Category Archives: Narrowboat Maintenance

All Boxed Up.14th October

Redhill Marina / Scarborough

Lemsips all round this morning! Oh well. No sitting about feeling sorry for ourselves there was more packing to do. Whilst we emptied the galley cupboards and drawers Tilly just took it easy on the sofa by the stove, the cosiest place on the boat. Breakables were taken out of cupboards and put in drawers, cupboards taped shut just incase they open when Oleanna comes out of the water. Yellow water was delt with once we’d found out where the elsan was. We were directed to a skip for our rubbish, no separating things out here!

There was more on top of the hatch

We’d just about finished packing when Mark arrived in a van from Scarborough. Mark is an old school friend of Micks. After Mick’s stroke Mark had said if there was anything he could do to help…..well he could drive a van for us to move back to the house. He’d picked the van up yesterday and set off early to drive down to meet us.

Galley packed up

A cuppa was turned down, loading of the van started immediately. Mick and Mark relayed items to the van, once the stern was clear I then passed more items out to be loaded. Mark had arrived at about 11am, the van was loaded in under an hour.

It’s not my turn yet is it?!

There were two things left for us to do. Pack Tilly’s possessions and clean her pooh box, then pack Tilly herself. But first we needed to wind Oleanna, her last move under power. It was a good job we’d not been ready to do this earlier as there was a new section of pontoon that had been put into the river from the slipway this morning, attached to a small tug. This had drifted with no one on board across towards the boom where there is a loop round of the river which is used as moorings. Two chaps headed off and returned with a narrowboat to perform a rescue mission for the tug and pontoon section. Lots of swinging round until they caught it and got it all headed up stream.

Mick and Mark at the stern

We were now clear to wind, the river just wide enough for us to get round, we were soon tied back up, we didn’t want to risk drifting away!

Bow facing the slipway

Last jobs done. I ran through the check list of heading to Scarborough things. Water pump off, the tap from the water pump turned off, all taps left on, shower lying in the shower tray. Gas turned off at the bottles. Everything that has caused a return journey to Oleanna in previous years was ticked off. One last thing, put Tilly in the cat caravan.

That’s me all boxed up then!

Have to say she’d been expecting it, after all her life afloat had been packed before her eyes. Not too much of a kerfuffle into the caravan. Then it was time for her to say goodbye to Oleanna, next time the two of them see each other Oleanna will be a different colour and very shiny.

We crowbarred ourselves into the van, a larger one might have been a better idea, but we had what we had. Tilly wouldn’t agree, but she most probably had the most space for her body size out of all of us. Mick and I squashed up with the cat caravan on my knee.

At 12:30 we were saying goodbye to the cooling towers. Well Driver Tom turned the outside with us in it the wrong way! He blamed it on Tom!! Soon corrected we were heading for the M1 and the north. First service station we had a pause to sort Tilly out. Then she lasted really quite well all the way to the Wolds. I was about to start praising her, she’d been quite quiet and had managed to lie down for much of the way, when she obviously wasn’t happy. A second pit stop was required. It’s that bloomin wiggly Wolds outside, up and down, side to side! I’m surprised no-one else was ill. Just think of those poor Shes and Toms who live in it all the time!!

Now to unpack!

There was space outside the house for the van. Tilly and I headed inside to sort her out first whilst Mick and Mark emptied the van. At 3:30 they headed off to return the van and leave Tilly and myself to check the house over.

Our last lodgers had left the house nice and tidy and clean, just the showers really to give the once over. No need to head to the theatre with any of their possessions either. The last couple of years we’ve come back to a LOT of malt vinegar. This year it’s toilet roll and green peas. We’ve 2 part opened bags of peas, 1 brand new bag and another which is a selection of veg, including peas. When checking our supermarket delivery this evening frozen peas were deleted, I think it’ll be a while before we run out.

Our bed was made up, our dirty washing added to bed linen filling the utility room. Bags moved to relevant parts of the house, some even managed to be unpacked. Without a vehicle we couldn’t get ourselves some fish and chips this evening. We looked at another chippy closer to home, but they weren’t open tonight. In the end we opted for a curry which with delivery worked out to be 11p cheaper than if we’d gone into the restaurant for a meal.

Yummy!

So that’s us back at the house for winter, Oleanna will come out of the water tomorrow, to await her repaint. So as seems now to be the norm, the blog will be quiet unless there is something boaty related to relay to you. There will be Panto postcards though, they’ll start in just over a couple of weeks, but I suspect there will be a post before then after all we’ve not fully winterised Oleanna yet.

That outside’s gone golden since I last saw it.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 full boat, 2, 1 half empty boat, 1 full van, 1 winded boat, 1 wrong way, 1 meowing Tilly, 2 comfort breaks, 1 full dinning room, 1 take away, 2 glasses of wine each, 1 boat collar swapped for a house collar, 1 Tilly back in town, 1 big Thank You to Mark.

Fizzing Sinks. 12th October

Trent Junction

Trent Junction was shrouded in mist this morning. It got worse as the hours went on, the sailing club opposite becoming a misty blurr by mid morning. No rush to do anything today. Mick was still snotty, but improving and so far, fingers crossed I’ve not succumbed to it. Papers were read in bed as the white mist enveloped more of our view.

Not much of a view this morning

Brandy snaps, Potato bobbing, underpass trees, contrary jasmine and frying pan discipline were subjects on the Geraghty zoom. Some people had views of the sky, others didn’t.

Chicken sausage sarnies for breakfast, not as good as a pork banger, but a more healthy treat from the freezer.

Fake roses coming out of my ears

I spent much of the morning going through what flora we’d be needing for panto. So many roses and after the near mutiny a couple of weeks ago I’m hoping there will be enough money in the budget for what we need. I put together a long email with links and off it went to the Production Manager, fingers crossed.

Over the weekend Chippy posted a video across their social media with quite a nice view of my model.

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1D8BXXUZQ1

Emails about props started whizzing around again today, so hopefully things will get cracking.

Fizzing away

Oleanna’s sinks needed some attention, a clean out of the pipes. A few days ago I bought some bicarb of soda and white vinegar. Reading up about it, you pour the bicarb down the plug hole, then add a similar quantity of vinegar. Pop the plug in and leave it for a while before rinsing everything through with a kettle of boiling water.

Berry berries

I had a go at the bathroom sink first. The bicarb took a bit of persuading to go down the plug, then adding the vinegar created an expected frothing, plug in quickly. I then took the shower plug to bits, cleared out all my hair, then did the bicarb and vinegar trick. This of course on the shower would only reach the section before the gulper pump. It was left to fizz, hoping it was doing what it’s meant to.

Alongside Long Eaton Lock

An hour later I returned to the bathroom, kettle poured down the plug hole and pump turned on. Well I’m not convinced it’s done much other than a chemical reaction, but it was fun watching the frothing!

The end of Harrington Mill from the footbridge

Time for a walk, somewhere I’d not been recently. I opted to walk up the Erewash to Long Eaton Lock. Here a footbridge spans the canal, but to reach it you have to literally walk around the houses to find it. Along Milner Road are a series of single story mills. These mills superseded the larger multistoried lace factories that are across the canal. The large factories were driven by steam and had built in fire breaks and staircases on the outer walls should a fire break out. These smaller factories from around 1903 had DC powered motors to drive the machinery.

Across the bridge into West Park. This is a huge park which gradually expanded through the decades, it started off at 17 acres in 1905 and by 1949 it had expanded to 127 acres. Long Eaton is prone to flooding, so the park is used as a flood plane capable of holding 67 million gallons of flood water which can then be slowly released into the Trent. The flood banks make for a nice walk around the southern side of the park.

I then walked down snickets (ginnels, alleyways). More factories passed and quite a selection of graffiti, the best artist being Soap. Then down towards the river across fields close to Sawley. I chanced walking across the golf course, only one shout of FOUR! I think aimed at me, I had waited quite a while and hoped to be out of all possible areas of golf balls. I didn’t get hit, so that was fine.

Time not quite blown away yet

Back along the river bank to Trent Lock, the cooling towers looking quite majestic in the lowering sunshine. I came across an article the other day in the AJ about them. The Twentieth Century Society had applied for them to be listed, but sadly their application was denied.

What a view

Back at Oleanna there were more props emails to look at whilst I put together a roast pork slop, the last left over pork, onion, red pepper, mushrooms, and tomatoes, brought up to heat and then popped on the stove top. A long chat with Lizzie up in Crick and then the final episode of Blue Lights was watched. Now just have to catch up on Bake Off and start Riot Women.

Sun setting at Trent Lock for the last time this year

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 slow morning, 3 freelancers emailing away, 300 plus roses, 26 garlands, 1 box tissues blown, 2 sinks fizzed, 1 not so bothered cat, 99 minutes brisk walking, 1 nearly empty freezer, 1 last cooling tower sunset.

Kind Tissues. 11th October

Trent Junction

I took over the tea making duties this morning, one mug actually being Lemsip. The fire was stoked up and a shopping list put together. Mick stayed in bed for a snooze, I headed out to stock up on tissues that would be kind to noses and more cold drugs, plus a Saturday newspaper.

Space!

A couple of boats had moved off this morning from above Trent Lock, they’d been there on the 2 day mooring with all the other boats for getting on for at least two weeks. Maybe we’d move up ourselves, but with Mick full of cold we opted to stay put. Tilly stayed by the stove all morning but ventured out later on.

Samuel Clegg’s Arts and Crafts house, click photo for more info

I’d got boat jobs on my list for today, but with a snoozing Mick I postponed them until he was awake in the afternoon. Yesterday when mooring up I felt like something was missing. Where was the rosemary plant? We’d had it when mooring up at County Hall Steps as it got moved into the cratch to avoid being blown away by Storm Amy. Neither of us remembered moving it to get the hook up cable out from a welldeck locker when in the marina. Where had it gone? Maybe one of us had lifted it out of the cratch for some reason, or maybe an opportunist had picked it up when we’d stopped for soup the other day. That’s two plants down this year, the Thyme hadn’t liked being in Leeds and totally gave up when I re-potted it. Have to put some herbs on my Christmas list!

I’ve used this outside all up now, can I have a new one?

More links came through for pieces of furniture for panto, then some light fittings. Some perfect chairs and a choice of tables. Then a very long email from the props maker who has been very quiet since our four hour long meeting a few weeks ago. They’ve not got started yet for one reason or another, which is a touch worrying. But then they are only contracted to do a weeks work prior to rehearsals starting. I’m really hoping props don’t become bum squeakingly worrying!

The latest trailer for panto is out with a nice view of my model in it. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1D8BXXUZQ1

That view is rubbish!

With Mick now up and about, blowing his nose still, I could get on with the autumn job of cleaning the window frames out. Normally this requires a touch of gardening as seeds green things have taken hold, but today there were only a couple of blades of grass. The fluffy strip the glazing sits on normally is quite gunky, however since the summer has been so dry this was not the case.

Extra ventilation

Each window came out, had a good clean on both sides. The grooves they sit in were hoovered and washed out and then the most important job making sure all the drain holes were clear. Ten year old cotton buds are bent to get through all the holes. It’s amazing just how much York silt we still had on the starboard side. Tilly got a touch confused when one window was lying on the sofa, The view wasn’t as good as I remembered it!

Stir fried chicken with noodles, followed by crumble and custard. The next pair of socks are nearly completed.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 cold Mick, 1 newspaper, 2 boxes tissues, 2 lemsips, 49 brisk minutes, 7 windows cleaned, 2 kitchen still to do, 1 level mooring required, 2 chairs, 1 table, 1 flurry of emails.

Strop And Crow Bar.2nd October

Stoke Lock

Containers of oil and stuff and things

Mick cleared the engine bay before breakfast, anything that might get in the way was put on the bank. A phone call from Kane with his ETA came at just gone 9am and his satnav was pretty much spot on as he walked up to Oleanna at 10:25, a big crow bar in his hand and other tools and a new drive plate in his rucksack.

Engine held by strop and crowbar

He set to work removing the gear box to gain access to the old drive plate. This all took a while. Before the last bolts were removed he passed a strop around the engine and suspended it all from his crowbar which was positioned on our stern lockers. Inside I could hear just about everything, as the last bolt was removed I could hear the engine slump just a touch into the strop.

A new version

Inside I got on with re drawing the gates for Panto. Once scanned it was sent off to Jamie to see what he made of it. I didn’t hear back from him today. I then turned my attention to a logo that is needed for the show, an adjustment of a very well known brand logo was needed. This was done and shared. Not many little jobs left to do on my to-do list.

Gear box removed

Outside work progressed. The drive plate was removed. Yes it had been the culprit, not that you can see that easily without moving it. Time for a cuppa and for Kane to stretch his legs. His estimate the other day of three hours to remove the drive plate halved. Would putting the new one on be as quick?

Lots of crud where the old drive plate used to sit

Tightening things up in a confined space, engine suspended almost where it needed to be caused a little cursing from the engine bay. A few bangs occurred, at least he’d warned us they might happen. He’d had to remove the oil sump pump from the engine, this had failed on Mick at the last engine service. Mick asked if instead of putting the old one back on, could Kane install the new one we’d already got. It maybe took him an extra five minutes to fit, but he didn’t mind.

Guess which one Kane used

After three hours in our engine bay the ignition key was turned on. Oleanna was put into gear, no grinding noise. Then reverse, no grinding noise. Hooray!!!

Brand new Drive plate

Kane said the old drive plate would have lasted a while longer before failing, but best not to find out how long! Mick was given instructions to make sure some bolts were still tight in a week or so’s time with a 17mm spanner. Job done. Kane now headed off into Nottingham to his next job somewhere between Castle Marina and Sainsbury’s.

We had lunch. Should we move on today or stay put? If the river was busy with people looking for moorings we’d have moved, but as we’d only seen a couple of boats so far today and one of them had pulled away from the pontoon mooring this morning we didn’t feel we had to move. Also we were the only boat moored on the visitor moorings and there is space for four. As well as all that, C&RT had given us an overstay approval until 14th October. So we stayed put.

12km from Nottingham

My walk today took me along the road from the lock to Stoke Bardolph. Plenty of anglers and someone being trained in paddle boarding. I then carried on walking along the road on the river bank towards the big bend in the river where I followed the footpath. Here the anglers had set up fences around their vans, I wondered why for a while, but then twigged when I saw a heard of cows. Maybe these cows are known to lick vans like those do to boats at Lechlade on the Thames.

Back along a path that crossed the railway. Was this the crossing where Tilly had been found nearly ten years ago with her siblings? Then into Burton Joyce village. A lovely village hall where the local amateur dramatic society have just put on a show. Several nice looking shops and buildings. I popped into the Co-op for some milk. A heritage trail to follow, maybe next time when it isn’t a five mile round walk. Back in February 2016 my brother gave me a lift to Burton Joyce to a house on the hill here. That was to pick up our little thug Tilly who we adopted from Burton Joyce Cats, they no longer exist.

Lots of jolly pebbles

At the station there is a pebble display to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Lots of local groups and the school contributed to it painting pebbles. I was amazed at the number of cats wearing crowns, then later realised they were actually Corgis! The Beef Eater certainly had very square shoulders.

Back along the road to the boat. Today I’d tracked my journey via the NHS Active 10 app, 87 minutes brisk walking; on my step counter 12110 steps just short of 5 miles; but also with the OS app. The Ordnance Survey app had tracked my route and said it was 5.42 miles. So which do I believe? Have I got my step counter calibrated correctly to my stride? Have I actually been walking further than recorded all year?

Walsall Schnitzel tonight, turkey that needed finishing off from the freezer. We discussed where we should go now and when. There’s a storm coming, so we don’t want to stay at Stoke Lock with all the trees. Would we have enough time to go that way or should we just stay pottering about for a while longer?

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 new drive plate, 3 hours, 1 new gate drawing, 2 logos, 1 rose email, how many? 1 last day of good shore leave for Tilly, 4.95 miles, 0r 5.42 miles, 82 brisk minutes, 1 huge gaggle, 1 mended boat ready to push off.

Where we traveled in September

Drum And Bass Pace. 28th September

Sainsburys, Nottingham to Stoke Lock, River Trent

Knapolitans, blood transfusions, hash brown recovery, coffee and conspiracy were some of the topics covered on the Geraghty zoom. It was very good to see everyone this morning back home where they should be, fingers crossed it will be the same next Sunday.

Mick returned to Sainsbury’s to pick up some food caddy bags that we’d forgotten about yesterday, then we were ready to push off. Last night our mooring had been pretty quiet for the centre of Nottingham, Mick had been aware of people chatting and walking past, I’d been aware of some road noise, but thankfully the students didn’t keep us awake as they have done in the past. This morning however was a different affair as the Nottingham half marathon was going past on the road. Supporters cheering runners on, runners with ghetto blaster strapped to their backs kept the drum and bass pace going.

Choral accompaniment

At Castle Lock we had a different musical accompaniment to normal, the pub’s speakers being drowned out by a choir on the bridge below the lock singing Amy Whitehouse songs as the half marathon passed by them, what a jolly affair. As I was closing the bottom gates a cruiser came into sight heading for the lock so I pushed the gate open again for them and walked round.

Looking under Trent Bridge to the steps

I walked ahead to Meadow Lane Lock. At the 90 degree bend Mick brought Oleanna round after a blast of the horn. The fishermen complimented him on his turn as they are more used to small cruisers totally messing it up. The lock was full so we could go straight in. Then with only one paddle working to empty it we took our time to descend. It then felt an absolute eternity until I could open the gate, is my reduced ballast playing a part?

New bridge

Surprisingly there were no rowers, sailors or boats of any sort on our way down stream towards Holme Lock. We’d considered mooring at the County Hall steps and it looked like there would have been room for us, but we opted to go a little further today. The new Waterside Bridge is being constructed on the north bank, there will be a navigation closure when it gets moved into position. Mick radioed ahead to the lock. We were told to take our time as the lock needed refilling and this would take 15 to 20 minutes. Engine now in tickover we sauntered the remainder of the way.

In my opinion the volunteer here should alter the wording of their instructions. They stand pointing to a cable riser for you to pass your rope round, then says ‘Pass a loop round here’. Never pass a loop round one of these cables, I know why!

Radcliffe Viaduct

Onwards downstream, the willow trees starting to turn yellow as Nottingham gets left behind. Would there be space above Stoke Lock for us? Would we be able to moor on the low mooring? Not on the pontoon, so that Tilly can have some shore leave. As we rounded the final bend I zoomed in with the camera. One boat on the pontoon, nobody on the low wall, Hooray!!!

Approaching Stoke Lock

We winded to face upstream and pulled in right to the end of the mooring. Shore leave rules were recited to Tilly and off she went, claiming everything in sight then she headed off into the trees, her limp not seeming to bother her too much. This year we’d started to leave the stern hatch slid open so she can jump out (it’s harder to jump back in), saving us getting up and down to open and close the door so often. However, to stop her from over stretching and reduce her jumping for the time being the hatch will remain shut, we’ll get more exercise opening the door for her. The option of seeing a vet is still there, I’ve noted the location of a surgery close to the canal back in Nottingham.

I’m not sure how that is taking it easy Tilly!

During the afternoon Mick had decided to lift the engine boards, there had been an unusual noise, he thought that maybe he should tighten the stern glad, checked the gear box oil, he refilled the greaser. Then popped Oleanna into gear. Hmmmm! I’m normally the one who notices a different tone coming from the engine, I’d not noticed it when we were under way today or even yesterday. But right now, she sounded ropey, grindingly ropey! Mick’s initial thoughts were that maybe it could be the gear box or the drive plate. He’d give Alastair in Goole a call in the morning to see what he thought.

A little later than planned I got on with a bit of work for panto, but I’d not reached my 40 minutes brisk walking for the day, so headed out to walk back towards Nottingham and see what the Netherfield Nature Reserve was like. The riverbank path is pretty good for a mile or so back towards Radcliffe Viaduct, then it narrows and started to be a little muddy. I tried to find a path shown on the OS map, but only one end of it was obvious heading into a field that had been growing maize.

Netherfield Lagoon

A steep bank brought me up to the lagoons, quite good views across the water, but nothing but standard water fowl to spot. I walked round the bottom end of the lake back down some steps by the viaduct, rather than a scramble down the muddy bank I’d come up. Time to return to the boat to pop a chicken in the oven to roast. We really should have waited longer before buying parsnips. They are one of my favourite vegetables, but before the frost gets to them they can be exceedingly woody and very boring to eat! Shame we’ve a couple left over, maybe I should make some apple and parsnip soup.

Bunny!

3 locks, 6.9 miles, 1 left, 28 voices, 4567687382 runners (maybe slight exaggeration there), 1 volunteer, 0 life jacket, 1 wind, 1 good mooring, 2 neighbours, 1 stern hatch closed, 4 hours shore leave granted, but take it easy Tilly! 1 growling engine! 63 brisk minutes, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://what3words.com/spooked.hologram.tinkle

Tweeting Birdies. 26th September

Trent Junction

A wonderful view

The early morning mist clung to the river early on. As the clock ticked closer to breakfast time the mist increased and the view of the cooling towers almost disappeared before the sun took over and burnt its way through.

An email from the printers arrived, the final adjustment corrected. At last everything was ready to be printed and the big red button could be pressed on the copy machine. It feels like it’s been going on forever! Maybe it has!!

Keeping an eye on Trent Junction

Tilly was given shore leave, rules recited and the reasons I call her home reinforced today!

NB Hereward

Part way through the morning a shiny boat came past from Redhill. NB Hereward was on its way from being repainted by Tom at Gibson and Kentwright. Very nice looking boat. She’d gone back in the water a couple of days ago. I wonder if the owners had much to clean up, I’ve heard that the grit from being grit blasted gets everywhere inside despite all openings being covered up.

Compass Squiggles

Time to think about illustrations for the Separate Doors book. I’d had an idea whilst on the train and squiggled it down. But now I realised it was actually two ideas rolled into one. I ended up with three versions sketched out to send to Vanessa for her to point me in the right direction for the style of the book.

This afternoon’s walk had me walking up the Erewash towpath, further than I’ve been of late. At the very tree covered bridge into Sheet Stores I could just make out the stern of NB Bargus, it looked like Kat was delivering to a moored boat in the basin.

After we’d seen her in Burton her stern gear had developed quite a big problem and was letting in water when the prop turned. Brian on NB Elk had breasted the boats together and taken her down the Trent, up the first lock on the Erewash to Sheet Stores where NB Bargus was lifted out to await new parts, some welding etc. Whilst she was out of the water Kat blacked her and put the base coats on the port cabin side to paint out the old livery and get her looking more like a Jules Fuels boat. Bargus was now back in the water and preparing to head back to the Trent and Mersey. I’d seen that Kat had planned her next coal run and sent her a message asking for a top up, but after hearing nothing back we’d assumed she was already on her way up stream, but we’d been wrong. Later in the day we heard from her and yes she still had supplies on board and would see us in the morning.

A busy line

I walked through the same boring estate I’d walked the other day, it wasn’t any more interesting walking in the opposite direction. Across and under the many railway lines. At one level crossing I had to wait for a train to pass and then almost as soon as I’d crossed the lights started to flash again, only a couple of minutes between trains.

Water park

I opted for a different path back to the river, this one I thought might be more interesting as it was between two lakes. However, the lake to the right was totally invisible because of trees and the one to the left I only caught a little glimpse of the water park before brown fencing cut off my view totally! Back to the river bank with its high foliage so no view there either. The best part of today’s walk was listening to the birds and spotting them all on the pylon and cables, singing their hearts out.

Tweeting birdies!

Back at Oleanna Tilly was hanging about, well you told me I had to come back when told to! That is when I noticed she was limping again. It’s not been noticeable for quite a few days, but was definitely back now. We’ll see what some sofa and bed rest does for a day or two, then see if we need to pay a visit to those people who wear green!

Chilli Turkey Sausage and Squash Risotto

Lurking in the bottom of the freezer had been four chilli turkey sausages. I decided to see what they would be like in a risotto with some roast squash. It turned out to be really rather nice. Recipe will be found here.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 misty start, 1 big PRINT button pressed (I hope), 3 squiggles, 1 invoice, 1 coal boat, 3 railway crossings, 1 boring walk, 72 brisk minutes, 1 out of 4, 4 turkey sausages, 0.5 squash, 2 plates of yummy food, 1 chink of glasses for William.

Aerial Chase, Making Tomorrows Theatre, Day 2. 23rd September

Beeston, Aspley Basin, Huddersfield

Breakfast

An all you can eat breakfast at Aspley, I double checked it wasn’t going to contain any gluten, thankfully their hash browns were okay, bacon a little bit dried out, but it was the thought that counted. Most people were away from the hotel before me, heading to participate in Well Being hour at the theatre before the days work began. Instead I walked up the hill via Sainsburys’ to get myself something for lunch.

Aspley Basin

Many of the same faces as yesterday were about, plus some new ones, some people having travelled from Glasgow, some from Kent. Todays proceedings were hosted by Nicky Priest, an actor, stand up comedian, advocate for autism conditions, oh and wrestler! A short performance by Dark Horse choreographed to music by Loz Kaye mentioning everyone who has worked and taken part on the Making Tomorrows Theatre projects.

Tim Crouch and his dog on the stage

Key note speaker was Tim Crouch, an experimental theatre maker, actor, director. He rejects realism and invites the audience to help create the work he does. With the aid of some photographs and one prop he got his audience to think out of the box, the first image actually being of a cardboard box. What else could that box be? Give it to a child I could become a car, rocket. I’d seen him pick up an orange at breakfast he placed it on the stage. What was it? What could it be? We were all wrong, it was his dog. But what did his dog look like? We were all asked to imagine what it looked like, was it sitting, sleeping scratching some annoying flea. If we’d imagined a Golden Retriever then we were wrong and quite boring! His style of theatre doesn’t require input from designers, as my job is taken over by the audience each creating their own unique surroundings, characters in their heads. I once had an argument with a director about having some part cutaway doors in a theatre in the round, this was so they could be left open and the audience sat next to them would be able to see the play. He wasn’t having it, he needed full double doors, he wasn’t willing to trust that his audience could fill in what I had left out. Tim Crouch wouldn’t have had even the partial doors, the door frame, the room! A very interesting man.

Discussions

Protagonist George Webster followed. George is a BAFTA award winning presenter of CBeebies, he’s an actor, author and public speaker advocating for disability representation, he is also a member of the Separate Doors National Ensemble. He posed questions on how learning disabled and neuro divergent actors could and should become part of the main landscape. How could the industries of theatre, television and film become more inclusive.

Replies to George’s provocations

Panels answered questions, panel members posed questions. A very thought provoking day. The quote Tim Crouch had used ‘No one is free until everyone is free’ is very true whether it be about race, disability, or anything.

As the conference drew to a close, there would be time to chat more to everyone, but also there was a three hour train journey back to Beeston. I checked the times of buses back to Brighouse and the connecting trains, I had 25 minutes, time to say my rushed goodbyes and head off. A shame I wasn’t included in the company photo, but many of the National Ensemble had already left too. What a fantastic two days it had been.

Back in Beeston, Tilly was bored, still! Mick got on with installing the new Victron gear, I’ll let him explain a bit more about this.

Mick here. Technical stuff coming up. If you get bored skip the next four paragraphs.

For some time, in fact for a few years, I’ve been thinking that our 24 volt100 amp domestic alternator isn’t up to the job of fully charging our LiFePO4 batteries. The alternator doesn’t output the 28.4 volts required to get the batteries up to full capacity. It seems to stop short at about 27.5v leaving the batteries liable to “under voltage over charging”. This is where the individual cells can become over charged even though the voltage doesn’t reach the point where the battery management system (BMS) cuts off the charging when the cell is full. I do wonder if this is what caused one of our original LiFePO4 batteries, as supplied by the boat builder, to fail. About 21 months ago we suffered an alternator failure and I did wonder if the replacement from Beta Marine would work better, but it made no difference.

The system we had, as installed by the boat builder, was such that the alternator charged the LiFePO4 batteries directly and the 24v lead acid bow thruster bank was wired in parallel with them via a voltage sensitive relay (VSR). I had considered getting a Mastervolt Alpha Pro alternator charge regulator and indeed I had contacted the boat electrician Ed Shiers to get him to come and fit one. But we never seemed able to find somewhere suitable for him to come and visit us at a suitable time for both of us. I had considered fitting one myself but it involved taking apart the alternator and I wasn’t confident of doing this. Then last winter a new product was launched by Victron: a battery to battery charger (B2B) that was capable of taking a 24v DC input and providing a regulated 50 amp 24 volt DC output. This was capable of being programmed with a LiFePO4 profile specifically to charge our batteries properly. It was cheaper that the Mastervolt and as no tinkering with the alternator was required I could do the job myself.

So while we were at the house last winter I ordered a Victron Orion XS 1400 from 12 Volt Planet. I have bought stuff from them before and they have always been quick and reliable and apparently have good technical support, although I’ve never needed their advice. While Pip was away for 2 days I decided to install the B2B. I ran in the necessary cables on day one. In my career as a telecom / IT technician I only ever had to deal with thin wires (just lots of them!) and big thick chunky copper cables are not my idea of fun. But I got the cables in and terminated them with the required lugs at each end. I mounted the B2B in the electrics cupboard with the thinking that it would be cooler in there than the engine bay. The next day I connected everything up. So now the alternator is connected directly to the lead acid bow thruster bank and the B2B sits in between the alternator and the LiFePO4 bank via a fuse. I programmed the B2B with the LiFePO4 profile and changed the settings in the BMS so they would match the B2B. All the correct lights came on on the B2B and I started the engine. After the programmed 60 second delay the B2B went into “bulk”charging mode and the batteries started charging properly.

It all seems to be working well with the batteries charging quicker than they used to. I have still to connect the B2B up to our Victron Venus GX monitoring system. I need to shift the GX to the left because the USB socket is too close to the wall of the electric cupboard and I can’t plug the plug in. Maybe I’ll do that tomorrow.

At some point in the afternoon, someone on an electric bicycle came whizzing along the towpath, Mick thought they may have been doing 30 to 40 mph. They wore a balaclava hat and hood. What had they done? Up above them they were being followed by a Police helicopter! I wonder if they caught them? Or was the bike too nimble for the police on the ground to be able to catch them?

Front seat on the bus back to Brighouse

My train journey back to Beeston went with only slight delays which were helped by delays to the connecting trains. Then a walk back to Oleanna in the dark to be greeted with the smell of dhal being warmed up for our meal tonight. It may take me sometime to download my photos, I really hope I’ve something that will be useful for illustrations.

Some of the Separate Doors team

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 more trains, 1 bus, 9 ensemble, 2 panels, 5 provocations, 76 replies, 1 orange/dog, 1 high speed aerial chase, 1 Victron Orion XS 1400 installed, 1 afternoon of regretting that chicken last night, 1 cosy boat with a cat on my lap.

150 Minutes In Dawlish. 22nd August

Shobnall Fields

Moorings filled up last night

Alarm set for 6am, cheese and pastrami butties made, laptop packed along with two pieces of panto model. Then I was off to the station to catch the direct train down to Exeter St Davids. Thankfully the train from Burton wasn’t that busy to start with and I didn’t feel the need to play seat hopscotch. I opted for my first reserved seat, then moved into my third one across the way a stop before hand.

I tried writing a blog post, but lack of space made that a touch hard, then I got on with some knitting. Gemma, the Production Manager for panto, joined the train at Bristol Parkway, her seat behind mine.

Pretty town hall

When I’d left Burton this morning it had been 10C, now the sun was out and I was heading for the south coast which would be the warmest place in England according to last nights forecast. I made sure to keep an eye out as we headed southwards from Bristol, did I spot Paul Balmer dancing around in his garden waving at trains?

Exeter St David’s

At Exeter St David’s we changed trains, a very seaside feel to those getting on and off the train. The train skirts along the River Ex, the tide seemed to be out and many boats sat on the bottom. Then the train turns along the coast of the English Channel, the sea bright blue today reflecting the sky.

The River Exe

Just a couple of minutes to enjoy being close to Dawlish beach before Jamie arrived to pick us up and whisk us along to his workshop. A quiet time in between festivals for Back Drop Design, a few TV things coming up and Chippy panto would fit nicely in between.

Sunny beach

Gemma had brought the model pieces for us to discuss. I have to say I was a little bit surprised that the finished model drawings hadn’t been forwarded to Jamie, nor the colour model storyboard. So various things had changed from the information he’d had, but at least there was time to go through everything and for him to make notes.

The last bit of model to discuss

A cuppa as we chatted. How was the budget? Well I’d been told a month ago we were fine, it looked like there’d be no need for any amendments then. But Gemma asked if Jamie could bring the build in for a couple of thousand less than he’d priced it up and a few extra bits had been added today. I wasn’t surprised at his reaction, ‘that’s my profit’. It’s a shame this conversation couldn’t have happened a month ago, but people are busy, maybe a bit too busy! Another hour sat with up to date drawings would have helped us find some savings, but Gemma and I were booked on specific trains back.

Good signs

Back along the coast, up the estuary, changing trains again. The train back north was two units, one would be stopping at Bristol Temple Meads the other one carrying on. Announcements were too quick, platform staff guided us to the front carriages, thankfully these weren’t as packed so tightly as those behind. We found seats a miracle, the previous train had been cancelled and there was suggestions from the passengers that tomorrow there is a strike. One lady said they had only just added four more carriages, so she’d quickly moved so she could breath. Then there was the announcement that meant we were actually in the wrong part of the train, but half an hour later another guard had been found so all eight carriages could continue onwards to Edinburgh, phew!

Because of overcrowding the train was delayed a bit. Gemma alighted in Bristol. Then there was a points failure, necessitating going into Gloucester to get round it. Then because of the train before having been cancelled they added an extra stop at Tamworth. All in all I ended up being over an hour late back into Burton, at least I’ll get some money back.

A well deserved glass of wine

Mick had planned to spend the day in the engine bay fitting a new bit of Victron kit. But another bad nights sleep had had to be made up for so he’d had a good afternoon kip. Tilly had had an inquisitive black Labrador come to visit her, but she’d spent quite a lot of the day on her throne under the pram cover. Three loads of washing were hanging about the place, so Mick had been busy for some of the day.

I got back to Oleanna around twelve hours after I’d left, I’d managed 2.5 hours in Dawlish. Now I’m waiting to see what adjustments are required!

Daffodils?!

0 locks, 0 miles, 4 trains, 1 production manager, 5 week out of date drawings, 2 attempts to write the blog, 1 sock completed, 5 reserved seats, 4 sardine carriages, 2 giant figures, 3 loads washing, 1 black lab, 1 hello, 10 C to 25C, 12 meatballs and spaghetti, 1 spring weather forecast!

Am I Your Sister Or Your Wife? 10th 11th August

Scarborough/ Retford and Worksop Boat Club

The Geraghty zoom included more about Alastair’s under croft, oil pumps, contactless access and Berlin. We then started to do chores about the house. Some curtains required some attention, just as Adam appeared to say his farewells. Chance to say how much we’d enjoyed the show last night, apparently a few bits had gone array during the show, but from the audiences point of view it is all so bonkers and seemingly array we really couldn’t tell. A shame not to have had chance to chat with him more, but he was headed for a well earned brunch and we needed to crack on. Adam scores an 8/9 on the lodger tally.

It was dry just in time

Bedding and towel washing, shower cleaning, easiest done whilst in the shower, but I didn’t need to have two showers! Gardening, dusting, a touch of hoovering, the kitchen cupboards needed a de-fingerprint as ever, kitchen floor washed. We gave ourselves a little break and headed out to buy something for lunch and this evening, plus stock up on a few things for the house, bumping into a few friends as we shopped. Time was ticking for our first arrival and I think we got there by the skin of our teeth, still a pile of ironing to be done, but that was fine.

All ironed in the end

Liza arrived having driven up from Norfolk. A quick look round the house for her to choose which side she’d prefer to be on, decision made then we helped her unload a very full car. Liza has been to Scarborough numerous times before, so she’s aware of how the seasons are likely to change over her 9 weeks, she has brought a coat for every eventuality.

An hour later Stuart arrived, having travelled by train his luggage wasn’t quite so comprehensive. I’ve worked with them both but quite sometime ago now, Liza was in Life and Beth’ and ‘Snake in the Grass’ 2008 and Stuart ‘Game Hunter’ 2003, then he toured in ‘Improbable Fiction’ 2006. There was lots to talk about, lots of mutual friends. Of course there was the show they are here to rehearse, Alan Ayckbourn’s 91st play Earth Angel. The big question was, were they playing sister and brother or husband and wife? This was soon cleared up and the ironing could resume.

Tides out, so’s the sun!

Monday morning, costume fittings for Stuart and Liza whilst we packed up, finished a bit of gardening then headed for medical appointments. I took a detour down to the beach, the tide was out and most of the holiday makers were close to the waters edge meaning I had plenty of room to brisk walk across the sands to the Spa, then up through the gardens listening to the brass band playing in the Sun court. I’ve not had a proper summers day in Scarborough for years! Around the houses to one which today was guarded by a unicorn. Duncan was at home for me to deliver sock pair 102 for Jaye. Nice to have a quick catch up, enough for a mention in the blog!

A right good sunny seaside day

Once lunch was eaten we had two things left on our Scarborough list. First one a visit to see Frank. We only just caught him before he was heading out to see a friend. It’s been a few months since we last saw him and he looked pretty good. Rather than getting a bus into town we gave him a lift to see his mate, all a little bit quick, but at least we’d checked in on him in person and seen what we could see.

Unicorn on guard

Next the oil from the engine service was dropped off at the tip. Jobs completed, blood test done, dentist, 1 lodger out, 2 more in, 1 new oil pump delivered, 1 box of panto delivered and scanned, Frank seen, show seen, EatMe eaten, beach walked on, time to head back to Oleanna.

A slight detour was made to Thorne Boat Services to buy 15 litres of red diesel which would make us both feel happier heading out onto the Tidal Trent in a few days. The Chesterfield is a lovely canal, but the lack of someone selling diesel canal side is a negative especially when you don’t normally have a car.

A boot full of boaty things

Back at Oleanna, the doors were opened up, Tilly could have some shore leave. Have to say she’d done quite a good job of keeping the boat cool, but it soon warmed up with the doors and windows open.

The last of the steak and kidney gravy from the pie went in with some mushrooms and some pasta, a good quick meal after a busy weekend.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 30L cat litter, 2 clean and tidy houses, 1 oil pump, 1 pair socks, 3 lots of blood, 1 dentist, 1 hygienist, 3 actors, 1 Frank, 1 lift, 4 lots of bed linen ready for next time, 2 beds changed, 2 clean houses, 63 brisk minutes, 1 more mention of what’s’is’name, 1 husband and wife.

Pumping And Pacing. 8th August

Main Street Winding Hole to Retford and Worksop Boat Club

Such a lovely mooring

Mick put his overalls on this morning, ran the engine to get her a little bit warm and then climbed down into the engine bay. The Lidl electric pump came out again, connected to the starter battery, he’d thought about this, then it set to pumping out the old engine oil. It took time and was really quite noisy, but it did the job. A new Beta pump is on order and we’re awaiting a delivery. The filter was changed then fresh oil was poured in, all ready now for our trip out onto the Tidal Trent. *Thank you Tony for your suggestion re a dribble of oil, we’ll try that before we change the existing pump.

One happy happy cat

I spent some time weaving in ends of a pair of socks ready for their delivery over the weekend. Then Tilly and I had a bit of a walk along the towpath. What a lovely mooring this is. Thankfully the field we’re alongside had already been harvested, so no clouds of dust kicking up in the air as there was over in the distance where straw was being bailed up. I spotted a snake swimming across the canal, maybe that’s what I’d seen the other day, all far too quick to get a photo.

Lunch, then we made ready for the off, we’d be the only boat moving along here today. I walked ahead, only a mile to walk today, then some pacing out to do. Boats had moved about a bit on the boat club moorings, one boat had taken the space we’d had ten days ago, others had been out and winded. I was on the hunt for a suitably sized gap. 26 paces required for Oleanna.

Moving up

22, 24, ah ha! 26!! Mick put Oleanna’s bow in for me to get a rope, then we did an Andy spring line to bring her into the mooring which had just six inches spare. We rang the warden, Phil this week, who came riding along on a bike. Did we want to be here or further on, someone was leaving tomorrow so we could have their spot. We were quite happy where we were with some shade during the second half of the day, which might be handy. A key for the electric was found and we plugged in, we’d be seeing Phil later on at the Club to pay our dues.

Skin ‘ed!

An exploration of the sideways trees was deemed to be not quite as good as the last time we were here. Mick had a towpath haircut all whilst the batteries topped themselves back up to full.

Yesterdays leftover pie was heated back up and consumed along with some Jersey Royals and cabbage, very nice. Then we walked down to the club house for a drink.

Hello Claudia and David

Gosh it was popular, in the main room not a seat was to be had, so we took our drinks outside and got chatting to various people. Some have moored here for years, decades even, others a few months. Cruising tales were exchanged over beer and wine as the moon rose in it’s brilliant orange fullness. A very pleasant evening.

Not the best photo of the moon rising, I needed my camera really

In the latest Towpath Talk there’s an article on our friend Chris Stanbury who is well on his way back from walking from Lands End to John O’Groats and back. Not sure how many more days he’ll be walking for, I think the last time we caught up with his videos he was south of Tewksbury on day 127!

Chris! Click the photo for a link to his Just giving page

0 locks, 1 mile, 3rd space, 26 paces, 1 oil change, 9 litres, 2 outsides, 1 snake in the water, 102nd pair finished, 2 glasses wine, 2 pints of T, 1 bunged up nose, 1 familiar closeish neighbour.

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