The alarm not being set meant we both slept in, maybe a little too much, but so long as we got to where we needed to be tonight it didn’t really matter. There were a few bits and bobs that needed finishing up so Mick set too in the kitchen for breakfast.
Turkey sausages
Then we walked down to the maltings where several antique places sell their stuff. The first we went into was very organised and a touch posh really. Lots of jewellery and china.
Maybe the carpet too!
A few bits of furniture. We considered swapping our sofa bed for a curly low sofa which would fit under the gunnels nicely, but we’d have nowhere for the two matching chairs.
Steps
‘One’ would need a leather bound library for a Victorian wooden step ladder.
Cats, pig marching bands and Clarice Cliff bowls tucked away in the display cabinets. Nothing for us here.
£550 for a dog puppet!
A units further on was Acorn Auctions, not open today for viewing, never mind there was plenty more to look at.
A Stage Managers heaven
Riverside Antiques covered several floors and for those who have ever visited Josie’s in Bempton, it reminded me of there, just a touch tidier and you didn’t come out feeling grubby!
From Fred and Wilma, to Walter White.
Captain Scarlet and Blue to Thunderbird 2.
Railway paraphernalia, cap badges and Trains in Trouble singles.
Telephones, crockery, horse brasses. I took lots of photos of horse brasses as reference for panto.
1950’s clock with a timer, a calculator, beer steins, typewriters.
So much stuff, it went on and on for ages! The chap from the red boat had been right, these places could fill up a whole day if we let them. So much stuff nobody needs!
Mick’s choice
Oh hang on! We did find one thing each that maybe we’d have bought. Mick, an Aston Martin DB5 Corgie car. This was James Bond’s car, first seen in Goldfinger. It had rotating number plates, a retractable bullet proof rear shield, extending front over-riders, pop out machine guns, and, of course, a functioning passenger ejector seat! £15 a bargain!
My choice
Mine, a cream tea pot with chrome cosy. I used to have one of these that I think I bought at the aforementioned Josie’s. I would make my morning cuppa in it every day, but sadly quite a few years ago it broke or started to leek. Today I could have replaced it for £8, I very nearly did too!
Then near to the Ercol pebble tables and the canteen/table of cutlery there were two Victorian photographs which had dolls faces added to them. Three dimensions morphing out from two, quite disturbing really. Had someone made these up for a Halloween party?!
Even more!
Yet another floor showed itself to us, but here we decided that we’d seen enough and that it was time to push off and get a few miles done.
Improvised cover for phone
Today there were thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon. We gathered together our waterproofs before setting off, we knew we would be needing them today!
Heading down with the key of power
NB Small World had already moved off when we passed the gated community. We dropped back down Sheering Mill Lock all the time the skies behind us getting darker. There was a queue at the water point at Harlow Mill Lock which stretched back towards the lock, we managed to get past but a widebeam wouldn’t.
Just before the rain caught us up
Here as we finished dropping down the lock the heavens opened, just enough time to get waterproofs on, I’d already put shorts on to save over heating in clinging waterproof trousers. Mick stayed up top and brought us along the pound reaching Latton Lock where we’d stopped for our Tesco’s click and collect the other day. Derek and Margaret waved from their comfortable dry seats as we passed, hoping there would be space for us to pull in before the lock.
A cruiser out there
We ended up on the lock landing. Covers back up and dripping under cover. We really wanted to be further on today so we waited and waited for the rain to subside. At one point it started to look good and Mick walked to set the lock. A cruiser was just arriving, so he helped them up, leaving the top gates ready for us, of course now it was heaving it down again!
Burnt Mill Lock
Almost an hour later the rain dried up, covers were dropped and time to move on again. Thunder continuously rumbled around above, it was hard to hear the crack associated with each lightening flash. Above Burnt Mill Lock there were now three trip boats moored on the off side and David and Ted’s boat was sat on the visitor moorings, he’d said he needed some shopping.
Parndon Mill
It stayed almost dry through Parndon Lock but then on our last stretch of water the heavens opened up again. I made an excuse of preparing our evening meal whilst Mick stood at the tiller through the driving rain. Thankfully at Hunsdon Lock there was plenty of space for us to pull in.
Before it got really really wet
Drip drying we checked the river levels. Tomorrow we need to pass under Roydon Railway Bridge on the river section. The pound we were in had risen by about four inches and we were seeing footage of flooded tube stations at Stratford! We’ll see what happens.
7 locks, 6.61 miles, 2 antique shops, 6 scarlet, 6 blue, 87 brasses, 7 piece band, 2 much to look at, 2 down pours, 25 minutes constant rumbling, 16 meatballs with celeriac, 0 shore leave, 1 very steamed up boat, 1 cruising plan coming together.
We were up early again, a shopping list for provisions to get us back to London was made and Mick headed out after breakfast to Waitrose for a free newspaper. Rain had been forecast for today, Mick managed to avoid the worst of it, but still came back wet.
Says Snap to me
It’s been a few weeks since we have sat down and been a full part of the Geraghty zoom on a Saturday morning, so today we made sure we wouldn’t be moving. Todays topics, chicken pox, ankle biting sisters, it was lovely to see everyone again.
The winding hole that used to stretch to Sainsburys
Time to make our move, we pushed off backwards at around 11am, reversing to the winding hole and then pulled in at the services. With the water tank filling we emptied the yellow water tank, Tilly got a clean pooh box and we disposed of rubbish.
There was one other gap in the moorings this morning, NB Small World had pulled away, we’d be following them back down the locks. Back past all the warehousey apartments. I think one boat really could do with a new chimney before winter, at least his bathroom door was in place today! No gongoozlers to keep us company at the locks as we made our way out of Bishop Stortford.
Bridge 47 is exceptionally narrow, made from what should be called a ‘T’ beam, the top being a touch wider than the bottom.
Hold on tight!
Approaching Spellbrook Lock a Dad was paddle boarding with his son clinging on for dear life, we made sure we drifted past them the little lads knuckles already white!
A group were fishing from the lock landing, so we slowly came in, nowhere else to drop me off, they moved to let us pull up and chatted away. Someone has added cable ties to the pawls, quite a good solution to be able to lift them without getting very greasy fingers.
Flying in
Saturday is obviously a busy day at Stanstead Airport at the moment. Those heading back with Ryan Air from a week in the sun kept the sky full of planes coming in to land. Then once we were meandering our way towards Tednambury Lock they started to take off in our direction.
Weighted down
All the boats were still on the meadows. The one moored quite a long way out is tied to the bank but also has a couple of mud weights out to stop them moving too much.
Waiting at Tednambury Lock
At Tednambury Lock we caught up with NB Small World again, apparently the river had been quite busy this morning, most probably boats coming out from Hallingbury Marina close by. My friend Mike had been on a friends boat earlier in the year and sent me a photo of NB Dorcas pulled in on the lock landing above. Today I recreated the photo, except mine had grey skies not blue.
Mick pulled electric cables and weed off the prop as the lock filled and just managed to pull away off the landing before a wide beam arrived. However the prop soon got fouled again, our progress downstream slower than upstream, but we hoped there would be space for us above Sawbridgeworth Lock.
Thankfully there was plenty of room, a hand from a chap on the bank helped to pull Oleanna into the side as by now there was almost no steering due to weed on the prop, something to clear before we move onwards tomorrow.
Wonder how many litres of white paint that takes
A very late lunch whilst Tilly explored the area and some quinoa cooked for a salad later.
I headed out for a walk crossing the lock and walking down Mill Lane, aptly named as it starts on the lock island, the weir behind it used for power at what look to be couple of old mills. The buildings are now pristine white with white flowering hanging baskets, a stopped clock and a mechanism that must have powered machinery in one of the mills. Ransomes and Rapier were known for their railway and crane equipment, but in early days they made saw-milling machinery.
I walked past thatched cottages and through 1920’s estates many of the houses displaying sunbeams on their walls. At Sheering Mill bridge I thought I’d walk through the apartments to reach the Maltings, but big signs suggested I’d not be welcome and that I’d need a key fob to exit at the far end. So I turned round and walked along the river bank instead, I could look at the gated community from the other bank where NB Small World was nestled for the remainder of the day.
Nestled in amongst the nettles
I had a quick walk around the Maltings, numerous antique shops to look at tomorrow and what smelt like a very good Indian Take Away. I was tempted but we ate out yesterday and the quinoa would be cool enough to make into a salad back at the boat, it didn’t stop me looking at their menu though!
Glad of a clean window to look out of
Meanwhile in Scarborough and along the North Yorkshire Coast, Animated Objects Theatre Company are touring their ‘A Thousand Ships’ exhibition. This weekend they are in the Brunswick Centre in Scarborough, tables filled with the origami boats all made by people from the Yorkshire Coast. This is part of a much bigger project The Odyssey which is running over the next few years.
My design for ‘A Thousand Ships’
4 locks, 4.53 miles, 1 wind, 1st Saturday paper in a while, 1st full zoom for a while, 1 empty wee tank, 1 full water tank, 1 clean pooh box, 2 boaters staying dry, 25 planes, 1000 ships, 2 mills, 2 moustaches, 1 tall aerial, 1 maine coon, 1 Tilly stood down and brought inside, 1 fisty paws avoided.
Footbridge 28 to Bishop Stortford, the end of navigation
Hello!
A little face kept watch on us approaching his boat this morning. He then popped back inside as we passed, maybe Tilly was giving him the what for out of a window.
More buttons to press
Sheering Mill Lock was our first and it took me by surprise as I needed a key to work both the bottom gates and the bottom paddles. I signalled back to Mick and then went to close the top gates. As we worked our way up a C&RT van arrived alongside the lock with a big bag of aggregate or sand in the back, a work boat was moored on the weir cut, they would bring it round to off load the bag once we were out of the way.
Now in Sawbridgeworth we looked for a mooring for a few hours. The chap on a red boat had told us we should visit the mills here, good antique shops, well worth a nosy. We spotted the mills and the moorings alongside modern apartments where signs say not to moor. Then ambiguous signs about Private Mooring, 2 days? We were puzzled, could we stop or not? The one visitor mooring was taken, so we carried on to Sawbridgeworth Lock, a neat and tidy lock with cottages over looking it.
Sawbridgeworth Lock
At the end of a line of boats there was a space that would have suited us, but we decided to save a visit to the mills for our way back down stream. Instead today we’d get to Bishop Stortford.
Clare on NB Billy had warned us of more low bridges and sure enough they were low with lovely sticky outy bits.
Pretty but not so good for horses
Tednambury Lock is overlooked at a distance by a house on a hill, the field between filled with yellow ragwort. A gate on the bridge over the bottom of the lock deters loads of more than 3 tonnes and an old garden gate has been reused on the path up through the field.
Planks at full stretch
The river meanders round, several boats were moored on the meadows here and had carved themselves seating areas in the long grass. A leap of faith required to reach dry land, some leaps were bigger than others!
By Spellbrook Lock we’d picked up a prop full of weed again. So once Oleanna had settled at the top Mick lifted the weed hatch to free it up. A long straight above the lock showed an oncoming boat, a blue one, could it be NB Misty Blue and Graeme? It was, he slowly made his way towards the lock as I wound paddles down and waited for Mick to finish. This would be the last time up here that our paths would cross, Graeme covering the water quicker than us, so it was farewells for now. We’ll meet somewhere else, sometime. Enjoy the rest of the summer Graeme.
Gongoozling
Organised Gongoozlers sat waiting at the next lock, a flask and mugs for a morning coffee break in the sunshine watching the boats. We seemed to be hot on the heals of another boat who were also on their first trip up the river. A couple with their two kids also stood and watched, their daughter in a push chair seemed uninterested until she spotted Oleanna at the bottom of the lock when she gave out a loud happy screech!
At Southmill Lock the last on the river we caught up with the boat ahead. NB Small World, we hadn’t seen them since Broxbourne and had assumed they’d headed up the Lee, but no they must have just been setting off at a similar time to us a short distance ahead.
Approaching South Mill Lock
The route into Bishop Stortford is mostly surrounded by new warehousy type flats, maybe developers are encouraged to try to replicate the past. A zigzaggy bridge from the millennium crosses the river alongside original mills and leads it’s way towards the station.
The structure of Millennium Bridge and the Mills
A boat pulled out in front of us having just finished at the services, he then winded with hindrance from the wind and headed back towards us. One spot left right at the end of the moorings facing the end of the navigation. Rings are provided, but nestled in amongst nettles, someone could really do with strimming the moorings!
Those nettles would keep a hot compost bin happy
Sadly for Tilly the Health and Safety committee deemed the moorings to be unsuitable so they then had to put up with feline protests for an hour or two.
Our nosy neighbour across the way
I think it was thirty years ago I had my first professional design job for Snap Theatre Company who were based in Bishop Stortford. My interview necessitated me removing my portfolio from the final exhibition at college whist marking was happening. When I showed my folio to the Artistic Director of Snap there were certain things I couldn’t show him. A prop design of a barbers chair for my final project at college wouldn’t have been good as it was a theoretical design for the Olivier at the National Theatre, if I was actually designing for the National, why was I at an interview for a youth theatre summer school production of The Tempest!
Mills
I spent two/ three weeks in digs here, I can’t remember where abouts now. Much of the town centre has changed, I can’t even remember where the office was where I had to leave the van each night, Sainsburys has certainly moved. The Artistic Director, Andy Graham has also moved, a Google search shows him now to be working near to Chipping Norton of all places!
Bare tarmac
We had a wonder around the town, a few places sparking memories. The old mills now house a dance school and Chinese restaurant among other things. We crossed the zigzagging bridge and across the vast car park. Huge areas are set out for season ticket holders. Many of the spaces were empty as people now work from home, or maybe they were used by airline staff, not so many flights from Stanstead.
River Stort
Beyond the A1250 road bridge that cuts the navigation off is Castle Gardens. We walked alongside the river, now far too shallow for any but model boats. This however looks like a new course for the river. There had been a channel that went under the road, but on the 1892-1914 OS 25 inch map it shows the river coming into town a bit further west. Sainsburys now sits on top of the Terminus Basin and the winding hole is where you turned off to it.
Getting out of puff might have been worth it for the views
Sadly the castle had closed for the day, so no views from the top of the mound for us.
My pizza was half the size of Mick’s!
We decided to eat out tonight, a proper pizza for Mick and a gluten free one for me at Pizza Express. This used to be an old favourite, it feels like we’ve not been to one in years, possibly true. The photo is deceptive due to perspective. I had an ample amount of food, Mick had a bit too much!
A bee enjoying the pretty flowers
Oh what did I buy?
……….. a spatula! What else!
6 locks, 5.74 miles,2 boats coming down, 2 days or maybe not, 5C less, 0 shore leave, 2 tideway boats, 30 years ago, 1 spatula, 1 castle, 1 river rerouted, 2 pizzas, 1 bored cat.
Marshgate Bridge to Ordnance Road Bridge 38, Enfield
A much quieter night thank goodness, but the heat absorbed by the boat yesterday kept us nice and overly hot as we tried to sleep last night, so today we hoped we’d find a shady spot for the afternoon.
Alarm was set to try to get cruising by 8am which we just about managed. Another boat had pushed off much earlier leaving a gap two boats up, we were leaving another.
Mid stream weed clearing
Three and a bit miles to our first lock at Tottenham, this should have taken us about an hour. But the amount of weed in the navigation gradually slowed us down so much that we had to cut the engine mid stream. First Mick tried to clear the trailing weed with the boat hook, then the weed hatch was investigated. Masses of weed and a few plastic bags were pulled out, thankfully there isn’t that much of a flow on this pound so we stayed almost stationary in the middle.
A chap shouted across from his boat that he’d had to do the same three times yesterday. When the engine started up again it was obvious that we still had stuff on the prop, our progress upstream was slightly better, but only slightly.
As it says
A gap showed itself under a willow tree, we pulled in and tied up to clear the prop properly. Despite the shade this wouldn’t be a place to stay for the rest of the day as we were by a outflow of some sort which constantly trickled and had an certain aroma to it! Mick requested a bag to stuff the weed into for disposal later, he managed to fill it. At least we’d been cutting a way through for following boats.
Well NB Small World soon came into view, they too stopped mid channel to clear the prop. Another boat headed downstream, a few blasts of reverse weren’t going to help, but they kept trying!
Now with a clear prop we set off again, hoping to last until we’d reached Tottenham Lock which we did thankfully. We had a widebeam pull out in front of us, but he was just nudging up from underneath a bridge to the next available spot. A weed cutter was just heading out from it’s mooring, hopefully our route back will be clearer, although I suspect the weed grows pretty quickly.
Fire Engines
It took us 2.5 hours to reach Tottenham, we’d hoped to be stopping late morning, but we knew we still had some distance to go before we’d find any available shade. As Mick dropped me off to set the lock four fire engines and a ladder tender turned up sirens blaring, they turned down the road just alongside the lock. There was no sign of what the emergency was and by the time I’d walked up to the lock control panel the engines were turning round and one by one heading away, a false alarm perhaps.
Pedestal
Time for the key of power. A quick refresher on how these locks work and I pressed the button to open the bottom sluices. On the Yorkshire locks there is a panel situated at each end of the locks, this is because most of them are so big. Here two narrowboats have plenty of space but only one panel is required.
Up came Oleanna, fresh white paint leaving it’s mark on our ropes.
With not far to Stonebridge Lock I walked onwards to operate the panel, NB Small World only just having exited. We’d been wanting to stop for water, but there was hardly any space for us to pull in so onwards.
We passed boats we’d seen when we came along here back in January 2015. Two cruisers made into a catamaran. Plenty of boats protesting that boaters rights are being eroded and abut a section of the navigation which has now become a safety zone for rowers, cutting down on mooring space.
New film and TV studios
Three grey arched buildings stood out as being quite new and interesting. Google maps has them as the Troubadour Meridian Water Studios. This turns out to be a new film studio complex. At the moment there are three huge studios another three are planned in a couple of years time. More info here.
Nice and cool
If it wasn’t for all the traffic going over head we might have moored under the North Circular, it was lovely and cool down there. There were signs that people live there, a couple of comfy beds alongside the canal along with other home comforts.
Alfie’s Lock
At Alfie’s Lock we waited for a widebeam to exit the lock and then joined a chap who had novice crew with him today. Alfie’s lock was busy, plenty of people sitting outside the lock cottage along with a few gongoozlers pausing on their bike ride or walk.
Do not let the geese in the lock or the swans
Alfie’s lock used to be called Pickett’s Lock, but was renamed in 2015 after the long serving lock keeper Alfie Saggs to mark his 86th birthday. When we passed through the lock that January there was a box requesting a fare of a Bounty bar for safe passage through the lock, these were meant to be Alfie’s’ favourite. We made sure when we returned that we left one for him. Today it looks like the cottage has new occupants, the bounty bar box is gone but Alfie’s name is on the gate and there is still a warning regarding the geese who reside above the lock.
Our lock partner asked for the paddles to be raised with caution, no baffles on the gate paddles can give a rather bumpy ride. So one turn at a time until we’d both ascended. There is a water point here, but you have to sit in the lock to use it, so not the best position, we decided we’d wait a while to top up the tank. I did however pause to check out the new bin store on the towpath here, although I omitted to check whether there were recycling bins along with standard ones. These are not marked on our Waterway Routes map, but are likely to be in the next update once we’ve passed on the grid reference to Paul. Apparently some of the facilities have been upgraded on the Lee, so we’ll have to keep our eyes peeled.
Mick couldn’t find a C&RT notice about this
Just before the next lock Ponders End there was a tap, time to top up. After a while our partners arrived and headed into the powered lock. They seemed to be there forever with nothing much happening. Maybe the training of the crew was taking time. A sign gaffered onto the bridge however explained, the powered lock was out of action, so the twinned manual one should be used.
We shared the lock again and our companions stopped for a beer or two at the Navigation leaving us on our own again. We passed NB Brocky with it’s wooden cabin, pointy bow and steam funnel.
To our east large reservoirs hide behind big banks, tall pylons follow the line of navigation. To the west large warehouses back onto the canal, noisy both day and night according to Clare and Pete on NB Billy!
Gate panel at Enfield Lock
It’s amazing what you remember from six and a half years ago. The hefty weight of lock gates, those that seem to flex more than move, pylons. The locks that have powered gates but maybe still need a windlass. Glad I thought of that as at Enfield the gates are powered the buttons being covered by a metal panel. Then all the paddles are windlass operated.
Enfield Lock
As we passed the lovely terraced houses on Government Row we hoped for a mooring with shade. We spotted one, but would it have enough depth? The water being so clear I didn’t think we’d be in luck, but fortunately we managed to get into the side, well almost!
Government Row
The doors were opened up and Tilly set free to explore whilst we had a late lunch. What we’d hoped would take us 4 hours had taken us 6.5 hours due to so much weed. This mooring turns out to more or less being where we were to see in the New Year 2014/2015.
Thank heavens for shade
We watched the press conference from Checkers and Downing Street, Freedom Day not quite fitting it’s own bill. As covid cases rise around the country our cruising plans are changing. The current play at the SJT is cancelled for ten days due to a cast member testing positive and other members of the company are now having to self isolate, I hope our lodger is okay. We will keep wearing our masks in shops and on transport, we’ll also be doing our best to avoid crowds.
Freedom!!!!
5 locks, 9.47 miles, 1 key, 1 windlass, 1 boat trimming the weed, 3 very slow boats, 1 full water tank, 2 boaters keeping their eyes open, 1 very hot day, 1 shady mooring, 10 days no shows, 6.5 years, 10 weeks to new measures.
https://goo.gl/maps/z4VjambskSbRCTBa9
Our friends Jennie and Chris from NB Tentatrice have decided to hang up their windlasses and sell their lovely, much loved boat. If you are thinking of a life afloat or just your summers, you really should take at look at her. We’ll miss the opportunity to meet up with Jennie, Chris and Monty on the canals, but hope to be able to see them when we are in their part of the country. Tentatrice for sale.
The quote for a new circuit board and fitting came in around £70 +vat. They wouldn’t get the part until next Tuesday. If it turned out that that circuit board wasn’t the problem they would then order the other one and not charge us for the first visit. This all looked quite appealing, but would they come out to us if we carried on on our cruise up the Lee and Stort? Being somewhere handy for them to visit us is one thing, but each day the mooring fees are adding to the cost of the repair. Being hooked up to electric isn’t the same without a washing machine!
A chateau in France
Mick called them back after we’d mulled this over. Sadly they don’t have an engineer who covers up the Lee valley. We decided to pause the repair with Domestic Repairs Ltd, if we haven’t managed to sort it before hand we’ll wait until we are coming back through London and call them back out. The chap was understanding.
A new one of these please
The reconditioned board was ordered to be sent to my brothers, Mick spent much of the rest of the morning checking that he would be able to remove the circuit board and replace it. He is confident he’ll be able to do it. However if it turns out to be the other circuit board that is the problem, that is a different case, he hasn’t worked out how to remove that one! So here’s hoping it turns out to be the first one. Fingers crossed.
I headed to Waitrose for a few bits to keep us going. There was a market in the covered Market today. Lots of very tempting looking edible items, bread, rice dishes, cheese, samosas, cakes. Oh if only!!! The majority contained gluten and we’ve had a touch too much yummy cheese lately so I was good and stuck to my shopping list in Waitrose after inhaling some lovely smells.
Dames Pram with Baby and marrow
This afternoon I did a sketch of the Dames pram for panto. I’d asked for a Silver Cross pram, one of the lovely old fashioned ones. Well you can buy them brand new still if you happen to have £1800! We won’t be doing that as it would eat up all our props budget! I had a hunt round on ebay for a cheaper model and found one for £175. Still a lot of money and I’m sure Jo may be able to find one we can borrow and alter, or one that needs some work doing to it.
Just what would the chaps who worked here in Victorian days make of it now!
Late afternoon we heard the return of Graeme next door. A plan has been arranged to share some locks with him tomorrow, both boats heading eastwards. I think we’ll all be slapping on the sun cream if today was anything to go by.
0 locks, 0 miles, £70 plus, 1 of 2 boards, 1 board ordered for a DIY job, 0 oysters, 0 focaccia, 0 cake, 0 cheese, 1 heraldic green pram, 1 strawberry, 1 plan planned.
From Saturday Hammersmith Bridge will be reopening to pedestrians, cyclists and river traffic. Engineers have deemed the bridge safe to reopen “safety risk is kept acceptably low” due to a temperature control system on the anchor chains and the use of acoustic sensors which have been installed to issue alerts on further crack movements. These are only temporary measures and a more permanent repair is needed. The Department of Transport is willing to foot a third of the repair bill of £161million, but TFL and the local Council are struggling to foot the remainder.
Whilst we waited for an engineer to visit I had a long chat regarding panto props with Jo the props maker. Last year Jo, as so many others, had to find work elsewhere to help ends meet. From being a receptionist at a holiday park to delivering prescriptions she has survived. Still working part time she is now starting to take on bits of theatre work, which I am relieved about as I really enjoy working with Jo. We talked hobby horses, tea cosies, silver cross prams along with stretchable rhubarb and inflatable radishes.
Staying safely out of the way
I had planned to be out whilst the engineer was here, but I was busy talking giant strawberries when he arrived. Mick had pulled the washing machine out of it’s cupboard, moved all our bedding and mattresses out of the way to make more space. The front door was open and he removed the glass from our bedroom window, so there was plenty of fresh air.
Tilly and I sat on the other side of the bathroom door listening to the beeps from the engineers tester. All the cables and connections were checked, he was testing everything for over an hour. In the end he suspects it’s a circuit board that has gone, nothing he could mend today unfortunately. Someone will call us tomorrow with a quote for a new board and fitting it.
Hmm, what to do? It’s handy being here where it’s easy to arrange an engineer to visit, but we really would like to move on. Some more than others!
Mick spent some of the afternoon trying to source the circuit board himself, fairly sure he’d be able to install it, which would save a call out fee. He only found one which was a reconditioned board, we’ll wait to see what the quote is tomorrow.
Time for a walk. I’d spotted Camden Garden Centre on a map, hopefully they’d be able to sell me another trough so that I could plant on the other half of the strawberry plants I bought weeks ago at Barton Turns. The others I’d replanted are now double the size, sending out babies and new shoots are coming up too.
St Pancras Gardens and the workhouse
My route took me across St Pancras Gardens. Here large buildings back onto the grassy area, these were the dormitory blocks for St Pancras Workhouse, they were built around 1890 and added an extension to the already existing workhouse. The original workhouse in 1777 housed 120 inmates, over the next ten years this increased, they were sleeping five to six in a bed! Buildings came and went. Oliver Twist may have been based on the story of Robert Blincoe, a child inmate from here.
Today it is now St Pancras Hospital which occupies many of the Victorian buildings.
Over the canal I soon came across the Garden Centre filled with plants, cactus, pots and troughs, the later perfect for my strawberry plants.
I then had a wander around the area. A hand car wash place had a rather lovely Jaguar outside. Several pubs looked quite inviting. Oh and NB Small World had found another mooring.
I then spied the blue houses that sit behind the modern apartments, so I walked round the back of them onto Lyme St. Sadly the access to the houses is gated off so not much to see. But between the buildings on Lyme St I could see the back of the houses, here there appears to be a modern building at their rear.
It’s really quite large the building behind the cottages
A look at Google maps later shows it as a big building and checking on Street view it looks like it is The Workshop at 183 Royal College Street. Things were now starting to look familiar. It turns out that The Workshop was featured on Grand Designs, formerly a furniture workshop, it was rebuilt as a family home and architectural studio designed by architect Henning Stummel. Nothing what so ever to do with the blue cottages that face the canal. If you are interested here is a link for more information.
Access to The Workshop
0 locks, 0 miles, 90 minutes talking props, 70 minutes diagnostic engineer, 1 circuit board, or could it be the other 1? 6 to a bed, 2 churches, 1 trough, 3 plants replanted, 1 bag of compost now required, 2 blue houses, 1 grand design hidden away, 1956 Jaguar XK140 Coupe, £35 to 40k back in 2008.
Mick rang back a company he’d tried yesterday to see when an engineer might be able to come out to look at our dead washer/dryer. We’d been given several options yesterday regarding payment and we’d decided that £125 to fix it wasn’t too bad, a new one being at least £300, if they couldn’t fix it then £55 would be the call out charge. However when he tried calling the department to see when they would be able to visit the phone just rang and rang and rang. He gave up.
Not much of a view in St Pants
Google suggested several other firms. ‘Sorry we don’t cover that area’ was quite a common response. Others suggested they’d be able to get someone out to us this afternoon. ‘What’s your postcode?’ This was given, handy to be at the Cruising Club and have an address. Then Mick would say we were on a boat. ‘Oh, we don’t do boats. Houses yes, boats no!’
St Pancras Lock
A notice was put on the London Boaters group, but the only suggestion was to buy a new one as they are so cheap now. We’d rather see if it can be mended, but we might just be giving someone some money to look at a totally dead machine.
Eventually a company was found who didn’t have a problem coming out to us on a boat. An appointment made for tomorrow afternoon. Mick called the Harbour Master, Tony to see if we could stay a bit longer in the basin. This was fine and a key holder for the gate into the car park would be found to let the engineer in.
Mick headed off to find a new connecting hose for the washing machine, a longer one would help when pulling it out from it’s cupboard. 2.5m would do and be handy even if we end up having to buy a new machine.
Hello!
Back onboard I, at last, had a chat with Gemma (Production Manager for Panto). We talked painting the set, a quote for more than my design fee had come in from a scenic artist. I know you can earn more money painting than designing, but when I’d already said I’d paint the show for a top up on my fee! Logistics in our pandemic world make things a little more complicated than before, but hopefully with a bit of thought things will work out.
Not being much of an assistant
I decided that as we wouldn’t be moving today that I’d do some work. The drawing board came out and my assistant sat by and watched as I drew up some basic plans for the set of #unit 21. This didn’t take too long, I just need to get them scanned now and sent off for a friend in Leeds to give me a quote.
Mick had another trip to make to Christine’s. A new propmate had arrived for us to replace the one now sat on the bottom of Limehouse Basin. The design has changed a bit since we bought our original one. Now made from pipe with a bent handle and it comes with a wrist strap already attached! Hopefully this one will be with us for longer than the old one.
Being cooped up in the boat all day I had a walk around the Kings Cross development. A meander of a walk took me through the new buildings, many empty. Landscaping and seating is everywhere making for a green environment.
Wish I could look inside
I walked past York Road Station, one of the original stations on the Great Northern, Piccadilly and Brompton Railway. Opened in 1906 it was designed by Leslie Green and connected to the platforms by two lifts. It closed in 1932, discussions have been made about reopening it, but as it’s quite close to Kings Cross the £21million (2005 estimate) needed to bring it up to modern day standards it is unlikely to happen.
Cinema across the water
A cinema screen plays to an audience on the steps across the canal. A couple of films are shown a day along with the Tour De France at lunchtimes. All the restaurants and bars were packed, as much as they can be and the whole area had a hubhub about it.
Art covers walls and expensive shops fill an area which used to be full of railway lines delivering coal.
It being Wednesday night it was club night at the Waterpoint the old water tower that overlooks the basin. A glass of wine and being sociable was on the cards, hopefully with a visit to the roof of the tower.
Looking SW
Our luck was in and we got shown up onto the roof. From here views down to St Pancras Station, BT tower, a bit of the London Eye and the numerous cranes which are on the site of the new Google building.
Looking SSE
Northwards is mostly railways and tower blocks, but all the same with the sun gradually going down it was still quite a sight.
Ballcock
The roof is what used to be the water tank which used to hold 17,000 gallons of water which was used to fill the tanks of the steam locomotives. In one corner is the ballcock, pretty much like a toilet ballcock only far bigger!
St Pancras Station
The tower used to be situated along the lines at St Pancras, however it was in the way of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link HS1 so it had to be moved. The tower was split into three, the top two layers moved to behind the lock cottage. A new bottom third was built and the top two thirds were craned in on top. The Cruising Club are custodians of the water tower, it is currently their club house. You’ll find it open to the public several times a year.
Looking NNE
The whole area around Kings Cross was a huge coal depot. Where the basin is now used to have railtracks running over the top of it. The gas holders have been moved from their original site and new buildings built within them to suggest the old tanks. Using this link you can see how much the area has changed since 1892 by sliding the button on the bottom left.
Today a new C&RT notice came in
Aire & Calder Navigation Main Line Location: Lock 11, Ferrybridge Flood Lock, Aire & Calder Navigation
Navigation Closure
Monday 19 July 2021 08:00 until Friday 13 August 2021 16:00
A stoppage is required to replace the downstream gates and cills. Check and repair downstream sluices.
Here’s hoping the end of this stoppage coincides with the breach site reopening.
0 locks, 0 miles, 0 washing machine, 1 engineer booked, 2 new quotes, 1 conversation, 1 set drawn up, 16 more panto photos, 1 dormant station, 2 glasses up on the roof.
Before we got invited to join the tideway cruise we had other plans, this was to venture out to the eastern side of London and onto the Lee and Stort to finish what we started in January 2015. Our cruise then had to be curtailed due to rising water and an imminent lock closure.
So today we carried on back round to where we started last Friday. This should have been quite an uneventful day, some work for me organising the return of overalls to Amazon whilst Mick stood at the helm and brought us in to London.
No visitors in the middle of the night at Horsenden Hill this time
The final pair of overalls were tried on in Huddersfield and didn’t fit so a larger size was ordered and then I went through the website to arrange the return of five pairs. The paperwork took next to no time but a copy of the QR code did not arrive by email for at least an hour. But in the end everything was returned and by the end of the day a refund had been triggered to arrive back to my credit card in the next few days.
Small World still with the tide behind them
Up on deck we were soon caught up by NB Small World, their cruising speed greater than ours. When an opportune moment came Mick pulled over to let them pass.
Over the North Circular
The pipes that had snaked their way along the edge of the canal close to the temporary HS2 bridge have now vanished, wonder what they had been for? Duck weed is starting to take over though.
No pipes today
Just as we were coming up to a bend to the left near Old Oak a cyclist warned us of a boat adrift ahead. Sure enough there it was just off centre, a big widebeam. There was space to get past. Was it on the bottom? Could we help?
We slowed as we passed it, the front mooring line along with spike were sat on the bow, almost as if someone had pulled the pin out and coiled the rope up ready to push off! It did mean there was some rope we could get hold of. Mick looped the rope over a dolly and started to pull forwards, it wasn’t grounded it just needed some umph to get moving.
Along the towpath there was a big gap where we could pull in past a moored boat that we didn’t want to bump into. Gingerly we pulled the widebeam across slowing and letting it’s bow nudge into the bank rather than our stern. Now what? Would we be able to bang the spikes into the towpath or was this stretch empty for a reason.
C&RT chaps ringing base and left incharge
Fortunately this problem became someone else’s as two C&RT chaps just happened to be walking the towpath. They didn’t mention that they were coming to find an adrift boat, but they ended up with one. We helped nudge the stern in and left one chap holding a rope whilst the other went to their van for a mallet and a bigger spike. Who knows how the boat got in the middle of the cut. A speeding boater? Or someone had assisted it by pulling out the pins, coiling up the rope and giving the boat a push? Anyhow it was back on the bank now.
Onwards. I was waiting for a phone call from the panto Production Manager, to try to sort logistics of painting the show this year. A phone call at lunchtime had been arranged and all the time we were getting closer to Little Venice and Maida Hill Tunnel. We passed NB Small World who’d managed to find a towpath mooring. The water point at Little Venice was occupied so we couldn’t hang around there. Both of Rembrandt Garden moorings were full, although the community space was empty. We carried on and joined a line of trip boats going through the tunnel.
Mushy peas taking over
Popping out the other side I was busy trying to get hold of Gemma, only to get her answer phone, as we passed where the work boats and tugs had been two weeks ago. Here containers which had been sat on boats were now half submerged, apparently lots of high vis clothing was hanging up to dry draped around the bank.
Some of those look familiar
We paused for canoeists to come round the bend at Cumberland Basin then we turned the left hand bend towards Camden. Around half of the boats on the moorings were the same as they’d been twelve days before, they were just in a slightly different order and some had turned round. No chance of us fitting in there today.
No Christine today, we’d refrained from telling her we’d be in Camden today for her own safety
The gates to the top lock were wide open waiting for us. As we pulled in the volunteer we’d seen last time appeared like Mr Ben. Today he was the only volunteer on duty.
Coming into the second lock of the day
Now please don’t get me wrong, I like volunteers. I also like doing locks, that’s why I love boating. I can manage lock gates and do not jump down onto boats as they are descending in locks, especially when I can just step aboard below. I also check that the helm is happy for me to start emptying or filling a lock and I would never lift a paddle when Mick was not at the helm of our boat and home! We really must remember to have a whistle at the ready, both on the boat and with the windlass. There is being efficient and there is being an accident waiting to happen!
Heading to the last lock of the day
We then had a short distance to travel back to St Pancras Cruising Club where we had a nights mooring booked. Mick reversed Oleanna into the basin. Boat movements in the last week had made it easier to get the stern in. The bow however was a different matter.
Look at the concentration on his face
Mick tied the stern off, then pulled us over using the centre line until the bow was close enough for me to pass over the bow rope to him on the gunnel of the boat we’d be facing. A lot of pulling and eventually we were in, nestled against NB Misty Blue again.
We hooked up and got a load of washing ready. Mick closed the door of the machine, pressed the buttons. Nothing! No beep, no light, no click, no nothing! He checked the socket, that worked. He checked the fuse in the washing machine plug, that was fine. Time to pull the machine out.
Cupboard door off
Everything was built quite tightly, but the washing machine pulls out relatively easily, once you’ve removed the handle of the laundry drawer and the door to the cupboard the machine sits in. As Mick pulled the machine out we both heard the water pump start up. Was this a good or bad thing?
BAD!!!
‘Turn the water pump off!!!’ The switch was switched in the electrics cupboard, towels flung on the floor to soak up the river of water appearing from below the machine. Bu**er! The pipe supplying the machine had broken. This wasn’t the original problem, just one that came along to keep the original one company!
We’ve now got dirty towels and nothing to wash them in!
Mick had look at the machine, but couldn’t find anything obvious. Maybe our Tideway Cruise had caused this. Had the machine been buffeted about on the waves? Well it ‘s in quite a tight fitting cupboard so most probably not.
Water over the skin fitting of the outflow pipe! We’ll put tape over that next time.
Had the ballast inside it caused a problem? Maybe. Or had water come in through the outflow pipe and done something? This is very possible looking back at Adam’s photos of us in the swell on Saturday.
That won’t help
Whilst all this was happening Tilly did her best to investigate things too. I had to pull her out from the electrics cupboard that she’d got half into and round the internal door. Then with the shelving unit pulled out from below the gunnel behind the shower she was trying to get through the gap into the washing machine cupboard too! Doors needed closing, with her on the outside. I was just trying to help get to the bottom of things and lend a paw!
Deathly musicians
Everything was put back in place, water mopped up, stop cock closed. Time to call an engineer. If it’s a dead machine we’ll need to plan it’s extraction from the boat and where and how to dispose of it. But for now we’ll be wearing slightly more holey clothes.
A photo heavy post! If you click on a photo it should enlarge.
Limehouse Basin to Ontario Bridge 205A Grand Union Canal
Not much of view this morning!
Tilly seemed keen to be out this morning despite the not so inviting view from our bedroom window. Today we’d be heading out onto the Tidal Thames so no shore leave for cats, no matter how much they shout!
One of the last jobs to do today was put Tilly’s escape pod back together ready should there be any necessity to abandon ship. She also quite likes to sit in there anyway.
Final briefing
At 10:30 all crews congregated in the car park for our final briefing. An extra sheet of paper was passed round which detailed the distances between bridges on our cruise upstream. We were reminded to keep looking behind us as that is where the danger can lie, make sure our anchors were actually attached to our boats and just to hold our course and not to turn into waves as they can come from any and every direction. VHF radios were handed to crew who didn’t have their own, ship to ship being on channel 8.
Simon watching the lock open up
St Pancras Leader, Simon, would radio VTS (Vessel Traffic Service) when they left the lock and the third lock leader would do the same when the last and final boat entered the tide way, Tail end Charlie would be Oleanna today. There wouldn’t be much commercial traffic on the river, but plenty of Clippers and speed boats. The weather forecast wasn’t so good, everyone prepared for rain which was just trying to start.
Moving into position
The first locking of four boats was at 11:15. Limehouse Lock can hold three narrowboats abreast and as two boats were short they could sit one behind the other. We watched as the boats pulled into the lock, each passing ropes round the risers on the lock walls, these are positioned directly under the bollards above.
Waiting for NB Chance to take her position in the lock
The pull as the lock starts to empty, radial gates not paddles, is strong necessitating ropes needing to be passed round a T stud to help you keep hold.
We watched as the lock emptied and then the boats departed. NB Thermopylae led the way followed by NB Chance, NB Misty Blue and NB Mobius brought up the rear. Each boat motoring out of the lock and turning right onto the Thames keeping a distance between each other.
Next lock full
The next boats were ready and waiting for the lock to be refilled, we headed back to Oleanna for a final briefing with our second mate, move the towline to the bow and untie ourselves from the mooring.
Oleanna looking forward to her trip up the Thames
Tilly was warned that that the outside we’d be moving today was likely to be quite lumpy bumpy for a while, she retired to her escape pod and waited to see what happened.
NB Coracle was lead boat, followed by NB Small World then us at the very back. As the lock gates fully opened Andrew on NB Coracle said ‘Let’s go boating!’ It was 11:48 we were 15 minutes ahead of schedule.
Leaving Limehouse Lock, the river was big but not as big as leaving Goole
I closed the cratch cover up and moved through Oleanna to the stern. I was soon pleased that I’d thought to move bottles from the galley shelves and counter tops as the river was most certainly lumpy. We turned into the flow of the tide heading upstream.
Speed boats zipped past their wakes moving across the river. They were towards the south bank, we were towards the north bank, the waves kept coming and coming, first this way then that.You said it was going to be lumpy! You didn’t say that we would be looping the loop!!!!
Tilly wasn’t happy, she was shouting at the back doors! I have to admit that I wasn’t too happy either as Oleanna rose and fell with the waves. Please excuse the out of focusness of this footage as my camera had no idea what it should focus on! This is by far the lumpiest water we’ve encountered. As a child I used to be seasick every time I even stood near to a boat, so today I did my best to keep calm and looked round at everything to keep my mind off the swell.
We fell in line behind the lead boat and NB Small World, one yellow buoy coming a touch close to us. The river was moving us along, at one point I couldn’t hear the engine, Mick had put Oleanna into tickover as we had been gaining on the boat ahead.
Behind us Canary Wharf, ahead old warehouses, the River Police jetty.
Shard ahead
The Shard came into view, then as we rounded the bend at Wapping the view opened out.
Quite a view!
The Walkie Talkie, St Pauls, BT Tower, City Hall and of course Tower Bridge. Wow!
Dora May just off centre with a blue and cream wheelhouse
At Tower Moorings we tried to spot Dora May that used to belong to my friend Kathy. She is still moored there, wheelhouse positioned with a great view over to Tower Bridge.
Just look at that! Tower Bridge built between 1886 and 1894
We managed to line ourselves up briefly for a photo we’ve been dreaming of for years, under the central span of Tower Bridge.
Then we got back in line with the two boats ahead and headed for span 1 to the north side. It is quite an impressive bridge to walk over, but more so to pass under.
We waved to the south bank of the river where Mick’s sister Christine had positioned herself.
Christine’s over there somewhere!
No chance of spotting her, but thankfully she spotted us.
There we are
Past the clipper terminal
Tower of London
I especially like the one in front of the Tower of London.
HMS Belfast and The Shard
The bridges now come thick and fast as did the swell.
Bridges lining up ahead
Trying to take photos clinging on, trying to stay upright at times was quite hard.
London Bridge Hospital looks like a new coat of white paint has been added, keeping it crisply clean, soon followed by Hays Wharf. This wonderful deco building once a wharf now contains consulting rooms and the cardiology department for the hospital.
Follow my leader under the correct spans of the bridges as waves buffeted themselves against Oleanna.
Tate Modern (opened 2000) and the wibbly wobbly Millennium Bridge (opened 2000, reopened 2002).
The Samuel Pepys pub is where Mick used to drink when he worked almost next door for BT in the red brick building.
More bridges, more sights, more big trip boats.
Pillars where old railway bridges used to be. The Oxo tower (originally a power station supplying the Post Office, built at the end of the 19th Century) more shiny tower blocks.
Waterloo Bridge (opened 1942, fully opened 1945), The National Theatre (opened 1976). Have to say I was a touch disappointed that the National hadn’t brought the horses out from War Horse onto the terrace to see us pass as they did for the Queen!
Not much traffic behind
Frequent glances behind brought different views as well as checking if we were being followed.
Hungerford Bridge (opened 1864) and the Golden Jubilee Bridges (completed 2002)
Then Hungerford Bridge and the Golden Jubilee Bridges. Were we early? We looked up as we came under the bridge.
A pair of shoes, legs, a radio 2 news presenter stood phone in hand ready to capture us as we passed below.
The London Eye (opened 2000), County Hall (1922), Tattershall Castle (a steamer built in 1934 and was used as a Humber Ferry) and onwards to the Houses of Parliament (finished in 1860) and Westminster Bridge (opened 1862).
Heading up stream
Such a shame Big Ben is still swathed in scaffolding, maybe we’ll just have to come and do the trip again in the latter part of 2022!
As we passed the exclusion zone in front of the Houses of Parliament I shouted out a few comments to those who run our country. I so hope they heard and will take heed of my words!
Under Lambeth Bridge ( 1932) with the MI5 offices (1929) with it’s gold roof.
Tamesis Dock
A boat sat out of the water a structure held it upright. I wonder if those eating and drinking at Tamesis Dock knew they weren’t afloat.
Mick tried pointing out another building he used to work in. ‘That one with all the windows’! It turns out Mick used to work next door to the MI6 building on the south bank, well before it was built.
Vauxhall Bridge Built in 1906
By now the river traffic was easing, the swell gone. Under Vauxhall Bridge, the four towers of Battersea Power Station (completed in 1955) rose from the redevelopment below.
Next week will see the return of the open-air cinema and theatre at The Coal Jetty. Apartments are being sold and retail and restaurants are already open. We do wonder what the residents will think of living next door to the Super Sewer though! I’m sure it will all be below ground.
Victoria Railway Bridge rebuilt and widened in the 1960’s
Chelsea, originally Victoria Bridge, rebuilt in 1937
Albert Bridge, built 1873, suspension bridge incorporated in 1884-7 and final alterations made in 1973
Victoria, Chelsea and Albert Bridges. The question is who was Chelsea? Did she have a bit of a fling with Albert getting between them!
Albert Bridge painted in pastel shades has a touch of a Wedgewood feel to it.
Battersea Road Bridge built 1885
Battersea Road Bridge was followed by numerous house boats.
House boats side by side
I wonder what it’s like living on one of those with the tides coming and going.
Lots Road Power Station, built in 1904
Lots Road Power Station which used to produce electricity for the underground is having a makeover. The internal structures have been removed and 800 tonnes of steel have been used to retain the exterior façade. Along with four new buildings the development will provide 420 residential units.
Hanging under Wandsworth Bridge ( built in 1940) is a dishevelled bail of straw. It’s an ancient bylaw of uncertain heritage that if a bridge arch is open to river traffic, but with restricted headroom, then a bundle of straw should be hung from the bridge as a warning. At night time it is replaced by a white light.
Fulham Railway Bridge (1889) and Putney Bridge (1886)
Down stream of Putney Bridge (1886) is where the Oxford Cambridge boat race starts, the course passes under Hammersmith Bridge, Barnes Bridge and finishes just before Chiswick Bridge a distance of four miles.
Fulham Football Club is having major works. The riverside stand at Craven Cottage was demolished and is being redeveloped into more than just a football stand. Floating pontoons are being used in the building work and an exclusion zone around these is in force on the river marked with yellow buoys.
Rowers
Now we started to encounter rowers as we approached Hammersmith Bridge (1887). An area along the southern bank has been marked out for the rowers to use, keeping normal river traffic away from the area.
Hammersmith Bridge currently closed
Hammersmith Bridge has been closed to motor traffic since August 2019 after cracks were discovered in the bridges pedestals. The closure was extended to pedestrians, cyclists and normal boat traffic last year. It is however open for pre-booked transits which are subject to a lot of conditions. One of which is that you have an abort plan should the bridge be closed in front of you. This would entail winding and stemming the tide in a predetermined section of the river, contact with VTS would be made and then we would wait for slack water before returning all the way to Limehouse Lock with the outgoing tide.
All three groups had to pass under the bridge in an hours window. Thankfully no abort signal was given and we as Tail end Charlie passed under the bridge at 13:38, well within the hour. Phew!
Under Barnes Railway Bridge ( built in the 1890’s), more rowers and paddleboarders.
Chiswick Bridge built 1933
We received a phone call from Simon checking our location at 14:00, we could confirm we were under Chiswick Bridge and all was fine at the back of the flotilla.
Boats ahead under Kew Railway Bridge
A zoom in on the camera to Kew Railway Bridge confirmed we were catching up the second group. NB Combs Lass and NB Galatea were just passing under the bridge, it was the first time we’d seen them since Limehouse.
Kew Bridge built in 1903
Kew Bridge a wide span bridge was to be the last we’d pass under, the Tower of Kew Bridge Pumping Station watching our approach towards Brentford Junction.
Liquidity ahead
Passing islands to our starboard side we could see the sculpture Liquidity by Simon Packard. This to boaters helps mark the entrance of Brentford Junction on the Thames, to locals it caused a big hoo-ha when it was first erected as it blocked the view from new flats and a local restaurant to the river.
This was where the flotilla would split. Three boats could be seen continuing on up stream towards Teddington. NB Thermopylae now at the back. The third locks worth of boats veered off at the Junction and headed for Thames Lock. Here NB Albert Victor was joined by NB Coracle our lead boat and we joined NB Small World in the second lock to rise up to the semi tidal stretch at the bottom of the Grand Union Canal.
It wasn’t me!
I had chance to check on everything below, half expecting Tilly to still be in a tizz and maybe for her to have suffered from seasickness. I was greeted by a cat who was trying to be quite cool about everything, even if she was a little bit shouty! There was also a bit of a puddle in the main cabin. Oh dear.
However it didn’t take me long to realise that this was just water and it must have come in through our hatch despite the outer doors being closed. There was water on the surround. In absolute torrential rain with howling gales we’ve had water come in having been forced up under the doors. This must have happened when we were in the really lumpy water.
Thames Lock which takes us onto semi-tidal water
Heading to the bow to open up the cratch I also noticed a very small amount of water had made it’s way up under the front doors. These are raised off the floor of the well deck and have a frame that sits quite a bit higher than the doors. Water will have come in through the well deck drains on the choppy sections of the river and some of that made it’s way inside!
Maybe if we plan to do more rough cruises we should look at adding extra protection to these areas, the amount of water wasn’t alarming, but it would have been better to have come in to a dry boat.
A lock keeper was also on duty at Brentford Gauging Locks bring us up off the tidal water and onto the canal proper. We were now bunched up and a queue had formed at Clitheroe’s Lock. I headed up to help , other crew walking on ahead to set Osterley Lock.
When we reached the final lock of the day NB Albert Victor was waiting for a partner, so NB Small World joined them, leaving us to lock up on our own. The off side bottom gate refused, despite a bit of a waggle back and forth, to open fully, so it was one boat in at a time. On leaving half a tree trunk floated above the lock gates. NB Small World pushed it out of the way, but by the time I’d refilled the lock it had drifted back down to be in the way again!
The first sign of a gap in the moorings we pulled in, close to the community gardens. Tilly’s paw was already clinging onto the bathroom porthole her nose sniffing the fresh air, the trees here already having been given feline approval. As soon as our location had been noted with co-ordinates and what3words the rules were recited to Tilly and she was given 2 hours shore leave.
Tideway Tilly back on dry land
Time for a well deserved cup of tea!
Graeme and David with everyone else behind them
This evening we joined everyone else who’d come off the river at Brentford along with Simon who’d made it over from Teddington for a meal at The Fox. This is a pub Mick knows well as he used to live about 200 yards away. I was famished, but had also forgotten about the portion sizes. A portion of chicken wings arrived as a starter, I’d been expecting 4 or 6, but 12! Mick and I should have shared them. Sadly they had run out of rainbow trout so I chose pork belly with mash, Mick had sausage and mash. All the food was very tasty as expected.
VHF and laminated sheets
A very good evening wrapping up an incredible day. The rain had held off, the planning had been spot on, the waves added extra adrenalin, advice was shared, lead boats knew the river, tail boats were VHF qualified. Thank you very much Simon for offering us the final space on the cruise. Thank you also to St Pancras Cruising Club, from start to finish we felt we were in safe hands.
Waterway Routes under new improved rain shield which wasn’t required today
5 locks, 18.75 miles, 2 rights, 34 bridges, 3rd locking, 10th in line, 1st St Pancras cruising cat, 1 lumpy river, 1 shouty cat, 2 puddles, 1 sister-out-law, 1 fellow blogger, 1 boat in tickover much of the time, 4 rice crispie cakes, 0 flying pigs, 4 power stations, 3 lock keepers, 2 hours shore leave, 1 fox, 807 photos, 1 very nice meal, 1 fantastic day.
https://goo.gl/maps/kU1p4HBtsysYSh7c7
A fab photo of Group 1
For more photos of the trip from the front of the flotilla follow this link to Scholar Gypsy
Adam has also published a post with his photos this morning, showing the second group of boats as they headed for Westminster Bridge. A link to his blog Briar Rose
Mick has been doing a few boat jobs. He decided to check the fuel filters over, finding a bit of crud in the first and second ones. He replaced the second one and gave the first one a good clean out. A hunt through the lockers for a pipe we bought ages ago was successful. With this pipe you can dip your tank and it gives you a view of what lies down in the dark. The fuel looked just how it should, so no worries there.
An empty room
Back in Huddersfield Tuesday had me running all the overalls I’d tacked on Monday through the Directors sewing machine. Tacking was removed, excess fabric removed and edges finished off.
Makeshift wardrobe department
The second bubble of actors was in so I did three more fittings. Everyone on Monday had been a small or even smaller! Two of todays actors were the same, so they were fitted with ease. Then there was Toby, I knew he’d be at least an XL, but this only got so far. An XXL got further and Toby did manage to get the zip done up but it was all really quite tight fitting! Unless he lost some weight the seems would only hold for a certain amount of time. It would do for the photo shoot so I pinned the legs up.
Closed up for the day
By the end of the actors working day I only had one bit of hand sewing left to do which I could do back at the hotel. The studio was set up for a busy day on Wednesday.
Lynda, Penny and Amy
Back at the Dark Horse office I sat down with Amy (Director), Lynda (Producer) and Penny (Stage Manager, Technical and Digital person) for a meeting. This was my first face to face design meeting since the beginning of the pandemic. Not a computer screen in view, just a big table, open windows and Bento boxes from the restaurant down stairs. So lovely to be able to interact with people in one room again.
We talked lights on costumes, lights on the set, flooring, projection, colours. My prep work for the set had been worthwhile and a vague idea of what things were likely to cost meant we could be creative yet realistic at the same time. Penny and I were left with a list of things to pursue, I’ll do some technical drawings and get the set priced up in the next couple of weeks.
A full studio
Wednesday, an early start to get everyone’s outfits ironed and ready for the photo shoot. Two hair dressing stations were set up and we were all ready for the ensemble when they arrived. This is the first time the two bubbles have met up since March last year. Everyone was pleased to see each other even if it was at a distance. It was actually a good job that we were a couple of actors down as it gave us all a little bit more space.
At 11am the photographer arrived, set his big light up and I started to put people into costume. The ladies had their hair done, coloured extensions and braids added to their big space buns. Then the music was turned up and the photo shoot was started. Toby was shoe horned into his overall just before his photos, they were checked over, a few more taken then he could be released from the tight zip.
The amount of energy in that room! Between helping people get changed, sanitising hands I managed to get a few photos myself. Have to say my eyes welled up on a couple of occasions. Here we all were in one room, the thoughts that have cumulated over the last year of lockdowns, all the actors giving their best, the energy, dancing and smiles from everyone was electric. We were back doing what we do, only one thing missing, the audience to share it with.
Today photos were being taken for leading images for the show which will have a showing early next year. The costumes will change a bit between now and then and an XXXL overall will arrive in August for Toby.
Rebekah and Alice
The whole day had been scheduled for the photo shoot, but everything went so smoothly that we had finished by lunchtime. This gave me plenty of time to tidy up, make notes and sit around as my train back south wasn’t until 5:15pm. A very good three days work with a great theatre company.
My train back south took me through torrential rain, outside was darker than dark. Then within a ten minute window the clouds cleared and the sun came out. At the cruising club it was club night, the bar was open and a TV set was showing the match, benches were pulled up around the set overlooking the basin.
Evening at the basin
Mick was having a beer with several people and I joined for a glass of wine and a sociable chat as the sun was starting to dip.
The water tower
0 locks, 0 miles, 2 trains, 7 actors, 7 overalls, 1 tight squeeze, 672 lots of hand sanitiser, 90 minute photo shoot, 1 electric morning, 1 show just about designed, 4 bento boxes, 3 productive days, 2 filters cleaned, 2 pints 1 glass of wine at the water tower, 1 cat watching the football!
