Category Archives: Pantomime

Sitting On The Bottom. 22nd June

Bascote Bridge 27 and Former Railway Bridge 26A to Napton Water Point, almost, Oxford Canal

A nice cuppa in bed this morning, we seem to be snoozing in a little bit later each day. However when Mick got up to walk through the cabin things were not quite as they’d been an hour earlier. Somehow the boat had developed quite a list! Water was rushing past the windows down towards Bascote Staircase.

In the past when we’ve moored in this pound it’s been further towards Long Itchington on the aqueduct. There the level can fluctuate over night, but we’ve never been sat on the bottom like here. We’ve also not noticed water rushing by! Was someone just filling up a pound below or was there something far more serious going on? We both put our shoes on, Mick got the Brompton out to cycle down the towpath to see what was happening.

Terry from NB Barley Twist behind us was also out watching the water zoom past. As we compared notes on our boats listing the flow of water slowed, then it stopped, then it came back. The paddles at the staircase must have been up and now were closed. We stood down, now we just needed the level to rise again to get us off the bottom.

A short while later a chap walked by with a windlass in his hand. Mick asked what had been going on as we were on the bottom? The chap said a low pound and the pump wasn’t working. He carried on walking.

A little while later another six or so people walked past all with windlasses in their hands. Then a few more. They were all wearing dark blue t-shirts, it must be a fund raiser. A while later the first boat came past a sign stuck to the side of a Willow Wren hire boat. Walk for Matt. As we had our breakfast more windlass carrying walkers passed us by followed by another three narrowboats all from Willow Wren.

Terry and Chris were going to explore the village but returned saying that the towpath was flooded ahead, so they’d move down by boat. A while later we were on our way too, the level had come up enough for us to get moving.

**Ah ha that’s why there’s so many walkers**

As I was just lifting the paddle at Itchington Bottom Lock two people came bouncing along with windlasses in hand, more Walkers for Matt, they were from the last two boats, six in all. I got chance to chat to one of them.
Matt was an England under 21 Rugby player who broke his back during a training session, he is now paralysed from the neck down and breaths with the aid of a ventilator. He was determined to concentrate of the things he could do and get busy living. At first fundraising went towards helping Matt with his rehabilitation, now funds go towards running The Get Busy Living Centre where people can have support and rehabilitation to live their lives with their disability. The walkers today were raising money by walking the Warwickshire ring from Rugby in a week, some people were walking for a day, others the whole week, some were recipients of help from the foundation.

By the time we reached the bottom of the Stockton flight we’d not seen NB Barley Twist anywhere, they must be ahead of us, climbing the flight. A volunteer stood behind some fencing, I said hello and was asked if I was with the charity boats, no but they were hot on our heals.

**Nb Barley Twist heading up to empty the next lock**

He ummed and ahhed as I asked him if Barley Twist was up ahead. I could then see that they were about to exit the second lock up. The volunteer seemed a bit grumpy to be honest, I didn’t know if he was going to stay behind his fence. ‘Well it would be good if you could share with the boat in front’. Well yes it would! I walked up to see if Terry and Chris would wait for us. They’d obviously had some grumping from the volunteer too, well we all have off days.

Mick and I worked our way up to meet NB Barley Twist and then carried on up the flight. The charity boats soon appearing behind us, mob handed. Thankfully the volunteer now came out from behind his fence and worked up the flight ahead of us, emptying locks and opening a gate. Our opinions of him soon changed.

It was warm in the sunshine. Chris and I changed sides every now and again so we took it in turns to wind the stiffer paddle on the off side. Very cheery people to share the flight with.

At the top we all thanked the volunteer for his help. Grumpy must just be his general demeaner!

NB Barley Twist pulled in opposite what used to be Willow Wren Training Centre, which is now Podtastic. We waved our locking partners goodbye as they tucked into some shade, we wanted to get that bit further today.

A boat ahead got to the bottom of the Calcutt three and started to ascend. I walked up to help close gates etc, the chap from the boat mumbled something about what they were doing, which certainly wasn’t waiting for us at the next lock. A boat came down then it was our turn, we checked behind us, one boat just in view, almost certainly the charity boat with it’s partner close behind, we went up.

A rather warm volunteer appeared, he set the next lock for us and on hearing that the charity boats would soon arrive he headed down to empty the locks behind us. At the top a boat sat on the water point, it’s hose attached to the tap but not the boat. We asked if they’d finished, they obviously had so we pulled in infront of them disturbing their lunch.

**The lady with the ruck sack is on day 6 of the walk**

As our tank filled the charity boats came up the top lock. A lady who’d been walking this morning, apparently doing the whole 7 day walk had had a pit stop at the cafe. The crew on the boat checked in with her before she carried on walking towards Braunston tonights resting place. I just hope they managed to find space for six boats near a pub so she didn’t have to walk any further than necessary. This weekend it’s Braunston Historic Boat Rally!

I popped to the bow to check for oncoming traffic at Napton Junction. One boat coming out from the marina, then the coast was clear. Past the hire base, plenty of boats at home today. Then we were quickly reminded that we were back on a more popular canal.

Mick brought us to a halt as three boats were headed towards us at the next bridge, moored boats slowing everyone’s progress. We held our position to let them all through.

Every mooring from here on was full. A hire boat had moored with pins, possibly with bow, stern and centre line, the only one that wasn’t hanging in the water was the centre, this was being held onto by one of the crew.

Would we find a space? We slowly made our way, hungry and hot really wanting to stop sometime soon, please! All the spaces full before the bottom of Napton. Then a gap, would it be big enough? Certainly the two boats either side of it had space where they could move up. We tried but required another 8ft, no-one stirred inside their boats, we carried on.

At the end of the visitor moorings we just managed to pull in, just about on the bend. Not ideal, but the only choice according to a lady who’d walked down the flight hoping to find herself a mooring. Tilly was given three hours and a serious reminder of the rules!

Some work for me and boat jobs for Mick. Our shower mixer has become not so mixable, not a problem in the winter but a touch too hot when you want a cool shower on a hot day. A new one was bought in Birmingham and this afternoon it was fitted along with a new shower head. We both enjoyed a nice cool shower.

13 locks, 6.8 miles, 1 right, 6 charity boats, 1 lonely Red Indian, 1 pound down, 20 walking windlasses, 1 full tank water, 3 coming through, 3 big git gaps, 0 boats moving up, 1 bendy mooring, 1 more in front of us, 3 hours, 0 friends today, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 mixer mixing, 1 closed lock ahead!

https://goo.gl/maps/bbUgVSdnNwSnYbPX8

Plane, Santa And Trefoil. 21st June

Radford Smelly to between Bascote Bridge 27 and Former Railway Bridge 26A

A few boats had been on the move this morning before we got going, so we suspected we’d be following uphill boats. We pootled to the first lock which was just about full. A jolly chap from Chorley (well that’s where his boat suggested he was from) was very grateful that I opened the gate for him and lifted the paddle, all whilst Mick disposed of our rubbish at the bins.

Yesterday we’d planned to reach this next pound where there are clearings in the woods alongside the towpath, but time had got away from us. Maybe next time.

The next lock was also full and a boat just arriving, soon followed by their partner. We came up alone, still no-one in sight behind. Our third lock was empty so we could head straight in, as I wound a paddle up two more boats appeared from above to make use of the lock as soon as we left.

Yesterday we’d not finished filling with water and our yellow water was in need of disposal. But as the water point came into view it was already occupied, by an uphill boat. Dilemma! Should we wait to use the elsan and water point, or team up with them for the next locks. They were just rolling up their hose, we went ahead to set the lock and wait for them.

NB Tuptonia is a Girl Guides boat, we’d seen it at Lapworth at the weekend, a young crew on hand learning the ropes. Today however there were seven adults on board, two trainers, 3 novices and two people were being assessed to be skippers. All of a sudden we were mob handed.

I walked between Wood Lock and Welsh Road Lock chatting to Karen one of the trainers. She is currently awaiting the launch of a new boat built by Ortomarine, very exciting. We chatted bathrooms, gallies and toilets etc.

The HS2 crossing wasn’t as impressive as when we last came through. The temporary bridge, possibly a conveyor belt over the canal, is now laying redundant in a field and there are just big banks of earth on both sides of the cut.

We carried on working up the locks, Mick was guaranteed to tell those at the helm that he used to be a Brownie, his Mum having been a Brown Owl when he was young.

**Sorry I didn’t get anyone else’s name, Karen in pink**

At Bascote I went ahead to set the last lock before the staircase, but suspected I should hold back when it came to the two rise. Here skippers were under assessment, photographic evidence was required for their reports. Everything went as it should, top chamber full, bottom empty, then the two boats were worked up with the many turns of windlasses.

We’d now reached the pound we’d been aiming for today, should we crack on with our locking partners or give Tilly a good afternoon of shore leave. We decided to stop, pulling in short of where we normally moor on the aqueduct at Long Itchington. Here the towpath is still more rural, after the next bridge it has had a make over suitable for cyclists.

NB Tuptonia carried on, hoping to rise up the Stockton flight today as they are on a mission to relocate the boat to Weedon for the next seven weeks. Here it will be hired out to all sorts of groups not just guides and scouts. We hope that there are two new Skippers by the end of the trip and that it isn’t too much of a squeeze getting through all the historic boats at Braunston. We also look forward to meeting with Karen on her new boat sometime in the future.

Tilly headed off into the friendly cover. Stop distracting me I’m busy! Rule 1 was broken yet again and part way through the afternoon she decided to compare our new neighbours boat to Oleanna. No going on other boats! Rule 4 broken! At least she didn’t stick her head through their curtain to have a good look!

The drawing board came out again and another three sheets of panto drawings were updated.

Quinoa smoked salmon and camembert quiche for dinner tonight, yum!

10 locks, 4.5 miles, 7 shared, 1 busier canal than of late, 7 crew, 0 chilled medication at Welsh Road Lock, 0 water top up, 20 litres yellow water mellowing, 1 quiche, 2 1m x 2m rostra, 1 friend! 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval, 1 not very popular cat!

Rain Stops Play. 20th June

Cape of Good Hope to Radford Smelly

Rain. It was expected. So now is the little puddle that appears below the bathroom mushroom vent, handily positioned so that you stand in it as you walk through the bathroom! Thankfully it does this to remind you every time it rains that when it’s dry you really should take time to have a good look outside. It will be the vent that I noted had rust around it. Must make time to sort it!

Well it was a good job we’d had the offer of Jane’s help at the locks yesterday as the original plan had been for today. This would have made for either a very wet day or a delayed start. Instead we took shelter from the showers inside.

Mick had a phone appointment with his doctor. Then whilst moving money around I managed to alert my banks fraud department and I got locked out of my online banking. This took quite a while to get sorted and convince the chap at the other end of the phone that my building society uses Barclays Bank for deposits. I’m glad that their system worked, it means our funds should be safe. However listening to the current scams he listed I was very worried for the human race. One scam now is that you are supposedly contacted by your bank because a data breach has occurred and your money needs to be moved to safety. You are then asked to withdraw your money in cash from your compromised account and requested to leave it in an envelope on your front door step, where someone will collect it and take it elsewhere to be deposited in a more secure account. Like their OWN!!!

Anyhow things were sorted in the end and I wasn’t being scammed in the process.

Gradually the rain eased, what to do? How far should we go today? A day ahead of ourselves. But Mick would need to pick up a prescription in Leamington Spa. Would the prescription be fulfilled today or would there be a longer wait for it?

We decided to drop down the two Cape Locks and head into Leamington Spa, top up with water, then he’d see if his new pills were ready. If not we’d loiter close by.

Blimey the lock gates were heavy today, especially the bottom gate of the second lock. That took some shifting, maybe I’d not eaten enough for lunch!

On both sides of the canal where Kate Boats hire base used to be building works are on going. New homes everywhere.

Round the bend under the bridge we spied a space on the moorings by Tescos, we pulled in and did a top up shop to last us for the next week. The fridge is now even more rammed full than it was a few days ago.

Next stop was for water by the student flats, maybe we’d stay here for the night. I had a little walk to check on the cat by Muck Rock, still there looking fine as ever. Little tell tail sign that some numpty has at some point had a go at improving it! Thankfully their poor attempt is only just visible on the mouse.

The other thing to note on these moorings is the very wide wide beam. This boat has been stuck here for months, not sure which blogger was the first to note it’s position. For some reason people don’t realise that the Grand Union along this stretch wasn’t built for broad beam boats, it was built for narrowboats. The broad locks helped move narrowboats quicker along the navigation, but the bridge holes may look wide but are not wide enough for wide boats. This wide beam must have been craned into the canal somewhere, then it got stuck in a bridge hole. The offside grab rail has a big dint in it and scrapes which are now rusting away. Infront of them are more curved bridges which they won’t fit through. So they are stuck. I wonder how long for?

Once we’d got bored of topping up with water, Mick cycled into town to see if his prescription would be ready. Thankfully it was, the system had worked very efficiently today. Now what? Should we stay or carry on a little while? Students were returning from a days learning and even though it doesn’t look like their windows open there was a very interesting conversation echoing out from a kitchen. If everyone got chatting like this it would make for a very noisy evening. We moved on.

There was space on the armco below Radford Smelly so we pulled in just as the cricket was getting very interesting. Tilly was given half an hour and I got on with updating working drawings for panto whilst Australia gradually whittled away the runs.

2 locks, 4.5 miles, 1 very wet morning, 1 puddle, 1 lake of a towpath, 0.75 hours to unblock my account, 5mg not 10, 1 full water tank, 1 cat, 1 stupid wide beam, 0.5 hours shore leave, 1 tense match, 3 sheets of drawings complete.

https://goo.gl/maps/UcEcJ7wQKsqPA2uz7

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

What Is Rule No 1?! 18th June

Lapworth Lock 6 to Rowington Embankment, Grand Union

An earlyish start with the hope that we’d avoid the thunderstorms later in the day.

We entered Lock 6 at 9am, the top few locks were handily full waiting for us.

**It’s even been written out in pencil first!**

Past the cottage on the corner. Last year I heard rumours that the owners weren’t too keen on boaters using the lock. A new sign, too us, kind of confirms this along with the fact that they can’t spell!

Down the flight I thought I could make out someone working locks. A zoom in on the camera, yep there was a boat heading up. When we were two locks away we started to leave gates open for them. The lock between us was just about empty so I helped it a touch and opened and closed a bottom gate for them, then went up to finish emptying the lock above which Mick had already started.

Behind them was another boat. The lady struggling with a ratchet windlass as I’d already opened the side she usually does, so it took some thinking about.

By now it was Geraghty zoom time. Mick set his phone up to join. Everyone was present this week. I believe there was some talk about carrots and cabbage, but I was far too busy lifting paddles and opening and closing gates to hear anything this week.

The cafe was closed as we came past, maybe that’s why we’d not come across any volunteers this morning. Last year the chap who helped us part of the way was singing the praises of the cafe and as soon as we reached the slightly longer pound he disappeared in for a cuppa and slice of cake.

I walked on ahead to the next locks. Good job we didn’t come this far yesterday as the road runs right alongside the canal for a stretch, no good for Tilly. The next batch of locks were empty, but we managed easily with me walking ahead to the next lock to lift paddles to fill it. Mick then lifting a paddle on the lock Oleanna was occupying before stepping back on board. I then returned to let him out.

At the next lock I could see a dog leaving a doggie deposit. I walked down as it’s owners walked up, they’d obviously not seen the little fella doing his business, so I mentioned that one of their dogs had done a crap near the lock beam. The response wasn’t what I expected, ‘No NO NO!’ they carried on walking. I wasn’t having that as I could now very obviously see the deposit so I called them back refraining from saying ‘If you pick it up it’ll still be warm!’ At least it was picked up. I thanked them and got zero response. Oh well!

A boat was on it’s way up the lock after the water point. The chap came up to check I’d leave the gates for him. We had a good chat as he pulled his boat out from the lock, where he was planning on cruising before heading back to his mooring in September.

At the basin we would be veering left towards the Grand Union, good job as a boat was in the next lock straight ahead. It seemed to be taking them forever to fill the lock, I wondered if they had a bottom paddle open. But as I walked down it was obvious the crew were under instruction.

**Turning left towards the Grand Union**

Below the last lock for today we paused to dispose of rubbish and then carried on to Kingswood Junction where we turned towards Warwick. A couple of miles pootleing brought us to the embankment with views down to Rowington. Today it seemed a popular place to moor. We found a gap and moored up, time for lunch.

Only a jot of work today, emailing the costume designer for panto so that she knows what I’m planning and can see the colours I’m planning on using.

Tilly got on with doing what she does. Unfortunately she seems to have totally forgotten Rule number 1! NO friends home dead or alive! In the last few weeks she has returned with two friends, both of whom were fairly immobile. Today she did the same again, I managed to catch her so she was sent out of the boat back onto the towpath with a flea in her ear.

As the afternoon progressed the sky got darker and darker. Then thunder could be heard rolling around. This was quickly followed by stair rod rain. We jumped into action, closing windows and heading to close the covers. As Mick opened the front door he was greeted by Tilly who had another mouth full! She managed to get past him and deposited her very much alive friend on the bedroom floor!

RULE 1 TILLY!!!!

We now had a choice to let Tilly catch it again, she’s quite good at such things, or for us to catch it. The later is preferred as the friend should survive. With various bits of tuperware we managed to corner Tilly’s friend up against a bag. Mick picked the hole lot up to assist the friend out onto the towpath. Next problem was the towpath side covers were closed apart from a small chink for a cat and mouse to get through! We worked as a team and soon the small friend was scurrying away. Tilly was grounded for a while. I didn’t mind, it was really really raining!

Walking back through the boat the rain was still coming down. We had new neighbours, an Anglo Welsh hire boat desperately hammering spikes into the hard hard towpath. Umbrellas were being held by crew, and one poor chap was just getting very very wet. Nothing we could do to help other than watch from the dry inside.

14 locks, 2.9 miles, 1 left, 1 right, 1 Eeyore, 1 big sh*t, 2 hours 10 minutes, 2 friends! No 1 rule! 3 tubs, 3 downpours, 2 umbrellas, 1 dripping hire boat, 1 dripping mushroom vent, 1 Mrs Tilly’s stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/RdQX3F9G9rQCZ4eKA

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

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna