Mick rang back a company he’d tried yesterday to see when an engineer might be able to come out to look at our dead washer/dryer. We’d been given several options yesterday regarding payment and we’d decided that £125 to fix it wasn’t too bad, a new one being at least £300, if they couldn’t fix it then £55 would be the call out charge. However when he tried calling the department to see when they would be able to visit the phone just rang and rang and rang. He gave up.
Not much of a view in St Pants
Google suggested several other firms. ‘Sorry we don’t cover that area’ was quite a common response. Others suggested they’d be able to get someone out to us this afternoon. ‘What’s your postcode?’ This was given, handy to be at the Cruising Club and have an address. Then Mick would say we were on a boat. ‘Oh, we don’t do boats. Houses yes, boats no!’
St Pancras Lock
A notice was put on the London Boaters group, but the only suggestion was to buy a new one as they are so cheap now. We’d rather see if it can be mended, but we might just be giving someone some money to look at a totally dead machine.
Eventually a company was found who didn’t have a problem coming out to us on a boat. An appointment made for tomorrow afternoon. Mick called the Harbour Master, Tony to see if we could stay a bit longer in the basin. This was fine and a key holder for the gate into the car park would be found to let the engineer in.
Mick headed off to find a new connecting hose for the washing machine, a longer one would help when pulling it out from it’s cupboard. 2.5m would do and be handy even if we end up having to buy a new machine.
Hello!
Back onboard I, at last, had a chat with Gemma (Production Manager for Panto). We talked painting the set, a quote for more than my design fee had come in from a scenic artist. I know you can earn more money painting than designing, but when I’d already said I’d paint the show for a top up on my fee! Logistics in our pandemic world make things a little more complicated than before, but hopefully with a bit of thought things will work out.
Not being much of an assistant
I decided that as we wouldn’t be moving today that I’d do some work. The drawing board came out and my assistant sat by and watched as I drew up some basic plans for the set of #unit 21. This didn’t take too long, I just need to get them scanned now and sent off for a friend in Leeds to give me a quote.
Mick had another trip to make to Christine’s. A new propmate had arrived for us to replace the one now sat on the bottom of Limehouse Basin. The design has changed a bit since we bought our original one. Now made from pipe with a bent handle and it comes with a wrist strap already attached! Hopefully this one will be with us for longer than the old one.
Being cooped up in the boat all day I had a walk around the Kings Cross development. A meander of a walk took me through the new buildings, many empty. Landscaping and seating is everywhere making for a green environment.
Wish I could look inside
I walked past York Road Station, one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway. Opened in 1906 it was designed by Leslie Green and connected to the platforms by two lifts. It closed in 1932, discussions have been made about reopening it, but as it’s quite close to Kings Cross the £21million (2005 estimate) needed to bring it up to modern day standards it is unlikely to happen.
Cinema across the water
A cinema screen plays to an audience on the steps across the canal. A couple of films are shown a day along with the Tour De France at lunchtimes. All the restaurants and bars were packed, as much as they can be and the whole area had a hubhub about it.
Art covers walls and expensive shops fill an area which used to be full of railway lines delivering coal.
It being Wednesday night it was club night at the Waterpoint the old water tower that overlooks the basin. A glass of wine and being sociable was on the cards, hopefully with a visit to the roof of the tower.
Looking SW
Our luck was in and we got shown up onto the roof. From here views down to St Pancras Station, BT tower, a bit of the London Eye and the numerous cranes which are on the site of the new Google building.
Looking SSE
Northwards is mostly railways and tower blocks, but all the same with the sun gradually going down it was still quite a sight.
Ballcock
The roof is what used to be the water tank which used to hold 17,000 gallons of water which was used to fill the tanks of the steam locomotives. In one corner is the ballcock, pretty much like a toilet ballcock only far bigger!
St Pancras Station
The tower used to be situated along the lines at St Pancras, however it was in the way of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link HS1 so it had to be moved. The tower was split into three, the top two layers moved to behind the lock cottage. A new bottom third was built and the top two thirds were craned in on top. The Cruising Club are custodians of the water tower, it is currently their club house. You’ll find it open to the public several times a year.
Looking NNE
The whole area around Kings Cross was a huge coal depot. Where the basin is now used to have railtracks running over the top of it. The gas holders have been moved from their original site and new buildings built within them to suggest the old tanks. Using this link you can see how much the area has changed since 1892 by sliding the button on the bottom left.
Today a new C&RT notice came in
Aire & Calder Navigation Main Line Location: Lock 11, Ferrybridge Flood Lock, Aire & Calder Navigation
Navigation Closure
Monday 19 July 2021 08:00 until Friday 13 August 2021 16:00
A stoppage is required to replace the downstream gates and cills. Check and repair downstream sluices.
Here’s hoping the end of this stoppage coincides with the breach site reopening.
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 washing machine, 1 engineer booked, 2 new quotes, 1 conversation, 1 set drawn up, 16 more panto photos, 1 dormant station, 2 glasses up on the roof.
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.
David on NB Albert Victor
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!
Andrew on NB Coracle
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.
Bye Bye NB Misty Blue
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?
By his old front door
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!
ZOO!
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.
We refrained from getting lost
Instead we got ourselves some chilled medication, triple chocolate in a stale cone for Mick and pistachio in a tub for me.
Medication!
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.
Coal Boat
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.
A photo heavy post! If you click on a photo it should enlarge.
Limehouse Basin to Ontario Bridge 205A Grand Union Canal
Not much of view this morning!
Tilly seemed keen to be out this morning despite the not so inviting view from our bedroom window. Today we’d be heading out onto the Tidal Thames so no shore leave for cats, no matter how much they shout!
One of the last jobs to do today was put Tilly’s escape pod back together ready should there be any necessity to abandon ship. She also quite likes to sit in there anyway.
Final briefing
At 10:30 all crews congregated in the car park for our final briefing. An extra sheet of paper was passed round which detailed the distances between bridges on our cruise upstream. We were reminded to keep looking behind us as that is where the danger can lie, make sure our anchors were actually attached to our boats and just to hold our course and not to turn into waves as they can come from any and every direction. VHF radios were handed to crew who didn’t have their own, ship to ship being on channel 8.
Simon watching the lock open up
St Pancras Leader, Simon, would radio VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) when they left the lock and the third lock leader would do the same when the last and final boat entered the tide way, Tail end Charlie would be Oleanna today. There wouldn’t be much commercial traffic on the river, but plenty of Clippers and speed boats. The weather forecast wasn’t so good, everyone prepared for rain which was just trying to start.
Moving into position
The first locking of four boats was at 11:15. Limehouse Lock can hold three narrowboats abreast and as two boats were short they could sit one behind the other. We watched as the boats pulled into the lock, each passing ropes round the risers on the lock walls, these are positioned directly under the bollards above.
Waiting for NB Chance to take her position in the lock
The pull as the lock starts to empty, radial gates not paddles, is strong necessitating ropes needing to be passed round a T stud to help you keep hold.
We watched as the lock emptied and then the boats departed. NB Thermopylae led the way followed by NB Chance, NB Misty Blue and NB Mobius brought up the rear. Each boat motoring out of the lock and turning right onto the Thames keeping a distance between each other.
Next lock full
The next boats were ready and waiting for the lock to be refilled, we headed back to Oleanna for a final briefing with our second mate, move the towline to the bow and untie ourselves from the mooring.
Oleanna looking forward to her trip up the Thames
Tilly was warned that that the outside we’d be moving today was likely to be quite lumpy bumpy for a while, she retired to her escape pod and waited to see what happened.
NB Coracle was lead boat, followed by NB Small World then us at the very back. As the lock gates fully opened Andrew on NB Coracle said ‘Let’s go boating!’ It was 11:48 we were 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
Leaving Limehouse Lock, the river was big but not as big as leaving Goole
I closed the cratch cover up and moved through Oleanna to the stern. I was soon pleased that I’d thought to move bottles from the galley shelves and counter tops as the river was most certainly lumpy. We turned into the flow of the tide heading upstream.
Speed boats zipped past their wakes moving across the river. They were towards the south bank, we were towards the north bank, the waves kept coming and coming, first this way then that.You said it was going to be lumpy! You didn’t say that we would be looping the loop!!!!
Tilly wasn’t happy, she was shouting at the back doors! I have to admit that I wasn’t too happy either as Oleanna rose and fell with the waves. Please excuse the out of focusness of this footage as my camera had no idea what it should focus on! This is by far the lumpiest water we’ve encountered. As a child I used to be seasick every time I even stood near to a boat, so today I did my best to keep calm and looked round at everything to keep my mind off the swell.
We fell in line behind the lead boat and NB Small World, one yellow buoy coming a touch close to us. The river was moving us along, at one point I couldn’t hear the engine, Mick had put Oleanna into tickover as we had been gaining on the boat ahead.
Behind us Canary Wharf, ahead old warehouses, the River Police jetty.
Shard ahead
The Shard came into view, then as we rounded the bend at Wapping the view opened out.
Quite a view!
The Walkie Talkie, St Pauls, BT Tower, City Hall and of course Tower Bridge. Wow!
Dora May just off centre with a blue and cream wheelhouse
At Tower Moorings we tried to spot Dora May that used to belong to my friend Kathy. She is still moored there, wheelhouse positioned with a great view over to Tower Bridge.
Just look at that! Tower Bridge built between 1886 and 1894
We managed to line ourselves up briefly for a photo we’ve been dreaming of for years, under the central span of Tower Bridge.
Then we got back in line with the two boats ahead and headed for span 1 to the north side. It is quite an impressive bridge to walk over, but more so to pass under.
We waved to the south bank of the river where Mick’s sister Christine had positioned herself.
Christine’s over there somewhere!
No chance of spotting her, but thankfully she spotted us.
There we are
Past the clipper terminal
Tower of London
I especially like the one in front of the Tower of London.
HMS Belfast and The Shard
The bridges now come thick and fast as did the swell.
Bridges lining up ahead
Trying to take photos clinging on, trying to stay upright at times was quite hard.
London Bridge Hospital looks like a new coat of white paint has been added, keeping it crisply clean, soon followed by Hays Wharf. This wonderful deco building once a wharf now contains consulting rooms and the cardiology department for the hospital.
Follow my leader under the correct spans of the bridges as waves buffeted themselves against Oleanna.
Tate Modern (opened 2000) and the wibbly wobbly Millennium Bridge (opened 2000, reopened 2002).
The Samuel Pepys pub is where Mick used to drink when he worked almost next door for BT in the red brick building.
More bridges, more sights, more big trip boats.
Pillars where old railway bridges used to be. The Oxo tower (originally a power station supplying the Post Office, built at the end of the 19th Century) more shiny tower blocks.
Waterloo Bridge (opened 1942, fully opened 1945), The National Theatre (opened 1976). Have to say I was a touch disappointed that the National hadn’t brought the horses out from War Horse onto the terrace to see us pass as they did for the Queen!
Not much traffic behind
Frequent glances behind brought different views as well as checking if we were being followed.
Hungerford Bridge (opened 1864) and the Golden Jubilee Bridges (completed 2002)
Then Hungerford Bridge and the Golden Jubilee Bridges. Were we early? We looked up as we came under the bridge.
A pair of shoes, legs, a radio 2 news presenter stood phone in hand ready to capture us as we passed below.
The London Eye (opened 2000), County Hall (1922), Tattershall Castle (a steamer built in 1934 and was used as a Humber Ferry) and onwards to the Houses of Parliament (finished in 1860) and Westminster Bridge (opened 1862).
Heading up stream
Such a shame Big Ben is still swathed in scaffolding, maybe we’ll just have to come and do the trip again in the latter part of 2022!
As we passed the exclusion zone in front of the Houses of Parliament I shouted out a few comments to those who run our country. I so hope they heard and will take heed of my words!
Under Lambeth Bridge ( 1932) with the MI5 offices (1929) with it’s gold roof.
Tamesis Dock
A boat sat out of the water a structure held it upright. I wonder if those eating and drinking at Tamesis Dock knew they weren’t afloat.
Mick tried pointing out another building he used to work in. ‘That one with all the windows’! It turns out Mick used to work next door to the MI6 building on the south bank, well before it was built.
Vauxhall Bridge Built in 1906
By now the river traffic was easing, the swell gone. Under Vauxhall Bridge, the four towers of Battersea Power Station (completed in 1955) rose from the redevelopment below.
Next week will see the return of the open-air cinema and theatre at The Coal Jetty. Apartments are being sold and retail and restaurants are already open. We do wonder what the residents will think of living next door to the Super Sewer though! I’m sure it will all be below ground.
Victoria Railway Bridge rebuilt and widened in the 1960’s
Chelsea, originally Victoria Bridge, rebuilt in 1937
Albert Bridge, built 1873, suspension bridge incorporated in 1884-7 and final alterations made in 1973
Victoria, Chelsea and Albert Bridges. The question is who was Chelsea? Did she have a bit of a fling with Albert getting between them!
Albert Bridge painted in pastel shades has a touch of a Wedgewood feel to it.
Battersea Road Bridge built 1885
Battersea Road Bridge was followed by numerous house boats.
House boats side by side
I wonder what it’s like living on one of those with the tides coming and going.
Lots Road Power Station, built in 1904
Lots Road Power Station which used to produce electricity for the underground is having a makeover. The internal structures have been removed and 800 tonnes of steel have been used to retain the exterior façade. Along with four new buildings the development will provide 420 residential units.
Hanging under Wandsworth Bridge ( built in 1940) is a dishevelled bail of straw. It’s an ancient bylaw of uncertain heritage that if a bridge arch is open to river traffic, but with restricted headroom, then a bundle of straw should be hung from the bridge as a warning. At night time it is replaced by a white light.
Fulham Railway Bridge (1889) and Putney Bridge (1886)
Down stream of Putney Bridge (1886) is where the Oxford Cambridge boat race starts, the course passes under Hammersmith Bridge, Barnes Bridge and finishes just before Chiswick Bridge a distance of four miles.
Fulham Football Club is having major works. The riverside stand at Craven Cottage was demolished and is being redeveloped into more than just a football stand. Floating pontoons are being used in the building work and an exclusion zone around these is in force on the river marked with yellow buoys.
Rowers
Now we started to encounter rowers as we approached Hammersmith Bridge (1887). An area along the southern bank has been marked out for the rowers to use, keeping normal river traffic away from the area.
Hammersmith Bridge currently closed
Hammersmith Bridge has been closed to motor traffic since August 2019 after cracks were discovered in the bridges pedestals. The closure was extended to pedestrians, cyclists and normal boat traffic last year. It is however open for pre-booked transits which are subject to a lot of conditions. One of which is that you have an abort plan should the bridge be closed in front of you. This would entail winding and stemming the tide in a predetermined section of the river, contact with VTS would be made and then we would wait for slack water before returning all the way to Limehouse Lock with the outgoing tide.
All three groups had to pass under the bridge in an hours window. Thankfully no abort signal was given and we as Tail end Charlie passed under the bridge at 13:38, well within the hour. Phew!
Under Barnes Railway Bridge ( built in the 1890’s), more rowers and paddleboarders.
Chiswick Bridge built 1933
We received a phone call from Simon checking our location at 14:00, we could confirm we were under Chiswick Bridge and all was fine at the back of the flotilla.
Boats ahead under Kew Railway Bridge
A zoom in on the camera to Kew Railway Bridge confirmed we were catching up the second group. NB Combs Lass and NB Galatea were just passing under the bridge, it was the first time we’d seen them since Limehouse.
Kew Bridge built in 1903
Kew Bridge a wide span bridge was to be the last we’d pass under, the Tower of Kew Bridge Pumping Station watching our approach towards Brentford Junction.
Liquidity ahead
Passing islands to our starboard side we could see the sculpture Liquidity by Simon Packard. This to boaters helps mark the entrance of Brentford Junction on the Thames, to locals it caused a big hoo-ha when it was first erected as it blocked the view from new flats and a local restaurant to the river.
This was where the flotilla would split. Three boats could be seen continuing on up stream towards Teddington. NB Thermopylae now at the back. The third locks worth of boats veered off at the Junction and headed for Thames Lock. Here NB Albert Victor was joined by NB Coracle our lead boat and we joined NB Small World in the second lock to rise up to the semi tidal stretch at the bottom of the Grand Union Canal.
It wasn’t me!
I had chance to check on everything below, half expecting Tilly to still be in a tizz and maybe for her to have suffered from seasickness. I was greeted by a cat who was trying to be quite cool about everything, even if she was a little bit shouty! There was also a bit of a puddle in the main cabin. Oh dear.
However it didn’t take me long to realise that this was just water and it must have come in through our hatch despite the outer doors being closed. There was water on the surround. In absolute torrential rain with howling gales we’ve had water come in having been forced up under the doors. This must have happened when we were in the really lumpy water.
Thames Lock which takes us onto semi-tidal water
Heading to the bow to open up the cratch I also noticed a very small amount of water had made it’s way up under the front doors. These are raised off the floor of the well deck and have a frame that sits quite a bit higher than the doors. Water will have come in through the well deck drains on the choppy sections of the river and some of that made it’s way inside!
Maybe if we plan to do more rough cruises we should look at adding extra protection to these areas, the amount of water wasn’t alarming, but it would have been better to have come in to a dry boat.
A lock keeper was also on duty at Brentford Gauging Locks bring us up off the tidal water and onto the canal proper. We were now bunched up and a queue had formed at Clitheroe’s Lock. I headed up to help , other crew walking on ahead to set Osterley Lock.
When we reached the final lock of the day NB Albert Victor was waiting for a partner, so NB Small World joined them, leaving us to lock up on our own. The off side bottom gate refused, despite a bit of a waggle back and forth, to open fully, so it was one boat in at a time. On leaving half a tree trunk floated above the lock gates. NB Small World pushed it out of the way, but by the time I’d refilled the lock it had drifted back down to be in the way again!
The first sign of a gap in the moorings we pulled in, close to the community gardens. Tilly’s paw was already clinging onto the bathroom porthole her nose sniffing the fresh air, the trees here already having been given feline approval. As soon as our location had been noted with co-ordinates and what3words the rules were recited to Tilly and she was given 2 hours shore leave.
Tideway Tilly back on dry land
Time for a well deserved cup of tea!
Graeme and David with everyone else behind them
This evening we joined everyone else who’d come off the river at Brentford along with Simon who’d made it over from Teddington for a meal at The Fox. This is a pub Mick knows well as he used to live about 200 yards away. I was famished, but had also forgotten about the portion sizes. A portion of chicken wings arrived as a starter, I’d been expecting 4 or 6, but 12! Mick and I should have shared them. Sadly they had run out of rainbow trout so I chose pork belly with mash, Mick had sausage and mash. All the food was very tasty as expected.
VHF and laminated sheets
A very good evening wrapping up an incredible day. The rain had held off, the planning had been spot on, the waves added extra adrenalin, advice was shared, lead boats knew the river, tail boats were VHF qualified. Thank you very much Simon for offering us the final space on the cruise. Thank you also to St Pancras Cruising Club, from start to finish we felt we were in safe hands.
Waterway Routes under new improved rain shield which wasn’t required today
5 locks, 18.75 miles, 2 rights, 34 bridges, 3rd locking, 10th in line, 1st St Pancras cruising cat, 1 lumpy river, 1 shouty cat, 2 puddles, 1 sister-out-law, 1 fellow blogger, 1 boat in tickover much of the time, 4 rice crispie cakes, 0 flying pigs, 4 power stations, 3 lock keepers, 2 hours shore leave, 1 fox, 807 photos, 1 very nice meal, 1 fantastic day.
https://goo.gl/maps/kU1p4HBtsysYSh7c7
A fab photo of Group 1
For more photos of the trip from the front of the flotilla follow this link to Scholar Gypsy
Adam has also published a post with his photos this morning, showing the second group of boats as they headed for Westminster Bridge. A link to his blog Briar Rose
Just over three and a half miles before our next lock this morning. This stretch is familiar as on our first trip to London and back we cruised it both ways as we had visitors who parked at Stoke Bruerne and had come to help man the locks. Andrew Jac and Josh helped us down before Christmas and Mike and Chris helped us back up after, each time we had a meal at The Barley Mow before returning to Stoke Bruerne.
Obligatory photo
Today we are still amused by the Elderly Ducks sign at Kingfisher Marina.
A wooden boat was enveloped with plastic sheets whilst having work done on it. A farmer and his sheep dog trained in a field, those poor sheep, back and forth.
At Thrupp Wharf the hedges have grown somewhat but we still managed to spy a familiar boat as we passed the entrance.
Solomon’s Bridge
After about three miles it was time to join the Geraghty’s for our weekly catch up. People are so small on a phone screen, but at least we’ve now worked out how to get more than one person showing at a time.
Hello everyone!
We made our excuses as we pulled up at the service block where we dealt with yellow and fresh water. As the tank filled we signed back in to family until it was time to pull away as a wide beam was waiting behind us.
Just beaten to the lock by another widebeam we now waited patiently for our turn. We dropped down to be level with Milton Keynes and then crossed the Ouse Aqueduct which always surprises me being so high up.
Crossing the Ouse
We made our way in to Wolverton mooring up away from the swans, the cob here having his own facebook page as he tends to argue with his own reflection, today he had a problem with an inquisitive cat in one of the flats.
Tilly was left with instructions not to wind the swans up as we headed off to Tescos. Tescos was busy, we were there on a Saturday so what did we expect! It really wasn’t pleasant and having to queue to pay rather than use scan and shop made it even worse. Asda across the road was less busy, a visit required as Tilly was running out of her current preferred food, fortunately they had a box of pink poultry in jelly. Trying to explain to a cat that you just can’t buy what they want and that there is plenty of what they liked a couple of months ago tends to fall on deaf ears.
We decided to carry on rather than have lunch before continuing. Would our luck be in to get a mooring at Great Linford? Would it be shady enough for the next couple of days as the temperatures are set to soar?
Round extensions
At Bridge 72, Bradwell Road Bridge building work is still on going on the off side. Extensions to a house seem to have been in build for sometime and they always catch our eye as we go past.
Wonder what he’ll have to say to us on Monday?
At the start of Great Linford Manor Park we could see several workmen all engrossed with their phones sitting around diggers, fencing surrounding them. Works going on in the park.
The off side moorings came into view. Until you are quite close you can’t make out if the two visitor moorings are free as they follow a line of permanent moorings. The first section was half empty, behind them was more fencing and a digger was very busy moving earth about.
Both spaces were free, right next to a very big hole where the digger was being busy. What’s going on? This was a very big hole! We pulled into a little bit of shade, the digger would stop at some point, but was it suitable and safe for an inquisitive cat?
There are big things happening at Great Linford at the moment following on from an award of £3.1million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Many of the historic features of the park are showing signs of age. Here by the moorings the Water Gardens are having their walls rebuilt using local limestone. A bridge and cascade is being built between the two ponds restoring the flow of water. Lots more information on the works around the Park can be found HERE.
We decided to carry on a little bit further and pull in under the trees along the towpath. More accessible pathways have been created in the Wilderness which is great, but sadly it most probably means that the daffodil bulbs we planted in memory of Houdini our first second mate will have been dug up.
New paths
We remained in shade for some of the afternoon, the starboard side catching the rays later in the day. Tilly coped with the busy towpath as we coped with the music and general hubbub of being back amongst the human race in an urban area. The fire pit in the park beside us is still going as we head to bed, thankfully those enjoying it are quite quiet.
1 lock, 8.61 miles, 1 Briar Rose, 1 very busy shopping trip, 12 more days of feline supplies, 2 boxes of wine, 1 stroppy swan, 1 big building site, 1 park mooring still empty.
Yet another lovely day with blue skies as far as they could reach, a red hot air balloon gently rose over the trees opposite our mooring, what a wonderful day for a flight, although I’m not sure you’d find me up there in a basket!
The old route shown by the dashed grey lines
A couple of boats had already gone past us this morning, heading towards Hawkesbury Junction so there was hope that we might get a mooring at Rugby. We pushed off and made our way along the straighter route of the Oxford Canal, numerous twists and turns, huge loops were bypassed in the 1820’s speeding up the travel time along the route. Some parts of the old loops remain and have been converted into Marinas, big arched bridges crossing the entrances.
Newbold Tunnel
Through Newbold Tunnel, plenty of boats coming towards us. Our tunnel light, not having been used this year (in fact not since going through Foulridge Tunnel), needed adjusting to favour the starboard side.
Coming into Rugby
Across the Aqueducts that signal Rugby is below. Coming through Masters Bridge 58 we were pleasantly surprised to find that end of the moorings empty. We bagged the end mooring closest to the bridge collected together our shopping bags and walked down to Tescos.
Look at all that space!
Not one delivery van in the loading bay when we arrived. The number of pickers picking shopping for others, there was almost one in every isle! We did a reasonably big shop to keep us going and thought about getting a click and collect sorted for when we get to Leighton Buzzard. As we left the store every space in the loading bay was full with a van, all being restocked for the next set of deliveries.
A big push and we were over at the water point, this tap having much better pressure than the one at Hillmorton. Onwards to find a shady spot for lunch before we got to the locks.
It really is busy down here. So many moving boats, yet it seems that everyone is doing what we are and that is moving. As yet we’ve not really had a problem getting a mooring, now watch as I’ve most probably jinxed us!
Clifton Cruisers was easily passable most of their hire fleet out and about. Their café seemed to be popular with a good sized outside area. Houlton Bridge, is a new bridge linking the new town being built on this side of Rugby. It’s not an architectural masterpiece but I do like that they have cast it’s name into the concrete.
Pretty windows
Along the moorings below Hillmorton Locks there were two interesting boats. Instead of standard windows the steel work had shapes cut out with glass behind. I quite liked the look of them, but Mick pointed out that the glass inside would be a bugger to clean. I have a feeling they were workshop boats, possibly a blacksmith.
Willow taking root
Someone has created a willow niche dedicated to the NHS, it is starting to sprout so obviously the withies have taken root. Rather a nice living tribute.
A boat was just coming out of one of the bottom paired locks, the other already empty it just needed opening up. We rose as a boat came into the lock next to us, the lady having a bit of difficulty raising the paddles. On to the next pair.
Three going down
We swapped with a boat that had just come down and started our ascent whilst another boat entered the other lock and started to empty it. Below the boat following us pulled up right in front of the gates waiting for it to be emptied, quite presumptuous, no wonder the down hill boat blasted it’s horn at them!
Waterways poetry
At the top lock we were assisted by a fellow from a boat moored just past the lock landing. He was spending his day helping boats up and down a chair sitting between the two locks so that he could sun himself as he waited.
Little boxes all squashed in
Up ahead the new town of Houlton is taking shape. Houses a little away from the canal are already up, enough space between them to roll a wheelie bin. More foundations close to the canal were waiting for the next phase of construction.
Barby Straight
The moorings along Barby Straight are something that makes me a touch jealous, a lovely garden to sit out in. The Tinman looks after one and someone has created a modesty screen with painted pallets. It is always slow going along here, passing the moored boats and when others are coming towards you too, it’s even slower.
4pm was fast approaching, we’d not far to go to reach our chosen mooring spot by Dunchurch Pools Marina but I had a zoom meeting, I just hoped that us moving wouldn’t cause problems with internet signal. Amy and I managed to connect and a few minutes later Mick pulled us in to a space for the night. I had to excuse myself from the meeting to let Tilly out, otherwise she’d have taken over totally!
Tin man with a heart
Discussions on costume designs, what would be needed for the photo shoot in a few weeks time and we touched on the set design too. I could just sort the costumes for the photo shoot now, but as I’m in charge of the budget I also want to have an idea on everything else that is needed. Time to do some research into music festivals and neon hairdos. Quite different to panto!
3 locks, 10.4 miles, 1 tunnel, 0 mysterons, 2 boxes wine, 1 new pair trousers, 1 full water tank, 1 yellow water container emptied, 1 hot day, 2 pink arms, 4pm meeting, 9 but 7 actors, 2 days prep, 1 hotel to book.
The River Ouse is so vast in Goole you just have to keep looking forwards so as not to be swallowed up by the expanse of water.
That Mick he’s always been a speed merchant!
With a choice of charts, Ripon or the Boating Association, we decided to follow the red line on the later. Popped in a plastic folder the book wouldn’t stay dry if it rained but it would have some protection. We’d rather these got damp than the useful book from Ripon, so that stayed on the Nicholson’s shelf by the back door in case we wanted it for reference.
Tucked away behind the flood bank
However we were close enough to Sea Maiden to see what course to follow, David having produced the Ripon book should know his way along the river.
Goole Railway Swing Bridge
First landmark was Goole Railway Swing Bridge. With wharfs further upstream the bridge swings to let big ships through, no need for that today. David did take a different span of the bridge than our red line suggested, as Sea Maiden is deeper droughted than Oleanna we had no problem following.
The bridge is also known as Hook Bridge, it is a large viaducted hogback plate girder bridge with a swing span that was built to connect Kingston Upon Hull to South Yorkshire in 1869. There are four fixed spans crossing from the western bank then the two that swing on the east bank. The pivot point is vast.
Lulabelle following
At Howden Dyke large wharfs stand with their bucket cranes ready to off load. We looked out for green markers here, but then realised these were actually quite small and are lights rather than big posts with brushes on the top as they are on the Trent.
The second wharf is where you change course quite dramatically. Straight ahead would seem to make sense, taking the shorter route round Howden Dyke Island.
But this course is shallow and the channel heads off at a right angle to the south of the island. Paul from Waterway Routes had mentioned this in an email a day ago, we stuck to our red line and followed Sea Maiden up ahead.
Here they come
Looking behind us, would Lulabelle see which course to take? They came into view and took the sharp left following at quite a distance now.
Left!
As we finished rounding the island Mick’s phone rang. It was Nigel at Selby asking on our progress. We’d only been out on the river for about half an hour. Maybe he thought we’d been let out earlier from the docks, but he’d hoped we’d be further on and not still south of the M62 bridge.
At Selby there hadn’t been a noticeable change of tide this morning due to the amount of fresh coming down. He was concerned that we’d soon be loosing the effect of the incoming tide and then struggle against tide and fresh water to make headway. The river appeared to be peaking a day earlier than expected. All we could do was continue, we seemed to be doing 6mph which we thought was reasonable.
We messaged up ahead to David, Oleanna could go faster, but could Lulabelle who seemed to be keeping up but a long way behind. Did their engine have enough umph to push on upstream.
M62
Nebo showed us doing between 5 to 10 knots only slowing to below 5 knots when changing direction around Howden Dyke and as we approached the M62 Bridge, well we had to have chance to have a good look.
Wonder if anyone saw us?
Just how many times have we been over this huge spanning bridge which opened in 1976. This is our preferred route south from Scarborough and at times it was too from York. On crossing the bridge we always look out for boats and comment on the state of the tide. Today the tide was still coming in and there were three boats pushing their way upstream.
Boothferry Bridge
Next Boothferry Bridge. A landmark of Micks childhood, long before the M62 bridge was built! Living in London and grandparents living in Hessle near Hull they would make the journey northwards by car. Crossing the bridge was a sign that they were nearly there! Excitement would build on the back seat of the Humber Hawk.
Another for good measure
To the south of the Ouse the River Aire joins shortly before a bend. Now up ahead the cooling towers of Drax Power Station rose, new wind turbines in the foreground. Was there a faint whiff of wood smoke in the air? Drax burns biomass to generate power now, just like wooden cat litter.
New and old power generating
I had wondered if we’d be able to see Eggborough Power Station too along this stretch. The thought of a photo with Drax, Eggborough and the depleted cooling towers of Ferrybridge a goal of mine, but sadly this wasn’t to be.
Lulabelle still there
Next time we cross the Wolds on a clear day we’ll have to stop the car to get all three power stations in one photo.
Is this Barmby?
Round another bend and Barmby Barrage came into view. The River Derwent heads off north east from here. A while ago we’d considered stopping here to save the full journey up to Selby. Maybe our progress was starting to slow now the effect of the incoming tide was waning against the amount of fresh coming down, we’d been on the river now for an hour and a half. Was this where we should be?
It is
Mick called Nigel at Selby to give him an update on our location. Thankfully he was happy with our progress, he wouldn’t be sat at Selby waiting for us until 9pm as he’d once thought.
Next year
Barmby Barrage has to be booked with the Environment Agency 24 hours in advance. Heading up the Derwent and onto the Pocklington Canal is one trip we want to do, but for now it will have to wait for another year, maybe next year.
Drax
The red line on our charts was now becoming intermediate. Keeping to the outside of bends, but not too far over as the flow pushes you even further out as we’d discovered on our first trip up to York seven years ago. As we reached Hemingbrough our speed was certainly dropping, Nebo showing it now under 5 knots.
24 to where?
We’d been wondering where all the debris was that usually accompanies you from Selby up to York. Last year it had been like a log flume. Our first tree came into sight bobbing along, a browning Christmas tree. Was this all there was going to be?
26
Sea Maiden up ahead was slowing. The river getting narrower the flow coming towards us stronger. This is where the floating debris started, no wonder David had slowed down. We’d lost sight of Lulabelle a while earlier, but with each of us on Nebo we could see where each boat was. Martin and Wendy were maybe ten, fifteen minutes behind, but they were still moving.
How now
Red markers on the western bank counted upwards. 26 being called Brown Cow on our charts was surrounded by sheep grazing the river bank. From here it was only 5km to the swing bridges of Selby, channel 9 to contact the bridge keepers, but we’d not need them to swing for us, we’d only one to go under Selby Bypass Swing Bridge.
A large tree lay on the bank, was this the tree we’d seen last year on our way up to York? At Roscarrs the river narrows and we could see the water bubbling away, lumpy water. We pushed hard against the flow here and up to the next bend where things calmed down somewhat.
Lumpy water
As Sea Maiden passed under the Bypass Bridge we heard David contacting the lock keeper on the radio. Nigel asked if all the boats were together, there was no reply from David. We waited for him to answer but none came. So Mick radioed our position as we passed under the bridge. Sea Maiden would be penned up the lock on her own, Nigel would then drop the lock ready for us. Mick reduced our speed, a gradual approach to the lock better than having to tread water nearer it. Martin on Lulabelle then followed on the radio with their position, still about ten minutes behind us.
Selby Bypass Bridge
But where was the lock? If this was your first time on the river you’d need guidance as all you can see is trees along the banks and Selby Rail Swing Bridge up ahead. Sea Maiden carried on ahead, then just disappeared out of view.
Finally the red brick flats came into view, these are just after the lock so we slowed our progress even more. The water could be seen dropping from the lock. I made my way to the bow before any manoeuvring by us was needed.
Nigel at the lock
Nigel stood by the lock mouth, handy hand signals as to our position on our approach. The temptation to turn in as you would on a canal is great, especially as we were facing the flow. But holding our course upstream meant we’d not get swept into the bank or the lock walls. Stay out, stay out, NOW!
Approaching the lock
Mick swung the tiller hard over and Oleanna responded nicely straight into the lock. Phew!
Thank you Karl for the footage.
Safe in the lock
No need for ropes as we’d be on our own in the lock. Nigel opened up paddles bringing us in towards the wall where we stayed as we raised up to the Selby Canal.
Two of us up
Sea Maiden was already moored. We winded and pulled in behind them. The lock already being reset for Lulabelle. More hand signals and Martin and Wendy turned faultlessly into the lock, big grins all round.
Keep coming!
All three boats safely in Selby. In the last twenty minutes it had started to rain, but other than that we’d had a pretty dry cruise. We’d found the gap in the weather, pushed against the fresh water. David’s original calculations had had us arriving at Selby around 16:30. We’d arrived at 17:30 after pushing against the increasing amount of fresh coming down stream. So we’d not done too badly and had a pleasant cruise up the river.
Three of us up
All that’s left to do now is head back the way we’ve come. Turn up the Trent, using the tide to help us upstream. Passage is currently booked for Sunday at 06:30.
Can I go out yet?
2 locks, 15.84 miles, 1 wind, 3 lefts, 1 straight on, 0 ships, 38 litres, 2 fenders, 3 boat flotilla, 12 knots maximum wind speed, 3 hours 10 minutes on the river, 1 worried Lockie, M62 and Boothferry Bridge gone under, 1st stage of the escape achieved, phew!
Not much impetus to get out of bed this morning due to rain and thinking our escape plans might be postponed, we drank our tea and looked at weather forecasts, river levels after the recent rainfall. Wind looked to be dying down this afternoon, would this give us an opportunity to make our first move in the escape plan?
Oleanna behind the fence
A phone call from Nigel at Selby Lock brought us news that the River Ouse was starting to come up, due to peek on Sunday morning at 3.5 m. Today passage would be possible but not tomorrow as the amount of fresh coming down the river would hinder our progress upstream even with the tide. He also thought that our trip round Trent Falls currently booked for Sunday 06:30 would be unwise as we would likely be fighting our way up the Trent to Keadby too. If we weren’t going to go today he was suggesting waiting until Tuesday to head to Selby and then head back the way we’d come continuing to Trent Falls on Wednesday. The tides would just make it possible to arrive at Keadby within working hours.
Out to meet the flotilla
We needed to chat to the others and see what they thought. Better to do this face to face rather than on Whatsapp. We got dressed and paddled our way round to the moorings past the big work boats to convene the escape committee.
Shower now full leaving the well deck clear
David had also talked to Nigel, he had also spotted the dip in wind speed this afternoon, which hopefully would coincide with a drop in rainfall too. The wind forecast actually showed it changing direction around about the time the tide would change, the important bit about this was that the wind would be going in the same direction as the tide, reducing the possibility of waves.
Goodbye pontoon
Four out of six of us were happy to give the plan a green light, the other two were still in bed, hopefully they would agree. We headed back to Oleanna for breakfast and to prepare for departure.
Mind Lisa’s boat!
Water tank filled, well deck cleared of everything other than the anchor and chain, rubbish in the bins. The trip computer was set, Nebo started. Just as we were untying the chap from a few boats away started telling us of doom and gloom stories of when he’d been through Ocean Lock, his wife nearly being thrown overboard! Blimey, that didn’t sound good! But we have learnt to take such tales with a pinch of salt.
All of a sudden everyone in the marina had come out, the rain having just about stopped along with a boat moving brought people out from beside their stoves, all nicely timed with us reversing off our pontoon and trying our best not to hit Lisa’s boat whilst the wind had other ideas. Other members of our flotilla were at the services on the other side as we pulled out and turned towards the docks, mooring up at the diesel point at Viking Marina. Time to fill up the tank and check out.
Only 38 litres used in 8 months! Mick gave Laird an electric meter reading, handed back our gate key fob. Then we treated ourselves to two new rope fenders a bit chunkier than the one’s we’d found in a skip a few years ago. These were our present to Oleanna for having a quiet winter and to celebrate leaving Goole.
Escape pod at the ready
Time for lunch, last checks, winter waterproof trousers, life jackets on and Tilly’s escape pod zipped up ready just in case. David and Karl came down to tread water alongside us, shortly followed by Martin and Wendy who had finally been convinced that the weather should stay dry for the trip.
David radioed through to Ocean Lock to ask permission to enter the docks. Radio checks were done all round, all working. We pushed out behind Sea Maiden and Lulabelle.
No need for any bridges to swing for us, David had dropped his masts knowing that then he’d fit under. Plenty of head room for the two of us following.
Past the Tom Pudding hoist (footage of it in use). Oleanna wasn’t quite smiling as she normally does, maybe pensive for her entrance onto the River Ouse. A kind word and a slight adjustment of the cable between her horns and she was reassured, smiling back at us again.
No ships to dwarf us
Such a shame the docks were empty of ships today, nothing for us to feel really insignificant alongside.
Sea Maiden pulled into the port side of the lock, followed by Lulabelle. We were directed to the starboard side of the lock. No ropes required to hold us into the side. The huge gates closed behind us.
We all just bobbed there, plenty of space for loads more boats of our size.
Down we go
Then gradually the water emptied from the lock, the tide was a lot lower than we’d expected it to be, 8 maybe 10ft lower than the canal.
The gates opened in front of us. No need for the chap in the control tower to tell us the ‘gates are in the recess’ as he does for the big ships. The chap who was on the lock side just said we could go as the gates were opening.
David and Karl led the way in Sea Maiden, Martin and Wendy next in Lulabelle then we pushed out from the wall and followed on behind.
Ahead a huge expanse of water. Each boat exited the lock and did a sharp turn to the left, the flow of the incoming tide pushing us slightly as we turned. Blimey it’s wide, it’s really wide.
David pushed on ahead, we waited for Lulabelle to pick up speed, but soon we passed Martin and Wendy, Oleanna wanting to go faster to stretch herself with the incoming tide.
Bye bye Goole
Behind us the Salt and Pepper pots along with the spire of St John’s stood tall, Goole was overcast and getting further away by the second. We’ll see them again when we come back in a few days, but for now it was rather nice to be seeing the back of them. The first part of our escape completed, we just had to reach Selby now!
Mick was off on a train late morning, heading back to Hull. This time it was for his second Covid jab. He’d booked it through the NHS website at the Late Night Pharmacy which is just on the eastern side of the River Hull. Yesterday he’d had a phone call from his doctors surgery in Scarborough offering him one on Friday, which obviously he turned down.
Shhh baking
On arrival he had to wait outside until he was called in, after seeing several people he was given his jab and sent out the back door on his way, making room for the next person. A much smaller operation than we’d both been to at the Rugby Club in Scarborough.
Shh jam
Whilst he was off the boat it gave me the opportunity to do some secret wrapping and start to bake his birthday cake. Thanks to Christine (Mick’s sister) for sharing a rather tasty looking apricot tart the other day I’d decided to bake a Bakewell tart this year. The pastry base made by substituting gluten free flour and then the almond filling, ground almonds with lots of eggs, sugar and butter.
Shhhh Bakewell Tart
On his way back to the station he went in search of The Bay Horse on Wincolmlee. No longer a pub sadly, so he couldn’t stop for a pint, but at last he’d seen where Tom Geraghty his Grandfather lived in 1901 at the age of 10.
Once The Bay Horse
Not far away he stopped by The Charter House too. The Master of the Charter House was Mick’s Great Uncle, Arthur Kent Chignell, during WW2. So it wasn’t just a trip for a covid jab.
I finished off making the giant strawberry and took loads more photographs of what I hoped would be the final model, although after passing them onto the costume designer I now need to amend one colour choice as it would clash with her costumes. Yes it is panto, the brighter the better, but sometimes it’s better to be a touch more harmonious.
Strawberry
A little while before 7pm there was a knock on the boat roof. It was Joan’s husband delivering our pre-birthday dinner. Peking Duck with pancakes for Mick and lettuce for me with a green onion sauce that she’d made with gluten free soya sauce.
Lots of boxes
This was followed by crispy lamb ribs which came with roast potatoes and stir fried veg. All very very tasty and highly recommended. If we get the chance for some more food from her I’m hoping the sweet and sour seabass will be on the menu as that looks very interesting. Not your normal Chinese takeaway, but real Chinese home cooking.
Yesterday a new notice about Selby Swing Bridge was put out by C&RT.
Update on 18/05/2021:
We anticipate it will take around 2 weeks for our Contractors to carry out the temporary footbridge installation and the damaged bridge lift, though we are awaiting a precise date from our contractor for this work to commence. There will also be a short closure to reinstall the bridge in around 3 months time (date to be confirmed).
This is good news as it means the route to and from York will be open, just a shame it won’t be in time for us. David called ABP this morning to book all three boats to pen down at 14:30 on Friday. Goole Docks will need to be called on VHF Channel 14 at around 14:00 to request permission to proceed into the docks. He has suggested a channel for ship to ship comms and done loads of calculations as to speed and time of arrival at Selby. Then he has forwarded pages from the Ripon Motorboat club book. We have a copy of this which I bought for Mick years ago. It turns out that David produced the edition we have. So our flotilla will be in good hands. We just have to pray for good weather now.
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 2nd jab, 0 2nd job, 1 colour amendment, 1 bridge to be replaced, 1 yummy Chinese, channel 14, 6, 9, 74, 28 beacon, so many fingers crossed for good weather.
Here is playwright John Godber talking about the upcoming production of Moby Dick. I designed the premiere production of this show about twenty years ago for Hull Truck in their old home at Spring Street. John and Hull Truck are my Hull theatrical roots, I think he’s a bit excited.
New Years Eve and news from the marina, via Al and Lisa, was that water levels were good, maybe up a bit, but it was most definitely icy out there. It was good to hear that the bigger flow from the temporary fix at the breach site didn’t seem to be affecting the levels in Goole.
Mark Penn put up some frosty photos of the breach site. Water still coming through the temporary fix, but appearing to be flowing the right way. It’s a good job the Aire and Calder’s water is supplied from the river rather than a reservoir.
Mark also took his drone up to Pollington, taking photos of the north bank of the canal where we’d noticed the pilling relaxing into the canal. From his photos you can see there is another layer of pilling further back, more curved than that by the waters edge.
The post on facebook led to various comments regarding an old railway bridge across the canal at this point. This was a Bascule bridge, one of two high level moving bridges on the canal, the other was a swing bridge below Knostrop Lock. An act of parliament was drawn up saying that anything that crossed the Aire and Calder had to be either moveable or high enough for sea going ships to get under, intending the canal to be like the Manchester Ship Canal but this fell by the wayside. Thank you Alf Huckitt for this info.
The bridge
Then Phil Pritchard provided a photo of the bridge, built by John Butler Ltd of Stanningly, Leeds in 1884 to carry the Hull and Barnsley Railway over the canal. The mechanism to lift it was never fitted as it wasn’t required for the vessels that were using the canal. It was demolished in 1974.
The line just to the East of Pollington in 1947
Mick looked for evidence on maps of the route the railway had taken. Quite often tell tail signs of embankments and lines of trees give away an old route.
There’s the line of trees crossing the canal
Looking at old maps and then comparing them to Google satellite view we could trace out the route, joining the lines of trees and pale lines in fields.
Route just traceable
My wiggly line shows the route of the line through Gowdall to Drax.
An interesting bit of detective work to keep us busy.
Happy New Year
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 more day away from the boat, 1 new year, 3 of us in the house.
Writing a blog it’s interesting to see which posts seem to generate the most interest. WordPress and if I remember rightly Blogger give you information daily on views to your blog. How many views today, how many visitors, where people have come from and what if any links they have clicked on.
Thwaite Mill
Certain posts appear time and time again. Here on Oleanna the most popular post is about Thwaite Mills. This post usually gets at least one viewing a day and has stacked up 1442 viewings since I wrote it in March last year and in April this year it was viewed 151 times. This post was one of the first after we moved the blog to WordPress.
Pots of Putty
Thwaite Mills is an interesting place and very much worth a visit either by car or boat, although there is limited mooring. Here’s a link if you are interested. I suspect many views come from Google searches and not just to catch up on what we’ve been up to.
Magic
Lilllian’s blog has always been popular for the post regarding the Magic Roundabout in Hemel Hempstead, 170 views through the years since 2015. A small number of views in comparison. I think the photo of the road sign has been clicked on more times.
Lillian’s blog has had no posts posted since we handed her over to her new owners back at the end of June 2017. She normally has a trickle of views each week and sits low on the Waterways Ranking Site. So when I got a message from WordPress last week saying that her viewings were Booming! I was interested to see why.
But….what….how?!
Blimey they were Booming! On the 16th November there were 605 views by 476 visitors. What the!?! With 390 referrals from Google in a single day. Two posts were being viewed in particular, both regarding Emily Blagg.
Demolished house to make room for The Palace Theatre
Emily Blagg lived in Newark from 1887, she ran her own businesses, buying into a brick company and becoming a property developer, building houses for the local work force. She also built the local Kinema which was followed by The Palace Theatre. She then moved into producing metal pipework.
Built in 1920
Whilst we were in Newark during winter 2015/16, I did a bit of research into her and we visited several of the houses she’d built. The post Emily Blagg and The Polish has always been a popular post, but having 581 views in November out of the total of 629?!
I’ve had a look around Google to see if this November marks any anniversary for Emily Blagg but can’t find anything obvious. Maybe the interest was more to do with the Polish War graves, but pictures of Emily’s houses had been clicked on. Maybe there is a school or college doing research on Emily? Or maybe my Emily Blagg got confused with a more modern day lady who had hit the lime light for some other reason? Who knows? If you do please let me know.
Newarks War graves
All this interest in our old blog meant that Lillian gradually over the last week rose up the Waterway Ranking Site. I think she reached position 11 overall, beating this blog and many others. The 581 views are not reflected on the site as views are recorded in a different way than those on WordPress. Now that a week has passed since the mass interest Lillian’s blog will drop back down and go back to lurking towards the bottom of the ranks again. She’s already reached no 27.
Newark Cemetry
Apologies for this post, but as you know I do like numbers.
