Category Archives: Grand Union Canal

Lunch With The Sheep, 27th August

Norton Junction to Cracks Hill, Leicester Section

A couple of boats came past and turned left at the junction before we pushed off, this suggested we’d be in a queue for the locks. Oh well! We pushed off and turned left too, only to pull in almost straight away to top up on water. A load in the washing machine had just finished so the dishwasher went on.

The two boats ahead of us were both filling with diesel at Welton Hythe , the first one winding too, maybe our luck would be in. Soon we were passing the service station at Watford Gap then ducking under the road bridge.

Hang on! The Thai/Chinese restaurant that has been gradually been getting more and more dilapidated is having a make over. Painted grey with new windows and fencing along the canal edge. I wonder what it will be?

As we approached the bottom of Watford a boat was just coming out from the bottom lock and there was no queue, we hadn’t even moored up before a Lockie waved us in, a first for us. We ascended then swapped over with another boat in the next pound, ascended the second lock and then pulled in to wait for the last downhill boat to finish in the staircase.

The volunteer Lockie stood and chatted for a while. Today we were the third boat to go up, a very quiet day. They had started with one of the side ponds virtually empty so the downhill traffic had helped fill it, even so they’d had a boat ground on one of the cills going into a lock.

This chap had been on duty the day the sink hole appeared on the flight. A little hole had appeared just by the towpath side gate. He said they stood there and prodded it with their windlasses, wondering what it was. Then they poked a stick down it, six to eight feet deep! More of the top surface fell away and the locks were closed for a while to access them. For a while that lock had to be manned, ropes used to open and close the gate. The hole was then filled with large chunks of aggregate and then bonded together with resin. The top surface filled with concrete and bricks to match what had been there.

It is thought that the sink hole was created by water coming in from a red paddle and making its way through the brickwork on the opposite side of the lock. This then over time has scoured out a cavity behind the lock wall eventually giving way. Thank goodness no one was stood on it when it happened!

It being lunchtime we were left to do the staircase by ourselves, they checked we knew which order to do the paddles in first. ‘Red before white and you’ll be alright’, yep we were fine, I quite like doing the staircase on our own.

What a lovely flight, shame about the noise!

The levels were a bit down but we managed over the cills fine, we’d been warned of quite a leek on one of the gates and to stay back in the lock to avoid it. The chaps had just finished eating in time to close the top lock gates for us.

Rubbish was deposited as we rose up the final lock of the flight and then we were off aiming to moor for our own lunch with the sheep before Crick Tunnel. Plenty of space with a few sheep to keep us company across the way.

With coats and life jackets on we entered Crick Tunnel, prepared to get wet towards the far end. We passed three boats, one with a very smoky engine and the last one had just entered the tunnel.

ABNB, where we bought and sold NB Lillyanne, have moved to North Kilworth, the pool in front of the old office now almost empty. Signs are advertising the moorings.

The Moorings bistro alongside Bridge 12 has now sadly closed. Signs say you can only moor for water and elsan. Another sign advertises The Red Lion in the village, well worth a visit especially if it’s pie night! We’d booked ourselves a Sainsburys delivery to The Moorings, but we soon noticed a gate across the entrance. Our shopping is now cancelled and we’re looking for another handy spot to moor for a delivery.

A new building on the far side of Crick Marina

We looked for familiar boats, they all seem to have had a bit of a mix up since we were last here, no one where they used to be in Crick Marina. During the show a lot of boats get moved to make space for the show boats, usually to the far end of the main pool.

Pootling onwards we hoped for space at Cracks Hill and we were lucky. Here you get about half the amount of dog walkers you do nearer the village so it’s a touch more friendly for Tilly. We pulled to the back of the rings, hoping we’d get a neighbour this evening.

7 locks, 5.75 miles, 1 left, 1 tunnel passing 3, 0 mysterons, 1 full water tank, 1 pesky gate, 7 sheep, 1 mooring for 2, 3.5 hours, 1 rendez vous awaited, 1 test result in.

https://goo.gl/maps/7yFoetcHzTZBHmwHA

PS For Karen, here is a link to the Szechuan Pork recipe I made the other day. I didn’t have proper Szechuan peppercorns but used Rainbow peppercorns, which are a mix of black, pink, green and white peppercorns with All Spice and Coriander seeds. Enjoy.

Star Jumps, WD And Thespians. 26th August

The hedge Flecknoe Road Bridge to the view before Norton Junction

Last night we’d had this stretch of armoc to ourselves, but just around the corner there were seven boats nose to tail, we preferred the view we’d had. As we made our way towards Braunston Turn we kept our eyes open for any gaps in the hedge to the north of the canal so that we could drop a pin on our map to remember it, only one and not much of a gap.

As we cruised along I tried to drink several glasses of water. A few weeks ago I got an invite from the Zoe covid app to do an antibody blood test, this would show if I’ve had Covid without knowing. I’d arranged for a test kit to be sent to Scarborough and then have been waiting for a suitable time to do the test. On the instruction video it suggests drinking 6 to 8 glasses of water the day before, so yesterday I spent a lot of time filling up the yellow water tank! Today 2 to 3 glasses had to be drunk at least half an hour before doing the test, I also needed to be near to an NHS Priority Post box, Braunston.

At Braunston Turn we turned right following a hire boat who quite quickly pulled in. Would Braunston be full of boats or would we be fine finding a space? There was so much space available we easily slotted in at Butchers Bridge our preferred mooring.

Now to do the test. I laid everything out and had to discourage Tilly from watching too closely. Then I had to get my blood pumping by doing some exercise before submerging my left hand in a bowl of warm water for a couple of minutes. Far more complicated than sticking a cotton bud up your nose!

Star jumps are a little bit hard to do inside a boat, but I decided to stay indoors rather than amuse those having their bacon butties at the Gongoozlers Rest. Then self inflicted pain! A lancet pushed hard into a finger tip, followed by massaging my hand and finger to fill a little bottle up to a line. One thing they should add to the instructions is that if you have long finger nails then most of your blood will collect on your nail, a trim before hand would have worked better. With my sample done, labelled and packed up we set off to the Post Office.

As we crossed Butchers Bridge we glanced up towards the bottom lock, was that boat NB Winding Down? It was green, the sign writing wasn’t visible. We walked down to have a look, yep it was, but would we know the people on board?

Mick called out to the occupants, ‘Hello, do we know you? We used to have a share in Winding Down’. Well we did know them, Paul and Aileen , some of the original syndicate members. Our paths crossed several times in Waitrose at Sandbach on hand over days. A lovely catch up with them and news of other members we knew, the last AGM on zoom and most importantly that NB Winding Down will be moving further north for next years cruising season, so we’ll have to keep our eyes open near Stone in future.

Up the hill we climbed to the Post Office first popping my sample into the post box, then across the road to the butchers.

Well, since first noticing a sign saying they do gluten free sausages a few years ago, we’ve asked every time we’ve come in and only once have we had any. Quite a disappointment! Maybe the church spire no longer means Bangers! Yes I could buy some of their normal sausages for Mick, but what would I have!?! We bought bacon, a pork pie, some pork, eggs and some strawberries. Have to say their fruit and veg looked better than it used to, maybe they have a bigger turn over after the lockdowns when I suspect the locals shopped with them more. A few more bits from the shop across the way and we were done.

After lunch we pushed off to climb the locks. A lady waved to Mick from the bridge after opening the bottom gate, she thought he was her husband! With no boat following and two boats coming down the next lock we headed up on our own.

In the pound below The Admiral Nelson people sat out side their boat, turns out they were waiting for a boat to share with. Marvellous!

Nick Wolfe stood at the stern of Aldgate, he turned to me and said ‘Hire Boat!’ One was pulling into the lock landing below the lock, doing their best to get out of our way whilst being berated for mooring up. Oh blimey! Poor holiday makers! The poor ladies at the bow had steam coming out of their ears as they tried to pull their boat out of the way. They assumed I’d have the same reaction and angrily said they weren’t staying. As we worked the two boats up the lock I could still hear ‘You can’t moor there!’ from below. No wonder some people think boaters are down right rude, I think they already knew what was being rammed down their throats!

Calmly we worked our way up the remaining locks. Three generations of one family out on a friends boat for the day. The lady said they lived on a boat for ten years in the 70’s, it must have been so different then. Then she said that her husband was an actor, so they used to go where the work was. Obviously that started a whole different conversation.

Meanwhile Mick at the stern was chatting away, acting had been mentioned and the chap said ‘Oleanna’ sounded familiar. The world got smaller over the next couple of locks. Graham Padden had been working at The New Vic in Stoke in 1998 when the Stephen Joseph Theatre visited with their 10 x 10 season. 10 new plays with a company of 10 actors. Comic Potential, Perfect Pitch and Love Songs For Shopkeepers were the main house shows with seven more in the studio, I designed eight out of the ten. He then mentioned that he’d been in Shadowlands with Janie Dee in the West End. His wife and son were also actors. They’d all toured into Chipping Norton too!

At the top of the locks we led the way to the tunnel. Life jackets and torch at the stern. We soon saw a light coming towards us, this was followed by another three in quite quick succession. Thankfully no-one else entered the tunnel so we got to the kink on our own.

3:30pm. Would we get to the Watford flight in time to go up the locks before they closed? We’d get there, but if anyone was waiting then we’d not get up the locks today. We carried on up to Norton Junction where there was space for a couple of boats with the lovely view. It would have been rude not to moor up, so we tied the outside up and let Tilly out. She was given a strict time to be home. She obliged.

A little while later the bow of a very new Cowpar appeared at the bridge ahead of us. This was the new Finesse boat that had been shown at Crick Boat Show last weekend. Excuse the looks on their faces as it is a 70ft boat turning at a junction with a bridge hole to contend with. A very nice looking boat with electric drive, there’s a boat test by Adam about it in last months Canal Boat magazine.

6 locks, 6.98 miles, 1 right, 3 glasses, 1 prick, 500 whatevers, 10 turns, 2 syndicate members, 1 share for sale, 0 bangers, 6 rashers bacon, 3 pork loin steaks, 0.5kg beef mince, 1 small pork pie, 1 punnet strawberries, 3 actors on a boat, 1 tunnel, 2 mysterons, 4 passing boats, 1 prime view mooring, 1 bruised finger.

https://goo.gl/maps/1qq4YepPW6DonSeZ6

‘Amber!’ 5th August

Ontario Bridge to Desborough Island, River Thames

Alarm set, no time for a cuppa in bed today, it was time to meet the tide.

Pushing off at 8am, first was Clitheroes Lock. A month ago one of the bottom gates didn’t want to open fully, so today I avoided having to walk back and forth and used the other gate. Morning commuters sped across over our heads at the Great West Road Bridge, followed by a train on the railway bridge.

Osterley Lock had two boats ascending. With the amount of duckweed about at the moment, it’s interesting to see the trail of how the water drains from a lock. Towards the back gates there is quite a steep line left on the wall, a clear gap, then towards the bottom gates a gradual line. I think the steeper line is from the lock emptying, the more gradual and slightly fainter line from when it was filled.

We soon arrived at Brentford. On our first trip down the Grand Union in 2014 we moored in the basin for a couple of nights, but the arrival of the 4:50 plane into Heathrow, followed by constant aviation noise has put us off since. Where has the house gone between the flats? There used to be a modern stilts house, but now there is just fencing and a bit of rubble.

The services were empty. Time to fill with water, deal with rubbish etc. We’ve heard that the wonderful water hydrant hoses on the Thames have been replaced with far less speedy means of filling your tank, so we wanted to start with a full tank limiting the need for water as we head upstream.

The well deck was cleared out, the garden put into the shower. Anchor attached to it’s chain and the rope attached to the T stud on the bow. Life jackets pulled out from the cupboard, we were almost ready.

No Lock Keeper on duty at the gauging locks, so the key of power was used to take us down onto the semi tidal stretch. Another two boats soon appeared behind us, dropping off their crew to work the locks, they made a similar mistake to me, not spotting the second buttons for the sluices and gates. A Lockie arrived just as both boats had started to descend.

Below on the lock landing pontoon Mick checked our weed hatch, clearing anything that had accumulated this morning, you don’t want anything to impede your progress on a river, let alone a tidal river.

There are plenty of boats moored up along the approach to Thames Lock, only really one space to wait, we pulled in there and were soon breasted up to by NB Zenith. Another three boats gradually arrived behind us all pulling in and tying to moored boats. Last checks for us as others attached their anchors and pulled out their life jackets. We chatted away to our neighbours, their cruise will see them down in Bristol in just over a weeks time, that’s a lot of hours, just hope the stoppage at Southcote Lock on the K&A is solved by the time they reach it.

First into the lock and first two boats to be realised onto the Tideway, sounding our horn just before appearing out onto the Thames and following behind Zenith.

Every time he hears a plane he wags his tail

Ham House, Kew Gardens, planes and plenty of river traffic.

There we were, every precaution taken heading upstream as a narrowboat came towards us. Mum and a toddler in the welldeck, no life jackets and Dad balancing on a locker, one foot steering whilst he leant over taking photos, well at least he had two points of contact with the boat!

Richmond Lock and weir soon came into view, no need to use the half tide lock today.

Under Twickenham Bridge, Richmond Railway Bridge. No time to stop for chilled medication, anyway there’s nowhere really to stop.

Under Richmond Bridge. Round a big bend and along the south side of Eel Pie Island. A chap stood painting with his easel (was that you Ade?) canoeists canoed and one boat sat out of the water with a roof for protection.

All too soon we arrived at Teddington. Each time we do this trip it seems to get shorter. We pulled up breasting up to NB Zenith, John heading off to inform the lock keepers that we were here. Instructions came back that they would like us and the three following boats to use the Barge Lock, the big one we’d come past rather than the usual Launch Lock.

We reversed back and pointed Oleanna’s bow into the long lock, which fortunately has intermediate gates. All roped up we waited. Surely the other’s couldn’t be that far behind! In the end the volunteer closed the gates behind us and raised us up off the tidal Thames.

We moored up to pop back and pay for our visitor license, the Barge Lock now filled with boats including the ones we’d been at Brentford with. £71.80 for a weeks licence, which I stuck onto the glass of our cratch so it could be seen clearly as we come into the locks.

After lunch we decided we’d carry on some distance getting a few more miles and a couple more locks ticked off.

Posh houses, lovely boat houses.

Rowers, a Four who had quite a speed on. With every stroke they were lining themselves up with us. We tried shouting, their coach following didn’t seem to say anything to the four chaps sliding back and forth in their seats, oars powering on. With every stroke they gained on us, every stroke that bit closer to a direct hit with our stern and prop! We shouted and thankfully at about only 15ft foot left between us they stopped. Not sure what would have happened should they have collided with us, we certainly wouldn’t have been able to get fully out of their way. Just goes to show to always keep an eye on what’s happening behind you, even if that is the direction you are travelling in!

Bridges and GoBoats as the weather became wet then dried up.

There were plenty of youngsters out on the river. Some novice rowers criss crossing their oars with each other. Some sat in sailing dinghies with their sails rolled round the masts, paddles in hand, although two boats were having some assistance back to base with a rib in-between them.

Two years ago to the day we treated ourselves to admission to Hampton Court Palace, today we’d just be passing by even though there were a couple of spaces on the moorings. Wonder if they still sell veg from their gardens?

Shanty boats, grand boats, life rafts, Tom Puddings and a boat that is still for sale two years on.

At Sunbury Locks we’d caught up with a lovely 1905 Dutch barge as we waited along with another boat for the lock to empty. The other boat pulled over onto the lock landing and as we passed a black cat hopped off the bow. This was very obviously not meant to happen, the lady on board now in a quandary. She called for her cat to no avail, then stepped on board her boat and brought it into the lock.

If Tilly had hopped of we wouldn’t have gone through the lock

The Lock Keepers closed the gates behind us all as Amber was called for over the fencing, the occasional adjustment of ropes still being tended to. By the time we were leaving the lock the lady dashed back called for Amber a few more times and then could be seen carrying her black second mate back to her boat and closing the door.

Past The Weir where we have stopped to have lunch onboard on our previous Thames visits. Patrol (or ridge) tents filled the grass in front of some waterside houses, whilst Shrek still hides behind a palm in someone’s garden.

Having almost reached Shepperton Lock it started to rain properly, we were getting quite damp. A space in the middle of the 24hr mooring on Desborough Island showed itself. Perhaps an island mooring would be good for Tilly. We slotted in and tied up. Unfortunately for Tilly at the top of the steps from the mooring was a road and as we moored up two cars sped past my head. No shore leave today.

7 locks, 17.63 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 water but, 1 right, 5 boats on the Tideway, 2 well ahead of the others, 1 barge lock, 1 lady overboard, £71.80 for a week, 1 wet end to a cruise, 4 chums, 1 sulking cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/XmSkrQDn5YnVXXKKA

Even A Kitchen Sink. 4th August

Lock 89 to Ontario Bridge 205A

Time to check that the drier still worked, thankfully it does and it finished off our bedding and towels wonderfully during todays cruise.

Our nearest neighbours Mike and Pam on NB Two Jays-Bray got chatting to Mick, our whirligig and pram cover had caught their attention. New to boating life they have come over from Cape Town to live a life afloat for a couple of years, they’ve only been on board full time for just over two weeks and are still adjusting to living afloat. It was nice to meet you, maybe we’ll bump into you up the way somewhere.

With all the washing brought inside it was time to move on. Back passed the Slough Arm and onwards past Bulls Bridge where the Scout boat had just come out from the junction and was headed for the water point. We waved to Rod and Nor, but no one was looking, maybe we’ll see them on the Thames.

How does all that stuff fit on their roof?

At Norwood Top Lock a volunteer lock keeper was tending to plants and helped with the lock gates. A second lady in blue appeared assisted by her four legged litter picker, she went down to set the lock below for us. Were we heading all the way down, both of them asked. Well it was lunch time, so we planned to pause for something to eat after the top two locks before carrying on down the Hanwell flight.

We paused just before Three Bridges for food then carried on to the flight. Today’s photo of Oleanna, MIik and the bridges wasn’t so good, think I peeked a month ago!

The ladies had said they’d had two boats go down the flight earlier on today and every lock we came to was empty. From the top lock I could see a chap below opening the bottom gates of the next but one lock. He must have been single handing a widebeam I thought as both gates were open, he then headed back to the previous lock for his boat. We waited a while but then decided to drop our lock, there was lots of water coming down.

Leaving both gates for him we headed to the next lock where he was just arriving. Not on his own, he was actually accompanied by a lady who looked quite heftily pregnant and a dog, hence him doing all the work, she positioned a chair by the lock and sat to watch.

I waited for instructions, the chap wanted the gate paddle lifting. I checked he didn’t mean the ground paddle first, oh no! His cruiser sat well back in the lock and the gate paddles opened gradually, the boat should be okay. So I did as asked. I don’t think he had any intention of opening the ground paddles, until I suggested it might speed things up, his partner looking rather hot and in need of some shade.

He said they’d started the flight at 11 this morning it was now about 2:30! No wonder if he’d only been opening one set of paddles. One lock he said had taken forever to fill, about an hour! Oh well, each to their own.

We carried on down in the ever increasing sunshine. My mind had decided a few days ago that it was now autumn and I hadn’t bothered putting sun cream on. With a shorter sleeved t-shirt on today than normal the paler tops of my arms gradually became a good shade of pink!

The bottom lock was turned as we came into the second to last chamber, we waited for the crew below to start filling before dropping the water from ours, we then swapped in the pound inbetween.

Going downhill is that bit quicker than going up, but we’d done the flight in an hour and a quarter, wonder what time the cruiser finished?

We pootled our way along. Should we stop here near The Fox or carry on that bit further? With supplies onboard we’d not be eating out, but space can be at a premium in Brentford so we pulled in just about where we’d been moored after the tideway cruise and let Tilly off to explore.

With the last of the roast chicken from Saturday I made a pie. A couple of leeks, tarragon, white wine sauce, mushrooms and some feta cheese were added to the chicken. All topped off with a chestnut flour short crust pastry. All very very tasty, just a shame the sweetcorn that accompanied it wasn’t up to scratch. What did I expect, it’s not as if it’s in season yet.

8 locks, 7.6 miles, 2 straight ons, 2 lady lock keepers, 1 canine lock keeper, 3.5 hours plus! 1 familiar outside again, 2 pink arms, 1 wizened corn on the cob, 1 of the best homemade pies ever (hence recording what went in it for next time).

PS. If you happen to be around Huddersfield, pop up to the Piazza Shopping Centre where Dark Horse have an exhibition of The Garden which became their online production last summer. All my illustrations are on display and every hour you can get to see the final animated production.

https://goo.gl/maps/oStuZw4syfHdNZob7

Tuppence. 3rd August

Uxbridge Lock to below Lock 89

Sainsburys delivery arrived, the driver phoning to say he was here. He was more concerned about getting a parking ticket than delivering our shopping. Most of Uxbridge seems to protect itself from people parking for free. But no matter what we said to this chap about the cameras being out of action he was still concerned, making us take a photo of his number plate.

Our shopping was decanted from the crates into our bags then stowed back on board. The wine cellar is looking healthy again!

We moved things around inside the boat in anticipation of the arrival of the washing machine engineer. This time we moved the mattress onto the sofa, making for an interesting view out of the window for Tilly. The bow was tidied for easier access and then the washing machine was pulled out ready.

Then we waited, and waited. Our appointment was between 9 and 12, we’d hoped to be the first visit on the chaps books, but that wasn’t the case.

We waited and waited.

Then a phone call, he was nearly with us. With the diagnostics already done by both the last engineer and Mick (replacing the first circuit board) the chap got straight on with replacing the second board, the less accessible board. Water was then reconnected to the machine, it all looked good so far. Lights, water and ……

I got a phone call from the bedroom, could I bring a towel that didn’t matter. Oh heck!

The machine had filled with water, but now wasn’t draining. Our anchor chain bucket was positioned under the machine collecting the worst of the water, but some had escaped! I closed the door so as to keep the second mate from poking her paw in.

Next thing I knew the engineer had left. Had he condemned the machine, or mended it?

Tuppence. A tuppence had been blocking the outflow pipe (2p piece but it doesn’t sound as good), once removed all was working as it should. Hooray!!!! It had taken a while to get fixed, but we reckon it has saved us about £100 on getting a new one, saved us the heavy job of getting the old one out of the boat and a new one in, and saved a perfectly good machine (apart from a circuit board) going to a tip, therefore doing our bit for the planet.

So what to wash first? T-shirts!

We had lunch with the engine running. Next we needed to fill the diesel tank. Mick had called Uxbridge Boat Centre this morning and yes they sold diesel, we’d seen the pump before, but it not being the most accessible pump we’ve always discounted it. We pulled in alongside a weedcutter and the crane. ‘Fill her up’ 117 litres later and at a cheaper price than we’d have paid half a mile back Oleanna had a full tank again.

Next water, the second load of washing was already in the machine. I gave it a once over for them as it may have required a bit of feline attention before they over worked it. All fine, well except it seems to have grown a touch, I don’t think the cupboard door will go back on!

The water point above Cowley Lock looked busy. We passed The Piano Boat, Rachmaninov returning to base after it’s launch events at the Canal Museum. Then we joined the queue our water tank emptying all the time with the washing machine going. With the tap at Denham Marina locked off to boaters at the moment this tap will get more use. We emptied the yellow water, disposed of rubbish and then filled with water, after which we dropped down the lock and found ourselves a mooring where Tilly could head off to explore.

A third load of washing maybe was one too many. With big black clouds overhead the whirligig wasn’t going to be a good choice, so it was hangers in the pram cover and the airer with bedding in the bathroom. But where to put the towels? In the end the whirligig went up and fortunately no rain came down.

1 lock, 1.65 miles, 1 wine cellar full, 1 beer rack full, 1 washer/drier mended, 1 full diesel tank, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 0 rubbish on board, 1 new greaser, 1 bathroom shelving reorganised, 3 loads washing, 1 final inspection, 1 cupboard door behind the sofa, 2 happy clean boaters.

https://goo.gl/maps/3nULKX6fjVEmsg6u7

Cancelations. 2nd August

Uxbridge

First job this morning was to ring the washing machine people to see if the new circuit board had arrived and when they could come out to us. The lady on the other end of the phone knew exactly where we were moored, she’s been to the pub and sat looking at the boats moored alongside. It kind of helps being close to where the company is based. An appointment was made for tomorrow morning.

A morning going nowhere would be wasted without a cooked breakfast

Next we needed to cancel two bookings with C&RT as we’d booked passage through Thames Lock, Brentford to Teddington. We’d not been able to cancel them on line over the weekend so Mick rang them up. There is a long spiel about C&RT not tolerating abusive behaviour towards their staff before you get to speak to someone. Just what is the boating world coming to!

Passages are now cancelled and another one is made, here’s hoping we can keep to this one.

Next as we are sitting right next to a car park we booked a Sainsburys delivery, I thought I’d booked it for tomorrow morning, but when I went back to it to add things it was saying Wednesday! Now there weren’t any slots available, grrr! I cancelled the order, tried to get a Tesco delivery, but they won’t deliver to business premises. Morrisons don’t deliver in this area. A Click and Collect was considered, but at what time? Hard to know when waiting for something to be fixed. So I wrote out a list instead, one of us would have to go shopping.

Oleanna was due a 250 hour service, so Mick donned his overalls and lifted the engine boards. Tilly complained at not being allowed out. I ordered some samples of fabric to be sent to Chippy for me to pick up when I visit in a couple of weeks.

There are a few things we prefer to buy from Sainsburys, wood cat litter being one of them. You would think that wood pellets were pretty much the same everywhere, but I can confirm that Sainsburys ones absorb more odour than Tescos. They fluff up nicer too for our separating toilet.

So I walked up to Sainsburys to buy a bag, stopping off at Halfords to see if they had some Meguiars Ultimate Compound (thank you Irene for the suggestion) to try to remove the scratches from the cabin sides. One bottle bought, Oleanna just needs a good wash now then Mick can have a go at the scratches.

I spent much of the afternoon hunting through 250 pages of neon clothing on Vinted, a site where you can sell your old clothes. I’m needing nine neon tops for #unit21. With a tight budget I need to know something will fit before making a purchase so I’ve asked numerous scantly clad young ladies for bust measurements of their tops. The things you do as a Theatre Designer!

Kate Fassnidge left land and property to the community of Uxbridge

Mick later in the afternoon noticed that there was now a delivery slot for tomorrow morning with Sainsburys. He checked with the pub that it would be okay to get a delivery and they were fine about it, the ANPR isn’t currently working anyway. So the written list was converted into a virtual one again.

For sometime I’ve been meaning to start doing paintings of waterways, think I’ve mentioned it before. Our trip through London along the Thames gave me lots of reference photos so I’ve decided to start there. But where to start exactly? I considered linking bridges together, but with over twenty in that one day this would be hard. Instead I’m going to go for a circular view between Hungerford Bridge and Waterloo Bridge so as to include the Tattershall Castle, Houses of Parliament (I’ll remove the scaffolding on Big Ben) and the London Eye. Today I’ve sketched out some ideas, a more detailed sketch will be needed before I start on the actual painting.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 passages cancelled, 1 booked, 1 engineer coming, 2 cooked breakfasts, 1 order made, 1 order cancelled, 1 order made again, 250 hours, 9 litres oil, 10L of cat litter, 1 bottle Ultimate Compound, 250 pages of clothes, 2 many nipples, 35.8 what? 1 exhibition, 1st ideas, TV signal reduced to 0 today.

Ping! 1st August

Ballot Box Bridge to Uxbridge Lock, Grand Union

As it was Sunday we enjoyed having a read of our Saturday newspaper with a cuppa before we got up, so we didn’t push off until almost 10am. Our aim today was to fill the diesel tank as the last time was a top up at St Pancras Cruising Club nearly a month ago. Also getting ourselves out west will hopefully help in getting an engineer back out to look at the washing machine.

Last weekend (I think) there was a big litter pick along the Paddington Arm, masses of rubbish was collected by volunteers and their efforts showed today, the arm looking much cleaner. Occasionally there was a sign attached to fencing asking people to please use the bins provided, here’s hoping!

The boat of fame we’d seen on our way in, decorated with graffiti looks like it is getting ready for it’s next makeover, the port side greyed out, maybe the starboard side is already repainted!

With intermittent showers I retired below. An email from the Production Manager for panto had just arrived, so I was able to give it a bit of attention. Checking felt samples and fabrics. Hopefully we may actually get to meet up at the theatre in the near future, which would be excellent to look at various things that are very much dependant on the structures back stage.

What looked like a lighthouse towards Bulls Bridge Junction turned out to be a tower on a self storage place. Then a very neatly painted NB Orpheus came into view, a very proud owner at the stern. This boat reminded us of the boat that pulled in alongside us in Llangollen Christmas 2017, both have slipper sterns and classical features.

At the junction I went to stand on the bow to give a thumbs up for a clear way ahead.

NB Driftwood was sat on the Tesco moorings, we wondered if they’d still be there when we come back. We turned right and headed northwards. Past a bus depot. Bindweed taking over the world. Under Murderer’s Bridge. Past NB Anglewood whom we’d shared locks with up towards Marsworth weeks ago.

At Cowley, two yellow eyed white cats sat on the roof of their boat. Below the lock we spotted a big sign advertising the sale of a house boat on it’s mooring. Even with a mooring and conservatory I think I’d have still tried to tidy up the outside a touch! Anyway if we had the money the lock cottage is still for sale and much more appealing.

Signs instructed to leave the top lock gate as we found it, water spilling over the bottom gates. C&RT were sending water down to somewhere. The Malt Shovel has new extra tables along the towpath, but considering it was a Sunday lunchtime there weren’t many takers.

Getting closer to Uxbridge it looked like our way ahead was blocked. A zoom in with the camera and I could see there was a very new widebeam coming past the pontoons alongside where the towpath is being upgraded. A lady stood at the bow, walkie talkie in hand. At the stern a chap at the wheel a lady looking down the starboard side. We wondered if it had been dropped in at Bridgewater Basin as No Problem XL had, it was certainly a new Collingwood boat.

Approaching Denham Marina a boat was just winding at the entrance. L plates on the side of NB Willum, there were three ladies on the stern. Blasts of forwards and reverse got them round then they headed back up into the lock for some more training.

We turned into the empty service mooring. Hang on the chain was across! But it’s not a Wednesday and it was just gone 2pm, they don’t close until 3!

A laminated sign on the chain announced that they were closed until 9th August, they had been pinged. Mick had tried calling this morning, but got no answer, I suspect they had just found out and were busy laminating the signs before self isolating. Hope everyone stays well.

We winded and found ourselves a space on the visitor moorings. With a quarter of a tank of diesel we need to find some soon, especially as we’ll be heading out onto the Thames. The afternoon was spent ringing several places, yes we can fill up at Packet Boat, but they reportedly only do a split of 60/40. Messages were sent to coal boats but none replied.

At least our mooring should be good for an engineer to visit, even if we have to put up with a very vocal cat in the meantime, shore leave is not deemed safe here.

1 lock, 11.74miles, 1 right, £215k, £580k, 1 mooring sorted, 1 campsite sorted, 1 plan coming together, 1 marina pinged, 0 diesel, 0.25 of a tank, 1 vocal cat, 1 green felt missing.

https://goo.gl/maps/u5B2Eq15AUBHGxhF7

Coming Back Round. 13th July

Ballot Box Bridge 13 to St Pancras Cruising Club

Before we got invited to join the tideway cruise we had other plans, this was to venture out to the eastern side of London and onto the Lee and Stort to finish what we started in January 2015. Our cruise then had to be curtailed due to rising water and an imminent lock closure.

So today we carried on back round to where we started last Friday. This should have been quite an uneventful day, some work for me organising the return of overalls to Amazon whilst Mick stood at the helm and brought us in to London.

No visitors in the middle of the night at Horsenden Hill this time

The final pair of overalls were tried on in Huddersfield and didn’t fit so a larger size was ordered and then I went through the website to arrange the return of five pairs. The paperwork took next to no time but a copy of the QR code did not arrive by email for at least an hour. But in the end everything was returned and by the end of the day a refund had been triggered to arrive back to my credit card in the next few days.

Small World still with the tide behind them

Up on deck we were soon caught up by NB Small World, their cruising speed greater than ours. When an opportune moment came Mick pulled over to let them pass.

The pipes that had snaked their way along the edge of the canal close to the temporary HS2 bridge have now vanished, wonder what they had been for? Duck weed is starting to take over though.

Just as we were coming up to a bend to the left near Old Oak a cyclist warned us of a boat adrift ahead. Sure enough there it was just off centre, a big widebeam. There was space to get past. Was it on the bottom? Could we help?

We slowed as we passed it, the front mooring line along with spike were sat on the bow, almost as if someone had pulled the pin out and coiled the rope up ready to push off! It did mean there was some rope we could get hold of. Mick looped the rope over a dolly and started to pull forwards, it wasn’t grounded it just needed some umph to get moving.

Along the towpath there was a big gap where we could pull in past a moored boat that we didn’t want to bump into. Gingerly we pulled the widebeam across slowing and letting it’s bow nudge into the bank rather than our stern. Now what? Would we be able to bang the spikes into the towpath or was this stretch empty for a reason.

C&RT chaps ringing base and left incharge

Fortunately this problem became someone else’s as two C&RT chaps just happened to be walking the towpath. They didn’t mention that they were coming to find an adrift boat, but they ended up with one. We helped nudge the stern in and left one chap holding a rope whilst the other went to their van for a mallet and a bigger spike. Who knows how the boat got in the middle of the cut. A speeding boater? Or someone had assisted it by pulling out the pins, coiling up the rope and giving the boat a push? Anyhow it was back on the bank now.

Onwards. I was waiting for a phone call from the panto Production Manager, to try to sort logistics of painting the show this year. A phone call at lunchtime had been arranged and all the time we were getting closer to Little Venice and Maida Hill Tunnel. We passed NB Small World who’d managed to find a towpath mooring. The water point at Little Venice was occupied so we couldn’t hang around there. Both of Rembrandt Garden moorings were full, although the community space was empty. We carried on and joined a line of trip boats going through the tunnel.

Popping out the other side I was busy trying to get hold of Gemma, only to get her answer phone, as we passed where the work boats and tugs had been two weeks ago. Here containers which had been sat on boats were now half submerged, apparently lots of high vis clothing was hanging up to dry draped around the bank.

We paused for canoeists to come round the bend at Cumberland Basin then we turned the left hand bend towards Camden. Around half of the boats on the moorings were the same as they’d been twelve days before, they were just in a slightly different order and some had turned round. No chance of us fitting in there today.

No Christine today, we’d refrained from telling her we’d be in Camden today for her own safety

The gates to the top lock were wide open waiting for us. As we pulled in the volunteer we’d seen last time appeared like Mr Ben. Today he was the only volunteer on duty.

Now please don’t get me wrong, I like volunteers. I also like doing locks, that’s why I love boating. I can manage lock gates and do not jump down onto boats as they are descending in locks, especially when I can just step aboard below. I also check that the helm is happy for me to start emptying or filling a lock and I would never lift a paddle when Mick was not at the helm of our boat and home! We really must remember to have a whistle at the ready, both on the boat and with the windlass. There is being efficient and there is being an accident waiting to happen!

We then had a short distance to travel back to St Pancras Cruising Club where we had a nights mooring booked. Mick reversed Oleanna into the basin. Boat movements in the last week had made it easier to get the stern in. The bow however was a different matter.

Mick tied the stern off, then pulled us over using the centre line until the bow was close enough for me to pass over the bow rope to him on the gunnel of the boat we’d be facing. A lot of pulling and eventually we were in, nestled against NB Misty Blue again.

We hooked up and got a load of washing ready. Mick closed the door of the machine, pressed the buttons. Nothing! No beep, no light, no click, no nothing! He checked the socket, that worked. He checked the fuse in the washing machine plug, that was fine. Time to pull the machine out.

Everything was built quite tightly, but the washing machine pulls out relatively easily, once you’ve removed the handle of the laundry drawer and the door to the cupboard the machine sits in. As Mick pulled the machine out we both heard the water pump start up. Was this a good or bad thing?

BAD!!!

‘Turn the water pump off!!!’ The switch was switched in the electrics cupboard, towels flung on the floor to soak up the river of water appearing from below the machine. Bu**er! The pipe supplying the machine had broken. This wasn’t the original problem, just one that came along to keep the original one company!

We’ve now got dirty towels and nothing to wash them in!

Mick had look at the machine, but couldn’t find anything obvious. Maybe our Tideway Cruise had caused this. Had the machine been buffeted about on the waves? Well it ‘s in quite a tight fitting cupboard so most probably not.

Water over the skin fitting of the outflow pipe! We’ll put tape over that next time.

Had the ballast inside it caused a problem? Maybe. Or had water come in through the outflow pipe and done something? This is very possible looking back at Adam’s photos of us in the swell on Saturday.

Whilst all this was happening Tilly did her best to investigate things too. I had to pull her out from the electrics cupboard that she’d got half into and round the internal door. Then with the shelving unit pulled out from below the gunnel behind the shower she was trying to get through the gap into the washing machine cupboard too! Doors needed closing, with her on the outside. I was just trying to help get to the bottom of things and lend a paw!

Everything was put back in place, water mopped up, stop cock closed. Time to call an engineer. If it’s a dead machine we’ll need to plan it’s extraction from the boat and where and how to dispose of it. But for now we’ll be wearing slightly more holey clothes.

3 locks, 10.4 miles, 1 left, 1 tunnel, 1 reverse, 1 small minded boat, 1 adrift boat, 1 rescue operation, 0 phone call, 1 over keen volunteer, 1 sideways manoeuvre, 1 dead machine, 1 curious cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/r261ZH111x4vhGqa9

A New Angle 12th July

Ontario Bridge 205A to Ballot Box Bridge, Paddington Arm

The forecast wasn’t too good today. Last night we’d considered staying put for another day as heavy rainfall was due. But then siting on the River Brent might not be too clever if the river came up. However this morning things seemed a lot drier so we decided to push off at about 10:30, the sun was out so it would be silly to waste it.

I walked up and set the bottom lock of the flight, we must have been spotted by Derek and Margaret on NB Small World as they arrived just as Oleanna came into the lock. This meant we had partners for the flight.

There was plenty of water coming down, in fact one lock had water cascading over it’s bottom gates, was there someone coming down?

Once both boats were in a lock and it was filling I’d head up to the next one to empty it and open gates, leaving Margaret to close up. The third lock up was the one that was over flowing, a single hander was on his way down having just emptied the lock above. I opened a gate for him and walked up to stop him from closing the gate.

The boats swapped over in the pound below and we carried on up the flight.

With Mick leading the way he could scoot across once in a lock making way for NB Small World to come in alongside meaning only one gate needed to be opened and closed in each lock, making lighter work all round.

The lock cottages on this flight are lovely, especially at the fifth one up Lock 93. The roses and ivy make it very pretty indeed.

Once the boats were rising in the final lock of the flight I walked on ahead to reach Three Bridges 205. The Hanwell flight is where Mick was brought as a young lad for walks and is where his interest in canals started. Three Bridges has become one of those places that has to be photographed with Mick at the helm every time we pass.

Today having the advantage of being able to leave Margaret to close up meant I could find a whole new angle to take my pictures, from the narrow pavement on the road bridge above. From here I could see the railway line, the structure that looks like a bridge (but is most probably just structural), the canal and the road bridge. Three Bridges.

I ended up taking rather a lot of photos and of course Mick just had to look at the railway below when it would have been good if he looked up towards the camera. Maybe next time.

The last two locks up to the Paddington level were soon under our belts. Time to dispose of the yellow water, rubbish, give Tilly’s pooh box a clean out and fill the water tank. NB Small World emptied their cassette and headed onwards to Bulls Bridge.

Two boats were breasted up and what looked like an old work boat was passing them, we slowed so we wouldn’t meet at the same point. That old work boat looked familiar. It certainly was, NB Tyseley the Mikron boat being crewed by volunteers whilst the actors were elsewhere or having a day off. We waved and said hello as they passed.

At Bulls Bridge NB Small World was breasted up to another boat so they could fill with water and go shopping. There was a space which looked like we should fit. Derek said a boat had just left, that would be Tyseley which is 71ft 10″ so we’d fit no problem.

NB Jubilee Bridge came past just as we were having lunch. Pat and Roy were on the Huddersfield Narrow with us back in 2015 and every year since we see them at some point. No longer being on a bright yellow boat they don’t notice us anymore, so we have to remind them. Seeing them means that our summer is complete, if only we’d been another half hour at the top of the locks.

Oh, I forgot to tell you I don’t like poultry anymore!

Mick headed off with a shopping list whilst I carried on blogging. Blimey it takes ages on a post like that! Maybe we should stick to shorter days from now on, two big days of Tidal waters in one year is maybe enough. Even the laptop is trying to hide letters from me now, the E and S have turned on their cloaking device and the A is spluttering out of view as I type more and more words.

With shopping back on board from Tescos, (you can get a trolley to your boat) we pushed off hoping to reach Horsenden Hill to moor up for the night. The forecast rain looked like it would be on it’s way fairly soon, so Mick was left up top with his waterproofs as we turned back onto the Paddington Arm.

The rain held off until around 5:30, big claps of thunder echoing around. Then with just ten minutes to go before pulling up the heavens opened right up, ensuring everything outside including Mick ended up being drenched. He moored us up on the stretch that had been empty a couple of weeks ago (a few boats moored there now) and then stripped off his waterproofs under the pram cover and left them to drip dry outside for the night.

8 locks all shared, 8.79 miles, 1 right, 1 down hill boat, 1 Tyseley, 4 leeks, 3 peppers, 0 boxes of wine, 3 cloths not 2! £3250! I wish! 1 drenched boater, 0 shore leave, 2 days on 1 post.

https://goo.gl/maps/v25e3Vy9cqiqihMS9

If you read the Thames tideway post early on Tuesday then you may not have seen the links to other blogs.

Scholar Gypsy

Briar Rose

When Is a Bunny Park Not A Bunny Park? 11th July

Ontario Bridge 205A

With the majority of St Pancras boats moving off this morning, Mick had offered to lock wheel as we’d be staying put. He was up and off at 8am to help NB Coracle and NB Albert Victor up the Hanwell flight.

I stayed put as it was a Dreamie day for Tilly. She’d been cooped up inside for too many days and deserved to have a day of shore leave, which also means she gets to have a lot of ‘Thank you for coming home’ Dreamies. When Tilly is out it means one of us is in, just in case a rescue is required!

Several local cats were spotted during the morning, but thankfully no spats occurred.

Whilst I busied myself with writing up yesterdays cruise Mick worked boats up the locks. At around 9am NB Misty Blue who’d moored behind us pushed off to join NB Mobius to climb the flight, they were then followed by NB Chance. Mick worked boats up the flight of 6, leaving them to ascend Hanwell Lock and Norwood Top Lock so that he could help the following boats.

Mid afternoon Tilly had returned for a snooze so we took the opportunity to head off for a walk around Hanwell. First port of call was Mick’s old flat, just up the road from The Fox. Then where?

A few days ago I’d spotted mention of Hanwell Zoo on Google maps, so we headed in that direction, ducking down under the Uxbridge Road alongside the River Brent and into Brent Meadow where a Dad was trying to amuse his kids by launching a kite, he was unsuccessful.

Under Wharncliffe Viaduct which was built in 1836 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel to carry the new Great Western Railway from Paddington. 40 years later the viaduct had to be widened to accommodate growing rail traffic, you can see the join. It is said that Queen Victoria would ask for her train to be stopped on the viaduct so that she could admire the view. Today it looks like it needs a good weed and the trees would need cutting back a touch to admire the vista.

Into Brent Lodge Park. Areas mown, others left to grow. We walked up to St Mary’s Church. Originally a Georgian Church it was deemed too small for it’s congregation and in 1842 was replaced with a design by George Gilbert Scott with flint walls and white brick quoins. A rather pretty church, although the doors look like they’ve been painted with ultramarine poster paint!

Next it was time to check out the Zoo. Now I say zoo, but Mick insists on calling it the Bunny Park. Apparently everyone calls it the Bunny Park! All of Mick’s sisters will know it as the Bunny Park, but I bet none of the kids there did as a big mosaic sign boasts it’s name as Hanwell Zoo, not one bunny in view!

Well actually nothing much was in view but a couple of red billed birds as the ZOO is only open to pre-booked visitors. The Six Banded Armadillo (not a bunny) would have to wait for another time.

Instead we got ourselves some chilled medication, triple chocolate in a stale cone for Mick and pistachio in a tub for me.

We then retraced our steps up to St Mary’s and then wiggled our way back through the streets of Hanwell, passing many pretty terraced houses with original front doors, back to the river then the canal and Oleanna.

A roast chicken was popped in the oven, coming out at 8pm. It feels like an absolute age since I’ve cooked a proper meal. Plenty of chicken to last us through the coming days. Later Mick settled down to watch the later part of the football whilst I continued writing up our cruise yesterday.

Roast Chicken, squash, carrots, new potatoes, garlic and cabbage, YUM!

0 locks, 12 helped with, 9 hours shore leave, 5 taken, 1 long post, 2 many photos to choose from, 0 bunnies, 2 scoops, still 0 bunnies, 2 blue doors, 1 large roast chicken, 22 Dreamies, 1 quiet day.

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna