Autherley Junction to Urban Moorings to Top of Off Side Mooring Wolverhampton Tunnel
Up early, a check in with Frank who had been moved at midnight within the hospital. A list of things he might like when he moves to his new home, not much on his list, a new pair of black cords was the first thing he requested. This would get added to.
Time for us to push off. On seeing us getting ready a hire boat sped up their pushing off and beat us to it by 2 minutes. Yes they were headed for Wolverhampton too! As we passed NB Firecrest, Cheryl popped her head out to wish us well. We’ll hopefully have a longer chat when we come across each other again.
Oxley Railway Bridges
As we pootled down to Aldersely Junction I called Adult Social Care and got to talk to Robert, I’d talked to him a while ago and he’d been very helpful then as he was today. Data Protection still stood in my way but he was willing to tell me various things on Frank’s file, the home was mentioned, they couldn’t do anything now until the medics deemed that Frank was medically fit to go home, to his new home. I thanked Robert and apologised for being a serial phone call offender. I wonder how many times my name appears on their notes for Frank!?
Paddle gear clarted with greese
A quick check in with Frankness Base Camp in Scarborough just as we arrived at the bottom lock of the Wolverhampton 21. I lifted paddles to empty the lock but then didn’t have two hands to do much else as I was still on the phone. Some CRT volunteers arrived and lowered a paddle for me, then Mick arrived and helped with the gates. I think everything was covered now until later in the day. I had my fingers crossed.
Sunshine after a damp start
As we pootled along to the second lock of the flight two figures came walking towards us, Paul and Christine Balmer who had come for a boating fix to help us up the flight today. With handcuff keys and windlasses at the ready we could work as a team to rise Oleanna to the highest point on the network that she’ll achieve this year.
Our experienced crew Paul and Christine
Following another boat meant we were resetting every lock, so one of us would walk ahead whilst the other two saw Oleanna through a lock. I had a few panto phone calls with questions, thankfully nothing that I needed drawings for.
The day had started wet as we had breakfast, but thankfully that had passed, waterproofs were handed to Mick at the stern, soon followed by my jumper.
At lock 17, two CRT chaps were doing something to the metal bridge below the bottom gates. A discussion was had with Paul regarding how a lock should be left, the other chap chatted to me apologising for his argumentative colleague! Under the railway viaduct, I almost forgot to take a photo!
That photo
By Lock 15 there is a building used by the volunteers on the flight. There seemed to be loads of them. I said we were fine for crew, maybe someone else might need them. We were told that there were three boats heading down. We soon came across them. The amount of water coming round the bywashes meaning it was far better for Oleanna to wait in the lock below for the downhill boat to scoot round the forceful water and then do-ci-do close to the lower lock.
Onwards and upwards, we got closer to the boat ahead. By the time they were in the top lock I was arriving to reset it for us. Sadly Nebo doesn’t have waypoints for the bottom locks of Wolverhampton so I don’t know what time we started on them as I was distracted at the time to make a note, but we did finish at the top at 12:45. (Mick here: we entered the bottom lock at 09:20 so 3 hours 25 minutes for the flight)
2/3rds done
We pulled in to have some lunch with Paul and Christine. There was the usual list of questions from Paul to go through and of course the apple flapjack I’d made yesterday. Our crew were keen to help us that bit further today, but we’d achieved one of our goals for the day, the flight. The other one was to make a deposit at Urban Moorings and we’d not be able to do that until after 4pm. So we waved them farewell and a big thank you for their company today.
At the top
We pulled up onto the short arm to fill with water. This meant I got chance to catch up with Ruth, a Frankness member who was on a paperwork hunt. I also caught up with a few things to do with panto.
Paul has a homing device for cameras!
A little before 4, Jennie called from Urban Moorings, she was back and we could call in. Up to Horsley Junction and through the narrows, picking up something on the prop as we did so, making it a touch troublesome to breast up to one of their moored boats.
Topping up with water
Unusually, Jennie was the only one about. The moorings were abundantly green after having been dried to a crisp this summer, that’s their compost working wonders! Getting a full bucket off the bow was a little treacherous over the bow of a boat that’s not moved for a long time, but we succeeded. We tried giving Jennie a donation, but somehow we ended up coming away with a pot of strawberry jam and some red currant jelly instead!
Fruityness from Jennie
In the past we’ve been able to stay with them overnight, but today that wasn’t possible. So we set about reversing through the narrows to the junction. This actually took us about half an hour as what was once quite a nice bag had found it’s way onto our prop along with an orange urban jellyfish. Whilst all this was happening Ruth in Scarborough had found some items I need at Franks, one step closer.
There’s a lot more sky round here than there used to be
Once back out at the junction, which by the way is so different from the last time we were here, so much sky, we winded and headed back to the top of the 21, we winded again and pulled in on the off side mooring. Sorry Tilly, there’s too much greenery she’d love to climb here!
Now what to eat? I’d forgotten to defrost some chicken, but managed to put together a tuna pasta bake whilst Mick lit the stove. Another pair of socks were finished ready for the ends to be sewn in and we talked about plans for the next few days.
Cranfleet Cut to Aston Lock to Weston Cliff Bridge 10 to Shobnall Fields
Saturday
Morning view
Tilly had an hours shore leave whilst we had breakfast on board, she did a bit of self catering earning this mooring a stamp of approval! Ben was on the phone with an update from Scarborough early on, concerns, plans, can’t find this and that, to chat about. Poor Ben is certainly being kept busy, I know it would have been me had we still been in Scarborough.
Paddling with Ratcliffe in the back ground
Time to push off, a right at Trent Junction, but not right right. The river was busy with sailing boats, canoists and paddleboarders. At Sawley Locks we were directed to the right hand lock, a volunteer penning us up. He was relieved that someone was at the bow with a rope, this made for a far easier rise in the lock.
Sawley in the sunshine
Back onto the River Trent, past the weir and on to where the Derwent meets the Trent and the start of the Trent and Mersey Canal heads off. Today it felt like we were entering the amazon, the amount of pennywort, only a small channel to cruise through and this apparently is after quite a bit of it has been cleared!
Amazonian T&M
Up at the lock was a hire boat rising, I helped them close gates, they asked how far we’d be going, to Aston Lock today, the lady nodded. We shared Derwent Mouth Lock with a small cruiser. The chap with a windlass lifted his ground paddle quite quickly which meant Oleanna’s bow was pushed over towards the cruiser. Not ideal. But both boats rose up, they headed to moor to get themselves some lunch as we carried on.
I walked on ahead, easier to do now we’re back on the canals. I’d half expected the hire boat to be waiting for us to share Shardlow Lock to help save water, but when the lock came into view they were nearly up. Hang on, bottom gates don’t leak that much, there was quite a boil in the water. I tried squinting to see if there was a paddle up, my pace quickened. They were doing a very good job of running water down. Thankfully the pound above is quite long so no real harm done.
Approaching Aston Lock a boat was coming towards us, maybe the hire boat would be waiting for us now. They were, treading water below. I walked up to see if I could lend a hand, another boat rising in the lock. As the levels equalised another boat was pulling in above. A lady with silver hair, could this be a boat we expected to meet with today?
Cobweb heading for a lick of paint
Yes it was NB Cobweb, owned by Vicky and David. Vicky used to work at the SJT in Scarborough front of house, a longtime ago and a few years ago she’d made a comment about the Princess Anne Bridge in Thorne on a facebook group, we reconnected. Recently we’d exchanged massages about repaints as NB Cobweb was requiring a bit of a spruce up. They’d been seeking quotes after one painter fell through, these ranged from £14,000 to £2,000. They’d opted to go with Robert Naghi who quite often uses the polytunnel at Redhill, so today they were heading there. There was time to chat as we worked Cobweb down, hopefully we’ll manage that drink in a Scarborough pub this winter to exchange boating tales.
The hire boat shared the lock with us, as another two boats arrived above. A chap walked down, he seemed to be familiar, but where from? Was he a boat mover? The penny dropped, he works at Redhill and is one of the team who move boats about the yard. He and another two chaps from the marina had been out for a week and were headed back today. It felt like I knew everyone now we were back on the cut, such a small world.
Squeezing past a breasted up pair also on the move
On our original plan had been to moor here for the day. We pulled in and let Tilly out, an hour that’s all she gave me! An hour!! As it was such a lovely day we wanted to move on, do a bit more after lunch, an aim of trying to get two days ahead of ourselves would be good to catch up with another boat. I was just about to stick my head out of the side hatch to call Tilly in when she came running along. She’s forgotten that I can tell the time! Bang on a hour, Thank you!!
As I walked on to Weston Lock, I had a long chat with Frank about some of the detective work I’d achieved for him. We just need to find the other paperwork this relates to it in the boxes at his house, not a five minute job! It was good to hear him enthused about things.
Weston Lock with it’s b**tard heavy gates
Up at the lock there were masses of young people with scooters, a few mums and dads, plenty to watch us go through the lock. One chap suggested they stay and watch to his son, I suggested they could help with the big gates. The lad came to help, but I suggested Dad’s help would also be needed. This made for the easiest rise at Weston we’ve ever had, thanks to our extra crew.
Just why was the towpath so busy?! Well there was a scarecrow festival going on, three scarecrows here on the canal. Scar Crow (by the little hut), Victoria Plunge (alongside a cake boat) and Bart Boatman (at the next boat, he spoke too!) all very amusing.
We carried on to a gap in the trees with a length of armco. Tilly was given shore leave, and we had a nice little walk along to a bench overlooking the river below. Tilly then amused herself as I got out the new paints. This morning I’d noticed a rub mark and a chip on the grabrail which had gone back to the steel. Keep on top of the paintwork Tom had said, so I got out the 2 pack blacking, mixed the smallest amount in an old jar, guessing the 4 parts paint to 1 of hardner and touched in the two areas. No idea how they had happened or when, but at least they now had some protection. I’ll get round to the red another day when the towpath is on the right side.
Back in her natural habitat
The huge courgette went into a bolognaise sauce, padding the mince out into three meals for us, I’ll have to shoehorn one lot into the freezer.
Sunday.
A cooked breakfast on board. Our new poach pods seem to be a bit thin, so the eggs cooked in an odd way, think we’ll have to find some more. I like poached eggs, but like a runny yolk not the white.
Yummy!
The weekly Geraghty zoom followed, subjects included mice (Tilly’s choice), Hamlet, Lisa Nandy, Aran and peanut butter lids. Only one sibling missing today due to them travelling to visit Anne for her birthday.
Swarkstone Pavillion
I walked on ahead. One lady on a passing boat exclaimed at how far I was going to be walking to the lock. Strangely enough, I knew exactly how far it was and I’d still be walking some more after the lock. I paused when I saw the cooling towers of Willington for the first time and stopped for a glance at Swarkstone Pavillion, the subject of a painting I did earlier this year.
Far busier at locks than on the Trent
At the lock there was a scout troop having a rest and snacks. I did suggest to one of their leaders that sitting under a lock beam maybe wasn’t the best place for them, especially as I needed to access both sides of the lock. Once Oleanna was in the lock I clocked that a paddle was still just up at the bottom end, the scouts had to move for me to sort that out!
Leaving Stenson
We swapped with a downward boat and I hopped on board to catch a lift up to Stenson. There were two volunteers at Stenson, I went to lend a hand, but ended up chatting instead. They knew their lock and how it works, the opposite way to the vast majority of locks on the network. It was a very gentle ride up. We then pulled in for a break to have lunch.
He’s the captain
On our way towards Mercia we had a young lad in a canoe follow in our wake, he was meeting people at the marina, hope they’d told him whereabouts as it is vast! The new buildings that had been going up last year look now to be completed, similar to those around the marina.
Pair 135 I think
I got my knitting out to work on at the stern as we made our way along the long pound towards Burton. We were pushing on a bit further today with a rendezvous in mind tomorrow. I hopped off around bridge 29A and walked the rest of the towpath to Dallow Lock, the first narrow lock. The first narrow lock we’ve done this year in fact. We’d wondered if Stenson would be our last broad lock but then realised we’d have two broad locks to do on the River Avon before reaching our mooring for panto.
Dallow
A couple walked past and helped with the bottom gate, then a chap and his son asked lots of questions as Oleanna rose up, they also helped with the top gate. There was quite a bit of room at Shobnall Fields, last year Tilly and I spent quite a bit of time moored opposite them whilst Mick was in Derby Hospital after his stroke. Today it was deemed too late for Tilly to have any shore leave, she however didn’t agree with our decision!
Lock
A chicken went in the oven to roast. We’re a little bit out of practice with our boat oven, we’ll need to adjust the amount of time we roast carrots and parsnips for, as they turned a little bit hard and bits resembled charcoal. Oh well isn’t carbon meant to be good for you?!
19.5 miles, 8 locks, 1 boat met, 1 boat to catch up, 1 change of plan, 1 rendezvous arranged, 3 boat yard chaps, 3 scarecrows, 2 many messages, 1 pooped Frank, 3 Mrs Tilly stamp of approvals in 1 day!
This morning we were up and walking to Newark Northgate to catch a train northwards. Mick had a hospital appointment in Scarborough to attend and it would give us the opportunity to visit our friend Frank who is also at the hospital. The trains ran as timed and when we arrived in Scarborough Mick headed to the house to pick up items we’d omitted to bring with us, the most important one being Tilly’s dingding bell. Although I suspect we miss it more than she does! Whilst at the house he also cut the grass.
Pesky seagull
I on the other hand headed to Tescos to purchase a few things for Frank. Yes I could have bought things in Newark but Frank is particular about the size of his bananas etc, so it was just safer to go to the right shop. I still had quite a bit of time before visiting hours started so I headed to the Town Hall to eat my butties with a view of the sea. Here there was a juvenile seagull who sat and watched my every mouthful. I did wonder if I’d be mugged by adult gulls as so often happens around Scarborough, but I managed to consume everything myself.
Latest pair of socks
It’s quite a walk to the hospital, Mick caught the bus and we met outside the main entrance. Time to find Frank, who had moved wards last night, luckily someone had left a message with our friend Ben as to where Frank was. Frank had been admitted about ten days ago in not such a good state. Whilst he’s been here they have fed and watered him and thankfully he now has a walking frame, I’ve been trying to get hold of walking aids for him for the last month, being passed from GP to Council and back again. Frank looked far better than the last time we’d seen him.
The ward staff had been waiting for our arrival and phone calls were made saying we’d arrived and a nice nurse Joni came down to meet with us. Frank is now stable enough to go home, but there are things that need to happen before he can. A care package and his house needs making suitable for him and his new walking frames, he’s got two! They’d like to be able to move Frank home as soon as possible. I put my PA’s hat on, Oh blimey there’s a lot to do!
Boaty artworks in the hospital corridors
Next, we headed to find Mick’s appointment, arriving early he was called straight in by a nurse, soon followed on by the consultant. Questions asked, answers given. A blood test requested and another test to follow. Now came the question from Mick regarding the blood test, could it be done anywhere in the country as we don’t plan on being in Scarborough again soon. As ever the answer came back as expected, it would be unlikely that the consultant would get to see the results. I put my PA’s hat on again, could he have them done in York? Yes! Brilliant, this was possible next week.
Sun setting on the way back
Back across the hospital back to see Frank. We made plans, chatted through things that should be set up and found and followed up on. We came away with a long list of jobs to try to put into action. All fairly easy when in Scarborough, but not so when in Newark! The train journey back was spent compiling a Call To Arms for the Frankness group of friends.
Not the best pizza!
Back in Newark we headed to feed Tilly, then straight out to Pizza Express for some food. There was only one other table occupied and we’d been warned that they close at 9pm. We ordered a large glass of wine each, some dough balls and a pizza each. Well, we’ve had far better from Pizza Express in the past, in fact we were quite disappointed by it. I’d rather have made my own pizza, it would have been far tastier and we’d not have needed a saw to cut into them! Of well it was sustenance after a long day.
Friday. Today we should move off, maybe back to the bank opposite, maybe down to Cromwell Visitor mooring. But there was a lot to get done today and we’d not seen any boats moving. If it got busy, we’d move off.
Walking the streets of Scarborough from Newark
I set about finding cleaners for Franks house. Mick set about trying to sort out paperwork for Frank. At times we became detectives working out old addresses. Thank goodness Mick had turned the volume up on Franks phone yesterday. He couldn’t remember house numbers, but the houses names. I spent an age walking up and down streets via google street view looking for the house name, then Mick found a lead.
It was soon decided that spending a day in Scarborough would be wise to make sure things would happen at Franks house even if I can’t be there all the time to help. Various Frankness friends had limited availability, one comment was if only this had happened during the school holidays, have to admit that would have been easier for us too. But you can’t help when you get ill. During the day, numerous messages, phone calls were made and a plan came together. It would take maybe a bit more time than the nurse we’d talked to yesterday had hoped, but Frank’s house should be sorted for him to go home soon.
Time for some head space, I was sent a video of a cement mixer, that helped a touch, but a walk would be far better.
I set off to head to Kilham Hall. Across the railway line at Newark Castle I stopped to look at the objects outside a place we’d once attended an auction for a new mattress for NB Lillyanne. What an eclectic mix of things! Polar bears, lions, chandeliers, Hulk Hogan, Policemen, fancy chairs, trunks, signage, all sorts piled up high inside the big old railway buildings. I considered a chair for panto, but it was far too expensive to just chop up for what we want.
Right back to that walk. I turned off and found the footpath, however the path had to cross two very busy roads, even busier on a Friday afternoon. I’d hoped there would be an underpass, but no such luck. I wasn’t in the mood to dice with death, so I opted to return to town and do some shopping instead.
However, there was another antique place that needed to be looked at on the way back. This was far more classic antiques. Everything spaced out with more air round it and the price tags far more too. Lovely wooden this and that. I was caught by a chap with a thick Irish accent as I looked at a marble table with such an intricate inlaid pattern. ‘Isn’t it wonderful, so much work, solid marble, that blue is the most expensive marble you can get. It’s a stupid price too. A table like that is worth £10,000, but it’s for sale for £1,700!’ Well I didn’t want it for Oleanna, extra ballast of that type would have her capsize. I said I wasn’t buying, just looking, he soon left me alone.
Outside there were two chaps trying to sort how to fit a Grandfathers clock into their convertible Audi. I left them to it and climbed a staircase to a big heavy door, it said as much on it. Opening it I was suddenly greeted by music, lift music! Outside there had been no noise what-so-ever, but inside the vault on the first floor the music played out loud and clear. Most surreal! I looked round all the cases of silver, jewellery, pottery, etc. Maybe there’d be something for friends for their 60th birthdays coming up. No, nobody actually needs any of this stuff, so I opted to leave empty handed, closed the door behind me, shutting the music inside.
Strawberries!
Time to shop for things to make a cheese cake, Aldi did me proud for most things, but I really didn’t want six lemons or four oranges. So Morrisons came up trumps with those and some vanilla essence. Back on board I made some Strawberry coulis to go with my cheesecake and once cool it went in the freezer to help keep things cool on Sunday.
A bowl of pasta each, a glass of wine and a sit down. A pretty full on day, but hopefully the Frank plan will come together next week.
0 locks, 0 miles, 9p after three days, 4 trains, 2 buses, 1 annoying seagull, 1 seriously bored cat, 1st plan hatched, 15 minutes before the appointment time, 2 disappointing pizzas, 2nd plan hatched, 1 distracted walk, 2 Stage Management heavens, 2 detectives, 1 form filled in and ready, 2 crackers with cheese, 1 pot of bubbling strawberries.
Here’s hoping our blogging woes have all been sorted. One thing that will be a bit different for a while is that Mick will be updating our blog roll manually, as and when, rather than it being automatic. We also think we’ll be reducing the number of blogs we have links to with the hope of returning the roll to automatic at some point in the future.
So, whilst we’ve not been posting I’ve been writing blogs in word to try to keep on top of things and remember stuff. They now need photos adding and formatting etc which all takes time. So because we’re also on the move now I’ve decided to update you all by putting two days together until we’re just about caught up.
19th September
Stoke Lock, River Trent
Tilly was given 8.5 hours of shore leave this morning as we’d decided to stay put for the day. There were jobs to do. Tilly came and went, had a roll around on the bank where the silt was at its best, turning her sleek black and white to a dusty grey! But once this was done, she seemed to come and go purely for the Dreamies, I’d bought catnip flavour to help attract her back to the boat and it was working, working very well, every five minutes!
There were people to message, a receipt for rent to redo as I’d missed a couple of payments, oops!
Then I had a chat with Jamie regarding the set build of panto. We briefly went through each item Jamie will be building, any problems I’d designed into them that could be rectified, maybe widen a base a little for stability, was there room for maybe an extra inch for structure? I made a list of jobs I needed to do, questions I need to ask. Work done for the day.
Serious fishing
After lunch I headed off for a walk, retracing a walk I did last year to Burton Joyce. Past the lock, along the long access road where numerous vans were parked up and what looked like a very serious fishing match was on going. If Gongoozler is the name for a person who watches boats going through locks, what is the name for people who watch fishermen? One group had brought their chairs and a picnic to watch one chap.
With an audience
Along a stretch of road, through a wooded area and into another field where the fishing match continued. When the match ended how would they notify one end to the other, the wind today was really rather strong and was likely to blow away any call, maybe the stewards had horns that they could sound in relay down the river bank to stop fishing.
I turned into the village, crossed the railway line and then headed for the Co-op. It’s quite a long way to walk for a Saturday newspaper and a parsnip, but the Co-op is of a reasonable size. Mid afternoon they still had a paper of our chosen flavour but sadly no parsnip, maybe some sweet potato would do for the roast instead.
Tilly’s km Marker
My return walk was via the road, over the level crossing at the station, this is possibly where Tilly and her brothers were rescued getting on for eleven years ago, abandoned by their original owner at around four months old.
I like village signs, this one has 2.5D details!
The under sink cupboard in the galley was cleared out, given a wipe down along with all the things inside it. Thankfully I managed to put everything back in a slightly more ordered manor, at least I now know what’s in there! There was only one empty bottle to remove.
Chicken Tagliatelle tonight and some knitting with Tilly sat on my knee.
This evening we discovered that maybe our new 5G router was interfering with the TV signal. Mick turned it off and the picture returned to normal. The router was put on to 4G and we could all now watch TV without it breaking up.
0 locks, 0 miles, 5.07miles walked, 3 for a fishing picnic, 1 newsapaper, 2 sweet potatoes, 150 or 200 treads, 350 or 450 bar, 1 clean cupboard, 5G bad!
20th September
Stoke Lock to Hazelford Lock, River Trent
The blog is starting to run reeeallllyy sloooowly. Taking an eternity to load photos when normally it takes a second or two, in fact it was soooo slow at doing anything! During the day I battled on when I had time, but soon it was apparent that there was something happening beyond our control so I gave up. The blog is normally a couple of days behind us anyway so I always have a bit of leeway.
A Mick breakfast followed by the Sunday morning Geraghty zoom, included subjects that I now can’t remember, but it was an interesting zoom.
We made ready to push off. I walked up to check whether there might be a lock keeper on duty today, the light at the lock was on red not amber, someone was about! Mick radioed to the lock, no answer came. He tried again, still no answer, but then a chap wearing blue appeared at the top of the steps, ‘Morning, are you okay?’ We were, just wanting to use the lock please.
Gongoozlers at Stoke Lock
With covers rolled we headed towards the lock, down the lock cut there was a widebeam getting ready to go down too. He asked if we could take the starboard side of the lock as his throttle is on the port side, of course we could oblige. I think last time we shared Stoke Lock with a widebeam the crew had no idea how to keep their boat under control in the lock, but todays crew were totally in control. Up above by the lock control tower there was a group of walkers who’d been invited up there to watch what happens, the Lockie was very informative. Once down we headed off first, the widebeam would be mooring at Gunthorpe, but they’d come and work the lock for us as we’d helped them.
The next reach is so pretty. Grassy fields down to the river, the blue sky and sunshine glistening on the water. I think it’s our favourite reach of the Trent. Geese a gogo, sheep, it’s just lovely.
The widebeam following on
We seemed to be quite a distance ahead of the widebeam so we pulled back on the throttle to let them catch up. Plenty of space on the Gunthorpe Visitors pontoon, but it is quite a distance from the lock, they’d be an age coming to help us. I saw them pull in, the lady jumping off the bow to moor up. We loitered in the lock cut, maybe we’d be quicker if I climbed a ladder to work the lock. Then whizzing along the road came the chap on an electric scooter, very happy to press the buttons at the lock for us.
Gunthorpe Lock, for those who have followed the blog since our Lillian days will know this is my least favourite lock and why. I checked to see if I could see a large fish or a clone of myself, but the water was too cloudy for that. Mick brought Oleanna in gently to THE blue riser on the port side. I passed the end of the rope round it. Was that an indentation to the blue plastic coating?!
Now on towards Hazelford Lock, our chosen mooring for the day. More walkers fewer fishermen on the bank. I looked at Nebo and spotted a Lancaster Bomber Memorial on the the map, maybe a good location to walk to this afternoon.
Tugs and crane boats above Hazelford
The Lockie responded to our radio call and penned us through, only one sluice operational on the bottom gates so it would take a while to empty the lock. Below we winded to face the current coming over the large weir and pulled in to moor on the lower wall, it’s still quite a way up from the bow, far bigger than a step.
Long shadows at the big steps
Tilly was given an hour or so whilst we had lunch. She needed a bit of encouragement to get to the top of the big steps, but there lies a cats wonderland of who knows what! After a while she returned to use the onboard facilities at quite a rush. Hmmm, she had a dodgy tummy, time for her to have a snooze inside!
The path back to Gunthorpe
My walk took me over the bridge below the weir and back along the river bank we’d just passed. Moored boats, narrow tracks, then out into green lush fields, a big lake reaching off to the west, sheep, horse riders, and Trent clapper gates. The sun shone what a lovely walk.
At the far end of the boating lake stand two tall stones, a memorial to two Lancaster Bombers that crashed close by in 1945 two weeks apart. They had been on training flights from RAF Syerston, one’s portside engines had caught fire, the other had over ran the runway, all the crew of both planes had died, Canadians, New Zealanders and British airmen.
Hazelford Weir just before sundown
On my return a joint of pork went in the oven and then my attention turned back to panto. Updating the technical drawings for Jamie. Asking questions of the lighting designer, Checking a few depths, all good.
3 locks, 9.7 miles,2 lock keepers, 1 zooming scooter, 1 poorly cat, 2 Mark 3s, 5.21 miles walked, 1 joint of pork, 9 big red crosses, 1 sock up to it’s heel.
Bank Holiday Monday, I had an early walk. Then having a car, Mick collected Frank and brought him round, getting him out of his house and so that we could help him fill in a form. A lot of concentration and a couple of mugs of tea were needed. More socks for the Felicity Edition of my sockathon were finished off and packed up ready to be posted.
Tuesday morning. We’d already decided that heading to Redhill today would be pretty pointless as not much would have changed since we’d been there last Thursday. Before we’d finished our cuppa in bed we got a message from Tom. He’s still be on holiday until the end of the week. Bertie was getting on with jobs, could we go down to meet with him on Friday? Yes. We extended the car hire by a couple of days.
A mirrored selfie
What to do with ourselves with a hire car at our disposal? Mick did a little look round on the National Trust website. Robin Hoods Bay, before they close the visitor centre? No, been there seen how they altered my Dad’s award-winning building for Marine Biology. Nunnington Hall? Might have been before, but it was a very long time ago if I had. We got ourselves sorted, found our NT cards and set off for a day out.
Nunnington Hall
Nunnington Hall sits north of York across the Howardian Hills. More a manor house than a big hall it still is quite grand. Originally a nunnery, hence the name, the oldest parts of the house date back to Tudor times. Successive owners have left their mark, a combination of re-purpose and renovation.
In the 1920’s Margaret Fife inherited the hall which was in quite a state. Walter Brierley was engaged to renovate the hall. As we walked round, reading the information panels, Walters name kept being mentioned. I wanted to ask a guide about this chap. Could he be the Brierley who had been senior partner of my fathers architectural practice in York during my Grandfathers days?
Small door knobs and fancy hinges
Numerous four poster beds, green painted walls, views into the gardens. Up to the top floor, here there were plans of the house when it was being renovated, dated 1921 and signed Brierley and Rutherford, 13 Lendal, York. No need to ask a guide anymore other than for any further information as this is where my Grandfather and Father worked. The drawing may have been drawn by my Grandfather, who knows. Cecil, my grandfather, took over as senior partner in 1926 a year after my Dad was born. In Dad’s time the practice was called Brierley, Leckenby, Keighley and Groom and was the oldest architectural practice in the country having been founded by John Carr. It still is, continuing under the name of Brierley and Groom.
A guide was asked about him, but she was far more interested in chatting about the Carlisle Collection, a collection of miniatures. Mostly 1:8 models of period rooms, everything made from the materials the 1:1 objects would have been made from. Some exquisite handiwork on show and interesting to me. But I would have like to know more about Brierley.
Now there’s an idea!
Up on the top floor is a gallery space. The exhibition was about Gina and how she fixed fairy tales. Her main solutions seemed to involve cake, a very good way of thinking. By now we were starting to feel hungry so headed to the cafe on the ground floor for lunch, a toasted sandwich and jacket potato. This was followed by a walk round the garden, orchards, iris gardens all very nicely kept by what seemed like a small army of volunteers. A good day out.
Packing paints to go in deep storage
Wednesday involved some PA duties for Frank, the start of a painting I’ve been planning for a while and some packing of work things hoping that we’d be able to take them to the boat.
Thursday, a message was sent to Tom hopefully now back from his holiday. We’d really like to be able to leave the dinette cushions on our next visit as they take up quite a lot of space in a car. He said that once he’d caught up with Bertie he would make it his first job to clean through the boat.
Coming down the Col de Wetwang, or is it Sledmere?
Friday morning we followed the course of that days Tour of Britain around Sledmere into Wetwang and further south where they would veer off towards Beverley. It was a slow drive and we arrived near to 1pm. The chaps were hard at work on Oleanna, a new neighbour sat alongside, a new shell with one spray of blacking (it most probably arrived like this from the shell builder).
A new neighbour, not even spray foamed
There were discussions as to the diesel cap lock. Unfortunately, Mick had bought one that had been in stock, but the pipe into our tank is a different diameter and we have four fixings not three. We’ll need to be in touch with the chap who makes them, we also noted that the original filler cap had been got by the grit blasting, we’ll want to replace that.
Tom had had a very good go inside Oleanna, all the spray foam off cuts removed, a good tidy and he’d obviously spent quite a bit of time hoovering and dusting things down. I wanted to make sure places I wanted to stow things were dust free so carried on where Tom had stopped, but delving deep into the recesses of Oleanna.
Once behind the freezer was clean, possibly the cleanest it’s been since brand new, I could stow my work boxes. A few items could return to the house like the angle poise which has a dodgy connection. I now have a ring light with a weighted base and magnifying lens which will serve two purposes and packs away smaller.
I worked from the galley towards the bow. Gosh how long had that bottle of water been sat in the fridge for?! Ten maybe eleven months! With no water in the tank all I could do was hoover and dust, washing things down will have to wait a little while. Under the back steps we now have a round inspection hatch, just the job.
Anti-slipped bow, locker lids and everything!
Access was from the stern today as the bow was being made ready for anti-slip paint. More than we had originally. I spotted that between the new T studs and cratch board there wasn’t an area for anti-slip, this was mentioned to Bertie and amended.
Roof rejigging
As I hoovered as many recesses I could get into, Mick and Tom were busy at the stern. They hooked up Oleanna so there was light inside. The engine was turned over but not for very long as we are inside. A service is arranged hopefully next week sometime. Then they got on with pulling new cables through from the electrics cupboard to outside for a new 5G antenna. We will be installing a new 5G router when back on board. Now Mick could see what state the batteries were in. The solar controller was looked at too, very little voltage was showing from the new panels but that is hardly surprising inside the shed. But at least there was some voltage showing, indicating that the panels are actually connected.
Nothing in the Secret Passageway!
The sofa was pulled out, the door that used to be in front of the washing machine removed to be taken to the house along with a big block of foam, no need to keep them here. Ah, but what will Tilly make of the secret passageway now? Will we need to put something in there to be the new secret?? Or should we leave it empty so she has no interest in squeezing herself through the tiny gap?
No longer Tyler Wilson on the stern anti slip
Some of the grills under the mushroom vents had been put back on. The amount of dust on them needed to be hoovered. They are better but will need taking down for a thorough clean once we’re back on board. The dinette cushions could now be brought back on board, she was starting to look habitable again.
Cushions back onboard
We had a walk round outside with Tom. Marks from the painting will be polished out, hinges touched up, edges missed by the spray gun will be hand painted in. I asked for the wooden liners of the side hatch and back doors to be sanded back and varnished, the cratch and locker lids already done. I tried to peek inside the gas locker with it’s fresh coat of paint and band of filler over the hole into the bow thruster locker, but I wasn’t tall enough to peek inside and managed to anti-slip my hand in the process! Oh well, I’ve left my mark on her.
Cratch board varnished.
A realistic time scale for her going back in the water was discussed. The base plate still needs painting, Tom hoped to get a coat on parts of it today before leaving so that the blocks Oleanna sits on can be moved meaning the whole of the base plate will get painted. The plank and pole rest still needs attaching, other bits and bobs and the final snagging is to be done. Hopefully if the weather plays ball we should be back afloat sometime next week. We’ll confirm with Tom on Monday when we know what the weather is doing.
Sad git’s (yellow sticker) lunch
We came away feeling far better than last week, we’ve inched closer to her being ours again. First thing was to head to Trowell services on the M1 north for a comfort break and for a very late lunch, we’d not wanted to stop the momentum at the paint shed when we’d arrived today. Sad gits sandwiches from M&S and then we plotted a route across country to avoid delays on the M1.
Clearing my head
There is more packing to do in Scarborough, mostly things we’d packed a month ago that have now been unpacked! Maybe I’ll want to re-access the items of clothing packed to be put under the bed for winter. There is a press night we can attend for the new Ayckbourn at the SJT and we need to make sure everything is sorted for Frank. Some head space looking out to sea was required yesterday, that distant horizon is always worth a stop to look at. Then a gluten free challah loaf was made, it’s only the second time I’ve made one and I’ve been short of one ingredient for a while. It is so tasty.
A very tasty loaf!
Fingers and paws crossed that this next week will be the week!
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car extended, 3 days of PA duties, 2.5 ml, 2 drawings that Grandad Lecko may have drawn, 1 scarecrow, 1 boat inching towards the finish line, 2 sets of doors to go, 1 baseplate, 1 lock 2 skinny, 1 empty secret, 0 bananas anti-slipped, 2 many things to go outside still in cupboards, 1 hire car returned, 1 van planned but not booked, 1 skip required, 4 miles of the Cleveland Way walked.
Monday morning a message was sent to Tom to see if we could pay a visit this week. Wednesday was to be a spraying day, so not a good day to visit, but Tuesday was looking good. As both of us wanted to visit Mick tried to hire a car or van for the day, but all hire companies in Scarborough were fully booked. Not one vehicle to be had in town. So he then spent a while susing out trains. With some flexibility built into our tickets we were booked on an early train via Hull, hopefully we’d manage a quick change at Sheffield.
Tuesday morning and we were the first up in the house. A cuppa each was consumed whilst packing a bag for the day with a sandwich breakfast, knitting and plenty of water. Our journey through the Yorkshire Wolds was a very golden one, all the fields now harvested. A few also very black following field fires last week. In Sheffield our next train sat on the next platform waiting for us and there was just enough time to buy a decaff tea, Mick says I jumped in front of a couple, but they were dillydallying too much and my need for tea was obviously far greater than theirs!
Was Good Cop / Bad Cop needed?
We arrived at East Midlands Parkway just before 11am, I’d finished a sock and cast on the toe of the next one. It was a pretty warm walk down to the marina.
So what had changed since the last photos we’d received? Oleanna’s gunnels were now matt black. The paint applied with a roller, so when it comes to touch-up time, the touch-ups will match and not be so obvious. The matt paint dries really quite quickly. Oleanna’s neighbour had also come on, more or less in the same state as Oleanna. Sign written and masked out for the final colour on the coach lines.
New dowels cover the screw heads
Windows were in. Paul and Spec, the joiners had been busy redrilling the holes on the window frames and then filling them with oak dowels to hide the screw holes. One job we’d omitted to think about has been to have the frames sanded back and revarnished. Sadly the water stains from condensation and rain are there, now with the windows in the way! Oh well, we’ll see what happens this winter before I consider doing something about the stains.
Different frosting on the bathroom windows
The new windows are double glazed and have a thermal break. We also opted for the stays or rests to have two positions to them. This will mean we can have the windows just cracked open as well as the usual opening. The frames sit into the boat more than the single glazed ones did, but that’s due to the frames being thicker to accommodate the two layers of glass.
Wider frames and black gunnels
The galley windows are still only single glazed as they are sliding windows which are not available in double glazing, The frames of our new windows are that little bit wider than the old frames, at least both sides of the boat look the same and I suspect not many people would notice at first glance.
Tape to protect the new paintwork as we talked lids
Inside Paul and Spec were starting to be briefed by Tom regarding the stern locker lids. I decided that I should go and check what was being discussed. The idea was to trim around an inch and a half off around the two sides and the back edge of the wooden locker lids. The trimmed off border would then be fixed to the steelwork and we’d be left with a lift out lid that still sits on the steelwork but is far FAR less likely to bump and scrape the fresh paintwork, as it did with the original lids.
Smile still sat inside. Hope my paintwork from last year matches
Paul was concerned that trimming the ends of the lids would mean that the wood for the border would be made up of end grain, so liable to split. He then suggested making the opening smaller, therefore keeping a larger surround which would be more stable. This however would make the opening of the locker a really small size and actually make using the lockers almost impossible. We stow buckets, ropes mooring items and all sorts in there, the lockers are used daily. Placing the locker lids on the lockers helped, suggesting that the border was not made from the offcuts, but new timber with the grain running the length of each side would be better. Soon I believed we’d be getting what we wanted.
A straight transition between black and blue, it used to be curved
The other job we wanted them to do was to cut an inspection hatch at the stern under the treads. When Oleanna was being built Finesse were really reluctant to do this for some reason. We’d however like to be able to check the bilges every now and again without taking the fridge out! So hopefully this will also get done. The chaps then moved on to work on our neighbouring boat, putting the windows back together there. A full day for the joiners working on two boats makes more sense than just turning up to work on one, but I suspect that has added to the length of time Oleanna has been in the shed.
The lower tunnel band was ready for the last colour to be sprayed, the red. The roof was having the mushroom vents fitted back on by Bertie. Items had arrived for the solar installation however, the panels were still in transit.
Seyella moored up under trees on the other bank
We headed down to the cafe for lunch. Which blogging boater might we have chance to have missed today. Well across the way was what looked like a familiar boat, however with new owners. NB Seyella was moored under a few trees, looking in good order from a distance, Geoff and Mags now living on a Dutch barge further up the River Soar.
After jacket potatoes, yes it was hot, but we’d already had smoked salmon sandwiches for breakfast, we returned to the paint shed. Here we mentioned the lock we’ve bought for the diesel tank which we’ve so far forgotten to bring down.
Then we talked about the time scale to completion. We don’t want to be in a situation of not being able to hire a van in Scarborough to move everything else back to the boat. Tom said once certain jobs were done he’d be able to give us a better idea. Then if we wanted to move things back on in the paint shed as they finished things off outside, we’d be able to stay overnight and then be there for Oleanna going back in the water. There was a subtle caveat that it would be dependent on how hot the next two days were and what they managed to get done. Really high temperatures would mean any paint would turn matt.
So hopefully next week sometime! Our return journey on the train proved that a single carriage can be both a sauna and a freezer within 2 meters, we chose the cool section and just managed to catch the connecting train in Sheffield back to Scarborough.
Wednesday. Would the red be finally sprayed? We waited for news.
At around 5pm, photos started to come in. The red had been sprayed, a good deep bright red. Tom signed off for the day with the comment ‘Lets see what tomorrow brings’.
Ooooo!
Thursday at just gone 8:30 the first photo came through. The gas locker lid, masking removed and the hinges red on the blue.
Just a taster photo for now
Then views of the cabin sides, plastic still over the roof, the tunnel band now red and the dollies and bottom of the tiller.
Is Oleanna as Bold as this lady?
By 11:15 we got to see her without any masking, her cream roof and grabrail red. ‘Looking really boaty now’. She certainly is. But you’ll have to wait a while longer before I show you, she needs to be out in daylight
Time ticks along in Scarborough
Next will be anti-slip, dry enough for Matt to fit the solar panels next week. The tiller needs finishing, doors fitting, hatch doors fitting and marking up to match the stripes on the cabin sides, woodwork sanding back and varnishing. The base plate finished blacking. There’s also the two new T studs to be fitted. Then all the fixtures and fittings back on, including for the cratch and pram covers, sadly these will for the time being be the old ones rather than new. We’ll have to be careful when we drop the pram cover to make sure it doesn’t harm the paintwork, as one of the connectors tends to slip out.
No news of Friday sadly. So we’ll be getting in touch on Monday to see if Tom now has a plan of which day we can start to move back onboard. We know we’ll have a lot of cleaning to do in cupboards, so it will be a long day for us.
During the week I’ve had a couple of panto meetings and chats, been tidying up some of the print images. We also ticked off a meal out with Mark at the Taj, meaning we missed watching the eclipse. I’ve also caught up with my girl friends here in Scarborough over lots of nibbles and conversation. Thank you Duncan for being a good doorman.
Sitting on the external catwalk
0 locks, 0 miles, 6 return tickets each, 24 tickets in all, 1 boat edging her way to being finished, 1 packet sad gits smoked salmon, 1 sad gits crispy aromatic duck, 1 £3 duck now in the freezer, 60 brisk minute walks minimum each day, 1 cat now getting used to being in the house, 1 woofer visitor returned, 2 boaters having unpacked a bit about to have to repack, we HOPE!
After Tom’s plan last week, we’ve heard very little this week, infact nothing. School holidays now delay progress on Oleanna’s repaint.
A new feline landing net
We plan on making a visit early next week, so we can see if things are where they should be and get a more accurate estimate of Oleanna going back in the water.
In other news, we’ve managed to finally watch all episodes of the latest series of Narrow Escapes. We quite enjoyed the first series, plodded on with the second and the third, well … As we suspected, about this time last year, we managed to get in shot! The sections with Kate who makes fused glass sculptures and windows, whilst they are on their home mooring there is Oleanna in the background, waiting for our assisted passage through some locks on the Chesterfield Canal. Have to say theglass for me was the most interesting part of the latest series.
Practicing for her return to cat walking on the gunnels
We watch the numerous daily notices appearing in our inbox from CRT. Mostly stoppages due to low water, a few trees down, lock restrictions and sadly a failed culvert at Swanley on the Llangollen Canal which will take some fixing, thankfully it’s not as big as the Whitchurch breach.
Party in our local park with jousting, snakes and karate!
When we are back onboard, where should we go? Or try to go? We know where we wanted to head, plus where we’d like to be for panto, but will we be able to get there?! If we continue to have hot dry summers, will the boating calendar switch? Winter moorings become summer moorings, winter stoppages for maintenance become jobs to be organised for the summer months before water levels make things tricksy. Spring and Autumn cruising chosen over the summer months.
Trying to keep Tilly’s mind off our latest house guest
Do we abandon plans to head south? Loiter with intent to head south? Do more maintenance jobs onboard, move Oleanna closer to Scarborough? All things we need to think about. On a boat you can never have a definite plan, having some alternatives up your sleeve has been a good plan in the past, now even more so.
Woofer possessions!
So life goes on in Scarborough. I go for walks watching the huge holes being dug on the beach, the donkey rides, the tides come and go along with the tourists. Mick attended the 50 over cricket match this week at North Marine Road when Yorkshire won. Rehearsals have started for the next new Alan Ayckbourn play and Handbagged continues it’s run at the theatre.
Evolution of part of panto
This week Tilly and Polly have both coped incredibly well sharing the house. Polly is a woofer belonging to Alex who is staying with us (playing the older Margaret Thatcher in Handbagged). A barrier on the first floor landing along with keeping the kitchen doors closed has kept noses from being out of joint or twitching too much. Polly will return for a few days next week, here’s hoping that goes just as well, that’s if we’re still here.
We will be.
Alterations for panto have continued and one day this last week myself and Gemma the Production Manager managed to get us closer to the budget. One set piece has now had a new model made for it and next week I’ll rescan the technical drawings. If anyone knows of a life size, narrow Santa Sledge or a cement mixer going cheap please let me know.
Today Mick and I have enjoyed being able to go to the Filey Food Festival for the first time. It is held four times a year and has a LOT of food stalls, sadly only one I can definitely eat from. Today lunch was a samosa and sausage roll for Mick, a gf sausage roll followed by a vanilla slice for me, The slice wasn’t quite as good as a glutenous one, but a nice reminder of one of my favourite things. We also came away with four cheeses, these will have to be rationed and two very large onion bhajis which smell amazing.
Hopefully there will be more to update on next week. Fingers, toes and paws crossed.
Us enjoying the festival
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 photos of Oleanna, 4th carousel design, 3ft not 4ft a hard concept, £4k less, 1 feline 1 canine living in harmonyish, 1 more veg box, 1 replacement landing net, 1 food festival, 2 chilled medications, 1 cobble landing full of memories.
Living on land now involves creaky staircases, encouraging Tilly to sleep in a different room, making a list of things that need to be done before leaving Scarborough, starting to tick them off, unpacking boxes to find that thing or bag of sugar you didn’t think you’d need again until returned to the boat. It’s fine, but I’m glad we’re not having to do it for too long though. This weekend we may well have eight people in the house as one company of actors perform their last shows in Scarborough and have family to stay, good job we’ve got four toilets!
Anyhow, Monday morning we hired a van again, cheaper than a car for the day, sadly they didn’t give us a car, but the van did have aircon, so that was a bonus. Should we take a load of things down to the boat? We decided not to. When we do get to move back on board, I suspect even though the boat will have been cleaned through (we hope) there will be places that didn’t get done. All the cupboards that have crockery in will need a clean and tidy etc. Anything that we take down to the boat and put in the stores will need to be onboard before Oleanna goes in the water, so we’ve already got more than enough to move around as we get ourselves sorted. When we do move the next load can stay in the van until we’re ready for it.
Choo Choo
At the paint shed our neighbouring boat had been prepped, blacked, and had it’s high build coats sprayed, the yellow layer quite obvious but nowhere near as yellow as Nb Lillyanne was. Also sat out the front of the workshop were four little engines for a fairground ride. They also had a coat of yellow highbuild waiting to be sanded back.
After spotting things other than Oleanna, our attention was grabbed by her bow flash.
Bow
Now here I now have a dilemma. Do I reveal Oleannas finished bits as they happen, or give you ambiguous photos for a while to then do a big reveal when she’s out of the paintshed? Hmm, not sure. Maybe we’ll stay ambiguous for a while!
Well her bow flash is wonderful, a lovely Mackintosh inspired nod to Oleanna’s previous livery. Claire has done a lovely job. The red sings on the dark blue, we’re very happy.
The sign writing at the stern is lovely, but at the moment under the lights in the shed and no natural daylight hitting her cabin side it looks a touch dark, but this may also be just the way colours sit against each other.
Have to say we’d hoped to see another colour sprayed, but other than the bow she looked pretty much as when Mick had been down last week. I’m aware of drying/curing times of paint and I suspect they also had to fit in with times Claire could work, plus having another boat to work on whilst the paint goes off on Oleanna.
Lots of colours of tape
Tom was busy marking out the long coachlines along the cabin side. Purple, blue and yellow tape were being applied in straight lines. When a cabin side isn’t actually just straight, it curves and kicks up at the rear, you can’t just do a few measurements and join the dots. Sometimes things need adjusting to look right.
Brown paper being added to protect the cream
Did we want the shadow to cut off at an angle, as it should or be square as it had been on her original paint job? We’re all for improvements so chose an angled shadow which would match the sign writing. As the day went on more lines of tape were added for both the blue and red lines on the cabin sides. Then once everything was in place a layer of brown paper was added over the sides to protect it from over spray.
Doors, hatches, and locker lids ready to be painted
Normally when spraying the main cabin colour, Tom would work his way round the sides of the boat and roof. Then have a little break as the paint goes off before following round with a second coat on all sides. However, the high temperatures on the day he was spraying the cream meant that by the time he’d worked his way round both cabin sides back to where he’d started, it was ready for it’s second coat, no time to spray the roof as any overspray would be noticable. So it had been left for another time. By the end of the day the roof was being sanded back ready for the top coats.
Lunchtime view
Lunch at the cafe, a cheese and salad cob and a tuna mayo sandwich with a cuppa each, sat watching the occasional boat on the River Soar. Maybe today was the day NB Bonjour would pass the marina? Maybe they’d already passed this morning? Another near miss with a blogging boat.
New bow and stern protection
We loitered, trying to stay out of the sunshine, waiting to meet with Matt regarding our new solar panels. Our new bow and stern fenders had arrived, now our thoughts turned to new ropes. Oleanna has so far had two sets, we soon replaced the original thin weedy lines she came with, 16mm much better for my reduced grip bought from Tradline in Braunston. These showed their age a bit quicker than we’d expected and we replaced them 2 years later, also with ropes from Tradline. With a new paint job we’d like her to look smart and her current lines are now in need of replacement, not bad after about 7 years. Not being near a chandlery means we may have to purchase without being able to feel them. A choice, should we go for multifilament or polyester? A look back on the blog to see what we’d had previously, this only gave me the lengths not the type of rope. I think our current one’s float.
CRT number with the logo from when she was launched
Matt arrived and chat started about the size of solar panels for Oleanna. We’d originally wanted to up how much solar we can get, but panels need to fit on the roof between mushroom vents. The location of the old ones would be best then we’d not need to either rewire the boat or have numerous wires across the roof. Two manufacturers were looked at, one panel a touch tight, the other would only give us a bit more power. Matt would be in touch tomorrow with a quote. Time is now pressing as he and his colleague go on holiday soon for two weeks, we’d like them fitted before then, plus Tom needs the panels so he knows where to anti-slip the roof, avoiding where the panels will be stuck.
Tuesday. Matt got in touch. The panels we’d opted for were out of stock, but he’d found some others, 290 watts each, which would give us a bit more power and would fit the original spaces. A quote was sent through, we checked it over and approved it. Hopefully now the panels will arrive this week so as not to hold anything up.
Later in the afternoon photos came through from Tom. The roof had been sprayed plus the doors that are going cream along with all the mushroom vents. The mushrooms were originally chrome, in the hope that they’d stay shiny and not require polishing. However within a few months they started to tarnish and we could never get them to be shiny, so just gave up. Hopefully now being painted they will stay looking good far far longer. This now leaves red and blue to be done, followed by the gunnels going matt black, anti-slip, and the base plate getting sprayed, which apparently is the last thing to happen almost as she is wheeled out of the paint shed. However there is now a day to wait before they can cover up the roof with paper to protect it from over spray.
Mushroom coloured mushrooms
Wednesday. An expensive day! Claire sent through photos and an invoice for her work. This was soon followed by Tom asking for his next payment. He also sent ideas for the T studs for the bow. Two options which were okay, but Mick found one that would have a similar feel to the T studs already on Oleanna. The new ones however are stainless steel, so no painting required and will bolt on to the top of the gunnel, meaning should they ever need to be removed it would be an easier job. I doubt we’d ever remove them as they will be useful for river locks and give us an extra option when mooring at oddly spaced rings.
By the end of the day Oleanna was just about ready for the red to go on and money had been moved across from accounts leaving our pockets emptier than they were at the start of the day.
Thursday. Tom seemed to have changed his mind as to which colour should follow. Photos started to come through mid-morning. The mushroom vents were now very much mushroom coloured and waiting to go back on the roof. Then in the afternoon photos of all the doors and hatches came through all shiny and blue. Maybe Tom changed his mind about the red as things like the gas locker lid hinges and dollies will be going red and it’s far easier to spray a big area and then mask out the for the finer details.
In Pantoland I had a go at scanning the cloths. Laptops have changed since I got good results last year and my old laptop has been defaulted. The scans weren’t going quite as large as I need and try as I did, I really couldn’t remember how I’d persuaded the scanner to go large last year. Of course the IT department was busy sitting around in Derby Hospital at the time so he has no recollection as to what I did either! Work in progress. I turned my attention to some visuals for a props maker instead.
Design Assistant Tilly hard at work
Conversations have turned to our cruising plans. Firstly will we be able to go anywhere due to low water levels, CRT are filling up our inbox with lock flight restrictions. Should we move Oleanna back northwards where levels may be better? Or should we carry on with our hoped for destination and a canal we’ve not visited for quite some time?
We have two routes southwards we can choose from, both had restrictions imposed on them last summer. Both would give us somewhere an hours bus ride from Chippy for panto. Stoppage lists were studied, there’s still a few weeks before these are confirmed so they could still change. We also have to take into consideration whether Mick should be single handing this winter or not, this could well steer our cruising plans.
Friday morning, more photos from Tom. Lots more blue had been sprayed, the bow and stern and the cabin coach lines. Next will come the red. We wait for the next photos to arrive, nothing had arrived by the end of the day, so that is likely to happen on Monday now as the blue needs a day to go off before it can be masked out.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 van hired, 1 bow looking stunning, 2 panels on order, 9 doors and hatches, 4 choochoos, 3 coloured masking, 150 ft brown paper, 1 imp, 8 mushroom mushrooms, 1 visit to Sir and Lady A, 1 solicitor, 2 Eat Me burgers, 7 scans not big enough, 2 alternative plans, 1 Blackbird back to the nest? 1 assistant working hard, only 2 more shows of Calendar Girls, 2 boaters now at least 9 weeks behind the original plan for this year.
We’d hoped to be able to head down to see Oleanna on Monday, but we also wanted to coincide with Matt from Onboard Solar and he was busy. I worked the whole day model making for panto which meant I could afford to have a day off on Tuesday to accompany Mick to Redhill.
The temperatures in Scarborough were to remain below 30°C on Tuesday, well, they’ve managed to stay pretty low all week, but Redhill was in the Amber zone, so we opted to hire a car with air conditioning. I made sure I had plenty of knitting to keep me occupied in the car, casting on a second sock just in case I ran out.
The journey down was pretty pleasant, the temperature gradually rising the further south we ventured. An eye was kept out for the brief glimpse of the River Trent from the M1, just in case NB Alchemy had headed that way, but no boat was spotted, green or otherwise. Nb Alchemy had actually set off pretty early to avoid the heat of the day and headed for the River Soar, they were most probably already moored up in Zouch for the day the time we arrived at the marina a little before midday.
There she is
The roller shutters were rolled part way up at the front and back of the paint shed, almost a breeze rolling through past the two boats. One chap was busy sanding away the gunnels of the boat next to Oleanna, the blue paint on its bow a mirror finish. Not much left to do on this boat which is headed to AquaNarrowboats for fit out.
Stood in front of Oleanna we could now see where the blasting had happened and where had been left. The front bulkhead was just about untouched, which had been deceiving in the photos we’d had last week, but stood here in front of her it was now obvious why it had been left, the wooden front doors and hooks would need removing first.
Big rusty patch where the wooden rest for the top of the cratch normally sits
Tom was busy with a scabbler stripping the paint off around Oleanna’s starboard side gally window, the last of the paintwork to be stripped on the cabin sides and gunnels. Apparently under the top coats Oleanna had what I think Tom called a filling coat which was taking time to grind off to get back to the steel. This may have contributed to some of the rust patches we’d been getting as once chipped, water could easily get behind it and make it bubble up, the bond between it and the steel not so good.
Dribblyness
A drain from the galley was dribbling, possibly where a damp trap had been emptied down the kitchen sink when she’d been stood out on the hard. Now Oleanna sits at a different angle, so what was left in the sinnk bend is able to leak out. Tom will put a bung in this and clean up before she is blacked.
Attention was given to the porthole above our crossbed. When Oleanna’s layout was designed we wanted a porthole behind our heads and a picture window at the foot of the bed, so we’d have a nice view to drink our morning cuppa’s infront of. Once the plans had been handed over to Finesse, we remembered that we’d wanted to have the stove chimney on the port side. A quick solution was to flip my tracing paper drawings over and rescan them so that the apertures could be cut in the correct places on the other cabin sides.
You can see the rectangle of what was a hopper window!
In early years I’d often stood looking down at Oleanna in a lock, her (then) shiny paintwork slightly rippling in the sunlight around the bedroom porthole. Then after she’d been sat on the bottom in Goole after the Aire and Calder breach, the sun had started to bleach the paintwork, revealing the reason for the ripples. Where the porthole was had originally had the picture window cut in it. Once the mistake had been spotted the hole was filled back in with steel. Thank goodness it was only one opening.
Enough of the anodes left for a few more years
The chap who does the welding had been to have a look at the couple of jobs we’re wanting doing. He’d walked all the way round Oleanna to check the state of the steel. No signs of any pitting, no dints from collisions and the prop dint free too.
The stick on solar panels had been removed. You hear so much about how the roof can rust underneath them, Tom said the roof wasn’t bad at all.
Checking out the gas locker
Now our attention turned to the bow thruster locker, the main reason for our visit, to try find the cause of all the water in there. First things first, empty the water out of it. A wet dry vac was found, but there was far too much water for that, so instead a bilge pump was set up with an added hose reaching out of the paintshed door. The pump was set going, it carried on for getting on for an hour, the colour of the water checked. If it was clear water, that would suggest it had come from the fresh water tank, but it had a tint of canal colour to it, so it had come from outside. Good in one way, bad in another!
You can see where the water tends to sit in the gas locker
The gas locker was emptied of gas bottles and hoovered out. The vents very visibly below the water line. Oleanna has always sat low in the water, most probably lower than thought when the gas locker floor was welded in. When Tom had been removing the windows and their liners he’d noted that above gunnel height the cabin sides had been lined with 18mm ply. This is usually 9mm. I wonder if my choice to not have any visible grain on the painted cabinsides meant they ended up using 18mm? Anyway all that extra weight will be helping her to sit low.
No obvious hole in the locker floor could be seen. So whilst the bilge pump continued to do its thing, we headed to the cafe for lunch. We managed to find a bench outside the portacabin just about in the shade to have our cuppas and sandwiches. Next we headed to the office to pay the remainder of our dues for sitting out on the hard for eight months. We chatted with Mandy about when we go back in the water and that we might need to be on one of their moorings for a couple of days, this was fine with her, if the boat that had been dumped would only move on, it’s been there for weeks!
Redhill is very much a working boat yard. One old wooden cruiser came past heading to sit out on the hard for a while. Then another narrowboat came past, this was laid off outside Tom’s paintshop. It had been jet washed on the hill and was now due to be blacked.
Whilst we’d been elsewhere Tom had managed to get his phone deep into the bow thruster locker to see if there was any sign of where water might have been coming in. He videoed a pan round, the depth the water had been obvious. Right at the pointy end of the bow, possibly the least accessible part of the hull. A rusty dribble from an inch under the gas locker floor which had then spread. Somehow the water was getting in here. Possibly a failed weld at the pointy end of the gas locker floor which always sits in the water. This leak I suspect has been happening for sometime, but Mick reckons he’d have noticed water on the bowthruster locker floor. When was the last time he’d looked in there? Just how long had the leak been leaking? How had the weld failed if that’s where the water is coming from? Well we just need a solution for it.
That looks like where it’s been coming in!
Can it be welded? Most probably not as this part of the boat is likely to have been made early on in the construction, working from bow to stern and getting in to weld it just about impossible. Tom could do a broad band of PU filler around the edge of the gas locker floor, sealing in the weld. Or maybe some two part epoxy putty could be pushed in where the hole might be. We planned on emailing Ricky at Finesse to see what his thoughts might be on a solution.
Matt from Onboard Solar arrived. Mick chatted away to him about solar panels. I’ll let him chat about those later.
18mm ply cabin sides visible here
The odd wiring, loose connections were chatted about. It looks like the cables from the electric cupboard to the junction on the roof had been cut too short on the original fitout, so short lengths had been chock blocked on the end, these were loose when Tom came to remove the junction. Matt will see if it’s possible to replace the wiring in the roof. We’ve dug out photos of the fitout and the cables should run in a conduit along the edge of the roof, but to access this will mean removing the covers which have been plugged with wooden dowels.
Matt is going to email through a quote for new panels and installation next week sometime
So Oleanna will continue to be prepared this week, it’s all in the preparation, After the preparation is completed she’ll have a good clean inside and out. She’s quite a state inside, so I strongly suspect we’ll be hoovering for a while once we start to move back onboard, maybe we should have removed EVERYTHING to make this easier, but we didn’t as that would have required several more trips in a van and then finding somewhere to store it all.
Just because they are there, demolition due 2029/30
Once Tom gets started with painting, the blacking will go on, the whole boat gets painted. Jacks will lift her so they can paint the base plate too, then below the gunnels will be skirted off with brown paper for them to work on the cabin sides and roof. The next coats will go on the day after so that there is a good bond between coats and no need to sand between them. Then layer on layer and sanding smooth will happen to get a mirror finish.
We reminded Tom of when we’ll be needing to move back on board. Claire the signwriter is booked for the beginning of that week so all the major painting will be done by then.
Will high temperatures affect the painting? Tom said that actually the heat will make the paint more viscus, so they shouldn’t need to thin it down. It’s more about keeping himself hydrated as he paints. He wears a suit and gloves, fresh air is pumped to his face behind his mask, so that is quite pleasant. But when he takes his gloves off they tend to be full of sweat! We wished him well, wanting to provide icelollies to keep moral up, but they’d melt before they got anywhere near the paintshed.
We headed back to Scarborough with a little list of jobs that need doing. New fenders, photos of the electrics to find, an email to Ricky.
Wednesday Mick put together an email with photos for Ricky at Finesse. Maybe he could come up with a solution to the leaking gas locker. On Saturday morning we’ve still not heard anything back.
Pretty carrots from our veg box
Mick also chatted to Hannah our most recent BSS examiner regarding the vents from the gas locker. She’d be happy to leave the existing ones and then add new ones above the next rubbing strake which will be above the water line.
Friday morning an email came from Claire regarding the bow flash design. She has worked up the one we prefer, suggesting keeping lines parallel to each other rather than parallel to the shape of the bow, all of which we are very happy with, so she has been given a big thumbs up from us.
My last mosaic session
Little else to report this week. Hopefully sometime next week we will get info about the solar panels, finalise a solution for the leak and maybe just maybe Oleanna will start to change colour, but that may be the following week.
Christmas!!!
Meanwhile I continue to paint my panto model, being in a snowy world is helping with the heat, although we are very lucky not to have reached silly temperatures. The other evening we used the barbecue to roast a mass of root veg from our veg box, the aim of keeping things cool in the house, we however required jumpers as we watched things cooking. I’ve attended the last mosaic session I think I’ll be able to go to, things are nearing completion, and too many hands are trying to fill gaps now. Hopefully soon we’ll get time to think about starting to pack our belongings ready to move.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 hire car, 30+C, 1 cool Scarborough, 1 almost naked Oleanna, 1 shiny neighbour, 1 leak! 1 welder with Gogo Gadget arms required, 10cm christmas tree, 18mm! 1 prospective lodger informed, 1 last mosaic, 1 set of bow and stern fenders to find.
An update at the end of a week when the weather showed potential but then turned out to not be on our side!
Oleanna was moved out from her resting place of the last eight months on Tuesday. Yes this is now the longest we’ve been on dry land in twelve years. She was moved round to the hill ready for blasting on the next dry day. Her baseplate was blasted and then she was lowered ready for the cabin and hull to be done. Friday was ear marked as a possible day.
Blue skies in Scarborough
Friday came, Mick headed to watch Yorkshire play cricket and I headed to London for my white card model meeting for panto. Both of us had lovely dry days. Sadly a raft of showers were forecast to cross over Nottingham, Redhill Marina actually, so the blast was postponed till after the weekend.
Blue skies, with clouds in London
Whilst on my train heading south I had a phone call from Tom, our boat painter. He was removing all the fixtures and fittings before the blast could take place. They leave windows in to avoid ingress of the grit, but nav lights, aerials, cratch and pram, plank and pole rack amongst other things, all get removed. He was having severe difficulty in removing the cratch A frame. He could reach inside the gas locker and feel that there were three bolts, but none of these had nuts on them. Did I know anything that might help as they didn’t want to force the A frame and end up breaking it.
I recollected a conversation with Ricky at Finesse, when he told me that the cratch was there to stay, we’d never get it off! Handy when you want to repaint your boat. It appears to have been glued on so well that it will end up staying in situ. The blaster has been advised to give it a wide berth, then Tom will strip the paint right up to it by hand, protecting the woodwork. Oleanna will be given coats of rust-inhibiting paint and Tom will make the join between wood and paint work water tight.
Photos and measurements have been taken for a new hole in the gas locker, so that it actually vents to the outside. This will happen once Oleanna is stripped and moved into the paint shed. Tom said to expect to be inundated with photos early next week. I’m so hoping it’s very early next week as I’ve lots of work to do on Panto and could do with uncrossing my fingers!
The cricket it going well, Yorkshire achieving lots of runs. It’s nice for Mick to be able to make good use of his Scarborough Cricket Club life membership for once.
My model meeting went well, a few notes which I expected, indeed even asked for. A new draft of the script now needs reading to check through in case I don’t know about something that’s been added or removed. Then I can get on with adding colour to the model and finalising the drawings. I just need to find someone in Scarborough with an A3 scanner as the printers and architects I used to use have both closed now.
Tom Tom, please get on with it, they keep taking me to the VETS!!!!
I hope to post again , once Oleanna is stripped and ready to paint. So tata for now.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 stripped bottom, 1 stubborn A frame, 2 boaters wondering if they’ll ever get their sea legs back, 1 cat whisperer beaten, 1 more notch in my tail! 1 design meeting at the National, 1 thumbs up, 3rd WC alteration, 1 more mention for Duncan, 1.5 pairs of socks knitted, 3 days of cricket in a row.
