Category Archives: Boat Engines

All Just For A Load Of S**t. 24th August

Friars Mill

Mid morning Mick got a phone call from the archway garage saying that our alternator was ready to be collected. Blimey that was quick, we’ve heard tales of people sending them off to be mended and not hearing back for months, this had taken a couple of days. On collection the chap said it was the regulator that had gone. The chap also said he used to make the steelwork for narrowboats somewhere outside Leicester.

Our nearest neighbours had moved off upstream this morning leaving a gap at the end of the pontoon. Mick pulled us along so as to be further away from the resident cruisers who enjoy listening to their music loud. Not long afterwards a downstream narrowboat tucked into where we’d been, the pigeons made themselves at home on their roof pretty quickly, sorting out the teams for their next five aside match.

As we tucked into an early lunch the next boat arrived, the chap at the helm was obviously deciding on where to go. We called out, would he like to come alongside. Of course he would, Castle Gardens pontoon was now full. We chatted away and helped with his ropes agreeing on a time when we’d be wanting to head towards North Lock in the morning.

My head was still not good, but a walk would help, I hoped. So we headed off to find the cut at North Lock and walked northwards, crossing over Wolsey Island. The Space Centre building was worth a look at. The tower is clad in pillows made from ETFE, the same material used at the Eden Project. Dots cover the surface, but from a distance you can just see through it, rockets lurk inside.

We walked that little bit further to the Abbey Pumphouse, we fancied some Victoria engineering instead of space today.

There was lots to read again. The first part of the exhibition all to do with water, bathing through the ages especially around Leicester. As the population grew so did the amount of sewage, Leicester had to do something about the quality of it’s water. So sewers were directed towards Abbey Pumping Station which was built in 1890. From here the cities waste was pumped up to a treatment works at Beaumont Leys, now a shopping centre.

Mixed in amongst the water and sewage, not literally, there are also collections of industrial, technological and scientific items relating to Leicester. A phone box filled with toys, mechano, Kermit. Cinema cameras, Happy and Sad trams. Knitting machines for both stockings and jumpers. Soap. All quite interesting, but the layout a little dated as you tend to find in free museums.

Then up some stairs you enter the room where all the action used to take place. Just walking into the hall you can tell this is where the Victorians meant business. The staircase says this alone!

Four steam engines fill the space. Built in Leicester by Gimson and Company these are rare examples of Woolfe compound rotative beam engines. We think they are still in working order, but sadly not today.

Cream, brown and gold paint decorates the huge wheels, brass polished more than a Braidbar narrowboat’s mushroom vents. Huge pillars decorated with flowers and capitals hold up the structure. Decorative tile work. 130 years worth of ingrained oil, now caught in trays filled with cat litter.

Wow! All just for a load of Shit. The Victorians really couldn’t help themselves could they! Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

The route back to Oleanna took a slightly different route, walking alongside Leicester Abbey and the River Soar, looking up at Cardinal Wolsey who died here.

Back on board Mick carried on working his way through the laundry drawer, topped us up with water, hung things out to dry. Then went to sit and wait for our Sainsburys delivery. He was looking forward to a sit down. He can now confirm that the gates into Friars Mill are locked on an evening as he had to come back for our C&RT key to be able to bring our shopping to the boat.

Tomorrow we’ll wait in line for our turn through North Lock.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 miles walked, 4 compound rotative beam engines, 1 floating spaceman, 1 cream tardis, 0 chilled medication, 4 pills, 1 bad head, 4 boxes wine, 1 whining cat, 1 full pontoon.

Fishing! 10th July

Rushey Lock Meadows

Such a lovely mooring it would have been a shame not to have stayed a little longer, so we did just that. A Chorizo Day for Tilly as I’d be spending much of it painting palm leaves for my Colombian Rainforest.

The sun first thing was very very bright, it shone in through the bathroom porthole soon after 4am, so this needed blocking out with the aid of a bung to encourage more sleep.

**Left over fried potatoes instead of hash today**

Mick did the honors for breakfast as Tilly headed into the long grass to explore. Then it was time to get on with painting leaves. My aim for today was to finish the leaves, but that very soon became obvious that I wouldn’t achieve my goal. As I’m hoping the portals will be printed this means that I have to be ever so ever so careful with how I paint them, any slight mistake will end up being enlarged to 25 times the slight wobble of brush. The extra time is warranted, I just hope I’ve enough time to paint the rest of the model before my next meeting. As much as I like writing blog posts and try to keep them limited to certain times of the day, they can take up an extra hour or so. Posts may be shorter or missing in the coming days.

Oleanna needed an oil change, Mick started to get himself set up. One of our chairs was on the engine board, it got moved out onto the stern for a moment. A gust of wind caught it and off it blew into the river. Mick grabbed a boat hook, but sadly it had already sunk and drifted too far to be saved.

Was the frame magnetic? The sea searcher magnet came out, so did I to see what Mick would catch. A long throw, slowly pulled back towards the boat. He’d caught something first time! Was it? Could it have been our chair? I thought I could see the frame.

Then whatever it was dropped out of view again. Several more attempts with the magnet and something was caught again. Slowly Mick raised it into view below the water. Yes it was our chair! Holding it steady I reached down with the boat hook and managed to hook part of the frame. Up it came closer, except it was under the stern of Oleanna.

I held onto magnet and hook whilst Mick leaned right over to get a hand on the frame. Phew one chair rescued! One of us wouldn’t have to sit on a stool outside. It was left close by, far enough away from the bank edge to dry off. I think it may take some time.

Mick did an oil change, Tilly got bored with the outside and I worked. A few boats came past, mostly from upstream including a beautiful steam launch called Duet, sadly my camera wasn’t to hand at the time. More info can be found here.

This evening we had the remainder of what we would have eaten last night had it not been such a lovely evening. Toadless Hole and roast veg.

0 locks, 0 miles, 9.5 hours, 4 taken, 1 soggy chair, 1 magnet, 9 litres Boyes finest oil, 117 banana palms, 1 DEFRA funding announcement!

One Bus A Week. 28th June

Cropredy Marina

Smarter clothes than boater clothes were put on this morning, time to take my white card model to Chippy and share it with the creative team. Cropredy doesn’t really have a bus service, well it does, on a Thursday, one bus into Banbury. Then there is one bus that returns an hour later. Or you can walk for half an hour for a more regular service, you may as well just keep walking on the towpath into town. No option but to get a taxi today.

I got dropped off at the new Premier Inn by Castle Quays so that I could walk to the bus station and check on the mooring situation and if anything had been happening with Lock 29, Banbury Lock.

As far as I could see above the lock there was plenty of space, who knows what it’s like further back at Spice Ball Park where many people prefer to moor. But there would certainly be room for Oleanna.

Two chaps in blue and high vis stood by the top gate, the gate with the problem. They were chatting to a chap and I overheard ‘Best case scenario’. I had to but in as I hadn’t heard the next bit, the bit everyone around here and further afield would like to know.

I wasn’t given the best case scenario but was told that today people would arrive from Oxford and London. Stop planks were likely to be put in to be able to drain the top end of the lock, but they doubted that the gate would be lifted out today. A crane boat was sitting just above the taped off lock waiting to be used. A couple walked past and asked me if there was any news, I relayed what I’d been told, basically no one would be moving today.

Below the lock the mooring situation was different than above. One boat on the services mooring, another opposite then at least two sets of boats breasted up under the bridge. I didn’t have time to walk any further as my bus was due.

I’d opted to arrive in Chippy an hour earlier than I needed to as this year I’ll be staying in different digs. Madeleine my new host had invited me to pop round to meet her and see her lovely house if I was in Chippy. Very handy for the bus stop at the other end of town from Suzanne’s where I’ve stayed before. I’m also nearer to the Co-op and Sainsburys which is handy. We had a chat over a cuppa and I got to look round.

Just time to grab something for lunch and walk to the theatre where John Terry (director not footballer) was getting ready to set up for our meeting. Half attendees would be in the room, the other half joined over the internet. Last year I’d done my final model showing on line and know how hard it is to get a camera set up for those on line to see properly. A laptop was tried but those in the room wouldn’t be able to see anything. Then a phone was used, this was much better.

With everyone present John and I talked our way through the show, scene to scene. Lots of questions from Gemma the production manager, a few from Sophie the costume designer and discussions with Nathan the lighting designer. John seemed very happy and informed me of various changes in the script that have happened recently cementing the twist we’d come up with for Cinderella’s coach. Just one alteration to do in the model, so I came away happy.

Paul, Louisa and myself then went down onto stage to check some measurements. My plans of the theatre have been based on incorrect plans I got the first year, gradually over the last five years I have updated and altered my master plan. But still dimensions needed checking. There would be 2m depth behind the backdrop. Items to be hung on tracks closely together were worked out and subtracted from distances between bars, my guestimate had been correct. Then we worked our way through where items would be stored and how some pieces would best be split for ease of moving. All done, time for a cuppa whilst scanning the drawings. I checked the time of the next bus, blimey seven minutes! I was off and on my way.

Back in Banbury I walked up to the lock, it’s handily positioned right by the bus station. Fencing around the lock had been erected during the day.

Stop planks were doing a good job of holding back the water above the lock and the lock was drained.

**Brought from doing towpath works by the look of it**

The crane boat had been moved to below the lock and was now facing uphill. The bottom gates still chained shut.

I’ve since seen footage of the crane boat being moved mob handed by C&RT staff. The top gate which had been quiet this morning when I’d visited was gushing forth soo much water!

Looking at the gate this evening nothing was immediately obviously the problem. But at least now those working to mend it can see everything without water gushing everywhere.

C&RT had said there would be an update today, but none came through. We hope to hear something tomorrow.

I walked to the station to get a taxi. This gave me the opportunity to see how many boats were moored below. I counted two facing away from the lock and then seventeen facing towards it. This was only as far as I could see towards the old foundry. Who knows how many were around the next bend at the Tramway?

Back at Oleanna Mick has had a busy day. He’d washed just about anything and everything, we’ve got fresh towels for the second time this week! The bilge pump float switch has been fitted, the stern glad tightened.

He’d also got in touch with Mark from LiFe Batteries in Cornwall who is highly recommended on the 12volt group on Facebook. We’d have no problem adding a new battery to our two older ones, he’d need to set it up correctly to match them. However the footprint of such a battery (100AH, so twice the capacity of the one that has failed) would mean that it wouldn’t fit in our battery tray.

**Looking back to the queue below the lock plenty more behind me**

Mick asked about replacing all three but with two, but twice the capacity. The existing battery tray wouldn’t accommodate them either. During the day he’d been thinking about changing where we locate the batteries. Being lithium they don’t have to be in the engine bay, so they could move inside and into the cupboard we call The Shed. This was designed to hold a Brompton bike and have a hanging rail. It now holds life jackets, extra coats, handheld hoover, scarves etc and really could do with a proper sort out. The base of it would certainly be big enough for new batteries, they would then have a shelf above them to protect the terminals, then it could be a more organised Shed. The batteries being indoors would also help them to charge in cold weather.

All of this cannot be done straight away. So our current plan is to cope with 100AH until later in the year. This will almost certainly mean turning the freezer off to help live within our means.

0 locks, 1 drained and fenced in, 0 miles, 2 taxis, 2 buses, 1 new host, 1 new deli to try, 1 model showing, 1 big thumbs up, 2 meters tick, 1.5 meters tick, 1 clock to alter, 6 boxes pasta, 14 scans, 42 copies, 1 dash for the bus, 17 waiting, 100AH to live with, 1 clean pooh box, 1 unhappy cat.

It’s Mooo not Meow! 9th May

Viking Marina, Goole to Viking Marina, Goole

Change around laundry and ironing completed. The Shed reclaimed as a bedroom with organised storage. Upstairs upstairs tidied. Windows washed. A sister-out-law to visit. Food eaten. Outfits remarked on. Who stole the youngest Prince? Beds made up. Clothes and food all packed. One on loan sewing machine returned and the last pair of socks delivered.

It was time to load a van and return to Oleanna.

Tilly’s pooh box and scratch post were the last items to be added to the van. I knew what had been happening, they normally keep me locked inside when they load up everything, but today I was allowed to supervise. I may have been distracted by the elaborate bird feeder though. Maybe I’d be allowed to supervise in the big white box, but no chance of that as I was bundled up into the cat caravan! I know I wouldn’t get under Toms feet, but She says that Tom isn’t so sure. Hopefully the scratches on my chest from the tussle with Tilly will fade without leaving scars. This morning we’d decided not to add any extra stress to her day by trying to give her a travel sickness pill. If only she’d lie down the motion wouldn’t be half as bad!

I’d refrained from saying how well Tilly was doing as we passed our usual stopping place on Staxton Hill, she then showed signs that we’d soon need to stop to refresh the puppy pad in the caravan. Thankfully there were only two stops today then she calmed down, sat with her back to the door of the caravan where I could sort of stroke her.

On our route we somehow got talking about cows. Tilly tried joining in, but her mooing fell short!

On arrival at Viking Marina, Tilly was the first thing off the van and inside. There was time to appreciate the nice clean floor before it was filled with bags and boxes that all needed emptying and places found to stow it all. Tilly checked everywhere over, peeked out the back and then settled down, It’s good to be back home.

Alastair chatted with Mick. Two new engine mounts had been fitted. The stern nav light attached. Leak on the skin tank had required a 46mm spanner to tighten the pipe and all was good.

With everything for the galley, saloon loaded onto Oleanna it was time to make a move. Well just reverse back, wind and come in for the bow to be nearest the bank. This would make filling the water tank easier. The bags of clothes would come straight into the bedroom, plants could go on the bow straight away and Mick would be able to reach to replace a steel cable tie on the bow fender that had broken in Bramwith Lock three months ago.

Whilst knitting socks my back has improved, but sadly moving things around, stoopid stooping has encouraged it to ache again. A few hours sitting down helps. Today though to be able to sit down lots of things needed to be stowed, moved here and there. Yes Mick could have done it all, but it was just easier to get on with it, someone needs to remember where things have been stashed after all! Tilly didn’t help with any of this, she was far more interested in the secret passage and refusing to come back out when I wanted to put the sofa back into sofa mode!

Once we’d remembered we’d put the duvet and pillows in vacuum bags Mick made the bed up whilst I adjusted the Sainsburys delivery for the morning. Diner was some left over gammon we’d shared with Kath (Mick’s sister) and Bill one of our lodgers, with some carrot and parsnip hash. Thank you Mick for being on cooking duty.

0 locks, 180ft, 1 wind, 27 cheese scones, 1 painted wall, 1 van full, 2 puppy pads, 1 proud She, 1 last pair of socks delivered, 1 determined Duncan, 1 more painting hung, 1 slot filling booking, 1 chocka boat, 1 empty water tank, 1 full water tank, 2 new engine mounts, 1 stern light, 1 secret passageway, 1 cat on the shelf, 2 happy boaters, 1 happy cat.

Restoring Power. Catch up 4th March

The weather forecast next week looks to be cold. What’s new? Well it’s going to be colder than it already is up on the north east coast. Goole looks like it will have below freezing temperatures. When we left Oleanna we’d left her with everything sorted for such a cold spell, she was plugged in with the thermostat ready to kick the heating on should things get really chilly, the advantage of our Aldi boiler being able to run off electric when hooked up.

However in the last couple of weeks Oleanna has been turned round by Alastair ready for when he has time to do jobs on her. Mick left him with some keys and the camera on board had broadcast movement a few days after his last visit, so we knew she’d been winded. She’d been unplugged from the mains, turned around for easier access, then plugged back in again, Oleanna has two hook up points to make this easy. However inside there is a switch you need to flick to select which end of the boat you are hooked up to, Alastair didn’t know about this. So for a couple of weeks Oleanna has been living off free solar, but should the heating need to come on it wouldn’t work. Someone needed to flick the switch.

Mick caught the train down to Goole a now familiar journey and if you break your ticket in Filey it’s cheaper. Oleanna was given the once over checking she was ready for minus temperatures and the switch was flicked to accept power at the stern. A catch up with Al from NB Summer Wind was had and a chat with Alastair.

The alternator chap he’d had in mind to refurbish our faulty one is no more. Another company said that unless it was something special/historic then it wouldn’t be worth doing! Well they obviously didn’t want the job. We’ll be scouting around in Scarborough to see if anyone here can help us instead.

Topping up the diesel didn’t happen again as Laird had just run out as Mick arrived. Hopefully next time.

The other job today was to meet up with Sean from SPL Covers, who just happened to be at the marina on another job. Our covers are in need of some tlc, too much use. The pram cover front window has had a hole in it for a couple of years and this year it has made a few friends. These happen when it gets folded down for cruising, a crease happening in the same place time and time again has taken it’s toll. The window has also gone quite opaque too, so this will be replaced.

The cratch cover zip that failed early last year will also be replaced. I tacked it together last spring so it was about time it was replaced. Mick checked to see if SPL could clean them too, however that would likely take several weeks to happen and we’d rather the covers were back on Oleanna as soon as they can be to help keep the weather off.

A productive visit.

Meanwhile on land.

Last week was production week for #unit21 in Huddersfield. The upgraded set went in easily but as the temperature of the set increased we found a problem with the fabric it was covered in. When the flattage arrived in the cold it was very baggy saggy. But as it warmed up in the theatre it tightens up making things look wonderfully smooth. However the upgrade to the set involved slitting the fabric to insert LED lights and perspex to create fake neon. In hindsight the original covering of the flats and upgrade should have been done in a warm environment when the fabric was taught, not an easy thing when workshops tend to be chilly places! This is also the first time either Graham or myself have used Ripstop on a set.

So as the set warmed the fabric tightened starting to distort the slots the lights were in. Clamps and cable ties stopped the movement, but the fabric carried on doing it’s thing. Thankfully the atmospheric lighting doesn’t show any of our problems up after a touch of colouring in with a Sharpie was done.

The actors did a couple of run throughs for technical purposes, then a full dress rehearsal where one of our new Led strips decided it didn’t want to do green, the main colour required. So sadly on photos we have a rouge strip and on press night it and it’s partner were unplugged.

The show was very well received and there were plenty of familiar faces in the audience, including Vanessa Brooks who used to be the Artistic Director at Dark Horse, also Pete Massey who used to work at the SJT in Scarborough. It was great to be able to have a catch up with him and Rach his wife after the show.

#unit21 is now on tour for the next few weeks. The Lowry in Salford 3rd 4th March, Chroma-Q in Leeds 10th March, The Junction Goole 15th 16th March, Storyhouse Chester 23rd 24th March.

Decorating of the back bedroom has started. Well the decorating bit hasn’t yet started, it’s more the demolition stage. I’d hoped to be able to remove the cornice and ceiling rose that would never have been in such a bedroom, but they have turned out to be plaster and very well attached. With my back still making me cautious they can stay for a while longer, the last thing I want to do is be patching up a ceiling.

Lots of patching up and some paint stripping to do, interesting how some new Eco friendly paint stripper has and hasn’t worked even with being left overnight to work it’s magic.

A new sewing machine has been invested in along with a cordless drill that matches the sander I got at Christmas, so we now have three batteries between tools.

Estimates for new windows have been coming in, all very expensive. The funding we’d applied for from the council to help insulate the house we were told a few weeks ago had run out, but yesterday we had a phone call suggesting there are now more funds available. We’ll have to see what happens on that front.

Our cruising plans for the year have had to be slightly altered. Two offers of work and an invite from my cousins will see us heading down south rather than staying in the north. It will be good to see family members at something other than a funeral and I think I was 18 when I last spent any time with my cousins kids. Hopefully there will still be enough of the summer to return northwards to accomplish our original plans of cruising the River Weaver. The life jackets have had their annual service, left inflated in a room over night well away from any cat claws.

Pip’s Sockathon 2023 will take place during April this year. A charity has been selected, a conversation with their Community Fundraising Executive has been had, so I’d best get my needles ready. There are still some things to sort for it but there will be more news on that front very very soon.

So for now that is all our news. Stay warm everyone, I can safely say it is far warmer on a boat than in our house!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 wind captured on camera, 1 boat unhooked, 1 boat rehooked, 1 new sewing machine, 1 drill, 2 batteries makes 3, 1 red strip, 9 ensemble, 2 job offers, 1 workshop, 1 family get together, 1 brown bin, £30 curry for 2, 1 soda bread, 1 bored cat, 4 troublesome doors, 1 job made longer, 1 room stripped back, 36k or 26k? 1 charity, 10 pairs maybe this year, 1 vanity project, 174 x110, 1 blind, 2 covers at the menders.

0 Winds Due To Wind. 18th February

Mick headed to see Oleanna today. When we ‘d left last week there were a few things that we’d left on board due to only one of us carrying things due to my bad back, so these needed collecting. There also hadn’t been enough time to chat with Alastair about some jobs Mick was wanting him to do.

Then there was also the matter of the old alternator that had gone faulty on us in Shardlow. It had moved to Scarborough with us with the thought that a chandlers here might be able to get it refurbished for us. However Alastair said he could sort it, so that needed returning to Goole. With a bike used as a sherpa Mick set off, hoping that he’d fixed a stubborn puncture, Oh for both bikes to have solid tyres!

Mick and Alastair talked about the jobs we’d like him to do.

Stern nav light fitting, Mick will do the wiring on another visit.

Alternator refurbished.

Check the engine mounts and give the engine a general check over. Mick does Oleanna’s servicing but it’s always nice to have someone totally au fait to give her the once over. When we had RCR gold membership we got an engine check each year, but we’ve now cut back on our membership to save some pennies.

Fix a coolant leak. Mick thought this might be from a hose connected to the skin tank, but Alastair thought it was the connection rather than the hose. He’ll tighten it up and sort it which ever.

Tighten the stern glad.

They also chatted about the tappets in the engine. Mick ran the engine and they decided they sounded fine, so that will be left for another year.

**Mick’s Christmas present keeping a watchful eye when we’re not about**

Mick had also wanted to top up with diesel. Manoeuvring around the marina would have been tricksy today due to strong winds, so that can wait for next time. If we had jerry cans he could fill the tank that way. But as we tend to cruise and not sit about for too long in one place we have never really felt the need to own jerry cans, they take up space. Maybe the price of diesel will have dropped again when we next fill up, Domestic rate in Goole last week was £1.09.

The stove was cleared out, not enough time to sweep the chimney today.

A list of things to return with had been put together. The washing drawer was emptied, contents washed and hung up to dry. The interior of Oleanna still needs a good tidy, the floor certainly needs a good wash, maybe even a sand in places followed by a coat of oil before we are back on board full time.

Meanwhile back on land. Tilly has been meeting the new neighbours. The cats who used to live in the area have all moved away, now there are new felines to get to know…..or not!

She hadn’t done any packing for a few days, so I thought I’d give her a helping paw. Thank you Tilly, everything had to wait for Mick to put them away as stooping is still a thing I’m avoiding.

#unit21 rehearsals have been going well. I had a postponed visit to watch a run this week and managed to do a few jobs whilst I was there. Next week is production week and the first shows that kick off the tour. Some last minute knitting has kept me busy in front of the TV. Getting my fingers into training for this years sockathon, there will be more news about this once my show has opened.

Curtain lining has arrived and hopefully this coming week Dulux will deliver everything I need to give a bedroom a makeover in the next few weeks before a lodger moves in. It’s a room that has been decorated by tenants through the years and not very well. But having said that it wasn’t too good before they even started! Here’s hoping my back is fully mended.

Mick and Frank have been dishwasher installers and kitchen adjusters. The old dishwasher had given up the ghost. A damp problem in the last few years and the fact that I think the kitchen had been built around it made it a challenging job. Thank you Frank once again.

Sadly we’ve not had chance as yet to go for one of our walks around Scarborough, my back and work getting in the way so far. Hopefully we’ll put that right soon as we’ve not even been to the beach yet!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 winds due to the wind, 1 jobs list, 3 new cats, 1 woofer, 1 dead sewing machine, 3 varieties pancakes, 1 hat, 30 badges, 1 alternator, 2 much money being spent, 1 quote, 0 funding, 1 McCarthy visit, 1 vanity project, 1 new PM, 1 salt and pepper reunited with us.

Scampi Shardlow. 20th January

Willowbrook Farm Moorings to Derwent Mouth Lock

Ice again this morning. Whilst I attended a zoom production meeting for #unit21 Mick went for a walk along the canal towards Shardlow Lock to assess the ice situation. My meeting went well and Mick’s verdict was that after lunch we should be fine to move as the sun was out melting the ice. He’d phoned Tracy at the farm to arrange a meter reading and a settling up as we’d be moving on today.

Just before midday we unplugged ourselves and walked up to the stables. Here we could say goodbye to our noisy neighbours, two donkeys who were rescues from Blackpool quite a few years ago. In three weeks we’d used 150 units of electric, we’d not run our engine other than to check the alternator and once to warm the engine bay up. The occasional blast of electric heating in the morning, washing machine and dishwasher along with the electric kettle, sewing machine and iron. Yes we have an iron but it comes out very rarely and mostly for work. We thanked Tracy for helping us out at new year and allowing us to stay for three weeks.

Lunch, another C&RT notice! Stoke Lock was still not operational by boaters so needs to be booked 24hrs in advance. A phone call was made straight away, when would we be there? Monday morning. The lady rang back confirming that a volunteer would be at the lock waiting for us.

**Pushing off for the first time this year**

Time to roll up the covers for the first time this year. The new version of our trip computer spluttered into life, an old phone placed in a window, this will run Nebo and track our route and miles. I turned Nebo on on my phone too to record locks as we go through them. We untied and I walked ahead to open the lock whilst Mick reversed Oleanna back to meet me.

A patch of thicker ice slowed his progress just as he arrived at the three widebeams. A chap on the last boat stuck his head out and complimented Mick for his reversing skills. He also warned him of thick ice below Derwent Mouth Lock.

The top gates needed a couple of attempts to get them open, the ice behind holding firm on the first go.

Reversing in ice seemed to be quite good. Blasts of forwards every now and then sent water backwards breaking up the ice in front of the blunt end of the boat. The odd blast from the bow thruster also helped to steer the stern towards the lock.

Down gently in the lock, the ice there breaking up as the water lowered. The aroma of scampi coming from the pub was soon followed by slightly burnt garlic.

I left Mick to wind whilst I popped to the post box.

Cat ice was about, easy enough to push your way through. Then at the pub bend we came across thicker ice. Would our escape from the Trent and Mersey be thwarted on this bend? It is quite hard to steer in ice. Narrowboats pivot in the middle and sideways force on ice isn’t very productive. Right on the bend it took several forward and backward manoeuvres to help get into a good position to start carving our way through the ice again. We wouldn’t have to moor there over night. Scampi here too! Maybe on Fridays Shardlow has a special for fish Friday on Scampi!

The red traffic lights were both turned off at the EA flood lock, both the rivers Soar and Trent were open to boats.

Now we slowed our pace to pass the line of moored boats by Chapel Farm Marina. Is it better to go slowly? Or does it just eek out the noise of cracking ice? A thick patch by the last line of boats had me at the bow, trying to keep us away from a Dutch barge. My pushing only moved the barge and not us. But eventually we worked our way through.

Up ahead was the widebeam that has been waiting for the river for a couple of weeks. More ice in front of them, we’d had enough and wanted to see what the ice was like below Derwent Mouth Lock before venturing any further. We pulled in. A quick cat H&S meeting was held, too much ice, Sorry Tilly! Harumph urumph!!

Below the lock the river was in the amber, the lock landing all very visible now. However the chap on the widebeam had been correct the ice below the lock looked thick, snow still sitting on it in the shade. We’d done enough ice breaking for the day, we’d be staying put, after all we’d reached our goal. Hopefully tomorrow the ice would have melted some more to make our journey easier.

We settled down for the remainder of the afternoon to listen to Tilly’s complaints. Then a crack and crackle with music came from the cut. A narrowboat with three chaps at the stern came along, we’d broken the ice for them, would they continue. Sure enough they headed for the lock.

**If only we’d known, they could have broken the ice for us!**

A little while later Mick popped his head out of the hatch, the widebeam had also gone. Should we follow too? It was too late now to get much further. A check on the weather forecast. We’d both remembered it as getting warmer at the weekend. The forecast didn’t agree, -3C tonight with fog! Oh bum! Would we end up being iced in now away from water and electric?

To try to keep the engine bay from getting too cold overnight Mick ran the engine again for an hour, hoping that would help the batteries which don’t like charging at low temperatures.

**Nebo Trip recorded from inside Oleanna, lots of back and forth**

**Nebo Trip recorded in my pocket including a walk to the post box**

My Mum’s American Sticky Chicken was made up and sat on the stove to bubble away for 90 minutes before we enjoyed it with some rice noodles. It isn’t the healthiest of recipes, but it’s nice.

1 lock, 1.2 miles, 150 units, 1 reasonable mooring, 2 donkeys, 2 scampi pubs, 2 more overalls, 1 hour breaking ice, 1 challenging bend, 0 red lights, 1 frozen river, 1 ice breaker forging ahead, 1 widebeam, 1 Oleanna who maybe should have followed! 2 sticky chicken thighs, 1 box of rosé!!!

https://goo.gl/maps/Ucc6B8c8Yahk51j5A

Armed With A Hacksaw. 5th January

Shardlow

A list was made of items I still needed to purchase for #unit21, including a 3m length of plastic pipe! I nearly ordered it along with elbow joints online from Screwfix, but decided to see if there might be a DIY stall in Derby Market. Derby Market Hall is currently undergoing refurbishment, but I was aware of The Eagle Market, the front doors of Derby Playhouse open into the Market. The website suggested a couple of fabric stalls, time to catch the bus.

Mick had made the decision to fit the new alternator this morning and was already down in the engine bay. I required a hack saw so collected one on the way past. The Skylink bus picked me up and whizzed me into town. I made note of a Tool Station next to the big Royal Mail building where there was a handy bus stop, a much better location than Screwfix.

The Eagle Market has seen better days, I’d say only about a third of the units were occupied. I found a couple of fabric stalls and most of what I wanted and ended up having quite a chat with the lady who lives on a boat in Shardlow Marina. Sadly no-one had any navy velcro, that will have to be ordered on line.

No DIY stalls. I had a wander around Derbion the big shopping mall, nothing of use in there, just a sandwich for lunch. Much of Derby Centre stands empty, the bright lights of the shopping centre, being out of the rain has pulled customers and retailers inside. Such a shame. But I believe Derby Council are hoping to rejuvenate the area, refurbishing the market hall being part of the plan to try to pull retailers back into the streets and make it a destination. Well that’s the standard blurb used for such places nowadays!

After a visit to Wilko I walked back to Tool Station taking note of a low wall just by the bus station. Pipe, elbows and cement purchased I headed for the low wall. Here I pulled out the hacksaw and cut the 3m length of pipe in half, no problem getting on the bus now.

At the water point in Shadlow there were three widebeams. WB Lazy Days had moved across from the pub moorings where now sat two C&RT skip boats. Then there were the two widebeams that had been moored above Derwent Mouth Lock, one having a wash, the other on the lock landing. Later on in the evening we could see tunnels lights and hear spikes being hammered in, we presume the widebeams had moved to above the lock, freeing up below.

Back at Oleanna Mick had been working hard to fit the new alternator. Three bolts and three wires, simple! Except things on the old one had settled in nicely, a touch of corrosion on the negative terminal made getting the nut undone a touch troublesome. Time and patience was required. One bolt was in an awkward position and when it came to fitting the new alternator things didn’t seem to marry up as they should do. It turned out there was a bush on one of the holes that needed adjustment. A tap with a hammer sorted this.

All bolted in and connected the engine was fired up, things checked over. Everything working as it should. Hooray!

Time to pack Christmas away, well the lights outside could wait for light tomorrow. The tree was stripped and then given a good soaking in the sink. It will get a day or two inside before being popped in the cratch.

The neon bunny was just about finished off this evening. All limbs sewn on and body stuffed, just a fluffy tail needed. Although I may want to give him longer ears as he’ll be a magicians rabbit. Tilly wasn’t enamoured with it, I may have to hide it away so it doesn’t get beaten up!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 buses, 24volt 120amp alternator fitted, 2m poly cotton, 1m stiff interfacing, 3m cut to 2 x 1.5ish, 3 widebeams, 1 bunny, 1 miffed cat.

Elbow Room. 4th January

Shardlow

More emails were sent regarding flooring for #unit21 this morning. This ended up with a proforma invoice that required payment before 1pm to enable it to be collected early next week. My credit card ended up being stretched that bit more, but thankfully the price hadn’t gone up over Christmas and it will be sat ready for collection.

Our Sainsburys delivery arrived at the end of the towpath. There’s not much space on the road so a bit of nudging out of the way was needed for someone to get past, Mick was there with bags to decant the shopping as quickly as possible so the van could head back off. Everything was stowed away before I got my work things out for the day.

Mick had been getting tracking information regarding our alternator this morning. Would this actually arrive as planned? Through the hedge I could see what looked like a DPD van heading towards the farm. Mick popped his shoes on and walked up to collect the alternator.

Hooray! Just when to fit it now? Should it go on straight way, three bolts and a bit of cabling to do. Should it wait for the existing one to stop working completely? Should it wait to be fitted by a mechanic? How much longer should we stay on the mooring? We won’t be going far for a while with the river in flood. Mick is thinking about it.

I got on with making up the forma for the giant mug. The base dimensions should just fit through the back doors on Oleanna, so I won’t be able to get much further than just the basic shape. Also covering it in the yoga mat has to wait as I’ll be using contact adhesive and there is nowhere near enough space onboard to lay things out to glue, let alone dry and all the fumes.

Sheets were cut to length and then scored so that they would follow the curve. Glued and held in position to dry with masking tape. A second layer was added, laminating two layers would make it stronger.

The actress will stir a giant spoon in the mug so I worked out the maximum depth needed for this. I then made a false base to slot inside, this will help to keep everything together. It’s now ready to have a handle added, just need to get a plastic pipe back from Derby on the bus!

**“It’ll be okay, so long as it’s not here for long!”**

Just where to store the mug until it can be taken to Huddersfield? I’d hoped to make this on land where there would be more space than in a 7ft wide narrowboat. Would it sit in the corner of the dinette? Not quite, but taking out the corner cushions gave it just enough space. Phew we won’t have to move it several times a day just to be able to go about our daily lives.

Tilly thought it was very good especially the new route behind it. Mick thought he’d be able to live with lack of elbow room at the table. ‘It’s funny you making BIG things and not models’.

Mick has spent some of today starting to work on our trip computer. As Water Explorer is no longer, we’re hoping to be able to reconfigure the computer to be able to run Nebo. It may take a bit of doing!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 buses, 4 bags shopping, 2 boxes wine (back onto normal rations), 1 alternator, 1 roll flooring, 1 van booked, 1 Robert, 6 sheets foamcor, 1 basic mug, 1 narrowboat too narrow, 23 Dreamies! 2 bunny arms.

Excluding Vat! 3rd January

Shardlow

If all had gone to plan Oleanna would this evening have been sat above Cromwell Lock waiting for the morning tide to head to Torksey. Working on #unit21 becomes more complicated because we are stuck due to flooding. I need to get the props I’m making to Huddersfield as soon as I can. Finishing their construction would have been so much easier on land rather than on the boat without all my tools. I could really do with a hot air gun to bend some pipe. The pipe could be walked from a shop in Scarborough, but on the boat it requires a bus journey. The pipe is 3m long! Just complicated and more time consuming.

I spent some of the morning sussing out when would be good to head to Huddersfield with the props, this will involve hiring a van and on the same trip we could pick up some new flooring for the show. I also need to do costume fittings with three actors, at the moment they only work three days a week. So logistics, orders and payments. Nearly sorted.

Mick called Beta to order a new alternator. Our engine has a WOC number which means that when ordering anything from Beta they can see how our engine was set up and exactly what part we require. Mick did a slight ouch at the price, he did a bigger one when he realised that hadn’t included vat!

Our alternator has a special pulley on it. To replace the pulley you need a special tool, which we don’t have. The chap on the phone said they would put a special pulley on the new one for us to save moving it from the old alternator to the new one. It should arrive tomorrow, fingers crossed.

Being in Shardlow means there is a good bus service to Derby and Leicester on the Skylink which runs every twenty minutes ferrying people to East Midlands Airport. The bus stops by The Navigation Inn a five minute walk away. Add to this the government putting a £2 cap on single bus fares. Very easy.

Waiting at the bus stop I got chatting to a local lady about the river being in flood. We compared notes on levels of the River Trent and Ouse. My family home over looked the flood plain in York and Dad would give us reports of how high up the five bar gate the flood water had reached. I think if it got up to the fourth bar then driving around York was very tricksy as there would only be one route into the city not under water. The lady I chatted to recounted the floods of 2000 on the Trent. Sand bags were put over the drains in the road and stood at the bus stop you could just pop your hand over the wall and touch the flood water. Thankfully the water isn’t anywhere near that level …. yet!

**Lovely houses click photo to look inside one**

The bus sped into Derby. Past the train station where strikers stood with placards. Further on the bus passed the lovely houses on Railway Terrace. These were built to accommodate the senior Midland Railway staff in the 1840’s, the first houses built to house railway workers in the country. Jackson and Thompson built a triangular block of streets, North Street, Midland Place and Railway Terrace, NMR. In the 1970’s there was a campaign to stop the houses from being demolished, they are very fine looking houses. However their sight reminds me of a trip we did to Derby a few years ago. We walked down the same streets to Derby Crown Court to hear the sentencing of our original boat builders.

I swapped buses at the bus station and headed out towards Kingsway Retail Park. Here there was a Homebase, no pipe and fittings suitable for what I wanted. I checked the isles for anything suitable to make a giant mug from. A plastic dustbin? Too much to cut off to stop it looking like a dustbin. Kitchen bins were all too narrow.

Over at Hobbycraft I scoured the isles for something that might be useful too. But they had nothing suitable for a giant mug. A couple of months ago I’d spent ages hunting online for anything that might be useful and come up with very little the right size. So back to the foamcor plan. I picked up 8 sheets and some more tape.

My dodgy grip doesn’t like carrying thin things, eight sheets of foamcor isn’t that thin, but still. I’d brought with me three carrying straps from the yoga mats I’ve bought. These have elastic looped ends joined by some webbing. I passed two of them over the corners of the sheets, one each side and then joined them together with a third one, creating a handle on the top. Not the perfect handle but a much easier carry back to the bus for my return journey.

Whilst I was away Mick had changed the fuel filters and the gear box oil. We just need the alternator now.

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 buses, £2 each, 0 pipe, 0 connectors, 0 hot air gun, 8 sheets, 2 pies, 1 sad gits pie, 1 order completed, 1 plan coming together, 1 new filter, 1 cleaned filter, 1.5 litres oil, 2nd bunny leg.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna