Being out of the water means we can suspend our CRT licence. They only refund you for full unused months. Mick went on the website and filled out the form. Soon afterwards I got an email saying that we would be refunded two months of licence, £197.62, this was back on our credit card by the end of the day. Not having to pay a licence for a few months makes the marina fees for a boat you can’t go anywhere on that bit better.
Tilly just out of shot at the Black and White cat Triad in next doors garden
On the train the other day Mick had a look at the Carefree Cruising website and our old shareboat NB Winding Down. There was a share in WD going quite cheaply, 4 weeks for £400, should we get a yellow share, so we could still go cruising? A look further down the list of shares for sale, £1 for a 24th share in NB Kingfisher an older boat than WD. Hmmm?! However the running costs are quite high for an older boat and then we’d have a share to get rid of when Oleanna is all bright and shiny back on the water. It was appealing, but we’ll cope being on land for a while…. hopefully.
What a stunning day for a beach walk
Mick has remembered that somewhere he has a 50m long cable. Suitable hook up plug and socket have been purchased from 12volt planet for him to make up a long cable so that Oleanna can have power again. This will mean he can keep an eye on the batteries, temperature onboard etc. Plus when we visit we’ll be able to make a cuppa with the electric kettle.
On Thursday afternoon Mick climbed back onboard a train heading towards York, then swapped to one going to Derby. A night at the Premier Inn close to California was called for as he had a 10am appointment Friday morning with the Ophthalmologist at the Royal Derby Hospital. Whilst he had his gammon and chips, I tucked into a prawn risotto, suspect mine was far nicer, plus we got to sit in front of the Dragon for the evening.
Everything crossed for a good outcome
This appointment had been made pretty soon after Mick had left hospital. His GP had also requested an appointment for him here in Scarborough, so far he’s been told he’ll be given an appointment in the future, but the wait may be up to 34 weeks! Thankfully Derby was much sooner. Tilly and I sat, everything crossed, waiting for news. Mick symptoms which had first taken him to Burton Hospital back in September had been blank spots in his vision, and bits that were like looking through a kaleidoscope. This led to him having a scan and being diagnosed as having had a stroke. By the time he was discharged from hospital his symptoms had nearly all gone. Now they have.
A good array of castles
Today he did a periphery vision test. On the stroke ward this had been done by nurses and doctors doing jazz hands at him. Today it was similar to those you have at the opticians, where you sit with your head in a box, you have a clicker for each time you see a dot of light. Mick got to do both eyes at once, first with his glasses on, then a second time without them. He was shown the results, this revealed where the frames of his glasses had been blocking out the dots. If you have four dots missing in one area then the DVLA won’t allow you to drive. The second read out showed that he’d only missed one dot on the whole test, everyone misses at least one. So this was very VERY good news.
The last week has whizzed by. It hasn’t taken us long to get back into the swing of house living. The first veg box arrived with giant onions and a whole lot of fresh organic goodness, the cauliflower did us for three tasty meals it was so big! After the first couple of days Tilly has gone into her house hibernation and is asleep most days until 3pm when she deems it is time for her evening dingding!
I’ve packed up a box of painty stuff to head down to Chippy ahead of my arrival. Constant phone calls from the set builder keeps me on my toes, plus messages from the props team and production manager, there are days when I hardly get chance for a peaceful walk around Scarborough.
On Sunday we managed a walk down to the seafront, a charity run taking place. The bridge to the Lighthouse is currently stuck in up mode so right now you can’t do a loop around the harbour. But the donkeys are still on the beach, maybe they’ll get time off when half term has been and gone. By Monday our colds were deemed no longer contagious, so we had a visit from Frank. He was on good form and talked to us for about an hour over a cuppa, we hardy managed to get a word in edgeways!
Frank round to talk at us
Today we were on a train at just gone 9am, heading southwards to East Midlands Parkway. Train timetables are such that we’d arrive at York just as the train we want is leaving, if the two trains connected it would save an hour on our journey, but such is. So we at least get a view of the North Sea and the Humber on our way via Hull and Sheffield, a route we are quite familiar with. The train goes through Goole where we’ve moored for the last few winters, it’s just a shame that we still have another two hours to sit on a train to reach Oleanna this winter. Our next trip down may well be by car.
East Midlands Parkway Station
Sat right under the cooling towers of Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station, East Midlands Parkway is an odd station, the steps up from the platforms have been there a while, but look like they are washed down everyday. The waiting rooms are large, a cafe, a big car park and then one of those roads off a motorway that seems to go to nowhere, except this one goes to the station and Redhill Marina. We’d both looked on Google to see if there might be a direct footpath, but no, the car park is in the way!
As we walked in we looked round at the boats on hard standing, no sign of Oleanna. Where was she? No sign of her out near what they call the hill where grit blasting is done. But time was ticking on, the marina cafe would be closing soon and it was a long time since breakfast. They had gluten free bread so we both had sandwiches and a large pot of tea to share. Very nice and reasonable. If we end up staying a night I now know I could have a very naughty, but nice, cooked breakfast as their sausages are GF.
Next we headed to see Mandy in the office to do the paperwork. She’d taken our money for lift out and hard standing before she’d headed on holiday. We’d left the form we’d been given on Oleanna and not filled it in in advance, so some of the boxes, like Boat Safety and Insurance couldn’t be filled in as the information wasn’t at our finger tips, so we’ll have to send them via email. I missed all this as Jamie called from Dawlish to check heights of windows and positioning of braces for panto.
There she is!
So where was Oleanna? A chap driving a JCB was tasked in helping us find her. We’d been warned that the marina is a working environment and you certainly have to keep an eye on where you are walking, the ground is lumpy and not the tidiest of places. The chap pointed to Oleanna’s pram hood, there she was. We now just needed a ladder to be able to climb aboard. A wooden one was found for us.
Not a bad view from the bow
We’d forgotten to take our sack barrow and the Brompton to the house with us last week, and my painty long handled small roller pole can now go back to being just that rather than a mooring aid for chains round armco.
Tidying the ropes
Whilst Mick checked everything was okay with the solar etc, I got the tape measure out to calculate how long a hook up cable we’d be needing if we want to plug in. The nearest board worked out to be 37m away! Our current hook up cable is 10m. However the board we’d been pointed towards didn’t have a suitable spare outlet for us. A look around gave us another option which was maybe a few more meters away. Is it worth spending the money on an extra long hook up cable? It will mean the router can be put back on and Mick can keep an eye on everything and should it become really cold the electric heating would be able to kick in.
Emptying and filling
I emptied and filled all the damp traps around the boat. Cushions were lifted and cupboards opened to help with airflow. Mick tidied the roof, bringing in anything that might get blown away.
An inspection of Oleanna’s hull. She was last out of the water in 2021 when she was blacked, she had new anodes added then. The old and new ones, looked to me to be in a similar state to each other. We’ll see what other people think nearer the time to her repaint about them. Back in 2021 large areas of blacking came off with the jet wash, not being able to get her grit blasted back then, the chaps did as best they could grinding off any 2 pack that was loose. Today there were areas that could have been better, but I personally had been expecting worse. We could also spot areas that were missed when the top coat was applied four years ago, the coats underneath go grey after a while. When Oleanna is repainted she will be fully grit blasted, then 2 pack blacking is applied everywhere, not just to the hull and base plate, but also the cabin sides. This time she should have blacking that lasts that bit longer as it won’t be painted onto any mill scale.
Everything left open for air circulation
A final check to see if she was happy where she was, she’s still smiling, with her red lipstick! All covers poppered down, I gave her a pat as we walked away. Mick will be down sometime over the coming weeks to check on her, he may well stay over as the journey is quite a long one.
Hope she stays happy on dry land
The door to the painters workshop was closed, aromas of paint coming from their extractor. Either they were busy or they had gone home for the day. We opted to send Tom an email and headed back the twenty minute walk to the station.
Leaving her with her new neighbours
Free reading matter was picked up at the station, but I only looked at the pictures and hunted through Vogue for the fragrance samples I remembered as a kid, Vogue was the only magazine my mum got. Yes there are still samples, in slightly different format.
All free!
Up to Sheffield. We managed to get ourselves seats on the train to Scarborough which was good as there ended up being not much standing room left, but by Hull the train had thinned out, by Scarborough we were the only ones in our carriage. Unfortunately there were trespassers on the line so our train was delayed. Then at Bridlington we were delayed further as ahead there is a stretch of single track and we had to wait for the south bound train to arrive before we could carry on north. We were guaranteed to be shouted at by Tilly when we got home, she did not disappoint, WHERE’S MY DINGDING!!! You said you might be a bit late but it’s over twenty seven cat naps late!!!!
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 1 delay repay applied for, 1 cat home alone, 2 cobs, 1 large pot of tea, 1 form still to be filled in, 1 hunt for Oleanna, 1 wooden ladder, 8 cooling towers, 1 bazar station, 2 hours before return, 2 mini socks, 1 very hungry cat.
Whilst we had breakfast there seemed to be a mass exodus from the steps, one boat just turned out to be winding so they could sand their starboard side gunnel. The boat behind us pulled out, beeping their horn to warn nearby rowers that they were turning. Mick had chance to ask which way they were headed, up onto the cut, we’d be a little while yet dropping our covers, so he suggested they shouldn’t wait for us.
The Mighty Trent
Once we were ready I opted to walk to the lock. Wilford Suspension Bridge closed to pedestrians today whilst the love locks were removed and TV camera crews did interviews as men used big bolt croppers to snip the padlocks from the mesh. How insignificant Oleanna looked as she headed back down stream towards Meadow Lane Lock.
Under Trent Bridge
The boat ahead, NB Olivella, had already cleared the lock when I arrived, it just needed emptying then the bottom gates opening. Mick loitered below, then brought Oleanna into the lock and off the river which over the last few days has stayed in the green on the level board despite Storm Amy.
We’d a load of washing on the go and wanted to top up with water at the services, NB Olivella had done the same, so we had quite a long wait to be able to use the tap. Time to check emails and messages. Another from the printers, they so don’t understand about 20% fullness! I have to admit to giving up and giving them the go ahead to print, the width of the print is after all finally correct. But I have no idea if the front cloth will arrive gathered or just flat. If it’s flat then that will be another job that someone will need to do. I messaged the Production Manager about it.
Whilst we waited I made use of the parsnips we still had and made a pan of parsnip and apple soup for lunch, it was ready and zuzzed smooth before our water tank was full.
Volunteers doing a grand job
A CRT work party were busy cutting back the undergrowth along the towpath. A whistle was blown when boats or pedestrians were about to pass so the strimmers could pause. NB Olivella had pulled in, not where you’d choose to pull in. A pair of overalls and some orange mesh fencing had wrapped itself around their prop, all was clear now so we’d be able to share Castle Lock.
My windlass has not been used so much as in most years
I walked ahead to set the lock. A CRT chap walked up and offered to wind the paddle I was already lifting up. No Thanks, I’m fine. He then walked over to the weir to make sure it was clear of debris. Despite not quite reaching our destination for the day we pulled over near the footbridge for lunch. Silt keeping us from pulling right in, this explained why no boats had been moored there when we’ve passed recently. It didn’t matter to us, we were close enough to enjoy our bowl of soup and some toast.
Parsnip and apple soup
Not much further we turned into Castle Marina and pulled onto their service pontoon. Time to check in and find out where we would be mooring. The marina has looked a bit sorry for itself for at least a year now, quite a few pontoons have been condemned and we were warned not to venture onto them. But Aquavista are planning a £1.5 million refurb, which the staff were excited to tell us would be starting in the spring.
Our mooring was down the far end, tucked in between a couple of boats so we reversed in so we could step off Oleanna’s stern as we’d not have a pontoon. We plugged into the electric and started to make use of the full water tank, several loads more washing followed the one we’d done on our way. Washing hung out in the pram cover and cratch to dry.
Tucking ourselves in
I made a shopping list up and headed over to Sainsburys, returning with what I hope will be just the right amount of fresh food, including a couple of naughty treats, one being a Sainsburys curry.
Christmas is on it’s way!
2 locks, 2.5 miles, 2 lefts, 3 winds, 1 full water tank, 1 vat of soup, 1 boat tucked in at the end, 5 meals worth, 4 loads washing, 2 bully boy batteries charged to 100%, 1 very bored cat.
An all you can eat breakfast at Aspley, I double checked it wasn’t going to contain any gluten, thankfully their hash browns were okay, bacon a little bit dried out, but it was the thought that counted. Most people were away from the hotel before me, heading to participate in Well Being hour at the theatre before the days work began. Instead I walked up the hill via Sainsburys’ to get myself something for lunch.
Aspley Basin
Many of the same faces as yesterday were about, plus some new ones, some people having travelled from Glasgow, some from Kent. Todays proceedings were hosted by Nicky Priest, an actor, stand up comedian, advocate for autism conditions, oh and wrestler! A short performance by Dark Horse choreographed to music by Loz Kaye mentioning everyone who has worked and taken part on the Making Tomorrows Theatre projects.
Tim Crouch and his dog on the stage
Key note speaker was Tim Crouch, an experimental theatre maker, actor, director. He rejects realism and invites the audience to help create the work he does. With the aid of some photographs and one prop he got his audience to think out of the box, the first image actually being of a cardboard box. What else could that box be? Give it to a child I could become a car, rocket. I’d seen him pick up an orange at breakfast he placed it on the stage. What was it? What could it be? We were all wrong, it was his dog. But what did his dog look like? We were all asked to imagine what it looked like, was it sitting, sleeping scratching some annoying flea. If we’d imagined a Golden Retriever then we were wrong and quite boring! His style of theatre doesn’t require input from designers, as my job is taken over by the audience each creating their own unique surroundings, characters in their heads. I once had an argument with a director about having some part cutaway doors in a theatre in the round, this was so they could be left open and the audience sat next to them would be able to see the play. He wasn’t having it, he needed full double doors, he wasn’t willing to trust that his audience could fill in what I had left out. Tim Crouch wouldn’t have had even the partial doors, the door frame, the room! A very interesting man.
Discussions
Protagonist George Webster followed. George is a BAFTA award winning presenter of CBeebies, he’s an actor, author and public speaker advocating for disability representation, he is also a member of the Separate Doors National Ensemble. He posed questions on how learning disabled and neuro divergent actors could and should become part of the main landscape. How could the industries of theatre, television and film become more inclusive.
Replies to George’s provocations
Panels answered questions, panel members posed questions. A very thought provoking day. The quote Tim Crouch had used ‘No one is free until everyone is free’ is very true whether it be about race, disability, or anything.
As the conference drew to a close, there would be time to chat more to everyone, but also there was a three hour train journey back to Beeston. I checked the times of buses back to Brighouse and the connecting trains, I had 25 minutes, time to say my rushed goodbyes and head off. A shame I wasn’t included in the company photo, but many of the National Ensemble had already left too. What a fantastic two days it had been.
Back in Beeston, Tilly was bored, still! Mick got on with installing the new Victron gear, I’ll let him explain a bit more about this.
Mick here. Technical stuff coming up. If you get bored skip the next four paragraphs.
For some time, in fact for a few years, I’ve been thinking that our 24 volt100 amp domestic alternator isn’t up to the job of fully charging our LiFePO4 batteries. The alternator doesn’t output the 28.4 volts required to get the batteries up to full capacity. It seems to stop short at about 27.5v leaving the batteries liable to “under voltage over charging”. This is where the individual cells can become over charged even though the voltage doesn’t reach the point where the battery management system (BMS) cuts off the charging when the cell is full. I do wonder if this is what caused one of our original LiFePO4 batteries, as supplied by the boat builder, to fail. About 21 months ago we suffered an alternator failure and I did wonder if the replacement from Beta Marine would work better, but it made no difference.
The system we had, as installed by the boat builder, was such that the alternator charged the LiFePO4 batteries directly and the 24v lead acid bow thruster bank was wired in parallel with them via a voltage sensitive relay (VSR). I had considered getting a Mastervolt Alpha Pro alternator charge regulator and indeed I had contacted the boat electrician Ed Shiers to get him to come and fit one. But we never seemed able to find somewhere suitable for him to come and visit us at a suitable time for both of us. I had considered fitting one myself but it involved taking apart the alternator and I wasn’t confident of doing this. Then last winter a new product was launched by Victron: a battery to battery charger (B2B) that was capable of taking a 24v DC input and providing a regulated 50 amp 24 volt DC output. This was capable of being programmed with a LiFePO4 profile specifically to charge our batteries properly. It was cheaper that the Mastervolt and as no tinkering with the alternator was required I could do the job myself.
So while we were at the house last winter I ordered a Victron Orion XS 1400 from 12 Volt Planet. I have bought stuff from them before and they have always been quick and reliable and apparently have good technical support, although I’ve never needed their advice. While Pip was away for 2 days I decided to install the B2B. I ran in the necessary cables on day one. In my career as a telecom / IT technician I only ever had to deal with thin wires (just lots of them!) and big thick chunky copper cables are not my idea of fun. But I got the cables in and terminated them with the required lugs at each end. I mounted the B2B in the electrics cupboard with the thinking that it would be cooler in there than the engine bay. The next day I connected everything up. So now the alternator is connected directly to the lead acid bow thruster bank and the B2B sits in between the alternator and the LiFePO4 bank via a fuse. I programmed the B2B with the LiFePO4 profile and changed the settings in the BMS so they would match the B2B. All the correct lights came on on the B2B and I started the engine. After the programmed 60 second delay the B2B went into “bulk”charging mode and the batteries started charging properly.
It all seems to be working well with the batteries charging quicker than they used to. I have still to connect the B2B up to our Victron Venus GX monitoring system. I need to shift the GX to the left because the USB socket is too close to the wall of the electric cupboard and I can’t plug the plug in. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow.
At some point in the afternoon, someone on an electric bicycle came whizzing along the towpath, Mick thought they may have been doing 30 to 40 mph. They wore a balaclava hat and hood. What had they done? Up above them they were being followed by a Police helicopter! I wonder if they caught them? Or was the bike too nimble for the police on the ground to be able to catch them?
Front seat on the bus back to Brighouse
My train journey back to Beeston went with only slight delays which were helped by delays to the connecting trains. Then a walk back to Oleanna in the dark to be greeted with the smell of dhal being warmed up for our meal tonight. It may take me sometime to download my photos, I really hope I’ve something that will be useful for illustrations.
Some of the Separate Doors team
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 more trains, 1 bus, 9 ensemble, 2 panels, 5 provocations, 76 replies, 1 orange/dog, 1 high speed aerial chase, 1 Victron Orion XS 1400 installed, 1 afternoon of regretting that chicken last night, 1 cosy boat with a cat on my lap.
Alarm set too early, I was off the boat at 6:45 and very glad of my three warmer layers as the first frost had landed overnight and mist hung over the canal. Have to say I wish I’d brought a hat with me.
Sun rising through Derby Station
Today I was headed to Huddersfield, 3 trains and a rail replacement bus from Brighouse to Huddersfield as the station there is closed for a month during upgrade works. The journey was good although I’d forgotten to sit myself on the correct side to watch all the locks on the Calder Hebble go by. I can report that the new rail bridges near Mirfield are still under construction.
Brighouse the quickest route to Huddersfield today
On my second train of the morning I realised I’d left my fully charged camera on the dinette! My phone is fine for photos but the zoom is not great. Maybe I should see if I could buy a cheap camera, after all my journey was partly with the aim of taking photos.
I zoomed round any possible shops on my way down to the Lawrence Batley Theatre having no luck what so ever on the camera front. But I did manage to arrive at the theatre just about bang on time as the events started.
Today theatre makers, directors and producers had been invited along to observe and to take part in rehearsals using the Silent Approach, this gives a level playing field to all actors no matter what their ability or disability. The Separate Doors National Ensemble were being directed by the guest directors when I arrived. Chrome framed chairs arced round the stage, there was music composed for the play and conference by Loz Kaye, gongs were hit, packets of snacks fell on the floor, fans were fanned, people ran and took off paragliding under the direction of Angela Gasparetto. It was good to see everyone again and be in a room of such incredible concentration.
Paragliding en masse
The Artistic Director of Northern BroadsidesLaurie Samson joined adding some text into the work, choreographers from LMP dance encouraged movement during workshops where an albatross was hunted down with a bow and arrow.
Rehearsals using the Silent Approach
Plenty of time to chat with people in breaks, Questions and answers taken later, a sociable drink, chance to say hello to Marianne from Mikron who had come to see what this was all about.
Meanwhile back in Beeston. Mick did quite a lot of clothes washing and managed to get it dry on the whirligig. Then he turned his attention to some preparatory work for installing a Victron Orion XS1400 battery to battery charger. What did Tilly do? Well she just got very bored! Beeston is rubbish after all.
A long and rewarding day in Huddersfield, the conference day ending with an hour of conversation between Dr Judith Johnson and Sally Wainwright who you are more likely to have heard of, the writer of Happy Valley, Last Tango in Halifax. Sally considers herself as autistic, the doctors don’t agree with her, they are wrong in her point of view. She talked about her 4 Maine Coon cats. She touched on projects she is currently developing, one with Sarah Lancashire. The cat was also let out of the bag regarding her next TV series Riot Women, BBC1 Sunday nights, starting in just a few weeks time although the BBC seem to be keeping it quiet at the moment.
I may wish it hadn’t been
Afterwards and another glass of wine later a group of us headed to find some food, The Ladz seemed to be a good call, similar to Nandos, but cheaper. I suspect I may regret my choice, it was tasty and really rather crunchy and also possibly not gluten free! Accommodation was at the Premier Inn at Aspley Basin, sadly my room overlooked the car park rather than the basin. A glass of wine before working my way through numerous emails to do with panto. Maybe I should have brought my laptop with me! Oh well.
0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 1 bus, 3 layers not quite enough, 1 tote bag, 1 baseball cap, lots of people to say hello 2, 1 camera on the dinette, 178 photos taken, 156 blurry, 1 live stream, 1 pork sandwich, 4 Maine Coons! 3 glasses of wine, 1 glutenous loaded fries, 5 panto emails, 1 stir crazy cat, 1 appointment in December.
Alarm set for 6am, cheese and pastrami butties made, laptop packed along with two pieces of panto model. Then I was off to the station to catch the direct train down to Exeter St Davids. Thankfully the train from Burton wasn’t that busy to start with and I didn’t feel the need to play seat hopscotch. I opted for my first reserved seat, then moved into my third one across the way a stop before hand.
I tried writing a blog post, but lack of space made that a touch hard, then I got on with some knitting. Gemma, the Production Manager for panto, joined the train at Bristol Parkway, her seat behind mine.
Pretty town hall
When I’d left Burton this morning it had been 10C, now the sun was out and I was heading for the south coast which would be the warmest place in England according to last nights forecast. I made sure to keep an eye out as we headed southwards from Bristol, did I spot Paul Balmer dancing around in his garden waving at trains?
Exeter St David’s
At Exeter St David’s we changed trains, a very seaside feel to those getting on and off the train. The train skirts along the River Ex, the tide seemed to be out and many boats sat on the bottom. Then the train turns along the coast of the English Channel, the sea bright blue today reflecting the sky.
The River Exe
Just a couple of minutes to enjoy being close to Dawlish beach before Jamie arrived to pick us up and whisk us along to his workshop. A quiet time in between festivals for Back Drop Design, a few TV things coming up and Chippy panto would fit nicely in between.
Sunny beach
Gemma had brought the model pieces for us to discuss. I have to say I was a little bit surprised that the finished model drawings hadn’t been forwarded to Jamie, nor the colour model storyboard. So various things had changed from the information he’d had, but at least there was time to go through everything and for him to make notes.
The last bit of model to discuss
A cuppa as we chatted. How was the budget? Well I’d been told a month ago we were fine, it looked like there’d be no need for any amendments then. But Gemma asked if Jamie could bring the build in for a couple of thousand less than he’d priced it up and a few extra bits had been added today. I wasn’t surprised at his reaction, ‘that’s my profit’. It’s a shame this conversation couldn’t have happened a month ago, but people are busy, maybe a bit too busy! Another hour sat with up to date drawings would have helped us find some savings, but Gemma and I were booked on specific trains back.
Good signs
Back along the coast, up the estuary, changing trains again. The train back north was two units, one would be stopping at Bristol Temple Meads the other one carrying on. Announcements were too quick, platform staff guided us to the front carriages, thankfully these weren’t as packed so tightly as those behind. We found seats a miracle, the previous train had been cancelled and there was suggestions from the passengers that tomorrow there is a strike. One lady said they had only just added four more carriages, so she’d quickly moved so she could breath. Then there was the announcement that meant we were actually in the wrong part of the train, but half an hour later another guard had been found so all eight carriages could continue onwards to Edinburgh, phew!
Because of overcrowding the train was delayed a bit. Gemma alighted in Bristol. Then there was a points failure, necessitating going into Gloucester to get round it. Then because of the train before having been cancelled they added an extra stop at Tamworth. All in all I ended up being over an hour late back into Burton, at least I’ll get some money back.
A well deserved glass of wine
Mick had planned to spend the day in the engine bay fitting a new bit of Victron kit. But another bad nights sleep had had to be made up for so he’d had a good afternoon kip. Tilly had had an inquisitive black Labrador come to visit her, but she’d spent quite a lot of the day on her throne under the pram cover. Three loads of washing were hanging about the place, so Mick had been busy for some of the day.
I got back to Oleanna around twelve hours after I’d left, I’d managed 2.5 hours in Dawlish. Now I’m waiting to see what adjustments are required!
Daffodils?!
0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 1 production manager, 5 week out of date drawings, 2 attempts to write the blog, 1 sock completed, 5 reserved seats, 4 sardine carriages, 2 giant figures, 3 loads washing, 1 black lab, 1 hello, 10 C to 25C, 12 meatballs and spaghetti, 1 spring weather forecast!
In the mornings I open up the back of the boat, slide the stern hatch open, then Tilly can go when ever she wants, I still need to open the door or side hatch to let her in. This can be annoying, but it’s far far better than having to try to catch a rodent friend scurrying around the boat! This morning was no different and she’d been out for a while then come back in for a snooze. WE then heard a scurrying on the stern deck!
Pirates!!! We’d been borded!!! Were they still on board? Their paw prints required a good amount of sniffing for identity. Bigger than mine. A WOOFER Pirate! The smell made my lips curl. Eurgh!!!
Crane boat heading to Leeds
I made arches and barrels for the walkdown scene, the tip of my poor index finger is now really quite sore, but the end was in sight. After lunch I popped everything into the model box. My barrels were far too small, pethetic really. Time to remake them that bit higher.
Big barrel in the making,
In Scarborough the lean to was coming along well. All but one pane of glass was in. Neat flashing around a soil pipe, bits of timber at joins. What would we like where the pitch of the roof had been altered on the inside? Mick had made the right decision, wood. Un-surprisingly the roofer had messaged saying he’d be round tomorrow. Is that the tomorrow that never comes?! I’d put photos of the lean to here, but the internet is abismal!
Tilly watching and waiting for the battery status to show
Wednesday. When I finished work last night and popped the new barrels in the model box I hadn’t achieved my goal for the day sadly, but I was also disappointed that my new barrels were now too big! Barrels take a lot of making at 1:25 and I seem to make them for every panto at Chippy. Maybe there was a different solution, thankfully there was and a mixture of the two sizes of barrel did the trick. Hooray!!!
At least this boat that’s been there for a year has it’s uses
All of a sudden there was a smell. Oh Blimey that was rank!!! What was it? Where was it coming from?
I can smell it TOO!
Was it the sewage works that sit behind Lemonroyd Marina? I went outside, there was a vague aroma there, back inside it was stronger and not quite the same as the sewage works. I walked round, far stronger around the galley and dinette. Maybe our starter battery, although new, was gasing?! Tilly was closed inside, I lifted the engine board, all was fine in there. Just where was it coming from?
Barry Gibb or Jesus?!
Inside it still stank! Do Lithiums make a smell? I opened up The Shed cupboard, nope it just smelt of life jackets and gloves. I turned to ask Tilly what she thought it might be……my lips curled. Oh Barry Gibb! It’s YOU!!!!!!!!!!
You can stay out here with your Stinkyness!
A closer sniff made my eyes water! What on earth?! Her paws were a touch grey, had she found a hole to go down that was inhabited by a musky stinky creature? That was the only explanation I could come up with. What a Stinkerooni!!! I avoided beng close to the stinky one for the remainder of the day, she was constantly having a bath, but didn’t seem to be too perturbd by the stink.
Basic set
In the afternoon I ran through panto scene by scene. Checking positioning of things. Did I need more sliders? Would that look better a bit more upstage? Was more room required for that scene? A list of notes to work through.
An email about the white card model meeting arrived. What time and where? I was now able to book my train tickets, a touch of flexibility required but having 5 return tickets splitting the journey up instead of the one saved over £100. Now with a definate deadline I was spurred on to tick things off my notes list and worked on to midnight.
Roses, think I’m going to have had enough of roses by the end of the year
Back in Scarborough, guess what? The roofer promises he will be round tomorrow! But the lean-to was now completed. They had said it would take three days and it had. They’d even tidied up and helped Mick move the extra fridge back in along with Tilly’s tree back into the corner. Rain is forecast so we’ll see if it’s water tight.
Robin Hood came back with the crane boat
By bedtime Tilly wasn’t quite so stinky anymore, but I really didn’t want to share the bed with her!
0 locks, 0 miles, 4.58 miles walked, 81 minutes briskly, 1 Bee Gee on a post, 3rd time lucky with barrels, 1 cocker pirate, 1 sheet of notes, 1 lean to, 36 hours to sink, 1 tree back where it should be, 1 absent roofer, 1 definate leak, 5 return tickets, 1 extreamly STINKY cat!
A few little gaps in our larder needed filling, we moved Oleanna up to the water point and I left Mick topping up with water as I walked into town. A few stalls were open in the fish market along with a couple of fruit and veg stalls outside. I toyed with trying to buy everything at the market, but I still would need a supermarket for a few bits and another visit to Boyes was required.
Goodbye Doncaster we may see you again soonish
Back at Oleanna the development next door was having some piles driven about 2ft away from the gate to the moorings and more importantly 2 ft away from the piling holding the bank back. Mick just wanted to make sure CRT knew about this, so gave them call.
Yesterday a small black narrowboat had arrived towing a small cruiser. The chaps had chatted to Mick asking if he had a guide to the area. They were planning on towing the cruiser and a second one down to Keadby and out onto the Trent and up stream to Nottingham, their main concern was would they be able to breast up one cruiser and still get through the locks. This morning they were manoeuvring themselves round to the other side of the pontoons to collect the second cruiser, neither of which have working engines.
New camera zooming in well so far
We pushed off wishing them well and headed back down stream. Todays mooring should be one suitable for Tilly to have some shore leave and hopefully one where we’d be able to do some jobs. As we approached Long Sandall Lock we clocked the boat that had been at Bramwith Junction, maybe our mooring would be available?
Green for go
The amber light at the lock turned red. Ah, the VHF radio had been coming to life on and off and news that Eastwood Lock up at Rotherham was now open suggested to us that maybe Exol Pride was on its way, maybe we were to meet it here? The top gates opened and the light turned green. A chat with a chap in blue, they were here to clear bywashes etc, then up to Doncaster to check things out there too along with the development site. No news of Exol on the move.
More activity today
Below the lock there was more activity at the pontoon for the flood defences. Numerous chaps in orange were gesticulating to a crane operator. A short distance further on another band of orange people were on the river bank erecting fencing and measuring things out.
Up to open
At Barnby Dun Lift Bridge I had another prat go through on the red wigwag lights necessitating me lifting my finger to stop everything. Once through I counted the cars, 21 including a funeral cortege, I hope I didn’t slow them down too much.
Front outside better than back
I now opted to walk to the junction whilst Mick took Oleanna on ahead. Our favourite space available, thankfully the wind that is always present here helped to hold Oleanna to the bank today. Tilly when shown the outside wasn’t too enamoured due to the breeze, so the front door outside was checked, it was slightly better!
After lunch it was time for jobs. I dug out the drill for Mick whilst he dug out buckets for me. Mick would be having a more concerted effort with the stern light today. Our passage through Keadby next week is at 7am, there may be fog on the river and with so many boats in convoy it would be handy to show a white stern light.
I got the boat washing things out. Goole for five months leaves it’s mark on boats, a greening and general layer of dust, time to give Oleanna a scrub up for the Fund Britain’s Waterways Campaign Cruise. I decided to split the job into four, starboard side today, both roof and cabin side. The covers will have to wait!
Tilly came out claimed the towpath as hers, ran around like a loon for a while then sat on the gunnels, chewed the tasty bits of grass alongside the boat then went on duck duty, Can’t have ducks making nests on Oleanna, the outside needs to keep changing! Just keep away from the wet side of the boat please!
A lovely early evening
Ten more minutes of walking were required so I decided to walk round the ‘block’ as it were. From the opposite bank I got a few nice shots of Oleanna and Mick looked like he was nearing completion of the stern light wiring. Along to the Don Doors, a boat just approaching from the last bridge of the New Junction. Across to Bramwith Lock, people from the permanent moorings were sitting out enjoying the early evening sunshine. By the lock there is a cupboard for fresh eggs. Not just chicken eggs, but if you are lucky you can get Turkey and Guinea Fowl eggs too. I’ll look again when we come through, see if we’re lucky enough to try a Turkey egg.
eggs
On returning to Oleanna some wiring was happening in the electrics cupboard. After a short while there was a cheer, the stern light was working! Brilliant.
A while after dark we paused what we were watching on the TV, lights and voices could be heard on the canal. It was the black narrowboat breasted up to one of the cruisers, thankfully they weren’t towing as well! Will they have got through Bramwith Lock breasted up? Hopefully where ever they got to they got there safely, we just wonder how much research they’ve done for the Tidal Trent?
1 lock, 5.7 miles, 1 lift bridge, 21 held up, 1 prat, 4.43 miles walked, 52 minutes briskly, 1/4 washed boat, 1 stern light working, 1 loony cat who’s forgotten about the trees over there! Where?!
A misty start to the day in Matlock. Hotel breakfast, where I managed to avoid the cooked end of the table and had a very pleasant chat with Kate Lovell, Creative Director from the Queens Theatre Hornchurch. A lift back to Level where today we were joined by Dark Horse actors Jo Sproulle and Rebekah Hill, both of whom I know very well.
The morning was spent rehearsing for the on-line symposium discussing how to market and engage general audiences for integrated theatre. There was to be an online panel made up from producers and an agent who have all worked with learning disabled and neurodivergent actors. In the room we were joined by Michele Taylor from Ramps on the Moon, who in 2020 produced Oliver Twist at the Leeds Playhouse.
What a beautiful day
Lunchtime I took myself off to walk down the path alongside the river, far more picturesque than my walk yesterday in Matlock. Here green hills and clumps of trees could be made out on the other side of the valley, what a beautiful day.
In the afternoon we all took up our positions, the online panel arrived on the white wall opposite those of us in the room. Our focus was to be on a camera. Checks done, then we started. Our hosts did a fab job of introducing the symposium, we all then had to introduce ourselves in turn. When it came to the on line participants there seemed to be a problem, a 20 second delay!
The technical chap in the corner looked from screen to screen, tried this and that whilst Nicky held everything together. The first question was asked of the on line panel, we waited for their response. Sadly the technical delay/glitch hadn’t been rectified and trying to hold a discussion with 20 second gaps everywhere simply wasn’t going to work. Vanessa decided to cut the online panel and the discussion would continue to be filmed in the room.
Some of the team from the symposium
Such a shame we didn’t get to hear what everyone on the big wall had to say. But these things happen. Hopefully there will be another chance for all to gather, most probably all online to have the discussion in full at sometime in the future.
This meant the day ended early. Not much point in doing something else with the time, so people headed home. I was last to leave, getting a lift with Vanessa to Bakewell to catch the bus back to Sheffield. There is a new stream of funding from the Arts Council which will be applied to with the hope of producing the play that has been in development for a few years. Fingers crossed for a successful application this time.
Qwor!!!
Blimey Bakewell was very VERY busy and boy that Party Bakewell Tart looked extra tasty. I managed to hop on the next bus which was just arriving and got the front seat upstairs, in amongst the masses of school kids. From here I endured the noise but enjoyed the fantastic views whilst trying to work out when I might reach Sheffield and get a cheap train ticket booked.
The bus time table sadly wasn’t that good and I ended up with 30 seconds to run across the road into the station find the right platform etc. Oh well only £3.50 wasted. I bought another ticket at nearly twice the price and had only a couple of minutes to wait for the next train.
Images of bands cover empty shop windows all around town.
Back in Doncaster I topped up my walking minutes by heading home via the scenic route. Everywhere was closed apart from pubs, keeping up a quick pace seemed to be a good idea.
Onboard Mick and Tilly had kept themselves busy whilst pile driving had been happening at the new development. Tilly had been busy sleeping and Mick had been trying to wire up the new stern light, that had gone on the stern of Oleanna last year. He’d been out to buy wire for the job, but then couldn’t find a way through the steelwork for the new cable to run. In the end the conclusion was that there is a cavity between two sheets of steel and some way through would need to be found. The job was paused.
A good selection of brushes
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 lifts, 1 bus, 1 giant bakewell, 1 train, 20 seconds not conducive to discussion, 1 hole not 2, 1 bored cat, 4.05 miles walked, 45 minutes briskly, 1 slightly painful hip! 2 more lodgers booked in, 1 house booked for the summer.
Whilst being in Scarborough we’ve managed to catch up with most people, some more than once, some many times. However one person has eluded us, I knew there’d be trouble if he didn’t get a mention here on the blog, so there was only one thing for it, best invite Duncan and Jaye round for some food. It also gave me a good excuse to make the Squash Winter Herb Crust Butter Bean Pie I’d made last winter. It was just as delicious as last time, the company wasn’t too bad either!
Lovely to have an evening with you both
More walks have been had.
The other Saturday I took advantage of all the sunshine and managed to walk through the old cemetery, down Peasholm Glen to the park (sadly no Naval Battle taking place), round by The Corner onto the North Bay, said hello to Freddie and held his hand, then walked round Marine Drive spotting the fin of a dolphin in the waves, round the south bay which was a bustle with day trippers and back home up the valley (the daffodils still waiting to come into flower). A good 5 mile walk.
More of the roof space has been emptied, we just hope the floor of upstairs upstairs can take the extra weight for a few months! Family history treasures have been seen for the first time in eleven years, theatre models have been reduced in number and scrap books of when the SJT first opened perused.
I think I’ll have quite a project next winter sorting through my Dad’s kitbag with letters, sketch books and negatives from the late 1940’s.
With the weather being that bit better Mick hopped on a train to head to see Oleanna with the aim of getting the horns and tunnel light attached and wired up ready for cruising soon.
Stuck in the mud
Earlier this week we’d seen photos of a ship bound for the Trent that had managed to get itself on a sand bank on the Humber. This was achieved on one of the biggest spring tides of late. Tugs, the Coast Guard came out from Goole and Hull to try to free it at the next two high tides. They had no luck, so with the tides now getting lower the ship will be stuck for another couple of weeks with the hope that when the next spring tides come it will be able to be re-floated. On Mick’s return train journey he managed to catch a glimpse of it, here’s hoping we manage to stay the right side of the buoys when we come to cruise the Muddy Humber in the summer!
Mick’s photo from the train
Mick checked over the electrics on Oleanna. The engine was turned over for a while. He popped into the office to catch up with Hannah and pick up the new BSSC. When we come to leave we may need some extra pairs of hands as we are breasted up to the boat next to us. People to flick and hold ropes as we extricate ourselves would be handy.
Bracket back on
Then it was time to fix the horns and tunnel light back on the cratch. The cratch cover needs removing to do this at the top, then it slides back over the top of the bracket. Mick had purchased a waterproof box so all the cables could be connected and stay dry. However, as thought, it was too bulky to slot in somewhere on the bracket.
Cables were joined, self amalgamating tape used then covered in heat shrink. This hopefully will keep everything dry until he has a smaller box for the connections.
That’s better
Before he’d left Scarborough this morning we’d discussed Oleanna’s smile. Now with 24volt horns the cable connecting them isn’t actually needed as it was before when they were 12 volt, it will purely exist to give her her smile back. What colour should it be? I was given the choice of black, grey, red or cream. Red would fade and her smile had been black, so black in preference.
Top at the top
The horns were connected up to power and tested. The same tone plus one a touch higher. He hunted round for a suitable piece of wire for the smile and connected it.
I got a message that he’d not manage to catch the next train but would be on the following one. This was followed by several photos that I’d nagged him to take. The light in situ. The horns in situ. Then her smile.
Hang on hadn’t I said not to use red wire this morning?! Either he had no suitable wire other than red, or he’d not been listening to me!
WHAT!!!!
I showed Tilly to see what she thought.
Why has Oleanna got LIPSTICK on?!?!!
Hang on
When questioned later Mick said he had been listening, but had no choice as there was only enough red cable available for the job. Having some black cable would be a good thing in his tool kit, so once some has been purchased the red will be swapped out.
RED Lipstick
So even though Oleanna looks a little bit strange with her statement smile, she at least has it back along with her voice. History of lipstick.
Red lipstick showed strength and power in WW2
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 1 ship aground, 2 horns, 1 light, 170 Rimmel Alarm Red, 1 Duncan, 1 Jaye, 1st tidal lock booked, but more about that in the next post.
