a total of 19 miles 3 ¼ furlongs underground and 3 major aqueducts.
This was made up of 277 miles, 1 ¾furlongs of narrow canals; 270 miles, 4 furlongs of broad canals; 89 miles, 4 ¼ furlongs of commercial waterways; 59 miles, 7 ¼ furlongs of small rivers; 121 miles, 5 furlongs of large rivers; 105 miles, 2 ¼ furlongs of tidal rivers; 8 miles of seaways; 263 narrow locks; 302 broad locks; 61 large locks; 1 lock on major waterways.
Sadly with Oleanna’s log book where it should be, onboard, I’m not able to offer up the engine hours, litres of diesel, gas bottle or bags of coal. Maybe I’ll update this once we are back on board.
The Thames, 2021
This year we’ve done more miles than last, not bad considering we were on land for so much of it. We’ve done far more tidal miles than ever before and for the first time we’ve been on a Seaway! If someone can tell me what the difference is between Tidal waters and Seaways please do. Maybe it was around Trent Falls, or was it downstream of Tower Bridge?
As last year I hope the pandemic doesn’t throw a spanner in the works for us or anyone else. We need the theatrical world to still function with an income for me designing shows and lodgers paying to stay in our house.
I want to say ‘Keep well friends’, but I feel I need to add, ‘Get well soon friends’, as so many have tested positive recently. Thank you for following us and hope to see you soon x
