Category Archives: Boat Engines

Green Mystery 12th October

Aspley Basin

Today was a day off boating.

This morning I packed up my model for #unit21 and walked up to Queen Street in town to the offices of Dark Horse for a production meeting. The show doesn’t happen for another four months but there was much to discuss.

The budget was the main thing. Next February will be a showing of the show, six scenes to wet the appetite for funders, possible tour venues. The original brief I’d been given was that the set and costumes should have full production values. Normally this would be a tight squeeze on their budget, but right now I was needing more than a shoe horn and magic fairy dust to sprinkle on everything to try to keep the costs down, materials have rocketed in price. When I’d last talked to Amy the director I’d planted some seeds, thankfully they had started to take root.

With Penny the Lighting Designer/digital editor joining us via zoom we had a very productive meeting fuelled by gf Chocolate Hobnobs. Lynda was recovering from the cold that is doing the rounds, I kept my distance and hope that she’s past the stage of passing it on as I’ve got five weeks of hard work coming up.

Several things had arrived for me, UV fabric paint, which I need to try out on off cuts of costume. A very large box which contained two 1inch brushes that I’ve treated myself to for panto. I just needed to walk to B&Q now to pick up some neon green paint for the set, then after doing a couple of samples I can forget about the show for a while.

Meanwhile back on board, Mick topped up the diesel tank, our stern being moored right next to the pump it made sense. Topped up to the top. There is a small chandlers here where he managed to get a few more poppers for our cratch cover as spares. £10 a night including electric was paid so that we’d be ready to go in the morning. The washing machine has been working hard.

Then it was time for him to climb back into the engine bay. A service was needed, but first it was time to trace and reconnect all the wires that had got chewed up when the belt went.

Red, a voltage sensitive relay, which provided power from the ignition to the bow thruster battery.

Orange, the engine temperature gauge.

Green. Green! What is the green one for? There had been a length of green cable wrapped round the pulley that Mick had dug out, but what had it been connecting? And to what? He’s had no luck finding any other green cabling in the engine bay. So far it can’t have been anything critical, but it would be nice to know what it was.

Next followed the oil change. One less job to do today was changing the alternator fan belt! Just after Mick had pumped all the old oil out I got a message from Kim on NB Idleness saying they were about to come down Lock 3 and Lock 1 was going to be unlocked for them.

We would be breasting up with Yan and Kim and because of their old dog we’d suggested that we should pull out to let them have the bank side mooring to help with his arthritic legs. Of course shortly before they arrived another boat pulled up onto the water point opposite and when they were just pushing off NB Idleness was just pulling through the bridge slowly. Instead of a two way do-si-do it was to be a three way one. Idleness through first, then the blue boat into the bridge hole (pausing to remove their bikes), we pulled out, Idleness pulled in and we tied up on the outside, job done.

I walked the mile to B&Q a very large one on Leeds Road. Mick had also made a request for a new fuse for the bowthruster. So that was another 0.75 of a mile to Halfords for one, then back to the boat via Sainsburys picking up a bag of cat litter and some pizzas for tonight. The rest of the shopping we did on line to collect in the morning before we pushed off. So despite doing no locks today I still walked 5 miles, but I have pretty things to show for it.

0 locks, 0 miles, 5 miles walked, 1 meeting, 2 alterations, 1 budget to be fine tuned, 2 wires reconnected, 1 green mystery, 9 litres oil, 1 filter, 1 fuse, 1 bow thruster able to charge again, 3 boat do-ci-do, 1 full tank of diesel, 2 pots UV, 2 pots Neon, 2 x 1″brushes, 1 key to be left, 1 producer, 2 pizzas.

Charging Down.11th October

Lock 9E to Aspley Basin, Huddersfield

Mick wanted another go in the engine bay this morning to see if he could free what remained of the cable around the pulley on the alternator. I in the mean time sat down to hand write the post you read yesterday so as not to forget things. I’ve discovered that hand writing is actually a touch quicker than tapping the words out on a keyboard, I tend not to re-read everything several times. If only the words would now leap onto the computer for me, I’m going to try dictating them into Word when we have power restored and see how that goes.

Mick beavered away at the back. First the remaining cable was prised out from the pulley, Hooray!!! Then he fitted the new belt to the alternator. On Saturday morning he’d been a touch cautious about this, RCR could have done it if the cable hadn’t been a problem. But having spent quite a bit of time up close with the beating heart of Oleanna over the last couple of days he felt that he was more than capable. By 11 am the engine was started, things checked over in the engine bay. Inverter was turned on along with the fridge, everything sprang back into life. We had POWER again!

With plenty of time to make it down to Lock 1E for 3pm it had been a morning well spent. Once the batteries had had a little boost the dish washer was turned on, now very full. The covers were rolled back and I set off to walk most of the rest of the way down into Huddersfield.

The character of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal now changes, far less leafy, more old mills, roads and the railway. Industry the reason for the canal existing in the first place. Businesses were proud of themselves when mills and factories were built, carving their names in stone, building their names into the brickwork, established dates forever.

At 8E there was at last a walkway over the top gates. I soon worked out that this was because there was no other way to get to the offside, despite there being a bridge just below the lock there was no means of getting to the gate that side. Time to walk round the lock the other way time and time again. The beams overhang the bridge below, the beams having been shaped round it. This does mean that the final push closed of the gates can be done from the road, saving one trip all the way round the lock, no walkway to jump from one gate to the other here on the Narrow.

A boat! I was so surprised I didn’t manage to get it in focus!

Between 6E and 5E the level was down, was this to be the start of our water worries? I walked on ahead, safer that way so as not to have to launch oneself off the boat if you can’t get into the side. Up ahead I could see a boat coming towards us, they must have come up 1E at 9am. They loitered for Mick to come through a bridge and there was time to chat. The level between 1 and 2 had been very low, they’d only just made it. I warned them about Lock 1W and how much of a b**rd it was.

NB Bridge Street was one of the boats we saw a lot of in Nantwich last year during lockdown 1. We also saw them somewhere near Fradley earlier this year. I said they’d recognise the boat when they passed. They did and asked Mick how Tilly was.

The bywash certainly wasn’t flowing at lock 5E, the lock needed just a touch more water to level out, a C&RT key was required for the locks on the paddles, that of course was onboard.

Down under the very tall viaduct which helps connect Huddersfield to Sheffield, the trains too high up to get in a picture as they cross.

Down 4E and then the long narrow channel past new University buildings. The position of Lock 3E has been moved twice. Factories had been built upstream of the lock and Lock 2E after the canal had been abandoned, they were built on the line of the canal and thus blocked it. The solution was to relocate the lock upstream of the factories and have a tunnel built under the factory. Eleven years later Sellers Engineering relocated to a new site, enabling Lock 3E to move a second time, nearer to the original Lock 3E. The section that had been the tunnel was now brought to the surface and is the narrow channel leading to the new lock. Link

Dropping down 3E you have to get back on your boat as there is no land access to Lock 2E. This is where we met NB Jubilee six years ago. They were just arriving at the empty Lock 2E and it was in their favour. We pulled in on the lock landing awaiting our turn. As the lock filled and NB Jubilee rose the rapid level drop above the lock caused Lillian to go on such an alarming list we dropped the paddles very quickly!

Today we had no problem as no-one was coming up the lock. We dropped down, Mick picking me up again and headed on down to Lock 1E through another tunnel and the old Lock 2E. I remembered Frank and myself having to go to the front of Lillian to help raise the stern on this pound, it also made it easier to get off the bow as the stern would not get into the side.

Today the pound looked a touch low so I replicated what I’d done six years earlier, hopping off the bow to tie Oleanna up. Lunch was had at a jaunty angle whilst we waited for 3pm and the chaps from C&RT to come and open the lock for us.

Discussions on various forums have been that the University alongside the canal here was able to use water from the canal to cool things, the warm water then being put into the river, thus explaining why the pound above Lock 1E is quite often so low. Mick spotted someone wearing blue outside so popped out to see if it was C&RT. It wasn’t, but was a chap who knew about the water at the University. No water is taken from the canal, there wouldn’t be enough for their needs in that pound as the level is always so low!

At just gone 3pm a van arrived with two C&RT employees. One chap told Mick how to move Oleanna into the centre of the canal, he knew everything, apart from how our boat reacted. Mick however did get Oleanna lined up with her bow close to the top gates so that the lock could be filled. Then he nudged backwards so we could open the gates and bring her into her last lock of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. Another tick off the list of waterways for Oleanna.

We’d started at Bridge 111 and Lock 1W, we were now coming off the Narrow at Lock 1E and Bridge 18! The bridge numbers continue onto the Huddersfield Broad Canal to where it meets the Calder and Hebble. Under Wakefield Road Bridge, slowly, we popped out at Aspley Basin.

First thing was to top up on water, dispose of rubbish at the C&RT services. Then we pushed over to the diesel point at the marina to wait for the chap who would be with us after 4pm. When he arrived we were given the option to stay on the diesel point and be able to plug in or move up to where there would be no hook up, but it would be free for 72 hours, there after it would be £8 a night. We wanted to be plugged in so as to make use of the washing machine and at £10 a night including power we could run the machine as much as wanted and gorge ourselves with light, charging everything within sight.

To celebrate our arrival and power being restored, we headed over to the okay Aspley Table Table for some reasonably priced food. If I hadn’t just spent the last three days walking all the way down from Marsden, then we’d have headed into town to the Chilli Lounge for a curry, but my legs really didn’t want to do any more steps.

8 locks, 83ft 6″ descended, 2.54 miles, 1 last tuft of wire, 1 belt, 1 alternator working again, 1 boat with POWER! 1 jaunty lunch break, £10 incl, 3 loads washing, 2 loads dishwasher, 1 gammon, 1 chicken breast, 0.5 rack of pork ribs, 2 glasses of wine, 1 narrow canal completed and I got to work every lock this time, well apart from the guillotine bit! 0 shore leave!

https://goo.gl/maps/nNvmeo8VP8LCw4LL8

Rangerless. 10th October

Lock 31E to Lock 8E

What a beautiful mooring, even if we were on a list and in a winding hole. We woke up this morning quite late considering we’d gone to bed early last night. After a cuppa in bed Mick pulled us forward onto the lock landing to take advantage of the morning sunshine hitting our solar panels.

This morning the battery bank was down to 34% so any solar we could gain today would help this evening, thank goodness for Lithium. We do have lots of night lights, but we’re too old for candle lit dinners!

After breakfast, sausage sarnies to help use up the defrosting freezer, Mick decided to have a go at removing more of the cable from the alternator pulley with the aid of a hacksaw. He allowed himself fifteen minutes and came back with a handful of copper wire. There is still more around the pulley!

Time to get moving, think it was about 10:30, hard to know exactly with no trip computer to refer to. We hoped to make up for yesterday and get a good distance in towards Huddersfield and a good number of locks lower. Richard yesterday said he’d send round a message to other volunteers to see if anyone could help, but sadly we’d not heard from anyone, we’d be on our own.

The sun made the day another stunner. Bright blue skies, views just about everywhere you looked. There were plenty of people out for a walk, some sauntering, others far more serious about it. I was out for a walk to get locks filled ahead and then back to let Oleanna free from the locks above. This of course means walking three times the distance. I kept this up going through the closer locks but stopped when they became a touch too far apart, I was going to walk far enough as it was!

The bywashes were flowing yet we still managed to have one low pound. Between 28E and 27E there is a line of moorings, the paddles on the lock above have stops on them so you can’t flood the pound below. Mick wound the off side paddle up as I walked back from below, then I lifted the other. When it came to lowering the paddles again this proved almost impossible on the off side, as there wasn’t enough space for me to be able to lift the mechanism to release it from the pawl. I tried everything including hitting it with my windlass, in the end I somehow managed to get it moved and lower the paddle.

We’d been warned of a vocal local moored above Lock 26E. I’d already set the lock for us in advance so hoped we wouldn’t get abuse. Anyhow I was hoping to cut him off with what a glorious day it was before he got started. His genny was running and washing hung around the trees. Mick brought Oleanna into the lock, lining her up meant being very close to shouty mans boat. But we did okay and didn’t hear a bean from him, I was slightly disappointed!

Shuttle Lock 24E is a guillotine lock, the top gates are operated as normal but the bottom one has a large metal rising door. Within this is a fairly standard paddle, wound by a windlass. The guillotine gate is also windlass operated, the spindle kept safe from nare do wells by a cover opened with a handcuff key. Six years ago the lock was operated by C&RT as there were safety issues with it. Today try as I might I just couldn’t get the handcuff key to open the cover, it had been over tightened. Mick and I swapped over, in the end the mallet was called for to get it shifted.

Mick worked the lock and I descended into the dark chilly lock with numerous gongoozlers peering down at me. The guillotine raised and below I could see a pipe across the top of the opening at an angle restricting the height somewhat. Our fresh bucket from the toilet only just fitted below it.

The pound below seemed slow going to me and sadly there was nowhere for us to pull in by The Handmade Bakery, a must if you visit Slawit. I got to walk back to lock the guillotine, but had no mask or money to buy Mick a lovely loaf of bread and wish I still could eat their wares, they used to do homemade baked beans on toast!

At Darmouth Lock we missed the jolly waves from Pete’s (Mikron Producer) Mum and Dad who used to live there, earlier this year they moved away. So all we got today was the silhouette of someone sat at a computer screen.

Now in a new channel the canal is low and very narrow, thankfully our bucket fitted here too. Below Pickle Lock 22E there was the Hippie Boat, they were busy and we’d only stopped for a quick lunch, szechuan pork on toast another defrosting thing eaten up. Salmon came out for our evening meal, not much worth saving now.

At 21E Waterside Lock there is a local celebrity, Tinker. Tinker has taken a fancy to sitting around the lock, C&RT have put up signs saying he lives nearby so not to worry, he’s not lost. I thought Tilly could spare a couple of her Dreamies. Well blow me down, Tinker is the first cat I’ve ever met who turned his nose up at them! ‘Well I hadn’t come home had I, I was still out!

The narrow channel beyond reminded me of last time, Frank had joined us to help crew and he’d spotted the bank of Blackberries, he and Mick became mountain goats collecting that nights pudding whilst I stood at the next lock all wrong handed.

I gained two very keen crew a few locks on, they both demanded to help with the gates, then ran down to tell their Dad all about it. The next lock I then had six extra crew, their brothers and sisters and Dad now helping. I hardly had to lift a finger. A close eye was needed to keep everyone safe, Mum and the youngest stood and watched. I asked how it was at home with eight of them. She asked if she could run away with us and pleaded with me to take her with us.

The big Titanic Mill built in 1911 has been converted into 130 apartments and sits proudly at the bottom of the valley. What a lovely place it would be to moor with such a great view, but I seem to remember it being shallow, we still had quite a way to go

Narrow locks, both paddles up to fill locks, overhanging stones locks through Linthwaite.

The pumps have stopped pumping from the river to the canal, the levels are too low

Did you know that in 1931, Bank Bottom Mill in Marsden set a record of 2 hours 10 minutes for making a suit of clothes, direct from sheep to wearer? The cloth industry was big round here.

Back into the woods, my step counter clicking away. There is one pound longer than the others on the eastern side, I could have got a lift, but I’d walked all the way from Marsden so I might as well carry on. This did mean I got to walk over Golcar Aqueduct and see the horseshoe falls on the River Colne.

The final three locks of the day, I was pooped and found bottom paddles left up and gates open, not a welcome sight. But they were soon sorted and we were on our way down. Last time empty pounds had held us up here, today the levels were good.

Last lock of the day Isis Lock 9E, one of the locks on the network with poetry on it’s beams.

We pulled in onto the bollards below, almost into the side. This would do us for the day. The sun had boosted our batteries to 49%, so phones could be charged again. Laptop still off and showers on hold until things improved again.

Salmon pasta and wine tonight, Mick is now 3/4 of the way through the book on the Standedge Tunnels, the most of a book he’s read in years! I wanted to do some crochet, but with Tilly sat on my knee a large blanket would have been too warm for us both.

https://goo.gl/maps/K4WoHm3n8TGpZwAy7

22 locks, 229ft 10″ descended, 4.3 miles (?), 9+ miles walked, 1 more handful of freed wire, 0 rangers, 1 constant stream of walkers, 2nd blog handwritten, 1 more stunning day on the HNC, 1 guillotine, 1 Hippie Boat, 1 Tinker, 3 wasted Dreamies! 2 aching knees, 1 aching back, 1 big sense of achievement, only 8 more locks to go.

Going Down Hill! 9th October

Marsden to Lock 31 via Lock 40/39

The alarm was set to make sure we were up and about in time for the arrival of our CRT Ranger this morning. Richard arrived just before 9 with his wife, sorry we didn’t get your name, she’d come for the walk up and down the locks. Today we’d start our descent from the highest pound on the network.

Richard set the top lock, and we all had a brief chat about how to work the locks. Basically to save as much water as possible the lock below should be set to fill before the one above emptied. This is what we tend to do on a flight anyway.

Mick and I had both imagined that either Richard or I would walk ahead lifting paddles on the lower lock and opening them up. However it didn’t quite start off that way. After lifting paddles I was sent down to open the gates on the next lock. But at that lock both bottom paddles were up, the pound below looking like it needed a refill. I lifted a top paddle to aid the refill, quite a lot of water was already going round the bywash. But how long should I leave it for? I tried phoning back uphill, ‘Yep close it and fill it’.

The pound looked to be improved but was still shallow. As we dropped the next lock Kim arrived walking their dog, could I let her know of any problems down the flight when they come to it on Monday, the next pound was an obvious one!

Richard running back to let more water down

Mick brought Oleanna across the low pound, when he reached lock 40 the depth simply wasn’t enough to get Oleanna over the cill. Richard ran back to let water down and Mick put Oleanna into reverse to get her away from the cill and aid the level in the lock to rise.

As Oleanna reversed there was a sudden screaming coming from the engine bay. A fan belt had gone! Mick lifted the engine board, Yep a belt had gone and taken some cabling with it. The influx of water from above was pushing Oleanna now into the lock, Richards wife and I took the centrelines and pulled her into the lock.

We dropped the lock keeping an eye on her position. Mick checked below, he felt he could start the engine and run it for a short time. This next pound looked to be a better level and we managed to get Oleanna into the side, just putting spikes in was a problem but we got there in the end.

Mick inspected the engine bay further. The Domestic alternator belt had gone and as it did so it had taken out quite a lot of cables. We have spare belts and in fact at the next service Mick was going to change them. A call to RCR was made to see if they could help. It took a while before they rang back suggesting it might be 3 or 4 this afternoon before someone could get to us.

This wasn’t going to be a quick fix, so we thanked Richard and his wife for their help, he gave us his notes on the locks, so we’d know where we might have problems. Richard is normally a ranger for the Broad Canal, he very kindly offered to return should we get moving again, or maybe be able to help us tomorrow.

Our mooring was okay for Tilly to go out and we got to hear several of the stages placed around Marsden for the Jazz Festival taking place this weekend. I dropped in to say hello on the Geraghty zoom as I couldn’t be much help in the engine bay or hunting for friends.

Mick got down in the engine bay to clear the wires. Orange, Red and Green has been severed, but what did they all do? That didn’t matter really as one of the cables had managed to wrap itself around the alternator in such a way that he couldn’t get it off.

Time for lunch, well that’s what Tilly thought as she returned on board with a friend. She and her friend were very quickly lifted back outside where she and I discovered that her friend had been playing dead, it scurried off ending up in our well deck! I hunted round for it, Tilly did too with her head down between the boat and the bank, right in the crush zone. After she was put inside I found the mouse which ended up running back the way it had come. This could mean it was either back on the bank, in the canal or in the starboard side locker, possibly having gone down the vent pipe to get cosy around the water tank. Here’s hoping it wasn’t the latter.

Kim and Yan came to see if they could help, then the chap from RCR arrived, a local mechanic from the other side of the tunnel. Mick and he descended into the engine bay. Phone calls were made, discussions had, it wasn’t sounding good.

In the end the chap couldn’t help, the alternator would need to be removed then the pulley as the cable had got itself round and under it. This needed a puller to remove it which the chap didn’t have. The good news was that we could move just our domestic batteries wouldn’t charge without the belt. The engineer suggested getting to Aspley Basin where assistance should be easier to get. Because we were able to move we wouldn’t be covered by our RCR membership. If there was a mooring available in Huddersfield we’d at least be able to plug in and charge the batteries.

The boat was put into serious energy conservation. The freezer was turned off. Hopefully the contents, which I’d been depleting anyway, would last us a couple of days as they defrosted. All sockets were switched off, leaving just the one USB socket powered from the batteries so that we could charge our phones. Phones would only be used for essential use and the laptop would remain off unless needed for work.

We decided to move down 8 locks to get closer to Huddersfield today. There wouldn’t be enough daylight left to reach Slaithwaite but hopefully we’d be able to pull in above Lock 31.

We worked our way down the pretty flight, plenty of walkers making comments. The lock below was filling before we emptied the one above, well apart from at 33 where I wound a paddle up and was on my way back quickly, quite a long walk, to let Oleanna out of 34. When we returned 33 was still empty. Grrr! I’d found a none working hydraulic paddle and had walked tall that way three times for nothing!

Wild swimmers were getting ready for a dip in Sparth Reservoir above the canal, below the canal the other reservoir sat empty, the mud drying out well.

We tried pulling in near another boat but only got stuck on a submerged object almost mid channel. Onwards we continued ending up where we’d had lunch six years ago. Normally we’d not moor in a winding hole, but here the only downhill boat would be NB Idleness and they wouldn’t be coming for a couple of days, uphill boats were unlikely as there were no tunnel passages until Monday, we doubted we’d see another moving boat, if we were in anyone’s way we’d happily move.

Tilly was given an hour and a half which she took once there was a big enough gap between walkers and woofers to dash to the nearby trees and friendly cover. Inside the fridge was now turned off, we’d rather survive with the water pump working and light than have chilled milk and wine!

*Come on Woofers! Don’t you know the clock is ticking!*

Tonight we had sticky American Chicken cooked on the hob and stove top, followed by melting Soleros from the freezer, spoons were required. Some sausages were brought out to finish defrosting for a sarnie in the morning.

Couldn’t see chilled medication go to waste

I darned a hole in one of Mick’s jumpers, he read Trevor’s book on the tunnels and we were ready for bed by 10pm, no news for us tonight. Hopefully tomorrow will be sunny to get us as close to Huddersfield as we can. Sadly Richard can’t help, he sent out messages to other volunteers, but nobody has been back in touch. So it looks like we’ll be on our own, 22 locks shouldn’t be too much of a problem, should it?

Hopefully the solar will give us enough reserves for light and water for another day.

Have to say it’s a very beautiful spot to be moored in, which we’d have missed on our original schedule.

11 locks, 1 and a bit miles, 1 trip computer switched off, 1 very helpful Richard, -1 belt, 3 cables, 1 unknown green one, 44% to 42% before bedtime, 2 top outsides, 1 lost friend, 1 hand written blog post, 8 pages, 1 jazz festival, 1 early night, 2 Mrs Tilly stamps.

https://goo.gl/maps/tL8dgu4f6EAi4SCm9

POWER! Leeds Liverpool Breach 11th October

Over the last couple of mornings Mick has been in the engine bay trying to solve our power problem. This morning he succeeded in getting things working again. Hooray!!! The lap top now has 100% power.

We’ve been able to keep moving so there is plenty to write about, well most of it is written in long hand so I didn’t forget it. Plus there are hundreds of photos to sort through so it will take some time to catch up with ourselves whilst still moving!

In other news however there has been a breach on the Leeds Liverpool Canal. Yesterday afternoon the following C&RT notice came through

A closure to navigation and towpath is required between Bridges 109 (New Barn Bridge) and 110 (Aspen Bridge) on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Rishton, while our engineers investigate significant leakage through the bed of the canal.

Due to the volume of water loss, please be advised that water levels between Barrowford Bottom Lock (No.51) and Blackburn Top Lock (No.52) may be affected and lower than normal. We advise against unneccesary travel through this area until repairs have been completed.

Then this morning it was followed with this

Our teams have been working throughout the night to try and stabilise the significant leak between Bridge 109, New Barn Bridge and Bridge 110, Aspen Bridge, Rishton on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, unfortunately, during the early hours of this morning the canal bank has breached.

Dams are currently being installed onsite and our teams are organising a method of repair, including pumps to be able to pump water over the affected area to maintain a feed to the lower section of the canal.

To help conserve water in the surrounding areas, the following Lock Flights are closed:

Barrowford Locks
Blackburn Locks
Johnsons Hillocks
Wigan Flight

Another update will be put out tomorrow. This all seems very familiar to us. We obviously really feel for those affected and hope there is a speedier solution than there was on the Aire and Calder. We’re also glad we decided against going that way just over a week ago.

A New Sweep. 2nd October

Marple

A few weeks ago we’d received some alternative sausages with our Sainbsury’s order, they should have been pork and apple but instead we got chicken. We’ve not had chicken sausages before, turkey yes, but not chicken. Last night I’d taken half the packet out of the freezer to defrost. They were a little bit stubborn to get any colour and weren’t the same as a good pork sausage, but were okay in a buttie with ketchup.

First boat to come past us this morning was NB Ellis. We opened the hatch and Mick said hello, but as we’ve never met Mark properly and he was lining up for Bridge 1 he was otherwise engaged. Ellis is a Hotel Boat, but more relaxed and informal than most hotel boats, it’s more of a ‘live-aboard narrowboat experience‘. This mornings topics on the Geraghty Zoom included Bingo songs, Years and Years and sling backs in Hull.

Despite the wet weather Mick headed off on the bike to find Harrods. Harrods is a motor factors shop in Marple and is a good place to stock up on oil, filters and anti freeze. It used to be just down the hill from Church Lane Bridge 2, but thankfully we’d checked before he headed that way as the old shop is now a fish restaurant.

They are now situated in an industrial unit behind Goyt Mill, where they have more space. Mick picked up oil for the next engine service and some antifreeze.

An old Godber show on in a couple of weeks

During a dry spell we walked down to the Co-op for a few bits, enough supplies to get us happily to the next big supermarket. We think the Co-op is new, quite well stocked, but there were a few things missing off our list so we then headed to Asda where the gaps were filled.

The cake shop’s still going, no Superman today though

Across the way from Asda is Hollins an independent DIY shop. I wondered if they might have a pump action spray bottle to use on the boat covers, not that we’ll have two dry days together before the end of the year now! Mick also suggested looking to see if they had a new chimney sweep brush.

I had a good look round, the shop is reminiscent of Clock Handyman in Scarborough and Turtles in Croydon, just about everything you might want for house, garden, kitchen all under one roof. It took me a while to walk round.

They had spray bottles and big 5 litre pump action bottles. Sadly we have nowhere to store such a big bottle and as it will only be used once a year it seemed a touch excessive. I’ll keep looking. They did however have a new sweeping brush and at £4 cheaper than Midland Chandlers a bargain. SOLD.

Why is there always one thing that gets missed when packing away my work stuff!

Back on board Oleanna we had a tidy around. Tilly seemed a touch unimpressed by the Great Wall of Marple, maybe it was too wet for the bird feeder at the top to be enticing to both her and birdies!

I chopped up onions, mushrooms and butternut squash and added tomatoes to make a veggie goulash and popped it ontop of the multifuel stove to slowly simmer away during the afternoon.

On Thursday I’d received a message from my old school friend Morag. She was planning a visit to York and wondered if she could invite herself to stay the night in Scarborough with us. She fortunately then went on to mention that she would then be heading to Manchester on Sunday. Of course we couldn’t put her up in the house, but we could on the boat. Early evening she arrived having walked up the hill and a little bit around the houses from the station to find us. She was a little bit soggy around the edges from also walking miles around York visiting old haunts and exploring parts of the University campus where she grew up.

An evening of catching up on the last two and a bit years. News of friends both near and far. Her job which two years ago she thought she’d not stick with, it’s improved with the help of remote working, although some of the people she works for leave a lot to be desired. Morag was one of the people I’d hoped to have been able to see when we were in London this summer, but we ran out of time after seeing family and cruising through London on the Thames. Thank goodness she’d mentioned her trip to Manchester.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 very wet day, 1 unimpressed cat, 10 litres oil, 5 antifreeze, 4 croissants, 4 crumpets, 1 sweeping brush, 1 best friend from school, 2.5 years to catch up on, 1 wonderful coincidence, 1 touch 2 much wine.

She Swallowed A…. 29th September

Gurnett Aqueduct to Clarence Mill

I’m growing concerned for my safety.

The other day She was complaining that a fly had flown at speed into her mouth. Then a day or two later as She drank her cup of tea she suddenly spat it out, a large spider was lurking in the depths of her mug! So far I’ve not noticed any birds being consumed, but they may have chicken tonight. I’m keeping my distance, just in case.

If you don’t hear from me again I’ll have been sent in to sort things out!

Slow progress at times along the summit pound today. The levels have been down up here, but this morning it only looked to be an inch lower than the overflow at the aqueduct. At one point we were passing another boat to find both of us were sat on the bottom!

We pootled our way through Macclesfield, familiar local boats from our winter up here five years ago. Bridge 43 is another roving bridge with a high wall concealing an accommodation bridge nestled up alongside it.

The off side vegetation was getting a strim as we crossed above the houses. Then we hunkered down under the big wall that holds the top part of Macclesfield away from the canal.

The site where a culvert had problems a few months ago is only obvious now by the new mortar in amongst the stones of the canal bank, a new top to the dry stone wall and a large pile of aggregate hiding behind. The canal was closed for sometime earlier this year.

At least it hasn’t taken as long as the wall by Black Road Bridge. This used to hold someone’s garden up off the towpath and has gradually disintegrated through the years. At least this towpath closure is sturdier than the one in Wolverhampton that people just ignored.

Passed the Hovis Mill the 1 day moorings were just about full, we’ve very rarely seen boats moored here as it’s been hard to pull in and you are requested not to run your engine. The pontoon moorings were full, the end boat being NB Rosie out for a cruise from Teapot Hall.

As we pootled along we discussed a topic that people often ask. Which is your favourite canal? Well our favourite mooring is above Bank Newton Locks, the curley wurlys on the Leeds Liverpool. But is our favourite canal the Macc? A lovely flight of locks, little industry, great hills and views, a reliable coal boat to look after you, the beautiful bridges. It might just be our favourite.

A strange noise could be heard as we reached the far side of Macclesfield. Raaaag aaaandd Boooooonnne! As we moved round the tone of the call changed, Rag and Bone through a loud hailer was echoing around the streets.

Then Clark Lane Bridge curls the towpath back to the otherside, at Kerridge someone has built themselves a little porch.

Then as it started to rain a little bit more heavily we came round under Greens Bridge to the sight of the Adelphi Mill. Today lots of room on the visitor moorings, but we were after pulling in at Bollington Wharf, their service mooring empty.

A chap was having a couple of containers filled with red diesel and chatted to Ann Marie. Then it was our turn to fill up Oleanna’s tank, the price higher than we’d paid at Hawne Basin a few weeks ago, but that’s hardly surprising. This morning Bollington Wharf had had a delivery, the price per litre having risen by 8p. Last Saturday they’d had a bit of a rush on with four boats queued up for a top up. Brian arrived and sorted out five bags of coal for us, positioning them on our roof mats as low as he could get them. If you are ever on the Macc this is where to come for a top up of diesel or bits of work that need doing. Last year they mended a gas locker hinge for us whilst we waited. There is also NB Alton that does a fortnightly run along the summit pound, so they will come to you. They certainly looked after us the winter we were here.

The bright colours of the diesel pump and day boats cheered up a thoroughly wet day. Nice to have a catch up too.

We pushed off and now hoped for a space on the embankment by the aqueduct. This was chocka block, not even a nudge around would have made enough space for us. But luckily round the bend in the shadow of Clarence Mill the newish bollards were empty. We pulled up and claimed them.

Whilst finishing battening down the hatches for the day, an alarm sounded. Not the sound of Mick pressing the button to stop the engine, it was a different pitch. ‘That’s not meant to happen is it?’ ‘No’ The engine was over heating, just as well Mick was about to turn it off. This first happened on the Thames a couple of years ago, a loose pipe connecting the calorifier to the engine. It had come loose again , therefore there wasn’t enough water in the cooling system.

We managed a shopping trip down to the Co-op to stock up on chocolate between showers and then just left Tilly to explore the wet outside for the remainder of the afternoon. She did her best to get really quite soggy. I revisited the budget for #unit21, still need an updated price on a couple of things. News came through from Chippy that sight lines had been checked with a mock up of a tower made from cardboard and that my paint order had been placed. So at least I’ll have lots of lovely colours to play with.

Could this be our nosy neighbour from this evening?

Later in the afternoon Mick lifted the engine boards and sure enough the pipe was loose again. He checks this and tightens it on every service. The next service is due in 40 hours. So maybe an in between services check is required.

It turns out that there is at least one train driver who keeps a note of passing boaters in Stoke. Thank you Michael for your email. We’ll keep a beady eye open for you when we’re next on your patch and wave until you see us. Michael’s boat was one of those stuck in Goole this year, hope the move up the Ouse wasn’t too wet and windy for you today.

0 locks, 4.58 miles, 88 litres, 0 panic buying, 1 feline visitor twice, 2nd time being very nosy, 100kg coal, 530grams dark chocolate, 500grams granulated sugar, 1 rag and bone, 1 alarm, 1 loose pipe, 1 wet day.

https://goo.gl/maps/FSxo8jMVoL7MvKnU8

Puzzle. 3rd September

Bickley’s Bridge to below Wood Lock 19

Another morning of pleas at the back door, Tilly was given an hour of shore leave whilst we had breakfast, today she didn’t get distracted but did require mad cat woman to call for her. With all three of us onboard we pushed of around 10:30.

First stop the water point and bins by Bascote Bridge. A dish washer load had been going, once that was so far through it’s cycle the washing machine was put on, Tilly’s pooh box had a good clean and rubbish was disposed of. Shortly before the water tank made it’s ‘I’m full!’ boom we could hear NB Hadar approaching, they and their families hire boat pulled in to wait for the services.

Bascote Staircase requires the top chamber to be full and the bottom to be empty, there will always be one chamber requiring to be set, this morning it looked like we were following someone as the top needed filling. As Mick brought Oleanna into the top chamber Hadar and family were approaching, hand signals suggested they’d be descending together, one of the crew came to join us to help us down.

Heading to the last of the Bascote flight

The next two locks also required filling before we could enter and they are just a touch too far to walk ahead to set and come back to open and close gates. Behind us the Hadar crew worked well with their extra pairs of hands.

The chilled medication sign is now tucked away at Welsh Road Lock, instead you can buy half a dozen eggs for £2. In the back garden there is a model railway set all laid out, just a bit too far away to have a good look.

As we worked our way down the lock we could hear Hadars engine thumping away in the distance, or was it getting closer? I think the only time we couldn’t hear it was when it was stationary.

The next pound is where HS2 will cross. Huge earth works are on going here, on the south bank of the canal a digger perched high up flattening out an embankment. To the north you can certainly see the route the line will take through a dip in the hillside, is this a man made or natural dip?

Wood Lock always seems to be the shabbiest of the locks along this stretch, the paintwork peeling off the paddle gear. We worked our way down pulling in a short distance below the lock, this would do us for the day and we’d be able to let Hadar and family go past.

Yesterday I’d asked for my panto felt order to be chased as it still hadn’t arrived, well that was how it seemed at my end, no parcel had arrived for Lizzies attention. Mid morning I was forwarded a copy of the signature the delivery driver had received, most certainly not Lizzies. But if someone had signed for it, last Thursday, where was it?!

Lizzie and the chaps at Unusual checked everywhere again, but there was nothing. Oh blimey! I was starting to write an email when I got a message from Lizzie, she’d found the parcel, at The Wharf pub across the road! Their address is very similar, but the parcel did say Unusual on it, oh well now we just needed to sus out getting it to us without being too much hassle for Lizzie. A rendez vous tomorrow lunchtime was made, a what3words location sent, we just have to get there in time.

Plenty of boats have came past us during the afternoon, including one called Puzzle. ‘Didn’t we share some of the Trent and Mersey with that boat? A lady with her daughter?’ Don’t know why I ever ask Mick such things, but I do. Looking back through photographs there was NB Puzzle back in June, but were the colours on the cabin side the other way round from the one I’d just seen? Maybe, maybe not. Cream top and bottom with black in between. Or had it been black top and bottom with cream in between? Could there have been two boats built at the same time, both called Puzzle but painted the negative of each other? Could this be why they were called Puzzle so people would be puzzled about if they’d seen the boat before or not.

Wish I’d taken a photo now!

6 locks, 2.6 miles, 1 thumping boat behind, HS2, 5.75 hours, 1 dropping pound, 4 paddles checked, 1 boater puzzled, 1 parcel at the pub, 4 shades of green, 1 week late.

https://goo.gl/maps/pau5m5r7TcHR2jMt5

Bear Crew. 1st September

Nethercote Bridge 101 to Daventry Road Bridgeish 19, Grand Union Canal

A slower start today, the grey in the sky putting us off pushing off. We watched the gold silver final of Boccia in Tokyo over breakfast, catching a glimpse of Fran, Mick’s niece every now and then. Gold for David Smith! A farmer in the field opposite was trimming the hedges and as we passed we admired the sunflowers in a wide border of wild flowers, just about the only colour we got to see today.

I hopped off at Bridge 108 to walk to the junction. Crab apples are starting to fall from the trees, leaving areas of the towpath a touch treacherous in places. The blackberries around here seem to be a touch later in ripening than those on the South Oxford, there will be so many of them in a week or two.

Just before Napton Junction I spotted a new set of steps leading through the hedge. This leads to Wigrams Camp Site, I was walking so as to have a nosy. The site was empty today, but I could see the service block and the camping field, not as big as I’d imagined, I wonder how many motorcaravans and tents they would accommodate?

I walked round and checked down the Grand Union, no boat in sight so I gave Mick a thumbs up to make the turn.

Next to the camp site there is a holiday cottage for 2 and a B&B with several double rooms and a summer house. All very interesting! Further enquiries are needed.

I walked on down to Calcutt Locks, a couple of boats had just left the top one, so we pulled in. A boat had just been pulling away from a mooring so we waited to see whether they would join us, but they just came towards the lock and winded. We descended on our own as another boat was waiting to come up.

The locks were quite busy, another pair coming up the second lock, one turning in to top up on diesel the other carried on upwards. By now there was another boat waiting to come down so we waited for them to catch us up with their teddy bear captain sat on the roof.

The lady asked how long we’d been out, I said ‘since May and you?’ ‘Since Saturday’, they had been for a jaunt up to Dunchurch Pools and were now heading back to their mooring below the locks. She also asked if there was a winding hole above the Stockton Flight, they’d never been that way. Descending the two locks I almost got her full life history, I managed to keep my urge to open gates at bay despite them being ready for a good five minutes.

As they turned into Ventnor we waved towards NB Herbie and carried on. Passing all the old workboats around Tomlow Road Bridge, Gort looks like it’s had a nice new paint job.

Not much further on we pulled up before Gibraltar Bridge, this would mean that if my delivery arrived with Lizzie today we’d be able to meet her at The Boat a few bridges on, but if not Tilly would have fields to play in for the afternoon.

A load of washing was hung out on the whirligig. I made some scale model actors for my model and took photographs to send to the Director.

Mick climbed into the engine bay to tighten the stern gland and see why we seem to be getting quite a lot of water in the bilge at the moment. He discovered that the greaser (which you turn every day to help keep the stern gland water tight) hadn’t been working. The new bits he’d added and old pipe weren’t working so well. So he rejigged everything and with a different combination of bits he got it working again. This should now help stop so much water from coming in as the prop rotates.

This evening we’ve watched a second programme regarding 9/11. Yesterdays programme had been about several survivors and todays was the day of President Bush. Both programmes had us transfixed to the TV and were very moving. It feels like only yesterday that I was in the paint shop at the SJT chatting to Mick’s sister Kath when Stephen Wood came in and told us that the twin towers had collapsed.

3 locks, 4.88 miles, 1 right, 1 gold medal, 1 bear, 55.5 possible venue, 1 stern gland greased, 9 model people, 30 photos, 1 very slow internet connection, 5.25 hours shore leave, 2 moving transfixing programmes.

https://goo.gl/maps/VMjsrann1c9XnPQM8

Then There Was One. 30th August

Houdini’s Field to Norton Junction

Tilly was still pooped from her freedom yesterday so we had a quiet breakfast without being pestered for some shore leave. Only a couple of boats had come past us before we pushed off, but as always one appeared just as we were about to untie. We waited for them to pass, two chaps who asked where the nearest shops were. Their speech was very loud yet a touch incoherent. Lizzie said thank goodness we’d be behind them as they engaged their dilithium crystals.

Time to say our farewells and leave Lizzie to the last of her Bank Holiday boat chores before she herself would be returning to Crick Marina. It’s been a lovely weekend and so nice to have a catch up at ease on the boats. Hopefully we’ll be seeing Lizzie later this week as some things for panto were being delivered to her work for me.

We pushed off with the aim of reaching the top of Long Buckby and finding a space to moor there for our Sainsburys delivery. Fingers crossed there would be space for us and that we’d have an easy time at Watford with not too much queuing. Our maps suggested it would take us around five hours, plus a bit if we had to wait at the staircase, so we should arrive for a late lunch.

There they go managing to avoid collision with the bridge

However. The blue boat had exhausted the boost of power and now just seemed to be working on Guinness and Stellar! They zigzagged across the cut, one of them trying to do something with their chimney, it’s suspected that it got a big whack going through a bridge hole. Several times it looked like they might be pulling in to let us go past, but this was only so that they could ricochet off the towpath to back into the deeper water before passing into the shallows on the off side. Would we actually reach Watford before the locks would be locked up for the day (thankfully extended hours still in place after Crick show)?

Then thankfully after about three quarters of an hour following them they managed to pull over just after Bridge 24, just after a moored boat, shortly before a winding hole and bend where of course a boat was just coming round! Mick engaged our lithium crystals and managed to pass them before there would be an awkward moment with the other boat. Back to normal cruising speed.

We think it’s the first time we’ve been through Crick without stopping for anything carrying on straight to the tunnel. Water proof coats and life jackets on we had the tunnel all to ourselves. The first 400ms are the wettest, I hoped my lovely clean roof would survive having an extra rinse. As we reached the southern portal the air grew misty, our lights creating search light beams onto the tunnel roof.

On to the top of Watford where we joined onto the back of a queue of 2 boats just nudging up to the top lock behind one going down. I hopped off to go and sign in with the Lockie. With a queue of boats below the flight we would have to wait, the two in front of us would go down, then boats would come up. Time for an early lunch.

Once the first uphill boat had risen up the last single lock we were locked down to wait in the pound above the staircase, therefore using a lock full of water and getting the downhill queue one lock ahead.

The next boat up the staircase didn’t sit well with the engine noise we could hear. A 57ft modern boat which would normally have a beta 43 sounded like an old work boat. This was because in the next chamber downhill there was a boat with a heart pounding thump, in fact it was a National DA2 built in 1949, only one of two thought to be in the UK. This was NB Hadar all 70ft of her, Keith at the helm and Jo working the paddles.

Mick helped with gates and chatted to Keith about Hadarford, the model railway in their hold, whilst I helped with the bottom gates of the top lock, closing them and emptying the lock ready for the next uphill boat.

Six in all came up, then it was our turn to head down. Plenty of Lock Keepers were on hand to assist and we made it down the staircase and the final two locks in no time. There was a boat in each pound below and a queue of hopeful boats was forming beyond them.

We’d been glad of helping with the locks it had kept the days chill off, but now stood at the back of Oleanna it crept back in. At Norton Junction we turned left towards the top of the locks, but it was soon evident that there was no space for us.

We’d just passed a big gap by the water point before the junction so into reverse we went and backed ourselves around the corner. Tomorrow morning one of us will go and await our order with bags and a bike, so no need to cancel the order again.

*They never let me out in Watford outside, the trees always look so good too!*

7 locks, 4 a staircase, 9.88 miles, 1 tunnel, 0 mysterons, 3 to 2 to 1 boat left, 1 pissed boat, 2 fleeces, 4th in line, 6 coming up, 5 Lock Keepers, 1 left, 1 reversed left (or is that right?), 3 hours shore leave, 1 stove lit on a Bank Holiday weekend.

https://goo.gl/maps/tMT5U4dgkrK7FETdA

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna