Category Archives: Boat Engines

The Year Of The … 2024.

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.

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 with Chris 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)

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.

Turning Her Over And Pip. 7th January

Christmasification and 1st Painter. 16th December

Goole

Things have been busy here in Scarborough getting ourselves ready for Christmas.

A tree was purchased from a pub car park, lights added and celebrated with this years new version of mince pies, Viennese topped, think I prefer frangipane topping. We celebrated our 22nd anniversary of being together with a Chinese, very nice too. Mick walked up the hill to help me collect ivy for wreaths and the outside of the house is now decorated.

Last Friday we headed out for drinks with friends and managed to catch the Snainton Illuminated tractor run along the Foreshore, a very noisy affair, but very festive. The Christmas biscuit factory got busy last Saturday, 60 gluten free Lebkuchen were baked and have now been distributed about town.

After four quotes for a new lean too we’ve decided on the company, but now just need a roofer to come and see if we need reroofing on the house, wise to work both things around each other. A new cooker hood was fitted by Mick and his friend Mark and at the end of last week, a new lid to the coal bunker and we’ve had a new back door fitted, the last bit of single glazing in the house now replaced.

**Humberside NHS on the top floor in Eastfield**

My GP has referred me to the Self Referral Physio! I got to meet Meera last week who checked my knees over. My leg muscles are strong, all that lock beam pushing. So far she thinks that my leg muscles are too tight, so new exercises consist of stretches. She also spent time explaining the x-ray I had done in the summer and why it was deemed normal. No signs of arthritis but the cartilage behind my knee caps may not be helping things to glide as it should. I think I can tell the difference all ready, we’ll meet up again in early January.

The choice of birthday cake is still to be made, three contenders have been whittled down to two. So it’s between rice or oranges and plums.

We’ve now received 7 estimates/quotes to have Oleanna repainted. Only one company we contacted hasn’t replied, sadly that was Finesse in Sheffield, most probably busy getting the next batch of new boats in the water and out before Christmas.

One company were several thousand pounds more just for painting her and before adding in the alterations/additions we are wanting to do. But there does seem to be a going rate between several painters and yards. The quotes have been whittled down to four now. We’ve seen examples from two of them and heard good reports whilst out on the cut. The other two have advantages about them, but we’re not aware of having seen any of their work. So we’ve arranged to go and see them before Christmas.

This morning Mick picked up a hire car and we headed down to Goole. I had my knitting to keep me busy over the Wolds, finishing off pair 52 and continuing pair 53. There are some things that can’t be done in the passenger seat of a car so I’d got a more complicated bit done last night in preparation.

Plenty of ships in at the docks. We headed straight past Albert Street, the way to Viking Marina, and instead turned up alongside the Dutch River and headed to Goole Marina. It was lunchtime for us so we decided to try out the Coffee Dock which over looks the visitor moorings in Goole. A covered, zipped up outdoor area was negotiated and inside it was nice and cosy. Mick had a toasted panini and I enjoyed a generous jacket potato. Highly recommended and we’ll be back should we not have sandwiches with us when we visit Oleanna.

Then to the marina office to meet with David Brown who now runs Goole Marina, which was Goole Boathouse.

A friendly enough chap who wanted to show us a boat they’d painted and done some work on six months ago which was located at the far end of the marina, close to where we’d moored a few years ago. He talked through how they paint the boats.

All boats are shot blasted as standard, including the base plate. Then all fixtures and fittings are removed, apart from through skin fittings. Areas which were missed by shot blasting are cleaned back to metal ready for painting. This is when any steel work would be done, we’re wanting to add a couple more T studs at the bow. The hull is then fully painted in Jotun Jotamastic 90 two pack epoxy including the base plate, with an airless spray to a min of 200 microns, which allows for a 9 year guarantee.

Above the D-bar the boat is then painted in Jotun Megaprimer, also two-pack system (additional 150 microns). Then all areas are sanded and prepared for final coats, anti slip areas done where requested. 3 coats of Jotun Mega Gloss (UV resistant) which is a two pack polyurethane system.

From cabin sides to water line, is done in Jotun Hardtop HB, more two pack, giving a satin black on the gunnels, this also protects the two pack epoxy from UV stopping it from going a milky colour. They aim for a 500 microns of paint in total.

Signwriting and coach lines follow before all the windows, fixtures and fittings are put back on. They’d be able to replace the windows for us with thermal break double glazing, do some wood work jobs too.

Apart from the boat we were stood in front of we’d not seen any of his work, also when asking on various groups for recommendations he hadn’t been mentioned. I asked where he’d come from before taking over the marina. He used to build boats near Ferrybridge, then ran Selby Boat Centre. We were shown a few photos of other boats they’d painted and we can go to see them if we’d like.

DB Marine build boats, so are not solely painters as other places we’ve approached are. Their location would be ideal for us to have Oleanna repainted out of season and currently their next slot would be June 2025. The price quoted was a little bit higher than others, but does include all the extras we are after.

We thanked David for his time and then headed back round to the other side of the docks to Viking to say hello to Oleanna.

There she sat, front door sticking a little from cold and dampness. Mick wanted to run the engine for half an hour and I wanted to top up the damp traps that we have in various cupboards.

I also wanted to see what radius our windows were. From inside it was a little ambiguous, well if you are not dealing with boat windows regularly. From out side the outer frame suggested 4 in. One boat painter has suggested that we may not be able to replace the windows with double glazing of the same radius, right now I can’t remember which radius is done both single and double. However David today said that they are available in both 3 and 4 inch. I may need to phone Cauldwells to check for myself at some point.

We knew Alastair had been about yesterday to do an engine service and check the engine mounts etc. Mick lifted the engine board to check all was fine. Ah, the oil filler cap was off! Had Alastair finished? It didn’t look like it, unwise to run the engine not knowing how much oil there was. The engine board was replaced.

Not much more we could actually do today. We spotted Alastair before leaving so managed to have a chat. He’d got so far yesterday with Oleanna’s service and then been called out by RCR, he’s a trusted engineer for them. When he got back it was too dark to continue, he hoped he’d be able to return to her tomorrow. Nothing much to report other than the inline diesel filter which he’d like to replace the seals on, everything else looks good.

Back across the Wolds for us arriving just before evening Dingding time for Tilly. I think she’d only just woken up, her tummy rumbling.

Another painter to see before Christmas.

0 locks, 0 miles, 37 tractors, 1 works do, 1 improved bunker, 1 shiny extractor, 1 double glazed door, 1 blind cleaned, 60 lebkuchen, 5 miles delivery, 4 new exercises, 3ft tree, 2 wreaths, 1 batch mince pies, 1 very bored sleeping cat, 1st painter, 54th pair of socks in sight.

Turning The Temperature Up. 28th November

Over the last week or so, Mick had noticed that Oleanna’s heating hadn’t been coming on when we’d expect it to. Snow in Goole as seen from our webcam suggested it had been quite cold, along with the sensor in the engine bay. This needed checking out. So on Thursday Mick caught the 9am train down to Goole, arriving 20 minutes late due to signal problems near Brough, £2 back on his fare.

I was left in Scarborough to bring in the weeks shopping and await the delivery of a new cooker hood for the house, along with chasing up quotes to replace our lean to.

It was chilly down in Goole. Mick opened up Oleanna and fired up the heating. He thinks that the temperature sensor he’d added a couple of years ago isn’t working. This connects to the Aldi Boiler and because we’ve never got round to drilling holes through cupboards and drawers, it gets positioned out side the electrics cupboard when we’re not onboard. There is a thermostat on the Aldi boiler controller, but that sits inside the electrics cupboard where it tends to be that bit warmer than the cabin. The solution for now is to leave the electrics cupboard open so the boiler controller will hopefully notice if it gets below a certain temperature and then fire up the central heating. Our gas boiler has the advantage of being able to work off electric when we’re hooked up, so there’s no danger of us running out of gas and the gas can be left turned off in the locker.

In Scarborough I somehow missed the delivery driver. Or they didn’t even bother to knock on the door, maybe not even come up the street. Delivery to be attempted again on Friday.

Tilly and I spent time tidying up the bedroom. Our listing on the SJT digs list was in need of updating, ready to go out to actors coming to Scarborough in 2025. Some new photos were needed, the original one of our bedroom was quite pallid and dull. With a jollier duvet cover on the bed this would make a difference. I just needed to tidy up and keep Tilly out of view. All easier said than done. The sun shone, reflections showed laundry baskets piled high with our possessions on the landing. Tilly managed to get inside the wardrobe and flash her white bits through the glass, but after numerous photos we succeeded. I now just have to get the accounts up to date to check we’re charging a suitable amount.

Mick ran Oleanna’s engine. Then checked the temperature of the battery terminals where he’d just recently shortened the chunky cables to the Bully Boy batteries. The new crimps were holding well and the temperature was good.

Mick went to find Alastair, who was busy welding. We’d left several jobs for Alastair to do for us, so Mick just wanted to check in. Today could have been an oil change day, removing that job from the list, but it was too cold so Mick left it on the Alastair list, hopefully next week.

**When we get a repaint, we don’t want the same to happen again**

When getting quotes for a repaint I’d been asked by one place if we could take photos of the locker lids at the stern. Our stern lockers have wooden tops that slide and lift off. When Oleanna was new we quickly noticed we couldn’t help but mark the paintwork opening and closing the lockers. We keep all sorts in them, the tiller, spikes, chains and nappy pins are in there they tend to be opened twice a day when we’re cruising. The lids were reduced in size a fraction to try to help with this, but after 8 years the marks are embarrassingly bad. A suggestion made by Paul Balmer to reduce the lid size and have a wooden surround that they sit in is a good one, so any bumps happen to the wood rather than the paintwork. Mick took photos, lots of them.

His next job was to find the big container of Fertan we’d bought back in April. It took some hunting down as it had been beavered away in the port side bow locker, paints tend to be kept on the starboard side. Then some Uhu glue was wanted back at the house and I knew exactly where a couple of tubes of it were on the boat.

All jobs for the day had been ticked off, Oleanna’s cabin warmed up a touch, it was time for Mick to lock up and head back to Scarborough.

This week has been all about cake! Great British Bake Off final, whilst I knitted away at a pair of ‘Cake’ socks using a cake of yarn I’d just wound. Then a cherry cake was made to use up some frozen fruit from the freezer. On Wednesday Frank must have heard me cracking the eggs from two miles away. Whilst the cake was baking I got a message asking if the kettle was on and if there was any cake! The recipe said to leave it to completely cool, but needs were such that we consumed the first slices whilst still warm. A second slice was had to see if it improved as it cooled. Thursday Frank returned, quality control of the now fully cooled cake was needed. Our consensus, it was crunchier and tastier whilst still warm.

Out on the canal network there has been plenty of water. In recent years we’ve spent November on the South Oxford. The amount of rain that fell a week ago had Banbury turn into a lake, the new moorings by the new cinema and Tooleys up by a foot, the bus station under water. Even higher up the canal Cropredy found itself become an island all roads cut off and the 300 boats moored at the marina needing their mooring ropes loosening overnight. Levels have been high elsewhere, towpaths being over topped and navigations closed, they are only just starting to return to normal levels. I hope everyone and their boats remained safe after Storm Bert.

On another note should you have ever stopped in Berko and enjoyed a pint or watched a Mikron show at The Rising Sun, take a look at this link. They are seeking financial assistance to help pay legal debts they have incurred over the last three years after a noise complaint was made by a neighbour. We of course do not know the other side of the story, but it would be a truly miserable world if such pubs ended up closing.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 0 oil change, 1 slightly warmer boat, 1 caput sensor, 2 locker lids, 1 bottle fertan, 2 tubes Uhu! 1 upstaging cat, 50th pair of socks, 2/3rds cake gone within 1 hour, 1 sunrise appointment, 54 Christmas cards, only a few hours left to add your name to the sockathon list, 2 sock shots from New Zealand, £1450!!!

The Spiders From Anderton. 16th September

Baron’s Quay to Bramble Cuttings, Trent and Mersey Canal

Fog! Who ordered FOG!!!

No choice, we needed to move today. Thankfully as we pootled down to the lift waiting mooring the skies started to clear, still grey but not cloud filled. Tied up half an hour before our booking we could see the caissons were on the move, the chap up top could be seen chatting to a boat that had just gone up, it took ages before we saw the hat of a boater moving towards the aqueduct towards the canal.

A C&RT person walked round to see us. A few instructions to follow when we got into the lift, and they were ready for us. Round and into the caisson, stern rope tied up, engine off. Time to chat whilst two boats came in from above into the other caisson. Today was the lift operators first day going solo. Having just finished three years at University they were hunting for a job, had worked on the trip boat before and now was working part time on the lift. The occasional glance at a sheet of paper to make sure everything was being done in the right order.

**I wonder if the spiders prefer the gate being up or down?**

This morning the caisson we were in had had a slight problem. The gates that open to let boats in and out have shot bolts that hold them in place when they are open to boats, one set of them hadn’t been working properly.

They are a safety device, so should anything happen to the winches that move the gates the bolts will hold the gate in place. Anyone who’s ever worked back stage at the SJT will understand this problem very well, as the Round stage is a big lift and every now and again the shot bolts would need a good old hit with a hammer!

Once the two boats were in the other caisson, water drained out from the gap between the gates behind us, we were good to go. That slight judder and we were on our way up.

When originally built in 1875, the lift was operated with hydraulics, water from the River Weaver was used in it’s operation. The caisson going up would be drained just slightly to make it lighter than the other one. The heavier caisson would then sink pushing the water into the other side of the hydraulics and push the lighter caisson up. However the water being used was full of salt from the river and the pipes corroded. In 1882 one of the cast iron hydraulic cylinders burst whilst a boat was at canal level, the caisson descended rapidly, but thankfully water escaping the cylinder slowed the descent and the water filled dock at river level softened the impact!

The hydraulics were replaced by winches above the caissons, extra structure was added to the lift to cope with the extra weight. The winches lifted and dropped the caissons powered by electricity. The conversion happened over two years , but the lift was only closed for 49 days, reopening fully in 1908.

**The shiny pole is the hydraulic ram that pushes the caisson up**

This worked for quite some time, but commercial boat traffic declined and rust set in. In 2000 major refurbishment was carried out, new hydraulics installed and this is how it works today. The caissons can be moved individually, we think that is what happened 13 years ago, but it is actually cheaper to use both caissons whether there are boats in them or not, the counterbalance meaning they use less electricity. To book your boat on the lift it costs £5. It takes three members of staff to work the lift and if it wasn’t for the trip boat the lift would loose hundreds of pounds a day.

Next year is the boat lifts 150th anniversary. After the summer season it will close again for some more restoration, closing it for 12 to 18 months.

As we reached the top, the lift slows down for the last foot or so. The operator at the top greeted us and gave us our instructions. Once the lift had come to a stop, the gap between gates was filled with water, then the gates open, we move onto the aqueduct. Gate close behind.

Then the gate onto the canal can open. A thumbs up from by the bridge meant the way ahead was clear. A turn right, the only way you can turn out from the lift and we were back on the T&M.

Rubbish needed disposing of so we pulled in behind a boat that had just started filling up with water. I said we were only there to use the bins, ‘They’re getting rid of them!’ came the response. Well this was correct and wrong at the same time. The bin compound as we talked was being dismantled, the biffa bins already gone. However the new skip is there and replacing the bins. Once the compound has been dismantled the skip will be positioned where the bins once were.

We got chatting to the C&RT chap who was wielding a hammer and saw dismantling the bin compound. Recently there have been occasions when one bin was full and someone had put their rubbish bags by that bin, another two bins were empty. Other boaters arrived and just assumed the bins were full and left their rubbish on the floor too. This escalated until Biffa refused to empty the bin as they couldn’t get to it. There is also frequent use by non boaters as a lot of the local tips are now either closed or you are limited in your use. The pump out also gets misused, a new end to the sucky pipe costs in the region of £1000 every time. He said that the services here were ‘this close to being closed for good’ due to misuse.

Onwards, now on the flat, retracing ourselves along the long pound. At the power station progress was obvious from a week ten days ago. A fifth fan had been added to the sci-fi Swiss chalet structure. We counted the cranes, many different sizes, now 12 of them.

The sun was out, time to take off our precautionary waterproofs. Was that bow who we thought it was? Were those notes on the bow? A quick exchange of hellos with Andy on NB On A Fiddle, Nichola down below as we passed them.

Time to hope for a space at Bramble Cuttings. At 2pm would there be space? Yes! we had the whole mooring to ourselves! A perfect shore leave location for Tilly. I stepped inside gave her the rules and opened the doors straight away, 4 hours! Yeh yeh!

A late lunch for us and self catering for Tilly. With the weather due to be fine for the next few days it was time to attend to a leaking mushroom vent and whilst I was at it scrape off all the rust along the port side grabrail and gunnel! Gosh there was plenty! I also spotted a couple more little bits where the grabrail had caught in Froghall Tunnel.

Mick got busy in the engine bay, an oil change. Tilly was just BUSY!

Soon we got another neighbour who pulled up right at the far end, no woofer visible. Then an hour later a second boat came in to moor. Mick chatted to the chap and I miss heard thinking it was a boat we’d met a few days ago with a woofer, but there was no dog. Tilly could continue with her shore leave in safety much to the dislike of the squirrels.

Once the worst of the rust had been scraped off, a couple of patches on the cabin side too unfortunately, my knee was starting to complain. I’d really have liked to given things a go over with the attachment of doom, but that would take too long and it also felt wrong to do it at Bramble Cuttings. So instead everything got a coat of Fertan rust inhibitor. Hopefully that will stop things from getting worse before I can attack it again. As it was a lovely warm afternoon I dug out a spray bottle and filled it with water so I could keep the Fertan damp, helping it to do it’s job for longer.

Tilly had had a very good afternoon. Plenty of trees climbed and lots of pouncing. I’d had to rescue a few friends and then did my best to persuade Tilly to come in for her dingding. I could tell she was tired as she was doing that belligerent toddler thing of I’m not tired! Look I can do this and walk away from you. This tree hasn’t been climbed yet, so I’ll just do that first. She soon gave in, came inside, had a lick of her dingding and flaked out.

0 locks, 1 boat lift, 9.3 miles, 1 right, 2 many patches of rust, 9.5 litres oil, 4 whole hours! 1 big pan on the roof, pair 37 yarn selected, 1 2 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

Pig Comes To Mind. 11th Septemeber

Devil’s Garden to Runcorn and Western Canal Junction to Marsh Lock

Tilly awarded the Devil’s Garden a stamp of approval this morning despite it peeing it down for most of her shore leave. A boat we’d passed yesterday came past and pulled in next to the other boat on the field. This is such a lovely mooring, hope we have time to stop here again on our way back.

A lull in rain gave us the impetus to push off at 11:30am. The chap who’d pulled in asked if we’d got a brolly, well on Sunday we discovered our brolly was destined for the bin! It wouldn’t have helped today as it was very windy plus we were heading into the wind!

Soon we came across a rowing eight and rescue boat, everyone as soggy as we were. They had soon turned and could be seen gaining on us. Their cox wasn’t altering their course any and they were destined to meet with our stern fender. What to do? Hold our course, they were still gaining on us! Mick decided to pull over to our port and slowed down with the aim of them continuing straight on. This didn’t work as they also slowed right down and looked at one point as if they were about to turn again and head up stream. We carried on returning to the correct side of the river, after a while they came past us to port.

There was a space at the end of the moorings at Sutton Swing Bridge, but we wanted to continue further today despite the rain, maybe we’d stop here on the way back.

On the other side of the bridge sat the Daniel Adamson, were they on the water point? We spotted a pontoon just after them and pulled in to dispose of our rubbish. This is the boats home mooring, hooked up and filling with water. A chap came and asked if we’d like a look round. Silly question! Of course we would. A cruise on the Danny was on the list of possible things to do for Mick’s 60th birthday a few years ago.

The Danny (originally named the Ralph Brocklebank) is a steam tug which was built in 1903 in Birkenhead. She was built to pull long strings of barges laden with goods from Cheshire and the Potteries to Liverpool. She also carried passengers between Ellesmere Port and Liverpool this continued until 1915. During WW1 she had a short stint for the Royal Navy patrolling around the Liverpool coast.

She was purchased by the Manchester Ship Canal in 1922 for over £3000, she still towed barges and carried passengers along the Ship Canal including VIPs around the inland docks. In 1936 she was given a radical refit was renamed after the Ship Canals chairman Daniel Adamson. The wheelhouse and bridge were raised, she got an upper deck and two saloons. The interior decor was done by Heaton Tabb and Co who were owned by Harland Wolff Ltd and had worked on the grandest of Atlantic liners. The interior was renovated in the modern Art Deco style.

Trade on the ship canal and the docks changed through the following decades. With the rise in container ships Manchester docks could not compete and were closed in 1982. The Danny was retired and in 1986 she was towed to Ellesmere Port Boat Museum where she’d started out her life 83 years earlier.

Her upkeep dropped, she fell into disrepair due to funding cuts, she was vandalised and set fire to. By 2004 she was earmarked for the scrap, but word got round, and Mersey Tug Skipper Dan Cross set up the Daniel Adamson Preservation Trust and soon he’d bought her for £1 from the Ship Canal. By 2015 the Heritage Lottery Fund had awarded the trust £3.8 million to restore her to full working order, by which time volunteers had already given over 1000 hours of their time.

Gordon showed us round, what a treat. The saloons were restored to how they would have been in 1936 with beautiful wood, glowing with warmth, graceful curves and deco steps.

The steps up to the bridge have brass fretwork on them. The wheel is the original still with steam powered steering. The love for this boat shone through as Gordon told us the history.

We’d noticed the standard hose pipe to the water point. It takes them three days to fill their tank and tonnes of water is needed as ballast! She has a coal fired boiler and the volunteers are now grateful that the coal arrives in bags as they have ten tonnes to shift at a time and get into the holds.

Mick asked how she was to steer. Gordon’s reply was ‘Pig comes to mind!’ From the bridge you can’t see the bow due to the canopy over the deck below, so they use the Jack mast to steer by. Four turns of the wheel, then you wait to see what she’s doing before you have to compensate.

Not only does the water tank take three days to fill, but it also takes that time for her to get up to steam for a trip. If she’s moving two days in a row firemen have to stay on board overnight to keep the fires going.

Thank you so much Gordon for showing us round, what an unexpected treat when only wanting to dispose of our rubbish.

Under the M56 and onwards towards the Ship Canal. Blimey it was getting windier and windier. Now we cruised past the start of Koura Global a massive chemical works, followed by INEOS more chemical works. This continued on right up to Weston Lock where the Weaver navigation meets the Manchester Ship Canal and the River Weaver. We then turned to follow the navigation to the north for about another mile still accompanied all the time by chemical works.

**Last lock on the Runcorn and Western Canal**

Along here a narrow strip of land keeps the navigation from the ship canal, we couldn’t see it from onboard Oleanna sadly. At the far end the current navigation stops at Weston Point. Here there used to be three sets of locks.

One towards the Ship Canal to the west. A lock to the north which led to another two locks and then out onto the Ship Canal. Then to the east a lock up onto the Runcorn and Western Canal which finally led to the flight of locks up to Runcorn. The bottom lock gates of the later lock are still visible, today with a heron guarding them.

**A rare moment of sunshine after we’d winded**

We’d heard that it might be possible to bang spikes in here, but we couldn’t work out where. So instead winded and headed back to Marsh Lock where there is a pontoon. We’d been warned the other day that the pontoon has lost it’s access to the bank. Mick later in the afternoon managed to haul himself up onto the bank and go to have a look at the lock and across to the Ship Canal, the Mersey not far away either.

**Marsh Lock looking out onto the Ship Canal**

White horses and rain continued for the majority of the day. Tilly resided herself to sitting in front of the stove. I joined her to do some knitting. News came through later today that Hunts Lock on the Weaver has been successfully repaired and is now open for navigation. An adjustment of cruising hours now required to reach the other end too in the time we have.

0 locks, 6.4 miles, 1 swing bridge, 2 pairs of gloves, 1 guided tour, 1930s deco, 3 days for water, 3 days to get enough steam, 10 tonne coal, 1 stove lit, 1 cosy cat, 1 very wet and blustery day.

Welsh TV not from Manchester

https://maps.app.goo.gl/jDtbx9Af6LvNfL8H6

Down In One. 5th September

Below Plant’s Lock 41 to before Rookery Railway Bridges 158A

Up early, breakfasted, exercised, covers rolled up and outside ready to push off before 9:12, which is when our extra crew arrived. Paul Balmer had kindly offered to help us down the Cheshire Locks today and had made his way up from Birmingham to join us. Once his ruck sack was stowed inside Oleanna we were on our way. Me at the helm, Mick and Paul walking ahead to work the locks.

We’ve done the Cheshire Locks many times before, our share boat was based in Sandbach for her first few years. From what we can remember we’ve never done them all in one day before. It also depends on where you consider the locks starting and ending. We’d already done the top lock yesterday, our aim was to get down the two locks at Wheelock before stopping for the day, there are still 5 more locks to Middlewich Junction, then three round the corner to Big Lock, we don’t count these last 9.

Having two crew made things pretty quick, both working a lock then one walking ahead to set the next whilst the other stayed to close up behind. I just had to keep up with them both!

It was a grey dreary day, with a slight amount of wetness in the air every so often, but that didn’t put us off. Dropping down to Red Bull services we had Police Officers asking if we’d seen a chap in red shorts covered in tattoos, we couldn’t help. Mick dropped the rubbish off as we went past the bins. Only one other boat moored between the tunnel and the bottom of Townfield Lock 46, where were all the boats!?!

**Hall’s Lock 49 a cruiser coming up one of the paired locks**

The chaps hopped back on board to ride to Church Top Lock, Mick taking over the helm so I could sit down. Mick and I over the years have developed hand signs to convey information. Boat coming up, boat going down, walking, can I have a lift, I’m walking ahead is that okay? On several occasions Paul came to relay information to me, Mick had already beaten him with our signs. It didn’t matter as it was nice to have someone to talk to.

Whilst Oleanna and I dropped down inside each lock Mick and Paul chatted away up top, boats and trains most probably the main subjects covered. Gradually as we worked down hill the canal lost it’s bright orange hue from the tunnel, the only residue was left as small drips on Oleanna’s clean roof!

**Crew ahead at the next lock waiting for a boat to come up.**

At Hall’s Lock we met an up hill boat at the paired locks, both in use today. Then we passed a few more through the Lawton Locks, crew from other boats helping where needed.

Everyone on board to cruise to Rode Heath where there were a few boats moored. Above the lock a house for sale. Normally this would be a stopping point for us, but it was still too early even for a lunch break.

The oven was heated up and just before the two Pierpoint Locks a tray of sausage rolls were popped in the oven. I’d guessed at cooking and cooling time, but the chaps were a touch too quick with the locks so we had to wait for them to cool down for a while before tucking in. What was in the Quality Street tin to follow? Apple flapjack of course, this years cruising fuel.

There was Paul’s list to go through, there’s always a list of questions and subjects to cover. We also had plenty of photos to look at too. Maybe if we’d have stopped ten minutes earlier we’d not have been second in line for Lock 57, but we were.

One boat coming up, another to go down, then two coming up sharing. Were these the two we came across earlier this year, in a similar area? Almost certainly. I had to call Mick back to help get Oleanna off the bottom, too many boats mooring in this pound and not enough carrying on up to let water down.

Sitting in the locks I got to see things from a different angle. The buffer plates in the T&M locks vary quite a bit, the most interesting ones most probably the oldest ones. Looking back, picking Mick up every now and again I spotted that quite a few sets of steps have had the stone treads turned upside down, the worn area now filled with mortar, but a new flat step on the top.

Earlier this year, possibly at Maddocks Lock 59 I took a photo of all the daffodils between the paired locks. Today the grass is filled with clover flowers, many past their best.

At Clear Water Lock 63 we took our time exiting. Paul wanted some photos and the depth below the water measuring. A boat hook came in handy for measuring. The depth of water up to my chest, the first rung of the lock ladder at our cabin height!

The pound below the lock was a good 14 inches low and Oleanna took her time to cross over the bottom cill. A boat waited below. As Oleanna exited I’d need to turn her to miss the boat, the bow thruster came in handy as there was nowhere for the stern to go. I very nearly ran out of space as the chap on the waiting boat had stopped waiting, and was heading straight towards the lock, reducing my manoeuvring room all the time! He’d apparently asked Mick why I was taking so long, was there something around the prop? No there was only just enough water under my boat making her unresponsive. Maybe I should have just stopped and waited to see how far he was going to bring his boat. I could have had a go at him, but just said Hello instead, life’s too short to deal with an impatient Twonk head!

Mick would climb back on board when ever there was a slightly longer gap between locks so I could have a sit down. Only two more locks to descend, down to Wheelock, then we’d be on the flat again for some distance. Onwards we cruised to just before Rookery Railway Bridges where there are mooring rings and some rather good friendly cover for Tilly.

**Paul, Pip and Mick, the Cheshire crew**

Another cuppa and some flapjack to keep Paul going before he headed off to walk to Sandbach Station. Thank you so much for your help today Paul and for your company.

25 locks, 7.9 miles, 9 sausage rolls, 12 pieces of flapjack, 2 many low pounds, 1 short ladder, 1 impatient twonk, 2 emergency safety pins, 5 hours 20 minutes, 1 hour shore leave, 1 big fish pie, not enough time to award a Mrs Tilly stamp.

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Barry, Karen and Sexy Eyes. 4th August

1 lock down from the top of Buckby Flight to past Bridge 88, North Oxford Canal

The Geraghty zoom didn’t go as well as normal. Despite good upload speeds and the internet otherwise seemingly fine, all of Mick’s siblings kept freezing, we reciprocated at their end. The IT department had a go at sorting it out, but failed. We still caught bits of the conversation though, insulation and Bumble Bees, Cherry Pickers Finger and the Chinese falling off things. We ended up leaving early as there was little point in us remaining.

Up the last lock of the Buckby flight, everyone else had moved off long ago, at least we’d missed the rush.

As Oleanna rose the last few feet Barry Manilow was singing his heart out along the cut. Once he’d stopped for a breather Karen Carpenter started up, followed by Dr Hook. None of the boats on the moorings looked like they had their doors or windows open, so it must have been SO loud inside. As we filled with water and delt with the yellow water it kept my toes tapping.

Up to Norton Junction. A quiet horn could be heard, we were far enough back for a boat to turn, then nothing. A dog walker had been taking her time along the towpath, I think she’d prompted the boat coming from the Leicester Section to sound their horn again, by now we were just out of their view but at the junction, we sounded our horn in reply and carried on knowing we’d clear the junction and be out of their way quickly.

The scenic view moorings were quite busy, but there would have been space for one this morning? Approaching the tunnel we passed at least three boats having just come through from Braunston, the question was, how many would we meet in there?

A view straight through to the other end, this meant we’d get past the wiggly bit before we met anyone. If fact we’d reached the far end just as a boat approached turning it’s light on. Behind we were being followed, a locking partner, however it was time for our lunch. Tilly approved of our mooring through the window, that was as close as she was going to get!

Mick looked up from his lunch. ‘Did you lock The Shed and upstairs upstairs at the house? I didn’t!’ Neither had I. New lodgers due today, one of whom we’ve known for decades and would trust, the other a very brand new actress. I’m sure she’d be fine, but you never know. A lodger earlier in the year had asked why the doors were locked and we’d rather be asked that question. A quick think, who could we ask to pop round within the hour and give the house a quick check as Darren was meant to have left this morning. A message sent to Sue who’s Aunt used to own our house and she lives pretty close, instructions given on how to get in.

We moved up to the lock, a boat appeared behind us. Sue had gained access, I’d warned her that a bed might not have been made up, I’d also had the feeling that Darren might have just left things not as he’d found them. This feeling turned out to be correct. Sue made up the bed, hoovered round, emptied bins, what a star. Then a message came through. ‘There’s a lot of used towels in the bathroom’. I usually do a last minute check round the house before we leave, but due to my knee I’d not wanted to go back up the stairs and had assumed Mick would have dealt with them, a bit like the keys! Oh heck what rubbish landlords leaving their own towels about the place! Sue was still about when our first lodger arrived, jobs just about done, we owe someone a big drink when we next see her. If we hadn’t had the chap in last week as a favour to the theatre, we’d have at least left the bed made, bins emptied, but the towels might still have been there. Mental note made for next turn around, Must do better!

**Bread and chilled medication shop at the bottom Braunston lock**

Our locking partners were a couple from Tasmania over to see family and spend a week relaxing on a hire boat, they do it every couple of years. I felt a touch bad constantly checking my phone and talking towels for much of the flight. Plenty of boats coming up and at least one behind us, quite hot on our heels where the locks only have ground paddles.

We’d considered stopping for a loaf of bread, word from the up hill boats that there was no room in Braunston. Mick bobbed into the shop at the bottom lock, a treat loaf of bread bought we’d no longer need to stop. Midland Chandlers is closed on a Sunday so no filters could be bought.

We counted at least five spaces as we came through Braunston. Hardly full, apart from in front of the pub. The bridge into the marina was having work done to it, big areas of white paint missing and hessian covering the top stones. Onwards past Braunston Turn, straight onto the North Oxford, still more spaces.

Once through bridge 88 we spied a length of armco and pulled in. Tilly was allowed an hour and a half by which time we were surrounded by more boats. Our nearest neighbours a Dutch family saying that Braunston was full. Here was now, maybe we’d just timed our cruising well today.

6 locks, 5.6 miles, 3 golden oldies, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, £3+ for a loaf of bread, 4 towels left out, 2 keys, 2 new lodgers, 1 disappointing lodger, 1 super star of a Stage Manager, 1 tunnel, 0 boats passed, 2 mysterons, 90 minutes.

From Being The Only Boat To…. 23rd June

Batter and Bowler Bridge to Shepperton Village Moorings, River Thames

Another early start for us. The Woodham flight is open from 9:30, however Mike the lock keeper had said he’d be there from 9. It’s quite a distance to the locks so we set off hoping an hour would get us there in time.

Cobham Road Bridges profess to be low, but we know that they aren’t! More gardens to nosy at, not such big houses today. Lily pads, a big tree house with a full flight of steps and now we can say we’ve been to both Ripon of Greywell Tunnel.

As we approached the top lock of the flight Mike could be seen, the top paddle raised filling it for us, it had taken us a bit over an hour. Today we’d be on our own going down the locks, all other visiting boats having left the canal yesterday, not strictly true as there is one in the dry dock up at Deepcut. We’d not wanted to miss out a wander around Woking, maybe somewhere there was more to it than just the shopping centre, but we’d not found it yesterday.

Mike was here to close up after us down the flight, ashing up the locks. His long pole and what I’d call a wafter on the end would come out at every lock. The wafter is more like a rubber rectangle that is used to waft up silt from the bottom of the canal to fill any gaps in the gates. Along with this is a bucket of tree bark. I asked if they used a specific bark for the job, he didn’t know what trees it came from, just that it was left to rot down for three years before being used and that there was never enough of it.

Today we were to close the bottom gates and leave a paddle up, ensuring the lock would stay empty. One gongoozler exclaimed at how much the bottom gates leaked, the newer gates never getting long enough with water behind them for the oak to expand. I suppose that doesn’t really matter as the only time the locks are filled is when a boat is coming through, yes it means they take longer to fill, but its the top gates that need to hold the water back.

Above photos before we arrived with no leaking. After we’d opened the top gates.

Arriving at a lock, a bottom paddle needed lowering. The lack of leakage through the top gates obvious. Then the top paddles raised filling the lock, gates open, boat in. Mike asked us to leave a 2 foot gap between the top gates and then lift a bottom paddle to close them, this seats them better on the cill. Once the level in the lock was getting towards the cill you could see the difference that ashing up makes. He then waggles his wafter around in the silt above the lock, this gets pulled in by the water leaking through the gates and closes up some of the gaps. More stubborn gaps require the tree bark, a handful at a time, sometimes a bucket full at a time. As it’s dropped in above the gate you can see the spouts of water go brown for a second or two, then they reduce in size. Once Mike had finished there were only a couple of small spouts of water coming through the top gates. Quite impressive.

There were plenty of people out for walks, lots watching, lots wanting to help with gates. Lots of comments that they’d been walking the canal for ten years and never seen a boat. Well to see boats on the locks you need to first be there on the right day and at the right time. So if you only walk the locks on your way to and from work, you’re very unlikely to see boats.

Kath had always thought the canal was unloved, but after working through the locks with us she now knows they are very much loved and cared for.

At the bottom lock we thanked Mike for his work then headed along to Woodham Junction and the M25. We beeped our horn as we were about to turn onto the River Wey, no-one coming, we’ve got used to that.

New graffiti under the M25.

New Haw lock needed turning, we were back in the land of leaving the gates open on locks as you leave but with all paddles down. The cranked lock beams took some closing, as Oleanna could get into the side at the lock landing Mick could lend a hand with the top gates and paddles.

Approaching Coxes Lock we could see a small cruiser waiting to go in and a small electric rib coming out. We joined the cruiser to go down, clinging onto our ropes tightly so as not to squash them. Weybridge Town Lock was set in our favour, down we went back onto the river turning left to head down stream.

**Wonder how much bark it would take to stop that leak?**

There was room above Thames Lock for us to pull in. 12:45 we’d have lunch and wait for the lock keeper to have hers too. Just gone 14:00 we pushed off and headed towards the lock landing, a beep was heard from below the lock, the lock keeper came from her office and walked down to chat to the arriving boat.

I could hear that she’d clocked our arrival, she closed the stop lock bottom gate, asked the crew on the waiting boat what their draught was, once the chap at the helm understood what she’d asked he said, ‘Oh 2 foot something!’ Hold onto your ropes when I empty the lock were the instructions, then Oleanna would come out of the lock and they would then go into it whilst we waited for them on the offside. The crew onboard had all the gear and no id…….!

Time to sort our transit licence out and return our long reach windlass. The lock keeper wasn’t happy, ‘I don’t like being Beeped at!’ I don’t blame her. More boats arrived below the lock, breasting up and sending crew to get their paperwork for a licence, they didn’t beep!

Down we came, off the River Wey. We pulled out of the lock and kept to the far side, leaving enough room for the waiting boat to go in. The lock keeper waved them on, the crew ignored her, had they not heard? She tried again, still nothing. I relayed her message. The chap at the helm refused to move off the mooring until we were out of the way, except we needed to be where they were! He refused for a while longer but eventually relented as there was nowhere else for us to go. We pulled up onto the stop lock mooring and started to fill with water. The lock keeper would come and let us out once she’d penned the other boat up.

This took really quite sometime. The two ladies from the waiting narrowboats walked up and had a chat on their way with paperwork. It turned out we’d been at Watford with the lady from NB Spruce Goose last year, we remembered each other. The boat in the lock seemed to sit there forever, the stop lock was emptied for us and we could be on our way again onto our third navigation of the day. We wished the narrowboat crews fun on the Wey, maybe they’ll get to go up the Basingstoke when the temporary repair is done at lock 27.

They’d warned us that the Thames was busy. We were sort of prepared for this. Sailing boats, paddleboarders, cruisers everywhere at the junction, nowhere to moor. We’d carry on to round the back of Desborough Island and hoped for a space there.

The junction below Shepperton Lock had been busy but nothing compared to what we found round the back of the island. A sailing course with many boats weaving in and out of themselves, cruisers of all different sizes weaving in between too. ‘Remember the Basingstoke Canal!?!’ Mick said as the shock of a sunny Sunday afternoon on the Thames dawned on us, maybe we should have waited another day.

**How many boats? Hardly a peaceful activity**

Round the bend to the park moorings, there were two spaces. Mick called out to the small cruisier that was following us, we wanted to wind to face upstream and pull in. We aimed for the second space , they went for the first, thankfully no boats got in the way of our manoeuvres. Spikes in, Tilly you have 2 hours! At bloomin last!!! I did think that Tilly would look at all the boats and decide it was far FAR too busy to bother with this outside. However I was wrong. Our mooring was a 20 ft dash across the grass to some friendly cover and sideways trees which then had trees TREES!!! Wonderful trees that I could climb! Not just look at through the window!!!

Another boat squeezed into the gap behind us a woofing woofer onboard. I chatted to the chap and warned him that Tilly was out. He was great and did his best with his feisty Collie blocking it’s way off the boat and always on a lead when off. Only one visit for Dreamies from Tilly. She was reminded that she was meant to be home I know but I’m busy! Around 7pm, an hour after cat curfew she came home. She was reminded that shore leave was given under trust and that other pussy cats have ended up with far more shore leave than they’d planned!

Just the day for a roast chicken! At least we’ll be able to have the leftovers cold as the temperature is set to increase over the next few days.

A message from NB Olive late afternoon. No sign of Liquorice. Rangers will be putting out a trap tomorrow, phone numbers have been left at properties nearby and several people will be keeping an eye on the trap for them. We’ve all got our fingers and paws crossed for Liquorice.

10 locks, 7.9 miles, 3 waterways, 3 navigation authorities, 2 lefts, 1 straight straight on, 1 wind, 1 mooring quickly grabbed, from being 1 moving boat, 2 there being 4535345 moving boats, 2 boaters in shock, 1 blown bow thruster fuse, 1 roast chicken, 2 hours into 3, 1 happier cat, 1 mooring status changed, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 0 for the Basingstoke, not one!

Basingstoke Bouffant. 11th June

Frimley Lodge Park

A day to rest, a day standing still was the plan.

We enjoyed our cuppas in bed. Enjoyed a cooked breakfast that only just fitted onto our plates. I caught up with blog writing, new waters always have loads of photos to sift through, I think I’d taken around 200 yesterday!

Other things needed to happen too, the engine needed a service. Not a full 750 hour service. The engine oil, gear box oil were changed along with the air filter. The diesel filter will be changed another time, we need to get one before the next 250 hour service.

The engine needs to be warm for a service, but not too hot. We thought of moving up to the next mooring a short distance further on. I went to do a recky. A clearer bank to moor to, it also looked as if the depth was better. It was just the abundance of school kids playing hookie, or appearing to be that put me off. Lots of squealing from one girl about the geese, the lads being overly unsupportive. This wasn’t the main part of my report back, they would move on soon, well the goose freaked girl ran a mile when one of them got out.

Just by the mooring is the Frimley Miniature Railway, not in operation today, but the sheds were a good place for youths doing deals and the aroma was quite pungent! We’d leave them to it and stay put for the day. They did move on as I walked back through the park, at great speed in a car!

So Mick ran the engine for a while, then donned his overalls. He gave the new oil pump a go that we’d bought in Lidl a few weeks ago, all good.

I caught up with writing cards, mostly condolence cards sadly. There have been too many deaths in the last couple of weeks. Several not unexpected of ninety year olds, but also Jack Brady a large quietly spoken actor who used to work at Hull Truck, still in his fifties.

Then I turned my attention to lighter matters, a retirement, on-line card needed signing and photos sending and then reminiscences to add to a 60th birthday book.

Mick had been in touch with Nebo regarding our none working Nebolink, this didn’t work yesterday to record our journey up the locks. They suggested that the position of the unit may be at fault, gaps in our tracking suggested this. Well up till yesterday the majority of our journeys have been recorded, a few gaps, mostly when in the bottom of locks, or so we thought. So Mick ran through the trouble shooting that they suggested, each one requiring an hour between them. The unit was unscrewed form under the 20mm thick wooden cratch board and popped on the roof. Turned off then on again. Nothing, not even a change of location. He then tried checking the sim was in properly. Nothing. Followed by a hard restart. Nothing.

**Yarn selection for the next pair of socks**

Another email was sent with screen shots showing satellite locations that Mick’s phone had picked up from under the cratch board. We’ll see what the next step is tomorrow when Australia wakes up.

Frank fancied our cheese, so a catch up chat with him and important key identification, we’d given him one a few years ago, just in case. Phone signal in the boat wasn’t so good, so I opened up the towpath side of the cratch, just flinging the cover onto the top so I could sit comfortably on a locker to chat. There were a couple of things we’d forgotten to put out at the house so Frank was to call when he got there.

Tilly and I had a bit of a play on the towpath. We inspected what Mick was up to in the engine bay. A glance down the towpath and I spotted a woofer off the lead. As we’ve now had at least two moments of woofers rudely running up to Tilly and barking I suggested that maybe we should both get back on the boat. The bow a little bit away from the bank. I stepped on, so did Tilly. She then decided that she’d rather watch the woofer from a higher position and jumped up to be on the cratch.

WHAT THE……..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My calculations had been correct. My potential and kinetic energy perfect. Despite my landing being on the top of the cratch, the cover slipped under my weight, slipped over the edge, slipped over the edge with me on it. I slipped over the edge and then downwards the mutual attraction caused by gravity pulled me towards the water. SPLASH!!!!!

Oh crikey. I turned to see Tilly, head above the water facing the boat, I had to adjust my position to assist, by which time there was nothing to grab onto. Turning towards the bank there was nothing there either!!! This way Tilly, this way. Thankfully she swam towards me, I managed to get both hands under her and hoiked her out and into the welldeck. Rescue successful. Now attention turned to the amount of water there was in Tilly’s fur and everywhere in the boat!

One continuous puddle from the welldeck through the bedroom, bathroom, across the sofa and floor, across the dinette to the drawing board slot, where she’d managed to soak a little into the towel there. The towel and Tilly were picked up put in the bathroom both doors closed and given as much of a towel rub as I was allowed to do. I apologise to other boaters for soaking up SO much water and reducing the canal depth by at least a paws worth!

Encouraging her to sit on her bed to dry off took a bit of time, but we got there in the end. Then the mopping up could start whilst Tilly licked herself dry. A full hour, thank goodness the canal is an SSSI.

Gradually Tilly dried out, under her collar always remains slightly soggy for a while. At least the water had got rid of all the dust she’d been rolling in on the towpath. In it’s place was super soft bouffanted fur. The locals pay a fortune for this look, mine was all DIY!

For the rest of the day Tilly stayed in, not wanting to venture far. The afternoon was cold enough for us to light the fire, so the damp one took up her position to make the most of it. We got soggy bums from sitting anywhere, thankfully our bed had missed the tidal wave she’d brought in with her.

This outside will NOT be awarded a stamp of approval, the woofers can keep it!

A few boat movements today, a patrol boat that looked like it was picking up rubbish. Later on a boat pulled up on the mooring ahead of us and an hour or so later another boat came past. As it approached I was busy stripping a chicken, the bow looked familiar. We both said at the same time, ‘Is it Jubilee?’ Sure enough stood at the stern were Jan and John (Halfie). Mick waved to them as they passed.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 recky trip, 2 many youths, 1 interesting railway, 5 messages, 2 condolence cards, 4 photos, 10 litres oil, 1 air filter, 1 pattern designed, 1 new stitch practiced, 24th pair cast on, 1 very soggy moggy, 1 clean boat floor, 1 hour drying, 1 stove, 1 free bouffant, 1 t-towel and towel, 1 cloth, 1 pint milk removed, 1 cheese block donated to Frank, how were your beans on toast?

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna