Category Archives: Model making

Appointment With A Stranger. 19th June

Rowington Embankment to Cape of Good Hope Visitor Moorings

Up early again! Breakfasted and on our way just gone 7:30, we had about an hours cruise before we’d reach the top of the Hatton flight. Shrewley Tunnel was really quite wet, Mick had remembered his waterproof, I’d forgotten and got quite damp and chilly. Yesterdays rain had helped reduce the temperature so I soon popped on a fleece, knowing full well it wouldn’t stay on long.

Two people climbed off a hire boat at the end of the moorings above the flight. Were they just going to have a look at what lay ahead or were they about to set off? Would they have already picked up a boat to partner with? When they reached the lock they started to fill it, no sign of their boat following them, maybe they were just generous souls!

We checked to see if they were willing to share the flight with us, they were, but not sure when their boat would be arriving, the men were being tardy at pushing off, we could go ahead if we wanted to. Many hands make light work of the Hatton flight so waiting a few minutes would save many more minutes further on.

Philippa, Helen, Keith and Steve (?) were experienced hirers, out for two weeks. They’d already done the Avon Ring so had decided to use up their remaining days by descending Hatton, winding and returning tomorrow. The hire company had said that Birmingham was a bit grotty, so not to bother!

With three of us on the lock side I walked ahead to open up the next lock which was already full. I was also keeping an eye out for volunteers and a stranger. A volunteer was spied watching us from the bridge down the flight, then the blue and red vanished, maybe we looked as though we’d got everything sorted, we would do soon.

There was someone walking up the flight with purpose, could this be someone heading for a bacon butty at the cafe or might it just be the stranger I was looking for? She looked across at the boats in the lock, Oleanna tucked behind the ABC hire boat. We’d been a little bit early for our rendez vous and had jumped at the chance to share the flight. I called across, ‘Hello are you Jane?’ ‘Yes’, came the reply, ‘You must be Pip!’.

Jane is a colleague of my old college friend Emma who lives in Warwick. I’d messaged ahead a few days ago with the hope that we’d be able to meet up. Plans were put together and could they bring along their friend Jane who is wanting to buy a boat to live on. This then morphed into us having an extra pair of hands for the flight if we could do it on Monday morning. Never turn down the offer for assistance when faced with 21 broad locks!

Us ladies soon split up into two teams that would leapfrog each other down the flight. Philippa and Helen walked on down to the next lock to set it whilst Jane and I got chatting. I knew next to nothing about Jane other than she was keen to help today. She’d been on several holidays and earlier this year she’d done a helmsman course in Braunston where she learnt the normal things along with single handing and how to break ice! Therefore I didn’t have a novice on my hands.

On our way down we met two boats coming up, one with a couple of boys in blue assisting them, another had been helped up the first three but they were now on their own.

**Philippa and Helen waiting to open the lock**

Thankfully the sky was a touch cloudy, not too much to give concern, but enough to help keep the temperature down. Jane and I had a good old chat about all things boat, crafts, etc as we walked between locks and as we waited for Mick and Keith to bring the boats into our lock. We didn’t get chance to chat to Philippa or Helen as we were leapfrogging each other.

Mick checked to see if we required refreshments at the halfway point, but we were fine. Working every other lock with someone to chat away to makes for a less gruelling trip down the flight, certainly far far better than it just being the two of us, which we have done before.

Jane and I got to work the last lock of the flight, we maybe should have waited a touch longer before winding up our paddles so that Philippa and Helen could climb back on board with ease, instead they had to climb down a ladder, maybe they didn’t know about the steps down below the lock which would have been far easier.

There had been conversations at the helm of the hire boat that maybe Keith should swap with one of the ladies. This was turned down. The ladies were working the locks today, he and Steve were going to do them tomorrow, that’s if Steve has finished reading his book at the dinette by then.

We pulled over onto some armco and popped the kettle on. Some choc chip cookies had been freshly baked this morning, time for a well earned sit down for all of us.

Thank you so much Jane for joining us today, your enthusiasm for boats and the canals shone out, it was a pleasure having you as crew. I hope your house sale speeds up and then you can start in earnest to look for your boat and home. I hope our paths cross again soon.

The flight had taken us 2hours 22 minutes. Time to look back on previous passages. Back in 2013 (our first descent) we’d teamed up with another hire boat with six crew, today we’d beaten the 2 hours 30 minutes, in fact today was the fastest we’ve descended the flight. May 2016 was 3 hours 15 mins and February 2017 Mick managed the flight in 46 hours 34 mins due to my broken ankle and a storm holding us up for a day.

Todays time however didn’t beat our record which was when we teamed up with Nb Cygnet and had my brother and nephew as extra crew, when we managed to head up the locks in 2 hours 15 minutes. Maybe today if we’d not had to wait for the two up hill boats we’d have just beaten it.

We poolted on to around the corner almost opposite The Cape of Good Hope to moor for the day. Only one other boat when we arrived, but by the end of the day the moorings had filled up, including our locking partners from today, now ready to face the flight again tomorrow.

A jot of work this afternoon saw me go back through all the scenes of Panto, a few more notes taken and some of them worked through before it was time to freshen up and head to the pub.

Emma and her husband David had just arrived. It’s a couple of years since we last saw Emma and longer since we met David. Lots to catch up on and a lot of cat talk, they currently have seven in their house!

Normally I have a Kiwi Burger with a gluten free bun, but today I decided to try their gluten free option of fish and chips. Mick went to order our food, only to be told that the gluten free batter was made with beer. This isn’t that unusual as it’s normally made with gluten free beer, but today it sounded as if the gluten free batter would be made with normal beer, hence making it NOT gluten free! Maybe something was lost in translation, but it really didn’t make sense and as some of the first things I gave up because they weren’t agreeing with me were beer and fish and chips I really didn’t want to risk it. So instead I had one of their lovely burgers. At least I knew what I’d be getting.

A lovely evening with friends to end a good day at the locks.

21 locks, 6 miles, 1 hire boat with 4 crew, 1 inside, 1 valiant volunteer Jane, 0 volunteers to assist us, 1 super speedy descent, 3 cookies, 1 left, 4 hours shore leave, 1 model just about complete, 3 burgers, 1 fish fillet, 4 rustic chips, 7 beers, 2 glasses wine, 1 very lovely evening.

https://goo.gl/maps/mP6y1gKqNvkNi1VXA

Lush Green Narnia. 17th June

Dickens Heath Narrows to above Lock 6 Lapworth Flight

With a couple more hours on the flat today I got on with sorting out the coach for Cinderella whilst Mick popped on his waterproofs. Yes we had rain, but thankfully not too soaking.

A new improved version of the coach was drawn out to scale on a piece of thick paper and offered up into the model with all the relevant dressing for the scene. A reduction in width by 4inches would improve it’s look, but just how deep to make it? Will Cinderella’s dress be a big pouffy one that requires plenty of room so that she can sit down? In a usual setting for Cinderella this is likely to be the case, but in Chippy’s version set in Colombia, who knows? Well the costume designer may know. I chose a depth and then worked out how to make it in model form.

Mick pulled in at Lady Lane Wharf for a top up of diesel. £1.04 a litre considerably cheaper than in the centre of BUMingham. Mick also picked up a big bag of charcoal for £2.50, bargain, he should have got two!

Keeping an eye on where we were I managed to time my model making perfectly to have things that needed to dry with arriving at the lift bridges. The first one was so easily wound up, the last few turns of my windlass almost did themselves. This did however mean that something wasn’t quite in balance, so it was far harder to wind it back down.

A friendly soul had moored on the bridge landing, not too far to walk to the next bridge thankfully. Plenty of boats out on the hard for blacking at Swallow Cruises. The next bridge needs twice as many turns of a windlass, the amount of weight you are pulling up, or pushing down with the hydraulics is quite immense.

We’d been undecided as to where to moor today. Our schedule had us in the middle of the Lapworth flight, this could be tidged a bit either way. But neither place would be ideal. Should we crack on and complete the flight, or stop after the first four?

At Lock 2, Narnia Lock, we had a boat just leaving, a Calcutt Hire boat. If ever I get around to painting a mural in the top room of our house it will be based around Narnia Lock and the first time we came through it on NB Winding Down. I’ll just have to be creative in how I deal with the fireplace positioned centrally on the wall.

The next lock had a Canal Club boat just coming up, so all gates could be left.

We conferred. We’d do two more locks then moor up in the long pound before the thick of the flight. It was lunch time anyway.

I walked down to check if anyone was about to arrive below the two locks, one boat that had passed us this morning was just closing the bottom gates. I set the top lock then walked down to lift a paddle on the second one so that it could fill as we emptied the top one. I’d just started to empty the bottom lock as a boat showed itself heading towards us, no need to close the gates again.

**Someone’s going to have to climb the ladder**

Cowparsley and Hogweed are growing alongside each other in the next pound, thankfully not Giant Hogweed which you must keep away from as the sap causes blisters.

Tilly got to head off into the friendly cover, an extra instruction today, Please find your old collar! She was allowed an extension until 7pm, when her bum was wiggling ready for a pounce just by the back doors. Her preparation didn’t pay off, so it was easy to lure her inside for dingding.

The coach was finished and some lanterns added to my model. It’s just about ready for another look through the show, then hopefully I’ll be able to do sketch working drawings ready for quotes.

4 locks, 7 miles, 2 lift bridges, 0 held up, 5 hire boats, 4 hours stretched into 5, 1 coach, 7 lanterns, 5kg charcoal, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/1ap5ianWHtS1hGVQ7

G’day. 16th June

Sheepcote Street Bridge to Dicken’s Heath Narrows, Stratford Upon Avon Canal

Both awake early this morning, we decided to push over to the services and use the water tap before anyone arrived wanting to spend some money. We made use of the time and also had breakfast. Shortly before 9am we were ready to push off and leave BUMingham. I stood at the bow to check the way ahead was clear as we turned at Old Turn Junction towards Gas Street Basin.

Yellow seemed to be the colour of the day! As we came towards Broad Street Tunnel we had three antipodean gongoozlers taking our photo. Mick called out to them. ‘I won’t wish you good look! But I hope you have a Good Day’. What a shame to be leaving BUMingham on the first day of the Ashes Test Match. If only we’d looked for tickets when I first booked my dentist appointment!

Through Worcester Bar and onto the Worcester Birmingham Canal.

At Holliday Wharf I wondered if C&RT had got confused with their signage. A bucket with a lid means an Elsan point, a bucket with the lid hovering above means rubbish bins. The new blue sign suggests there are bins to the right, the door on the right has an old sign for an Elsan. I don’t recall there having been bins here before, there are some at the services near Cambrian Wharf. Hmmm? Too late to go and have a look.

**A few small thing to do here, not much**

I bobbed back below to get on with work. Time to put model pieces back in the model, take notes of things to alter, add, finish off. Not quite a side of A4, but small handwriting! Some big jobs like putting bits of model on sliders so that they don’t constantly fall over or require blue tack to hold them in position. Then easier jobs such as adding details to the floor and backdrop.

Mick warned of Edgbaston Tunnel, I made sure the lights were on. Then about half an hour later we were pulling in to moor in Selly Oak. Time to pick up our click and collect order from Sainsburys and also find a birthday card for my God Mother Betty.

We pushed off again, Mick at the helm and me trying to squeeze everything into the fridge. I almost succeeded, once we’d eaten tonight everything that required cooling was found a space in the fridge.

Past Bournville we were soon arriving at King’s Norton Junction. I bobbed out the front to check for oncoming boats. All clear. The toll house at the junction has had it’s wrappings removed this year after a fire caused damage a few years ago. Two chaps were busy replacing the pillars by the front door, they took a short break to watch us turn the corner before they got back on with making clouds of dust.

Through the guillotine stop lock. Who gave Tilly a spray can!!!

We pootled on to Soliull. The house we’ve watched through the years being transformed still has a scaff tower next to it, I wonder what’s happening now?

**Remember don’t try to open this bridge with your boat!**

Time to open Shirley Draw Bridge. I waited to let any arriving vehicles cross before starting the process. Of course a chap in a van couldn’t be bothered to wait, so crossed the bridge even thought the warning lights were flashing! No harm done, just annoying.

Three horses grazed the bank of the canal, their riders having a refreshing drink at the pub. We did think the diddy pony might just follow us along the towpath, but it was only after a rather tasty patch of grass.

It was sunny and time to stop for the day. We pulled in just after the rail bridge and narrows, some possible shade from trees. Just a shame the sun was on the wrong side of them!

Tilly headed off, making full use of her four hours shore leave. Mick listened to cricket and England declare late afternoon. I got on with model making jobs, only a short list of things left to do before I have another look at the model.

The boat heated up nicely during the afternoon, what a shame I’d decided to use up lots of things from the fridge in a tray bake, so the oven heated us all up some more. We really must get another mesh made for the stern doors, just need to finish designing panto first.

0 locks, 10.6 miles, 2 tunnels,1 right, 1 left, 1 full water tank, 1 wine cellar replenished, 1 far happier cat, 393 for 8 declared, 1 coach still to improve, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/zwL89cvK9Eg5TDbRA

Daddy Bear. 15th June

Sheepcote Street Bridge, BUMingham

A morning of work before heading up to the dentist. I am gradually doing my best to conquer my fear of dentists but today the sounds as I walked in through the door really didn’t help! From one of the two consulting rooms the sounds of a large bear retching echoed around the practice. The receptionist and I did our best to get words in edgeways for me to check in, then I was sent to the far waiting room. Selfishly I really hoped my appointment wouldn’t be held up, sitting waiting for a few minutes is bad enough, but with someone sounding so ill! What had they done to him?!

My dentist appeared carrying a cup off something, said hello and that he was just about ready for me. I hoped that was true. I’m not sure the cuppa was for the poor chap but if it was it certainly did the job, the noises ceased and my check up appointment went ahead on time. Followed by the hygienist, this was the chap I’d seen at my first appointment after lockdown, thankfully today the full Darth Vader mask isn’t required. All good, I could be on my way.

Lunch then a touch of shopping. We both required a few new items of summer clothing. It’s not worth spending too much on t shirts etc that may get covered in grease so we both planned a visit to Primark. Mick has a dodgy calf so was going to take the tram, I have dodgy legs which required a walk having been sat down for much of yesterday.

I returned with 2 t shirts and a new pair of shorts, whilst Mick only managed some floppy topped socks, nothing else took his fancy.

More work for me, some statues, crates and a few more ideas for the coach were scribbled into my sketchbook. Mick got on with setting up his new tablet and making himself Daddy Bear, at least this one didn’t growl!

Plenty of people were keeping The Distillery busy this evening. Orders for food being shouted across their open kitchen, timers sounding that dishes were ready to be served. Gradually the general hub hub of food switched to louder and louder music. Our TV had to be turned up for us to hear it. Mooring opposite a pub you expect it to be noisy, but we hadn’t expected quite such decibels on a Thursday. We did manage to watch, and hear, the first two episodes of Significant Other, a new comedy on Itv X. It may start off a little bleak but it is really quite funny. Hopefully we’ll get to the end of the series before our free trail ends.

0 locks, 0 miles, 9 retches at 101db, over 85db are harmful, 2 t shirts, 1 pair shorts, 3 pairs socks, 2 trams, 1 walk, 1 cat sooo bored of being hot in BUMingham pleading to move on. Don’t worry Tilly tomorrow!

More Than Just A Handful 14th June

Sheepcote Street Bridge

**The spiders have been busy overnight**

Our mooring here isn’t in the shade all the time, sun shines down on us until about 11am and then again in the late afternoon, thankfully these times coincide with the morning still being cool and then the temperatures starting to drop down. However this does mean that the solar panels are a touch redundant during the best part of the day, so unfortunately the engine had to be run for hot water and to top the batteries up.

Float switch, used to detect water in the bilge and turn the bilge pump on

Mick unwrapped the float switch, this was as close to being fitted as it was going to get today, he had more important things to do. The tablet I bought him five years ago has gradually been failing. First it was the detachable keyboard, then the screen cracked and then yesterday it ceased to turn on all together. A hunt round for a second hand tablet started.

So Mick caught a tram out to West Bromwich to visit Cex, he’d also hoped to get a new (to him) phone, but they didn’t have anything he fancied. There was a tablet that would do the job. He also paid a visit to Screwfix for a new mixer bar for the shower. I think this is now the third one we’ll have had, the current one doesn’t really like to mix the water anymore which is fine in the cooler months, but should you want a cool shower you’ve had it!

Across the way a few boats arrived to use the services. The pumpout can only be used up to 11:30, that is when the pub behind the service block opens. They must have had customer complaints.

I set to on trying to have a productive day model making. First extra greenery. Then I moved on to the scene where the Fairy Godmother casts her spell. I now needed to make a lot of bananas. All at 1 to 25 scale, or as close as I could manage.

I could have spent hours mixing up milliput (an epoxy modelling putty), rolling out individual bananas, then joining them together to make hands. As I was wanting to make hands that were still attached to their stem rather than bunches of fives, I decided on a different method which I hoped would be quicker and give the general idea.

Circles of foamboard were cut out, split in two. Then I cut the edges into a flower shape to represent the bananas. These were a touch too broad, you don’t really get bananas 5cm thick, but for my purpose they would do. These then got slotted onto cocktail sticks and bent in one direction. Once glued in position I then covered them in small pieces of tissue paper and pva glue, hoping to retain the shape whilst making them easier to paint and more sturdy. They do the job and give the idea.

I now need to work on the coach.

Tilly came and went every now and again. The occasional long stare came in my direction, I know she was willing us to move the outside. She’ll just have to wait a day or two. Plenty more boats arrived today, so maybe we didn’t miss a memo.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trams, 1 flat switch, 1 tablet, 1 mixer, 1 shower head, 400 plus bananas, 1 bench, 1 tea chest, 3 crates.

The Shady Winding Weedy Route, Or The Straight Sunny One? 13th June

Wolverhampton Off side mooring to Sheepcote Street Bridge Moorings, BCN Main Line

Mick woke early and was getting dressed at 6am, Tilly and I stayed in bed hoping we’d be able to sleep a little longer. We managed about twenty minutes more but were aware all the time of the covers being rolled up and the bow being pushed out. We were on our way just before 6:30am.

Time to get on with work, we’d be stopping for breakfast at some point. Research first, what should THE clock look like? Would there be Grecian statues in a Colombian garden? Would it matter, it is panto after all? I remembered to have the lights on for going through the tunnels today, nothing worse than getting so far drawing something out and having to stop and wait for the sun to come back out. I’d rather the sun didn’t go out in the first place! Where’s it going out to?

**Today’s studio along with the usual assistant**

The smell of fresh morning came through the hatch. Then the sound of the engine finding it harder to move Oleanna. We’d reached the narrows by the house where weed always seems to collect. No point in clearing the fowled prop until we were through it all. Mick struggled on until we’d cleared the worst of it then pulled us almost to the side, turned the engine off to see how much was round the prop.

Time to replace the floor in my model box. I’ve been using the one from last year to mark positions of things, but I’d grown bored of looking at cobbles, I’m still undecided as to quite what the floor should look like this year, having it white will help.

At Factory Junction Mick made the discission to go right, so far his plan was to follow the Old Main Line which is more wiggly, but likely to be more weedy. In Tipton we pulled in to the water point and refilled our tank whilst having breakfast, hopefully no-one would arrive wanting to top up as we ate our cereal. Mick cleared the prop again just as a chap walked by saying ‘Welcome to Tipton’.

Left as the temperatures started to rise, it was 10am now. Mick would see how the weed was before making his final decision on the route into Birmingham. If it was bad he’d drop down Brades Hall Locks, if not he’d stay on the flat. A peek out the hatch suggested the weed situation had improved, we’d be staying on the flat.

Changing the floor to white card also means the steps into the auditorium needed to go white. I could remake them, or just recover them, they got recovered.

Staying on the flat meant a slower pace but a good stretch of the canal sits directly under the M5 meaning there was a good stretch of shady canal to cruise. A beep on the horn as we neared Oldbury Locks Junction, just in case someone was about to pull out.

At about 11:30 we saw the first moving boat, zooming along in the shade towards us. Tilly and I held onto my model box as Oleanna tilted over. Over the top of the New Main Line, right at Spon Lane Junction, staying in the shade for a while longer.

Just gone midday we were back out in the sunshine only to duck into the dark for the summit tunnel. Time to get a handcuff key out and be ready for action.

The three Smethwick Locks were just about in our favour a touch of topping up required but not much. I walked ahead to open gates at the next lock whilst Mick lifted a paddle to start emptying the lock above. By the bottom pound was a large creche of geese, the youngsters all different ages. I ended up walking past the hissing guards three times. No matter how many times I told them I didn’t want to hurt their babies, they still hissed at me!

On the bottom lock the top gate says No 10, on the bottom gate No 3 ?

Left at the junction and then straight on, past loops to the north and south. My steps were now dry, time to get on with thickening up arches and making the clock.

In the centre of Birmingham the mooring time limits are soon to be altered for a trial period. The majority of moorings right in the centre are currently 2 days with a few 14 days and an ambiguous stretch which suggested it was both. After a consultation they will be trying out new 4 day moorings, Cambrian Wharf will be Leisure Moorings (so no visitors), the not so central moorings will all be 14 days. This all sounds rather good to us. Our visit this time will be for three days, some shade would be nice so that we’d not be cooking inside all day. We pulled in opposite The Roundhouse, a 14 day mooring and shade by 1:30pm.

Lunch, then time to head off to the art shop Cass Art for some card. The walk got a touch confusing when I spotted that the hoardings in the city centre had moved yet again and now Victoria Square, the large area in front of the Art Gallery and Museum was cordoned of and being repaved. Thre was also a horse playing a keyboard. Just after I’d put my camera away it reached for a bottle of water and started to drink, a better photo opportunity missed.

I found my way to where I wanted to be and a rack of mountboard sat waiting. Time to find the least damaged sheets in the rack, I hate dinted corners! I also purchased some new drawing pens and a set of very fine paint brushes. The shades of green paint didn’t quite say rainforest to me or they were really quite expensive, I didn’t need them just yet so they can wait.

My walk back to Oleanna took me up the last few locks on the Farmers Bridge flight, one boat going down another moored on the lock landing one lock from the top. Cambrian Wharf was just about empty and only three boats sat outside the Sealife Centre, not one boat moored on Oozells Street Loop. Is there something we don’t know? Why is Birmingham soo empty of boats?

Today we’d reached Bumingham a day ahead of schedule, this is our forth destination met so we decided to head out for something to eat to celebrate. Everywhere with outside seating was bustling. We headed to Barajee the Indian Restaurant that straddles Broad Street Tunnel. With only being one chap eating we were given the best table in the house, overlooking Gas Street Basin. How different this whole area must have looked before it was opened up to the outside world and redeveloped. One gate used to open into Gas Street and most of the bridges near the Sealife Centre didn’t exist, neither did the Sea Life Centre or the Lego giraffe! We thought about Manchester Castlefield Basin, what a shame it doesn’t have a similar feel, open to visitors, places to moor, numerous cafes etc. It used to be better but now mooring there is hard for visitors.

3 locks, 14.1 miles, 2 rights, 2 lefts, 9 straight ons, 2 overs, 1 full water tank, 2 weed hatch visits, 1 new floor, 1 white set of treads, 1 clock, 2 sheets card, 6 brushes, 6 pens, 2 poppadums, 2 mains, 1 side, 2 rice, 2 glasses wine, 4th destination achieved, 1 resigned cat.

https://goo.gl/maps/UFGC19oyVvVpAhkq9

Fewer Distractions Please. 11th June

Cowley Double Road Bridge to Pendeford Bridge 4

**What a lovely mooring shame we can’t stay**

A slight change of schedule has increased the hours we need to cruise so an early start was needed. The alarm was set and after making a cuppa we pushed off a little after 7am with mugs in hand. There soon appeared a boat behind us, it felt as if we’d pushed out in front of them so Mick pulled over to let them past as soon as we reached the first straight.

I headed below aiming to spend much of the day model making. Being on the flat should make it easy to concentrate, yesterday this hadn’t proved to be the case as there were so many places I wanted to see. Today I had to do better!

I finished pieces for the hallway scenes and then got on with the additions for the Ugly Sisters boudoir scene for when they are getting ready for the ball or in this case the Carnaval.

We pootled onwards. After an hour and a half we’d reached Wheaton Aston. Diesel at Turners would have been 83.9p a litre, but sadly it being early and a Sunday meant they were closed, no top up today. Pigs on the far side of the winding hole already seemed to have had enough for the day, all covered in mud and very much horizontal.

The boat we’d let overtake us was waiting at the lock as another boat came down, the world waking up and being on the move. We were soon on our way up and heading along the next tree lined straight.

A message was sent to sisters, we were following a slow boat, we’d be late for the Geraghty zoom. Bouncy castles, flag poles and little crevice flowers featured today. At last it was time for breakfast, too hot for the full works but Mick made us both a bacon and mushroom butty to keep us going.

As we pushed off again two old planes came circling overhead, a Messerschmitt and a Hurricane maybe, or a Spitfire, RAF Cosford air show today, maybe we’d see more planes. We pootled in towards Brewood timing our arrival very well to slot into a gap just before other boats arrived hoping to do the same. Have to say some of the boats there look like they have settled in nicely on the 2 day mooring!

Shopping was required so we walked into the village to stock up on nice things for lunch. A sit down with a Sunday newspaper was requested by Mick before standing at the helm for a while longer today.

The temperature continued to rise as I headed into the rainforest and gardens of Cinderella. Rostra archways and the front cloth all getting attention.

Before we got too close to the urban areas around Autherley Junction we were wanting a mooring. Mick peeked over the hedge at the first possible candidate, far too risky for an enquiring feline mind, we carried on. Every now and then Mick would attempt to pull in, every time the Shropie shelf or silt would have other ideas. Running out of the rural setting we made do with a gap between us and the bank, no need for tyre fenders we were sat on the bottom.

***You’d have thought after all these years of boating they’d be able to tie the outside up properly!***

The Red Arrows gave us a display, a little bit too far away and looking towards the sun made it hard to see them. Several other planes went over head throughout the afternoon.

Blimey it got muggy, we’d thought of having a barbeque but with the bank being a gap away from the boat we decided against it, the defrosted salmon and a red pepper could be cooked onboard instead, just as the heavens opened and thunder rumbled over head. Rain bounced on the roof and came in through the bathroom mushroom vent, a little disconcerting being dripped on whilst brushing your teeth!

1 lock, 10.7 miles, 3 moorings, 3 cheeses, 2 meat, 1 pate, 2 scenes solved, 3 hours, 8 red arrows? 55meg, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/CHqQhDLfZiA9r5nV9

Growling In The Dark. 5th June

Little Leigh Aqueduct to Croxton Flash

There was a wait to enter Saltersford Tunnel, entry between 30 and 50 minutes past the hour if heading south easterly. We tucked in behind another boat admired the tree carving by the mooring and had quite a chat until Tilly was spotted in a window by their greyhound! What a noise!! Their poor dog had to be put inside where Tilly was out of sight and out of mind.

A third boat joined the queue and at bang on 11:30 we all set off, as we’d be heading further we were waved ahead to lead position. Tunnel mode engaged we wound our way through the tunnel where no light can be seen at the far end for quite a while, an S bend brings it into view and then out again. Behind us the thump thump of the following boats started to echo along the arched roof.

Nobody was waiting at the other end and we sailed across the open section to reach Barnton Tunnel. This tunnel doesn’t have a timed entry as you can see through it, however to be able to see through it you have to have your bow almost in the portal with someone stood on the bow. I made my way through Oleanna to do just that, Tilly excitedly following me as it might just be shore leave time!

A ray of light caught a cowparsley head just by the portal mimicking a tunnel light of an oncoming boat. Then I got a glimmer of light from the far end of the tunnel, it was clear. Thumbs up to Mick at the stern, I retreated back into the bedroom. The sound of Tilly’s bell could be heard at close quarters, the last thing I wanted to happen was for her to jump ship. We find growling at her a good deterrent and tends to stop her in her tracks, maybe we are the bigger cat in such situations. No! You just sound so stupid!

As we were approaching the far end a bow came into view, a day boat with plenty on board and their tunnel light shining in front of them. A beep on the horn saw them engage reverse gear pulling back from the entrance. ‘There’s at least another two boats coming through behind us’.

The canal now does a 90 degree turn under a road bridge, a boat came towards us. I popped to the bow to check for anyone else, the way ahead was clear. Buoys still mark the landslip at Soot Hill that occurred in December 2021, single file boats only.

The occasional glimpse across the Weaver Valley to new housing, then the more familiar factories. We remembered our first time here on a hire boat, Bergen Fjord, was that for Mick’s 50th birthday? There were so many boats moored that it felt like we had to walk for miles to get to see the Anderton Boat Lift. Our original plan for this year would have had Oleanna descend the lift and cruise the River Weaver, a stretch of water she’s not been on before (we’ve only done a small section on our shareboat) and ticking off the last Wonder of the Waterways.

An earlier than thought rendez vous was made just by the lift waiting moorings. NB Halsall was there waiting her turn for the lift, ahead of schedule she’d be heading down onto the Weaver a day early. We pulled alongside and got to meet Rachel, it’s been three years since we had a diesel fill from Halsall. 68 litres at £1.09 today. We know we’d be able to fill up cheaper somewhere else but it’s good to support the coal boats all year round as they are a god send in the winter months.

Next stop, the services block. Two boats were already pulled in. One turned out to be a hire boat the holiday makers just emptying themselves back into their camper van! What a good use of a water point in a busy place. We tucked in behind them, just clear of the entrance into the marinas. Soon there were four boats and more passing by. Eventually the hire boat was moved away.

**Maybe the rust now holds this together**

Lunch was enjoyed on the move as we passed Lions Salt Works, well worth a visit. Then it was time for me to go to work. The Town Square scene flats were cut out with basic details. What looks like it may work on paper doesn’t always work in 3D, especially when using false perspective. New lines were drawn, bits cut off, flats changed sides, more new lines drawn. When I was just about happy with shapes and sizes I found enough card to remake the flats, drawing full designs on them. Just the town clock to adjust now.

Meanwhile up on deck Mick brought Oleanna through the boat yard before the chemical works, three abreast chocka with boats. Then under the bridges carrying chemicals above boaters heads.

The quantity of traffic and moored boats suggested we’d be extreamly lucky to find a mooring for us at Bramble Cuttings. Three boats already sat there enjoying the picnic tables, Tilly would have to wait a while longer.

**Not enough room for us at Bramble Cuttings**

When were we last here? 2020, we must have wanted to go to Middlewich tip and then carried on finding space here, Mick got drenched. A day later we winded and headed back through Middlewich and up the Cheshire Locks to the Macclesfield Canal. It takes us a while now to remember such things.

Maybe by Croxton Flash we’d get a space? A boat was occupying the mooring we’d thought of. The chap on NB Stahl called out having been a reader of the blog, glad you found it useful.

Just round the bend was a space and someone had flattened the long grass beside the towpath, there’d be enough room for a barbecue. Tilly enjoyed herself, returning to use the onboard facilities and for her evening dingding, which did mean she was inside when we were outside.

Salmon with ginger, lemon and soy sauce was accompanied by veg kebabs and some Jersey Royals.

0 locks, 11.2 miles, 2 tunnels, 2 mysterons, 1 full tank of diesel, 1 full tank of water, 1 annoying pick up and drop off hire boat, 3 flats re-re-done, 1 barbecue that may need retiring at the end of this summer, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/aZETkkBg7nKQP4hJ9

Bang On Time. 4th June

George Greaves Bridge to Little Leigh Aqueduct 205, Trent and Mersey Canal

Waking early with plenty of sunshine streaming in through the windows along with the weekly Geraghty zoom this morning meant there was ample time for Mick to cook breakfast, back to the usual standards today.

Zoom topics included relocating snails, foxes relocating shoes, a green soft top Ford Consul and which was quicker the Bakerloo or Northern line?

The covers were ready for a speedy departure, pushing off at 11am. Ahead lay Preston Brook Tunnel which is open to southbound boats from 30 to 40 minutes past the hour. Did we have enough time to reach it before the next window had expired?

Not too many moored boats to slow our progress. Midland Chandlers is closed on Sundays so a new float switch couldn’t be purchased, that will have to wait a while longer. A boat coming from the tunnel towards us carried on at a narrow section, we had to hold back a touch, didn’t the chap know we had only a few minutes to spare and he was rapidly using them up!

Thankfully we made it to the northern portal just as the clock reached 11:30, bang on time!

With life jackets on, big torch at the stern, head light on and cabin lights too we went straight in leaving the Bridgewater Canal behind. *It’s been a while since we’ve been through Preston Brook Tunnel, in fact we can’t quite remember when it last was, have to check the blog. Thankfully it wasn’t too wet.

As we popped out the southern portal a line of boats were sat waiting for their turn, five in total. There was nobody behind us, but the lead boat was going to wait a few more minutes before setting off.

Preston Brook stop lock was left open for us. A height difference of about 2inches, the water flowing over the top of the top gates. Blimey these small gates were a touch hard to move, considering their small size they were rivalling some of the gates at Wigan.

Time to get back to work for me. Model making equipment had been dug out from under the dinette before we pushed off this morning. Now to pull out some white mount board and get started. I thought I’d checked my stocks and seen a full sheet of white and a good amount of black, but someone had already used at least a third of each! Oh! Would I have enough to make the basics?

Careful cutting was required and I had just enough white card for every bit of model including a front cloth. But should I change my mind and need to remake anything (which is quite likely) I may well be short. It may be a week before I can restock my card supplies as Middlewich doesn’t have an art shop! Eek!!

Being slightly ahead of our schedule meant we’d not be needing to do the full four hours cruise today. We carried on past where we were meant to stop for the day and found a sun puddle to sit in quarter of an hour away from Saltersford Tunnel. Here our solar could keep topping up the batteries for a bit and Tilly could have a very good afternoon, Good Afternoon! See you later.

I managed to get the majority of my initial white card model made, just the Town Square left for tomorrow then I can put it all in the model box and see what needs altering and if I need more card sooner rather than later.

1 lock (if you can call it that!), 6 miles, 1 straight on, 2 canals, 1272 yards of tunnel, 2 mysterons, 5 waiting, 1 basic white card nearly done, 0.75 sheet of card, 5 hours shore leave, 64 instead of 68 stitches.

*We last went through Preston Brook Tunnel in May 2019.

https://goo.gl/maps/jpmeLbiw1uhQXMwU8

Firmware and Footwear. 5th April

Goole/Scarborough

Last Fridays post was filled with woolly goodies. Two more Independent dyers had sent me some yarn for my sockathon. What kindness! The two parcels together most probably had enough yarn for 14 pairs of socks. Thank you so much to Jem (Under The Olive Tree) and Beth (Beehive Yarns) for your generous and wonderful support.

I had a day out to Leeds to visit the Hello Stranger Yorkshire exhibition. Lots of photos from shows over the last four years and how the pandemic was coped with and how the industry has changed since. Designers were invited to add their details to a map of Yorkshire. One colour string showed where Yorkshire designers lived, the other where people from outside Yorkshire have worked. As I fitted into both categories and neither I decided to have both colours of string on my label.

I made sure my return to the station included the wonderful markets and the Exchange. Must remember all that fish when we pass through Leeds in a few weeks time!

Saturday morning started with me casting on the first pair of socks. These were to be knitted in yarn that I had bought for the challenge, matching the logo colours of @dementia-uk. In the post that morning I received a card from their Fundraising Officer wishing me luck, what a lovely touch, especially hand written, my sister-in-law would approve.

So far I’ve managed to knit a sock a day, that’s an average of 8 hours clicking a day. I go to stretch my legs each day so that my natural posture doesn’t take to being a seated one. The occasional move from one chair to another also helps. Podcasts are listened to when I’m going round in circles and we’ve taken to watching an episode of Downton Abbey each day, starting from the very beginning. We may have to up to two episodes a day as there are 50 in total. Blimey some of those servants are really really horrible!

Mick has been seeking out new insurance quotes for Oleanna. For some reason our renewal quote from GJW had gone up whilst reports on social media suggest other peoples have gone down. Craftinsure are by far the cheapest for both contents and the boat, however some things are not covered such as laptops. Why are they so much cheaper? How are they so much cheaper? Do they pay out without hassle if you need to claim? All questions Mick is seeking the answers to before we commit ourselves to a new policy.

The days, weeks and months are ticking away. Time to visit Oleanna and give her engine a run, check her over and now that we have a date we need to be back on the boat for, give notice on our mooring. Mick took the train down to Goole an easy and familiar ride now, whilst I sat on the sofa knitting.

The daffodils at Oleanna’s stern are long past their best and the scraped paintwork turning orange on the gunnels shows that she hasn’t moved anywhere for sometime. Hopefully there will be time to give things a good rub down and repaint before too long.

Mick sent me a photo looking out through the new window in the pram cover. A vast improvement from the old one which not only had holes in it but had become a touch white making the view a bit foggy. The boat opposite our bow has had a change of name, a very wise change by Lisa.

Mick ran the engine and went to see Laird and also had a catch up with Alastair. Sadly Viking Marina are out of diesel at the moment, so the tank still hasn’t had a fill. Then it was time for Mick to plug the laptop into Oleanna’s brain and give the inverter a firmware update. This new version means we can control the charging of the lithium batteries more, especially when the temperatures are really low which lithium’s do not appreciate.

**Daffodils and gunnels past their best!**

With everything locked up, Mick headed back to the station with the intention of being back in Scarborough to eat with me before I headed out for the evening. Sadly there were problems on the tracks. A vehicle had run through both barriers of a level crossing at Gilberdyke. This meant all trains had to run slowly and that Mick’s train which normally would have continued on to Scarborough stopped in Hull.

The next train northwards followed a slow train and by the time it had reached Bridlington it itself had been cancelled as the train behind had just about caught it up! In all it took Mick four hours to return to Scarborough by which time I’d cast on the toe of sock 5 and decided to give myself an evening off. Spent at the Bike and Boot with old female friends I used to work with at the SJT. It was very nice to see every one in the flesh, many I’ve only seen on zoom get togethers over the last few years and those have gradually petered out.

**The Chippy model box waiting for me to be creative**

Another parcel has arrived at the house. The empty model box for Chippy Panto, all ready for me to start designing. It made sense for it to come here, rather than us trying to guess where to get it sent to in a months time.

For those wanting to know what panto will be this year, I can now confirm it will be ‘Cinderella’. But not just any old Cinderella, this one will be set in Latin America! So the music will most certainly be toe tapping. Sadly the budget won’t stretch to a visit to South America for research purposes, the internet will have to do!

The Sockothan continues and if I continue at the current rate then I should manage to beat last years pairs by several! Thank you so much to those near and far (Hello Canada!) who have sponsored me. Thank you also to those who’ve requested socks. All socks on my list are guaranteed to be knitted in April so make sure you’ve made your donation on the JustGiving website. I may be opening the challenge up for more sock requests in a weeks time, so if you feel you missed out first time around you’d best keep an eye on the blog.

https://www.justgiving.com/page/pip-leckenby-1677835197682?utm_source=copyLink&utm_medium=one_page&utm_content=page/pip-leckenby-1677835197682&utm_campaign=pfp-share&utm_term=24d4cbd0b51e43b6b706a2a67292be11

So much yarn, 5 socks, 5 days, £100 cheaper, 2 barriers, 1 notice given, 1 inverter updated, 8 hours each, 67% of target, 1 evening off, 6 old friends, 1 slightly numb bum, 2 circular needles, 9 years of boat ownership!

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna