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.
Life continues onwards in Scarborough. Jobs in the house continue. The roof space needs clearing for when we get a new roof done in a few months time, so it’s time to go through things again. All the things that have been kept for posterity have been gone through several times and are gradually being worked through in case any can go on to have new lives elsewhere. There are also all my accounts since the turn of the century! Boxes and folders to go through, only the last few years needed which now all fit into one slim folder.
Old shows, technical drawings, reference, costume designs, sketch books, programmes, scripts. A lot of these have been hitting the recycling bin, two big boxes of venue plans, but there is still a lot I can’t throw away. I haven’t started on model boxes yet, but I did do a huge cull of those eleven years ago.
Then there are the more personal things, tins from my Mum’s sewing cupboard, round robins from 1999, Christmas cards and first night cards, newspapers etc. All these will be kept as I find them interesting and many are close to my heart. Mick has yet to look through the box of telephones, I know we’ll be keeping them.
Walks round Scarborough continue, tomorrow I’ll cross the line of walking 100 miles in February. Just thinking back to last summer when I struggled to walk from one lock to the next, what a difference.
Mick has started to do research for the main part of our cruise this year. We’d originally planned on making use of the longer days in June, but our friends who will be joining us, won’t be able to until later in the summer. So we may have to cruise some bits earlier on our own before we meet up as we want to be heading southwards come September.
I’ve been helping on a community mosaic project that will adorn the back wall of a community centre. I’ve never done mosaic before, it’s quite therapeutic unless you get mosaic dyslexia trimming down tiles to fit in with the andamento, this week I did a bit of crazy paving known as Opus Paladanium in the earth section. It’s a way to get to know new people in Scarborough, although sadly I won’t be able to attend many more sessions as the commute from Oleanna will be too much soon. Instead I’ll be doing mosaic knitting on a few pairs of socks, think I’m getting addicted to this method of colour changing.
Tuesday’s view of the Humber
Tuesday the 25th February arrived. Mick was on an early train down to Goole. Today was the day when Hannah would be giving Oleanna her Boat Safety Test which needs to be done every four years. The stove was lit, a touch more warmth to help dry things out and be a more pleasant place to work in.
Tuesday’s view in Scarborough
Hannah pointed out that we should have a sign to indicate where the diesel cut off is. Handily she happened to have one in her bag, so that was a very quick fix.
New sign
She looked in the gas locker, noting that it gets wet in there. When Oleanna is out of the water for repainting next year, Hannah suggested we get the vent holes in the gas locker extended upwards. This is so that even when the water tank is full and we’ve got full bottles of gas on board any leaking gas would be able to escape through the vents as they would be guaranteed to be above water. Oleanna passed and is good to go for the next four years.
Hooray!!!
See you soon
We now have medical appointments to attend, finish jobs at the house, finalise arrangements for workmen in the future, finish emptying the roof space, do some more painting and mosaicing, wait for a big box to arrive and then pack our lives away to move back on board.
Nine years with this little thug in our lives
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 111.7 miles walked in February, 2 many boxes, 2 many plans, 6m diameter mosaic, 1 pile appearing in the dining room, 1 lazy cat, 1 boat safety passed, 1 boat ready for this year, 1 mattress still required, 9 years of Tillyness.
The last couple of times Mick has been down to check on Oleanna he’s not been able to run the engine, the starter battery had lost all it’s charge. The battery charges as the engine runs and for the last few years we’ve put up a small solar panel which has trickle charged it when in a marina. But with one thing and another this year this didn’t happen straight away this winter and the battery is now dead.
It’s lasted us eight years so we can’t complain, time for a new one. Last week Mick had measured the battery tray it sits in and popped into the marina office to see if they had anything suitable in stock. There wasn’t anything that would fit. A hunt round on line and there was a suitable, lead acid 12volt, 80 amp hours, 740 cold cranking amps, maintenance free battery, one was put on order for us. Yes we could have sourced one ourselves, but it just seemed easier to get it delivered to the marina.
The start of my first mosaic sock
With both of us planning on a trip to Goole it made sense to hire a car. Originally booked for Tuesday, but the battery hadn’t arrived before the office closed for the weekend. The car was moved to Wednesday, no battery Tuesday. Then it was nudged by another day to Thursday, a chase up of the battery , it would be delivered on Thursday too. We’d already decided to go to Oleanna anyway even if it didn’t arrive, other jobs could be done instead.
An early pick up, an early walk, breakfast and we were on our way across the Wolds snowdrop spotting as we went, the daffodils still a long way to grow to meet the sun yet.
Condensation on the flue pipe
Today the temperature had changed from the cold it’s been for months to pretty warm. This showed itself on the front doors of Oleanna, condensation on the outside of the front door windows. The door stuck a little as usual in the winter when she’s unoccupied. Inside the ceiling and every wall had a coat of dampness, time to light the stove, turn the heating on and add extra ventilation to help dry her out a touch.
Taking the new battery for a walk
Mick headed over to the office and returned with the new battery on a trolley. Swapping starter batteries over would be his main job today. The location it needed to go in very awkward so it would take some time.
I set about giving the ceiling and walls a wipe down. It always amazes me how much spider poo there is, little brown dots. But more amazing is how they can poo on the ceiling, upside down! Just how do they do that?!
Starting to warm up
The stove fan took some time to get warmed up. A little nudge required to get it moving. Oh dear it squeaked! Thankfully after a few minutes it started to loose the noise as it turned, we’d not be needing to stop at Aldi or Lidl for a new one on the way back to the house.
Chicken and mushroom today
Lunch, a bowl of soup each with some bread and a cuppa. Then back on with jobs.
It was windy outside, Mick considered putting the horn and light bracket back on the cratch board, but as it started to rain he put the job off and spent time checking things were good for the boat safety next week.
Getting the shower gleaming again
I took the shower to bits. Gave all the nooks and crannies a scrub with a tooth brush, then had a go at the glazing with lemon and bicarb, it worked wonders in the house. One of the door wheels seems to pop out of the track often, so I had a go at straightening both of them up, hoping this would solve the problem. Time will tell. In one corner the sealant wouldn’t come clean. Is it worth redoing? Or maybe leave it till next winter when more will require attention.
Mick by now had finished his jobs so as soon as the shower doors were rehung we packed up and made ready to leave. A chat with the Diver chap, sorry we’ve never got to know your name, and Alastair before we left. I took some photos of Oleanna so that I can do some colour schemes for her repaint. We’re so used to her being dark blue I want to see what she’ll look like being cream before we commit to it.
Full side profile
Oleanna had a new starter battery, the engine was run for a while. Shower cleaned, boat warmed up and dried out for now. But most importantly she’s ready for her boat safety next week. We rode back across the Wolds as the sun was setting in the west.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 damp boat, 10C warmer than yesterday, 1 dribbly flue, 1 boat wiped down, 6 dead spiders, 3 alive still pooing! 1 new battery, 1 engine run, 2 new horns and light left on the bed, 1 clean shower, 1 grubby bathroom floor, 3 down to 2, 1 new carabiner, 1st go at mosaic knitting, 1 cat left all alone whilst they went and had fun on the boat! When’s the outside going to start moving again?Soon…ish
So, over the last few months, I’ve been wondering if I should come clean about something. Would anyone notice? Would anyone care? I have felt guilty about this, I have felt stupid to have done this. So now is the time to confess and get this off my chest.
Smile
Last year I smashed Oleanna’s smile!
There I’ve said it, it’s out in the open.
It was on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal and we’d been warned about the pipe bridge just below Lock 42E. C&RT had suggested opening a paddle at Lock 41E to drop the level to make it easier to get under the pipebridge after emptying the lock above. Was it that we’d just said hello to Pete from Mikron? Was it that it was a damp day? Was it that we were pleased to see Paul who’d come to assist us down to Slaithwaite? Or was it that we just thought we were invincible? What ever it was we should have listened and taken action accordingly.
Bastard!!!
We dropped down Lock 42E and I popped Oleanna into gear to bring her out of the lock. I looked ahead to the pipe bridge, it looked tight, but we should manage it. Mick and Paul chatted, one about to walk on ahead to set the next lock, the other loitering to close the gates behind me.
Forwards she came out from the lock. Maybe it was going to be just a touch too tight? I popped her into reverse. I SLAMMED her into reverse, just when it was too late!
Not even a wink
Oleanna’s pair of horns that have seen seven/eight good years of service, been dropped from there support to go through low tunnels and limbo under low bridges, that smile that has shone back at us when at the helm, pleased to be on the move, were now crumpled like Quality Street wrappers as they’d hit the seam of the pipe bridge! She couldn’t even winking back at me!!
Paul went ahead to drop the pound. We waited, then Mick stood on the gunnel to help get us under and away from the protrudance. I was mortified at what I’d done. I loved her smile.
Coming down the locks without a smile
Paul said that no-one would ever know if I kept quiet about it. Oleanna certainly would stay quiet about it as now she had no voice along with no smile. Thankfully we didn’t have too far to go to get back to Goole, although turning out onto river sections it would have been nice to give the horn a blast, instead we did our best to shout BEEEEP! as Oleanna’s bow peeked out from the locks.
Ripped apart
The bracket the horns were attached to was in desperate need of de-rusting, I’m not sure it was ever prepared properly, it may just have had a coat of blue paint sprayed on it when she was built, certainly no prime or undercoat is visible under the bubbling blue paint. The plan had been to bring the bracket back to the house anyway to be sorted this winter, now the need was even greater.
We deliberated on whether to get the same two identical horns, or should we get two with different tones? Many people think Oleanna had a two tone beep, they’ve asked us to beep them and then have been disappointed when the two horns just make the same tone. The horns are 12volt and we had to have two as she is a 24volt boat. What had to be the same, identical even, was Oleanna’s smile. She would have to smile back at us as she’s done for eight years, that was none negotiable.
Mangled to death
One of the first jobs we did on returning to the house was find new horns. Mick ordered them and they arrived quickly, one shorter than the other. This was also an opportunity to replace the mightily rusted head lamp too. This has been rusty since Oleanna was about a year old. I’ve had a go at it a couple of times, but the chrome really wasn’t up to much, so I just gave up with it.
Cables were cut and the bracket was removed from the cratch. Next job was to remove the brackets that had supported her smile for so long. We knew this wouldn’t be an easy job as we’d tried to remove them before going through Froghall Tunnel. Penetrating oil was sprayed onto the screws and left to soak, several times.
Stubborn screws
Mick spent an afternoon trying to undo the hex screws that held everything together. All but four came out. These four were seriously going to stay put. Mick tried drilling one of them out breaking four drill bits in the process. More penetrating oil was added. Would an angle grinder be of use? Maybe, but would that only take the tops off the screws and leave the rest rusted in the bracket?
Time to call in the man, the one man I knew who would be able to undo them. Frank! Always at the SJT if there was a screw with a mashed up head you’d call Frank in to help. There were boxes of Frank screws in the workshop, he was the only one with the perseverance and magnetism to shift these screws.
Sparks flying
Frank arrived with an angle grinder and a different approach to ours. The hex heads were now nicely rounded so no chance of any grip from them. The grinder was put to work flattening off two sides of the heads, something to get a grip on with mole grips. The grips were tightened, Frank tried to turn them. No chance. Then by adding first a hammer which was soon replaced by a long allen key he gradually managed to get the screw turning having extended his leaver.‘Give me a leaver and a fulcrum and I’ll move the world‘ Frank was winning. The process was repeated three more times, sparks flying around the back garden. Then the bracket was free of all the now redundant screws. Time to hand it to the preparation department. Time for a well earned cuppa in the warm. THANK YOU FRANK!!!
Doom got rid of the rust
A few days later the rust was scraped off with a wallpaper scraper, the really good scraper having been left on the boat. Then the attachment of doom was attached to a drill and used to remove as much rust and paint as was possible. This took some time and a revisit the following day. Areas of shiny bright metal, next to pitted brown areas, next to areas the attachment of doom couldn’t reach no matter what.
One of my Mum’s old catering trays was covered with a layer of thick plastic. A liberal coat of Fertan was applied all over, then every other hour I would give the whole bracket a misting of water. It was left overnight.
The following day I washed the fertan off, black areas now next to the bright steel. The hard to reach parts were given a vague sanding, my sanding block only just fitting in the gap.
Two coats of primer undercoat
Once it was all dry I then opened a tin of One Up. This is a primer/undercoat. One layer went on quite well, it would certainly require more than one coat. When removing the failed paint I had noticed under the blue there had been a layer of white, undercoat or primer, but the layers of paint very very thin, where they still existed. Hopefully my attempt to paint this will last us until the repaint when a pro can do a much better job.
From white to Oleanna blue
Left in the utility room to dry off a second coat was applied before breakfast the following day. A little sand where things looked a bit too painty then a third coat. A day or two sat under the boiler before the tin of blue paint was stirred up. Screw holes and access holes first then a full coat. Second coat the following day. Ooh all shiny now!
Glad it’s not the cabin side
With a visit to Oleanna in a few days time, Mick used a tap to clean out the screw holes. Horn brackets were attached where the previous ones had been, no need for new holes thankfully.
Taps from Lidl
I returned from a walk to see the two horns sat proud on top of the bracket. But was the none negotiable smile there? One horn seemed to be sitting a little bit differently, did something need adjusting or was I just being a seriously picky Theatre Designer? Had the old horns been slightly off before? Most probably as the brackets had been fixed in the same place. Could one bracket be bent slightly to line them up better? This was tried, but the end result not noticeable, I was being too picky.
New horns in position
The new tunnel light has a smaller profile then the previous one. Hopefully the chrome will last longer.
A slimmer light, still with its cover on
With lights and horns attached we discussed Oleanna’s smile. Previously both horns, as I’ve mentioned were 12 volt, they needed a cable between the two of them which created her smile. These new horns are both 24 volt, so they don’t need connecting in the same way. But they do need connecting to return Oleanna’s smile, remember it’s none negotiable.
Two tones!
This will get done when the main bracket is back on the cratch, all cables that supply power have been attached, then we can give her an even better smile then she had before. But for now we’ll have to make do with Mick’s cheesy grin reflecting back at us.
Ages ago Mick spent quite a while trying to find the fuses on Oleanna, fuses between the batteries and … well, everything really! He couldn’t find any. Had they been tucked away well and truly out of sight? It appeared not, he has never found any fuses that the boat builder may (or may not) have fitted. With the new batteries he wanted to rectify this. When he fitted the new batteries last year he fitted a bus bar for the battery cables to terminate on. The bus bar contained fuses to protect the onward cabling to the inverter and the 24v domestic system. The new battery supplier told him that a fuse at the battery end of the positive cables is not required because the battery management system (BMS) would cut off in the event of a short circuit. So it was probably very safe so he didn’t fit any. But it niggled away in his mind. There were various opinions on facebook groups and internet forums, some saying “Oh! You must have fuses” and others saying “You don’t need to bother, nobody has fuses at the battery end” Anyway, due to their relative cheapness and being fairly simple to fit he decided to do it anyway.
So he obtained two “cube” fuse holders from 12 Volt Planet and 2 x 150 amp fuses.
Today he caught the 10am train down to Goole, taking the Brompton with him to avoid having to paddle once reaching the marina. The usual photos of the sea near Bridlington or the Humber and the bridge didn’t get taken due to thick fog, today the world wasn’t picturesque.
In fact the only photo he did take was of the new wee tank connector that Alastair has made for us and left on the stern lockers. Thank goodness, we won’t have to keep our fingers crossed that the connector connects without spillage, or more likely splurtage as the pump pumps!
We can wee now
When Mick had fitted the new fuses and reconnected the batteries the inverter wouldn’t turn back on. About an hours worth of head scratching ensued but eventually he remembered that back in October when we left Oleanna in the Marina he had remotely switched the inverter to “Charger only”. This must have overridden the physical switch on the front of the inverter. This had the effect of not powering up the inverter if the shore power was disconnected (which it was). Anyway, all sorted in the end. Back in the days when Mick worked as a techie in the telecoms and IT sector he had a saying: “Every fault is easy when you know what it is”. Very true in this case.
Meanwhile back in Scarborough one project I’ve been working on has been completed. All three of our garden benches have been repainted and the slats replaced. Not a cheap job but all three have cost us the same as replacing one. Frank leant us his pillar drill and I made sure the new sapele slats got the full number of coats of protective varnish. Hopefully they will now see the two of us out.
Last week I visited a physio for the second time. The wonderful Meera (self referral NHS physio) had given me a few simple stretching exercises and they seemed to have done the job. She believed my muscles were all far too tight and causing me extra problems and exacerbating my knee pain. If only I’d seen her back in August! I have one more exercise to help strengthen my hips and was given an open appointment should I need it before the end of February. No stick needed and I’m increasing the distance I’m walking every day, I’m determined to be able to push lock beams again this year. Thank you Meera!
Eastfield Medical Centre in the sunshine
My next project was to redecorate a room that hasn’t really ever had much thought put to it. The dining room had only ever been painted white and felt a little bit sterile now that we have people staying on that side of the house more often than not. A couple of years ago I made some curtains, last year I added a print out of the swirly wave that I’d used as a front cloth for Rapunzel at Chippy.
Tilly in the fish tank
Taking colours from the curtains and painting I selected a pale yellow and a turquoise. I’d ordered the paint before Christmas when Dulux were giving 20% off most things, so the colours were a little bit of a surprise when I opened the tins, especially the blue/turquoise.
Blimey, that’s bright!
There are still a few bits to do before it’s fully finished, hopefully before next weekend when our next lodgers arrive.
Yesterday we had a phone call from one of the boat painters on our short list. We’ve not yet managed to visit them. They had had a cancellation for a repaint, sadly someone had passed away, would we be interested in the slot? The slot was in three weeks time. Three weeks at this time of year to get across to the other side of the Pennines, there were bound to be stoppages that we weren’t aware of, tides to consider, weather, possible flooding. Then we’d also need to finish preparing the house for lodgers, leave Tilly with them or heaven forbid she’d have to go into a cattery What’s a CATTERY!?! Best she doesn’t know.
Cattery!!!!
It didn’t take me long to turn down the opportunity, three weeks was just too soon sadly. I hope they managed to find another boat to paint and we’re hoping to be that way in a couple of weeks.
Can you see what it is yet?
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 fuses, 1 wee connector, 3 benches, 1 possible gardener, 1 hibernating cat, 1 dining room far brighter than before, 1 new painting started but put on hold, 2 knees actually working again, 1 cat prison avoided.
Time for the annual round up of travels on Oleanna. So sit back with a glass or mug of something nice, put your feet up and I hope you’ll enjoy the read.
We saw the New Year in in the house. Some canal side painting to hang in the downstairs toilet kept me busy during betwixtmas. I decided to set myself a new knitting challenge for the year, to knit a pair of socks each week for the full year to raise funds for Dementia UK. Emails were sent out to numerous yarn dyers and the parcels of generous donations started to arrive along with my needles starting to knit round and round in circles.
Late January we hired a car. First trip was to Dewsbury to purchase fabric for new dinette cushions, it also gave us chance to catch up with Mick’s old work colleagues Mark and Sarah on our way back. The next day we started to do jobs on Oleanna. Mick set too in the engine bay and The Shed to get ready to install our new lithium batteries, I sanded and cleaned the oak floor inside. Window surrounds with water damage were sanded back, stains removed and then revarnished. The stove top was given a fresh coat of paint and the floor two coats of Danish Oil. Mick fitted the batteries and chunky cables and tested things out, all seemed to be good.
Bowls of soup kept us going whilst on Oleanna and whilst in the house I made gluten free crumpets and focaccia. I just have to make the most of the big kitchen whilst I’ve got it!
February. More and more donated yarn arrived, I was going to have to make space on Oleanna for it, just as well I wouldn’t be making a panto model this year!
New dinette cushions were covered. The Galley tap was replaced, we’d discovered that the tap we had was no longer made, but managed to buy two along with spare cartridges, hopefully these will see our boating days out! The new battery installation was tidied up and hooks were added into The Shed to make better use of the storage in there.
Tilly had her yearly vaccinations and we stocked up on flee and wormer for her. Opticians were seen, improvements to a bathroom in the house were started, we had our first lodgers of the year and a lovely visit from Pip’s old school friend Morag. We then called together our Scarborough friends for a gathering before a final tidy up of the house and our return to Oleanna at the beginning of March.
Shore leave permitted for another year
With just about all the house jobs done in the house we moved back onboard, this pleased Tilly and she found her way into the secret passage as soon as she could If I stayed in there I might never have to return to the house again!
Our first aim for the year had been to join the Fund Britain’s Waterways cruise on the Thames, quite a journey from Goole especially when all routes south were blocked by winter maintenance. Once we’d stocked up the boat we headed straight for the New Junction Canal, pulling in to give Tilly some much needed shore leave. She was happy and so were we to be back out on the cut.
We headed towards the first of the stoppages that would be lifted, got stuck by rising waters on the River Aire, made a dash to Lemonroyd when levels dropped a touch. Here things didn’t go too well, two visits to an emergency dentist and Oleanna’s cooling system developed a fault for which we needed a part. Thank goodness we’d upgraded our batteries, but there was no hot water. Alastair from Goole came out to fix our problem and we had a few days plugged in at the marina before river levels dropped and Woodnook Lock on the Aire and Calder reopened we could now be on our way again.
Making our way up towards the Rochdale Canal we negotiated river sections just coming out of the red and made our final dash to Brighouse before the level rose again. We were now at least two weeks behind our planned schedule to reach London in time for the campaign cruise, yes we could have upped the hours we were cruising, enlisted extra crew in places to speed our journey, but we opted to slow down and enjoy the journey and abandoned joining the cruise.
Through Tuel Lane the deepest lock on the network arriving in Hebden Bridge for Easter weekend. We enjoyed cheese, hot cross buns and a pint with Alex one of our favourite actors. Then an evening with old college friends Alan and Doug up near Todmorden before we carried on climbing over the Pennines.
The Rochdale was how we remembered it, hard work but wonderful scenery. The Great Wall of Tod and ducklings took us up towards the summit where we’d booked our passage across the top, a shame it was an overcast damp day. Two C&RT chaps helped us up the last uphill lock and then down the first few locks on the other side getting us through a section guaranteed to be low in water.
There was a pause in Littleborough meeting up with Mick’s sister Anne and his niece and great nieces, first time I’d met the great nieces and the first time we’d seen Anne and Ruth since lockdowns.
A mystery man arrived near Slattocks on our descent towards Manchester, Paul Balmer (Waterway Routes). He’d offered to help us on the long stretch into Piccadilly but arrived a day earlier to help get us to the Rose of Lancaster, he did return the following day and was rewarded with the first batch of apple flapjack.
Down the Rochdale Nine and onto the Bridgewater Canal where we turned left heading southwards. We pulled in for a couple of days at Little Bollington for Mick to have a couple of days away in Scarborough, leaving Tilly and myself on the embankment where the breach on New Years Day 2025 has now happened.
Through Preston Brook Tunnel and on southwards on the Trent and Mersey. Up the Cheshire Locks for the first time this year we paused and had a night out at the New Vic in Stoke to see One Man Two Guvnors with a cast of so many familiar faces. Then on through Harecastle Tunnel and down to Stone where we were joined by Bill and Lisa who got to work their first locks.
At the beginning of May we turned a right at Great Heywood and onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal. Unfortunately one of our new lithium bully boy batteries had gone faulty. This needed sending back which took some packing and planning for a pick up. It was deemed to be faulty and a replacement was made ready to be sent out to us when we’d reached somewhere suitable.
Pretty when the sun’s out
A dentist check up in Birmingham suggested I’d be needing a few appointments so it was just as well I’d been before we arrived in Birmingham. Up the Wolverhampton 21, we like that flight, and an overnight stop at Urban Moorings to donate our deposits from our separating toilet.
We now had a rendezvous. Messages had been sent back and forth and as we arrived in Birmingham we were able to pull in right behind NB Lottie Jane where Clare and Graeme were waiting for us. They were over from New Zealand for a few months and had borrowed their friends boat. Over dinner we arranged to share the broad locks ahead of us, they’d head off in the morning and we’d loiter for my dentist.
A few days later after coinciding with another Graeme on NB Misty Blue, then descending Lapworth Locks we rendezvoused again on the embankment above Rowington on the Grand Union. Here there was a meeting of boats as we managed to also coincide withChris on NB Elektra and have a guided tour and a catch up sat out on the towpath.
Down Hatton, both boats glad to have company to work the locks, we rewarded ourselves with a meal at The Cape of Good Hope. Onwards to share the locks back up the other side with Clare and Graeme. It was very nice to be able to spend some time with them again before our journeys took us in different directions at Napton as we headed onto the South Oxford Canal and they headed towards Crick for the boat show.
Mick’s birthday was seen in on the South Oxford, now a state pensioner! A new battery was delivered and looked after at Aynho Wharf for our arrival, more socks were knitted, one pair hand delivered in Thrupp and we managed to moor at several of our favourite moorings as we headed down to Oxford.
Sally, Andrew, Ian, Mick, Jenny, Pip, Sam, Jac
A big Leckenby get together was arranged at the Kings Arms by Sandford Lock on the Thames. Andrew and Jac drove over from London and Ian and Sally along with Sam and Jenny drove over from near Lechlade and Windsor. We had a very loud Sunday lunch, so good to be able to get us all together at a jolly event.
Now we headed down stream on the Thames, we usually end up going up stream! Perfect timing to meet up with Australian visitors Siobhan and Patrick in Wallingford for lunch.
A perfectly timed arrival at Clivden meant we got to moor on an island for the second time, perfect for Tilly. A warm evening bbq above Boveney Lock, watching the royals in Old Windsor. Then we arrived at Weybridge where we joined the River Wey, with a transit licence we moved up to Pyrford Marina meeting up with Ann-Marie and Dave from NB Legend and then a trip back to Scarborough to do a turn around at the house.
On our return we picked up extra crew member Kath (Mick’s sister) and turned onto the Basingstoke Canal. Kath has lived close by to the canal for several years but never seen a boat on it. The following day we joined forces with NB Olive to continue our climb up the locks, there were now 6 cats in the locks not just 1! We cruised our way up to the end of the navigation only to have a phone call saying that a boat had hit a lock gate behind us and that the Deep Cut flight of locks was now closed. Would we be stuck for days, weeks or months?
Oleanna’s horns were removed for some of the lowest bridges on the network, we’d actually have had plenty of space for them. Lunch was enjoyed with Marion and John, a walk over the top to visit the other end of Greywell Tunnel was enjoyed in the sunshine. We then spent the next few days waiting for news on the broken lock and trying to find moorings for Tilly away from NB Olive as Tilly isn’t too keen on other cats!
We spent time visiting Brookwood Cemetery, walking in the woods near Mytchett Visitors Centre and caught up with Sam Leckenby for a meal. Then we heard that the Canal Rangers would be able to give us assisted passage through the troubled lock. Four boats were bow hauled through, only cats allowed to stay on board. At least we’d managed to cruise The Basingstoke Canal on our second attempt.
Downstream on the Thames again to Teddington and a lovely early evening trip to Brentford ended our journey on the Thames this year. We’d booked a mooring in Paddington Basin for a few days giving us chance to catch up with friends and family in London. Andrews birthday was celebrated in true Leckenby style, meet ups with Christine and Paul for Tapas, brunch with Kathy and a few pints with Nick, Kerry and Harry were all enjoyed even though my left knee was starting to seriously play up.
We pulled out from London as the General Election was looming, we’d done postal votes some days before hand. Back along the Grand Union heading northwards we decided to attempt the Slough arm for a second time. Sadly our depth meant all we achieved was a load of weed around the prop and had to abort our mission.
The Grand Union is a very familiar waterway now to us, we climbed up to the Tring summit and headed off to Lizzie’s 50th birthday party in Crick. Lots of boaters we’ve met through the years were there to have a catch up with. We also took the opportunity to catch up with my college friend Jen who’s joined us for a or two cruise in the past.
The first lock of the Marsworth flight was hard work for my knee, the second impossible. Time for role reversal, I’d be at the helm, Mick wheeling a windlass from now onwards. A turn onto the Aylesbury Arm, water Oleanna hadn’t been on before. Our only sight seeing was at an NHS walk in (more like hobble in) centre in High Wycombe, but we did pop to say hello to Ronnie Baker.
Another turn around in Scarborough before we headed towards Milton Keynes joined for a lovely day by Mike and Chris. Northwards to Braunston and onto the North Oxford Canal passing through the large landslip site which had the canal closed for months earlier in the year. Right onto the Coventry Canal, Atherstone and up to Fradley where we turned left for the first time in years.
Now we met up with our old shareboat NB Winding Down and walked round Shugborough Hall, my knee having improved with exercises. Straight on to Stoke then a right onto the Caldon Canal. There was the opportunity to coincide with Debbie and Dave on NB Bonjour, handing over another pair of socks, before we carried cruising both arms of the canal. Having limboed our way on the Basingstoke we decided to give Froghall Tunnel a go. Horns removed again, we slowly but surely managed our way through and had a very quiet night in the basin one lock down on the Uttoxeter Canal, another first for us.
At the beginning of September we retraced our route back to the Trent and Mersey with perfect timing to meet up with Mike and Christine on NB Alchemy, we had time for a catch up and introduction to Tilly before we headed in different directions. Middleport Pottery was visited for the first time, then it was through Harecastle Tunnel for the second time this year.
Paul joined us again to assist us down the Cheshire Locks getting us a little ahead of schedule which meant we were at the Anderton Boat Lift at a weekend meaning Lizzie could join us for the trip, even though it was an exceedingly wet day. This ticked off Oleanna’s seventh and final wonder of the waterways.
We cruised to both ends of the River Weaver on new waters for all of us. A tour of the Daniel Adamson was offered and taken and the last pairs of socks for my sockathon got sponsors. The monthly market in Northwich caught our attention and we had a very lovely evening in Manchester with the London Leckenbys when Josh moved to the city to study at the University.
Back southwards on the Trent and Mersey we crossed paths with NB On The Fiddle and NB Cobweb meaning I could hand deliver some more socks to an old SJT colleague. We started up the Cheshire Locks on our own, but soon picked up Bridget and Storm who were in need of a canal fix, it was great to have a couple of days with them.
Now we turned over the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield Canal. The Bosley flight was low on water so I handed the helm back to Mick and reclaimed the windlass, Mick is willing to give Oleanna extra umph when needed.
A belated birthday trip on the PS Waverley for Mick had us moored in Macclesfield for a few days, NB Alton stopping to top us up with diesel and coal. Then we were across the top of the Macc and down the Marple flight ready to turn onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
Rain gave us a day off in Stalybridge. Another pause was taken at Uppermill for a trip to Scarborough to see the latest Ayckbourn play and meet up with our lodgers before they headed homewards.
On our final ascent to the summit of the HNC, we thankfully we swapped roles due to low water levels, a 100 meter dash and quick thinking by Mick averted disaster at Lock 29W where Oleanna had got stuck on the cill as the lock did it’s best to empty itself behind her. Once we’d reached the summit we had a quiet afternoon preparing for Standedge Tunnel the following morning.
Our third time through the tunnel, Tilly resigned to hide tucked away behind Mick’s pillow. In Marsden there was then a wait for a lock bridge to be mended before we could descend through Yorkshire. Paul came to assist again on a very drizzly day getting us to Slaithwaite.
From here we had a trip southwards to help celebrate Kath and Sean’s Civil Partnership, a wonderful day with all the Geraghtys together.
Mick and I worked the rest of our way down to Huddersfield where Paul came to assist again wanting to check data for Waterway Routes which is hard to do without being on a boat. We finally waved goodbye to Paul in Wakefield and did our best to avoid the River Aire going into flood, but ended up having to wait a few days at Castleford.
Back on the Aire and Calder we headed to Sykehouse Junction and tucked ourselves on the moorings at the start of the New Junction where we’d moored on our first night this year. Tilly was given shore leave, I remember it well! whilst I tried to finish off some painting jobs before we returned to Goole.
By the end of October Oleanna was tucked up in Goole and we were back in the house with our next lodger, the baddie from the Christmas show at the SJT. Back in the land of veg boxes, get togethers with friends, lantern parades and walks on the beach. Jobs in the house have been listed, a few ticked off and more to work through next year in between lodgers.
The run up to Christmas also included visiting a couple of potential boat painters. A trip to London for a boat trip on the Thames to mark Marion and John’s Golden Wedding Anniversary and at the same time catch up with my family too.
This year Christmas was just the three of us with lots of food and some sock knitting of course. In fact I knitted right up to the bongs of Big Ben at midnight getting part way through my 55th pair of socks in 2024.
So this year was The Year Of The ……
… SOCK!
Now for our final statistics for 2024
This year is the first full year that we’ve logged our journeys using Nebo, but I’ve also kept a tally as we’ve cruised using Canalplan, I’ve got quite a spread sheet. The two methods of recording distances give different totals so I shall list them both. Nebo calculates distances, has average speeds and maximum speeds. Canalplan doesn’t do speed, but includes locks, tunnels, bridges, etc so I suspect I’ll carry on with both next year.
Canalplan stats.
Total distance of 956miles, 4 furlongs and 846 locks.
There were 56 moveable bridges, of which 11 are usually left open; 205 small aqueducts or underbridges and 28 tunnels – a total of 12 miles, 4 furlongs under ground and 1 major aqueduct.
This is made up of 426 miles, 1 furlongs of narrow canals; 279 miles, 7.5 furlongs of broad canals; 55 miles, 1.75 furlongs of commercial waterways; 44 miles, 1.5 furlongs of small rivers; 137 miles, 5.75 furlongs of large rivers; 5 miles, 0.75 furlongs of tidal rivers; 417 narrow locks; 353 broad locks; 55 large locks; 2 boat lifts.
Nebo stats.
Underway 289.95 hours; end mileage 943.24miles; average speed 2.5mph; maximum speed 27.8mph (the link was doing something odd for the first few months then it became more realistic); maximum speed 6.5mph (I hasten to add this was on the River Aire heading downstream in the amber)
Nebo2024 Cruise Map
Other stats.
58 Vehicles held up at moveable bridges; 1011.03 litres of diesel bought; £0.90 lowest diesel at Viking Marina Oct 2024; £1.24 maximum diesel at Aynho Wharf May 2024; 490kgs coal; 3 x 13 kg bottles of gas; £52 electric at moorings; 2 buckets of compost deposits; £20 donation; 630.4 Engine hours; 4 packs Dreamies; 51 friends; 4 brought in; 2 upset tummies; 40 Mrs Tilly stamps of approval; 51 boxes of wine; £252.45 spent on mooring fees; 1 overnight guest; 0 shows; 12 lodgers; 5 supermarket deliveries; 1 problematical knee; 8 months cruising; 20Litres oil; 0 fuel filters; 2 oil filters; 1 kitchen tap; 3 new batteries; 1 faulty; 150amp hours to 460 amp hours (at 24 volts); 1 boat mover sighting; 1 blue boat sighting; 11 days of guest crew; 54.4 pairs of socks; 1,000,000 plus knitted stitches; £1525 raised for Dementia UK; 271 posts; 268,000 words; 353 likes; 399 comments; 15900 visitors; 41300 views!
Thank you for joining us on our travels in 2024.
The count down to the start of our travels for 2025 has started.
Alastair finally got round to finishing off the engine service, Christmas and the New Year having got in the way a touch. Mick wanted to make a trip down to Goole to wish Oleanna a Happy New Year and turn the engine over. He’d forgotten to put out the portable solar panel he got a couple of years ago which helps to keep the starter battery topped up in winter, so by now it would need a good charge. Decision made and he was on the 10am train to Goole, it being quite frosty he decided against taking a bike with him, he’d just have to negotiate the puddles at the entrance to the marina on foot.
Tilly slept away the day on our bed whilst I busied myself with applying the third coat of varnish to new slats for three garden benches at the house, two had stopped being sitonable! Thank you Frank for the loan of your drill.
That looks a bit soggy!
At Oleanna Mick used the main entrance to the marina, avoiding getting exceedingly soggy feet. He saw Alastair and had a chat, the engine service had gone well along with various other checks. Mick usually does our servicing, but had decided he’d like a professional to give her the once over before we take to tidal waters this year. They also chatted about our wee tank connector, there may be something in the workshop that can be adapted.
Oleanna was cold, the engine was run, both gas and electric heating put on to get the chill off quicker. This resulted in a gas bottle running out, so bottles needed changing over in the gas locker. Mental note, before we leave, we need to replace the empty one.
Hello lovely
Last time Mick was down he’d set up a webcam pointing to the electrics cupboard, with the door open he could see from Scarborough what the temperature was. Well that was the intention, except the cupboard door had been closed, so no view of the heating controller which tells us what the temperature is. He also thinks that the temperature gauge that we have in the cabin is faulty. This was confirmed yesterday by it suggesting it was 11C when he arrived! Well that was a big fat lie!! The thermostat on the heating has been raised to take this false reading into account.
An old phone was repurposed to be able to gain access to the batteries. A Tapo socket added to charge the phone when needed, remotely controlled. This means he can now see the BMS (battery management system) to check things over from anywhere instead of via bluetooth which requires him being on the boat.
Exol Pride heading past the marina
A new licence was printed out and popped in the windows.
Our Boat Safety will be due before we leave the marina this year, so various things will need checking over. Mick gave the fire extinguishers a turn upside down and checked that they were still okay to use. They were. Next he attached the labels for the extinguishers onto the cupboard doors where they live. We know where they live should there be a fire, so don’t feel the need for the signs, but they should be obvious to other people.
There are a few more jobs to do onboard before the Boat Safety happens. Alastair suggested using Hannah who works at the marina, as she is fastidious which is what we want for our own safety rather than someone who passes just about everything.
Engine off and Oleanna locked up, Mick headed back to the station. Four ships in the docks today, Exol Pride had passed the marina too. He was back in Scarborough before 6pm.
We now need to find the time and a gap in weather to visit two more boat painters over in Cheshire. Also sadly it looks like we’ll not make it to Chippy before their panto finishes, a shame there wasn’t a show on the day we had spare when down south before Christmas.
More photos of the River Hull show that the bags of aggregate are being used to shore up the bank behind where it had slipped.
That’s my Boat!
On another note, remember that little boat we saw up on the Macclesfield last year with my name on it? Well, NB Pip is for sale. If we still lived on board full time I’d consider buying her as a floating studio, but right now we need the money for Oleanna’s repaint. Joanna got in touch after seeing NB Pip on the blog, so I said I’d pop a link on here for her as she’s reluctantly having to sell. Link to Gumtree
Having a hire car for a week we were going to make the most of it. The car was about to be loaded with all sorts of things that could head to the tip when a chap in a van turned up in the street asking if he could take it for us. Not quite the look of the usual rag and bone chap who cruises the streets of Scarborough but he saved Mick the trip.
We’ve been to the pictures too
The final Christmasification happened with me getting my annual hair cut, 6 inches was cut off taking 2.5 hours. I have to say the majority of that time was spent catching up on things and putting the world to rights with Giselle, she must put the time aside between appointments knowing that we’ll be gasing away for hours!
6 inches shorter
Over the coming weekend we are heading to a do in London, more of that in a later post, so we decided to set off a day early and call in to see a second possible boat painter. Down the M1 past Nottingham in the sunshine to the shadows of Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station. Have to say I got a touch over excited at how close we got to the cooling towers and on such a wonderful day too.
Look at them!
We were here to meet with Tom from Gibson and Kenwright Painters. He had given quite a quick response to our original email and his quote/estimate had been detailed and thorough. Options as to using one or two pack paint had both been priced.
Today was their last day at work before their Christmas break. Mick tapped on the workshop window as a chap worked away wearing a mask. Tom came out to meet us.
He chatted away the process they would normally go through. The boat would come out of the water, be washed off and then left for a day or two on ‘the hill’ before being grit blasted, the windows would be left in for this, keeping as much of the grit out of the boat as possible, then it would be brought inside their insulated shed.
Here all the fixtures and fittings would be removed. Windows taken out and boarded over from inside to keep everything out. Now patches of paint left around windows and under fixtures would be worked off, the boat coming back to bare metal, including the base plate.
Tom then works his way round checking any welds around hatches etc, smoothing them out, this stops them from having a tendency to rust in a couple of years. Any metal work, such as welding would now take place, so extra T studs could be added. Then two pack epoxy blacking is sprayed over the whole exterior of the boat to a thickness of between 500 and 600 microns.
Other boat trades next door
The gas locker, bow lockers and stern lockers are all included in the works along with the bowthruster tube which would be painted by hand rather than sprayed, the actual bow thruster having been masked off before hand.
Below the gunnels is then masked off, the cabin sides now sprayed with high build sanding primer, several coats. This is then sanded back to a smooth finish. If in any areas they get back to the blacking more primer is added so the whole cabin is one colour before they start with the top coats.
If we were to purchase new windows for Oleanna they would be fitted all as part of the price. Our stick on solar panels would not survive being removed, so an upgrade would be sought and this could be done via Matt Gibson from Onboard Solar who is also at Redhill Marina.
Once the top coats have been applied Tom has recommended Claire Norton to do the sign writing, she would need to quote separately for this as no two boats are the same.
Unfortunately neither of the two boats in the shed were in a finished state. One had just had the coats of high build primer applied, the other was a day boat which had been painted with extreamly resilient paint , but not as finer finish as we’d be after. Tom is going to let us know if there are any boats near Goole we could go to look at.
Hello Soar
The shed is kept to a steady 20C and is big enough for two narrowboats. He took time to point out details that he insists on doing such as with hatch openings and avoiding any chance of them rusting. They would need Oleanna for between four to six weeks and the next available slot is now January 2026. Any good painter is booked up.
If we were to go with them, their location would have good points and bad. It is close to Trent Junction where the Soar meets the Trent, so only about five days cruise from Goole. The downside is should the rivers be in flood then it would be hard to get there or away. However Oleanna could be delivered early and stay out on the hard until it was her turn. I suspect it wouldn’t be a problem for her to be there for a while afterwards either, we of course would have to pay for her to be there as we would anywhere.
A good visit. We both liked Tom and his enthusiasm for what he does. Any extra jobs we’d be wanting would be possible as other trades work close by at Redhill. In fact next door is Ovation Boats then Tristar.
Looking towards the flood lock under the bridge
Once we’d said our goodbyes we had a walk down the muddy track to see the river. This morning a notice had come through that Cranfleet flood gates had been closed so it was no surprise to see the river flowing quickly past. To our right the flood lock, then out of view to our left around a few bends Ratcliffe Lock.
It was then time to head on southwards as there was a weekend of celebrations to be enjoyed.
0 locks, 0 miles by boat, 2nd painter, 1 nice chap, 1 okay price, 12 months waiting, 6 towers, 1 birthday cake decision made, 1 more batch of biscuits, 2 more painters to see next year.
