Category Archives: Transport

A Ride In The A. 3rd November

A document listing requirements for Oleanna’s repaint has been compiled. An order made for primer, undercoat, replacements and filters placed. The living room rug keeps on being murdered (the fish is innocent by the way!). My work room has been reclaimed from items that just get dumped up there ever year. Drawings and dimensions done for various things about the house. Front flower bed trimmed back, the brown wheelie bin been filled twice and our back passage is now clear!

Frank came round once he’d heard there was some parkin to eat, he did a good job of eating several pieces before leaving. We were left with a few pieces to keep us going for another day or two, however it was all gone before it had had chance to reach it’s full stickiness potential.

Sunday, after a cooked breakfast, we had a walk down to say hello to the South Bay. Not a bright blue skied day, but at least it wasn’t raining. Plenty of dog walkers enjoying the tide being out and leaving plenty of sand to run around on. The sea had scoured away the beach by the Spa wall revealing weathered wooden planks, we’ve not noticed these before. Then because of my knee and Mick deciding that now he’s a pensioner we’d ride the cliff lift up to the Esplanade. Apparently he’s never ridden in one before!

Monday and Mick had arranged to get a lift with his friend Mark down to Goole. Mark recently has bought himself a rather lovely car, an MGA, built the year he was born. If the weather was fine they would drive down to Goole in the ‘A’. The hood sits too low for Mark so he doesn’t put it up, taking waterproofs might be a sensible precaution. If they knew it was going to rain they’d go in a far more modern vehicle.

At 11am there was a ‘Beep Beep!‘ as Mark drove up the street. Wow, what a beautiful car. Only just enough space for two and Mick’s laptop and a couple of things were better put by his feet than in the boot. ‘Can’t come in, don’t want to stop the engine as it might not start again!’. Mark’s face certainly that of a cat that had got the cream.

A quick look around the outside and then Mick worked out how to open the door, no exterior handles, before concertina-ing himself into the passenger seat. With a whooosh of exhaust fumes they sped off, Goole bound.

They chose to go up Staxton Hill (quite a steep hill up onto the Wolds) and through Sledmere down to Goole, travelling in style. On arriving at the marina Mick checked that the A would be alright going over the severe speed bumps which are followed by potholes out on the lane. These were negotiated and in through the gate. It’s hard not to notice such a car, she turns heads, so Mark got lots of comments from people.

Mick got on with the jobs in hand on Oleanna. Setting the heating thermostat to come on at 4C. Switched on the security camera that I’d efficiently turned off last week. Riveted a popper to the bow so the cratch cover would close fully and not get whipped up by wind. All the time Mark kept the engine running.

He did turn the engine off briefly so they could have a walk around the marina. Thankfully she started up again using a bit of wire (the solenoid is faulty) then time for another comment from someone before they were back on the road heading northwards.

I’d guesstimated that with our normal journey time to Goole being around 1 hr 30, a round trip without stopping for too long would be a bit over 3 hours. Mick ended up having just over ten minutes doing jobs before they were on their way back over the Wolds. No time for photos of any sort. They pulled up outside the house at 2:45pm after sitting in traffic and being noticed on their way back into Scarborough.

A very nice drive out for the two of them. Being able to have a catch up shouting at each other as they went and thankfully the heater worked. Mick definitely enjoyed himself, but he’s reassured me that he won’t be saving up for one himself, we’ll stay with our life at 4mph, after all what would Tilly have to say about it!

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 beach walk, 1st tram ride, 1 Christmas card short list, 1 boat quote email, 1 house quote email, 1 saveloy, 2 yolks, 1 nice trip out, 0 handles, 4 warm feet, 10 minutes, 0 fertan, pair 46 cast on, 1 very bored cat!

Show And Meet. 2nd October

Uppermill Visitor Moorings

An alarm. Breakfasted and some none boaty clothes on we set off to walk to Greenfield Station which was a bit behind us. Today we were going to the seaside. With split ticketing Mick had managed to get our fares at a reduced price, but it did mean that we had three tickets in each direction. One train to York where we had time to pop into Sainsburys to pick up something for lunch, that pack up I’d planned on hadn’t happened.

We’d left the Pennines in drizzly merk and whizzed through the Howardian Hills in sunshine. Opposite us sat a couple who referred to OS paper maps as we travelled. They obviously had quite a bit of knowledge of the journey, but were miles off where we actually were. Mick and I managed to stay quiet. The amount of water in the low lying fields was quite impressive. Small lakes had formed, the land had been marsh land way back when and after recent feral weather has returned to its former self.

Where to have lunch? It was a touch breezy but we opted to walk down to the Town Hall and enjoy the view across the South Bay. The tide was coming in, a spring tide that had most probably cleared the entrance to the harbour at it’s lowest.

Show and Tell is the latest Alan Ayckbourn play, his 90th. We’ve had two of the company staying in the house for the last eight weeks and now we were on a convenient train line we’d decided to make the effort. A story of a man who plans a birthday present for his wife of a play performed in his own house. Alan describes the play as an homage the theatre. I suspect there are a few observations I made that others would not, were they intended by the playwrite? Or was my own experience being played on?

A very good afternoons entertainment. Out of the company of five actors I knew four and it was time to meet the fifth, Olivia, who’s been sleeping in our bed at the house. A cuppa with Bill and Olivia in the bar after the show and chance to say hello to Paul Kemp for the first time in decades. All the performances were great, Bill unnervingly looking like my Dad and Olivia having the role that initially reminded me of Evelyn in Absent Friends here’s hoping her career flourishes as Tamsin Outhwaite’s did.

A direct train called us back to the station and let the actors get on with their break between todays two shows. I managed to knit a heal and get part way up the leg of a sock as the world darkened around our train.

Tilly was a touch hungry. The stove relit and then an Indian takeaway ordered, very nice it was too. Far too much for one meal, the spare rice and spinach saved for tomorrow.

0 locks, 0 miles, 3 trains, 90th AA , 1 sea view picnic, 4 out of 5, 1 boat moved, 3 not 2, 2 mains 1 side, 2 glasses of wine, 1 very good day.

PS Waverley Trip, Isle of Wight. 24th September

Southampton to Portsmouth round the Isle of Wight.

For my 65th birthday my sister Marion and her husband John bought me a trip around the Isle of Wight on the paddle steamer PS Waverley. My 65th birthday was in 2023 and the trip was booked for September that year. We had a mooring booked for Oleanna in Lincoln Marina and were all ready to go. Three or four days before the event the cruise was cancelled due to forecast high winds in the Solent and the Channel. So it got re-arranged for a year later.

**PS Waverley in Scotland. Photo credit my sister Anne**

These two photos were taken by my sister Anne who lives in Helensburgh and sees the Waverley regularly.

Built in 1946, the Waverley took day trippers around the Firth of Clyde and nearby sea lochs until she was retired in 1973. She was then purchased by the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society for the princely sum of £1, restored to her original 1947 appearance and put back into service. She now carries out an extensive summer timetable of passenger excursions, calling at many seaside piers and ports around the British coast. Here is a link to her website https://waverleyexcursions.co.uk/ . She is the last passenger carrying seagoing paddle steamer in the world.

Oleanna was moored in Macclesfield. I left Pip and Tilly in charge and headed off to the railway station for a direct train to Southampton. The train I was booked on was cancelled. However I had noticed this when I checked online that morning and caught a train leaving an hour earlier. I arrived in Southampton four and a half hours later and walked to our hotel. I met Marion and John in the bar and we elected to eat in the hotel restaurant. Then an early night as we needed to be up and away by nine in the morning.

After breakfast we walked to the station to catch an excursion bus to take us into the port of Southampton to the cruise liner quay. There was the little PS Waverley moored in between two huge passenger cruise ships. We were welcomed aboard and found some seats outside on the top deck.

Time to set off. The crew let go the forward rope and the Waverley went into reverse gear. The bow moved away from the wharf whilst the stern was held by the still attached stern rope. We use this procedure on Oleanna sometimes if things are a bit tight or if it’s windy. We call it a “Reverse Andy”. Then the stern rope was let go and the Waverley did a 180 degree turn with the assistance of a tug and headed off down Southampton Water, the tug keeping alongside us for a while.

**Looking backwards towards Southampton. Cruise liners behind.**

There were a few yachts around and a couple of motor cruisers to keep us company, people on board taking photos of us.

On approach to Portsmouth we slowed right down and a pilot boat came alongside from astern. We needed a pilot to get into the port of Portsmouth. A rope ladder was thrown over the side and the pilot stepped onto it and climbed aboard.

The Waverley’s normal berth at The Hard, next to Portsmouth Harbour station wasn’t available today so we headed further into the port past the Naval Dockyard. Both the UK’s aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, were at home base moored next to each other. There were also five destroyers there too. A couple of tug boats came to join us, one in front and one behind, and escorted us to the continental ferry port where a berth was available for us. We came to a halt a few metres from the side and the tugs pushed us gently in to moor alongside. Throwing lines were thrown to the waiting staff on the dockside and the main ropes followed. The ropes were arranged in what we on Oleanna call “innies” (as opposed to “outies”).

**HMS Queen Elizabeth and HSM Prince of Wales**

There were four bus loads of Portsmouth passengers to board. This took some time so we went down below to the café for some lunch. On the menu was fish and chips, macaroni cheese and chicken jalfrezi. I had the fish and chips.

Normally on the Isle of Wight cruise the Waverley calls at Ryde and Yarmouth. But these ports weren’t available today. There is unofficial speculation that this is because in the past the Waverley has had a “hard landing” there so the Isle of Wight ferry company has banned her from docking at its ferry berths.

We set off round the island in a clockwise direction. John was pleased about this because the last time he did this trip they went anti-clockwise, so this gave him a chance to unwind!

I went to have a look at the engine. It is oil fired, converted from coal in 1956. It is a Triple expansion steam engine (of course!). The engine room, and indeed many features of the ship, reminded me of the “Castles”: the Humber ferries I used to go on as a child when visiting my Grandma in Hull. They too were paddle steamers, built in the 1930s.

Engine

We stayed not far off the coast of the island, taking in the views of the various towns and villages on the way. Portsmouth to Ryde ferries crossed our path. I wished that I had brought our hand held VHF radio to listen to any communications taking place. This would have been especially interesting while coming into Portsmouth, listening in to the pilots and the tug boats.

Once we rounded the easternmost tip of the island at Bembridge we turned west and into the breeze. The top deck got chilly and extra layers were put on. We sailed close to Sandown and Shanklin, sounding the ships horn as we passed Sandown Pier. It was The Waverly’s farewell goodbye for the season. A loud deep throated steam driven horn, I thought it would be good to have one like that on Oleanna.

We passed Ventnor then St Catherine’s Point, the most southerly point and the headwind picked up further. The sea got lumpier too. I don’t think Pip would have enjoyed this bit of the journey. It was choppy for an hour or so. It was really quite cold so we went downstairs to the bar and enjoyed cups of tea and slices of cake. There were some in the bar that looked a bit like they had been there all day!

Approaching The Needles, the most westerly point of the voyage, and suitably refreshed we went back to the top deck. Obligatory photos were taken. The lighthouse was first constructed in 1859 and automated in 1994. There was a rocket testing base at The Needles where ICBM rocket engines were tested. It closed in 1971. Up until then it was a secret. It is now a National Trust property.

Now heading east again and the wind was behind us. Past Hurst Castle on the mainland. This is the narrowest point of the Solent where we passed a tanker ship coming the other way.

It was a lovely trip along the north coast. Passing Yarmouth we had to avoid a Lymmington to Yarmouth ferry. We carried eastwards along the Solent, passing Cowes and Osborne House, Queen Victoria’s prefered holiday residence.

After a while we were approaching Portsmouth again. Again we slowed to pick up a pilot, the pilot himself taking pictures of the Waverley before he boarded. We then turned into Portsmouth, past the navy ships and two tugs again came to assist in docking.

This was the final destination of the day for the Waverley, she was going to stay overnight here then the next day head off on her last South Coast voyage of the season, to Swanage and return. There were buses laid on to pick us up. A couple of buses took some passengers just the short distance to the ferry port terminal. Then they returned to take us to The Hard, near where John had parked the car. A third bus would take people who wanted to return to Southampton railway station. We had to make sure we got on the right bus otherwise we would end up in the wrong place.

Then back in the car to Marion and John’s home in Eastbourne in time for a nightcap and bed.

A great day out! Maybe next year we’ll do a Scottish trip on The Waverley’s home waters.

Coming Out Of My Ears! Pip and Tilly’s 23rd 24th September

Holland’s Bridge

Our location had been chosen for three reasons.

1 An outside that Tilly hopefully wouldn’t use up within one afternoon.

2 Somewhere not too far away from civilisation and shops to keep me occupied should I need supplies.

3 Near to a train station for Mick. Bollington had been considered but that would have meant a bus ride, here was just a walk down the hill to Macclesfield Station.

Monday.

Mick packed a bag after breakfast, then checked the status of his train, a direct service to Southampton. It was cancelled! Thankfully there was a train an hour earlier, so the packing had to be a touch quicker and off he went. Thankfully Tilly was far too busy to follow him along the towpath.

His trip? A belated 65th Birthday present from Marion and John, a days cruise around the Isle of Wight on the PS Waverley. Last year they had been booked on a trip from Portsmouth, but a storm meant it was cancelled and the PS Waverley ran away around the coast before the winds arrived. He is under instruction to take photos, even been sent with my camera, I’m hoping he’ll write a post about it.

Why haven’t I gone too? I don’t like lumpy water and the thought of being on a boat that might be lumping around all day is something I simply wouldn’t enjoy, I’d feel quite trapped, so I’ve opted to stay on board with Tilly.

My main job today was to wait for NB Alton to arrive. Out on their fortnightly run along the summit pound, we’d placed an order for some coal and a diesel top up. At 1:30 I heard the hooter as they came under Holland’s Bridge. Brian at the helm and Paul lugging the coal about. 2 bags on the roof and one in the well deck. Then they moved up to top us up on diesel, £1.04. Good to see Brian out on NB Alton, it’s always good to support the coal boats.

My knees were complaining today after working the locks on Saturday, but I managed a walk to the nearest post box and then around the block before returning to get on with some knitting. Pair of socks 38 had the top finished off. Yarn for pair 39 was selected, Autumn Golds. I may add some berries to them too as up on the Macc the trees are filled with them at the moment.

The afternoon was spent knitting in front of On The Basis Of Sex 2018. A film based on the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg who was the second woman to serve as Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. She specialised in sex discrimination and the law, and takes on a case where a man was unfairly discriminated against because of his sex in a tax case. If she won then the case could be used as precedent challenging laws that discriminate against women.

**Tilly did a good job of keeping my knees nice and warm**. ***It’s a very important job***

Tuesday.

Mick was guaranteed to be having a cooked breakfast in his hotel this morning, so to be fair to myself I cooked some mushrooms on toast, very nice they were too. This was to give me enough energy to start weeding out photos. Our storage is constantly filled, so some time editing photos was needed.

Long gone are those days when you took a camera on holiday with you, a roll of film, maybe two if you could afford it. 36 frames if you were extra flush. Photo opportunities had to be considered, you couldn’t go wasting that film or flash cubes! Twelve years ago I took it upon myself to scan all my Dad’s slides and I was surprised at how few were rubbish! Maybe he’d wheedled them out, but knowing him they would have been there to keep the numbering system correct. I had to edit them, so scanned any with people and places that meant things to Andrew and myself. This gives us a wonderful resource to look back on when ever we want without having to arrange a dinner party, dig out the projector and a screen, then spend hours sorting the slides into order (that’s where the numbering system came in).

Now we have digital cameras, phones, all so easy to press the button three four times to get that one good shot. On a day like today I’ll take just a handful of photos, but on big days when ascending the Anderton Boat Lift I took getting on for 120, the night time flotilla on the Thames, well it could have been 3 to 400! As I go through them I edit out the bad ones, but there is more editing needed. Mick has already moved a couple of years of boating photos to a different Onedrive as we keep reaching our storage limit and we don’t want to pay for more space.

**Socks socks sock coming out of my ears!**

I had an idea when I started this years sockathon, a means of showing all the socks off. So as I finish a pair they need recording. Not just one photo, but several, hopefully one day I’ll find enough time to compile them all together. So I have a LOT of photos of socks, several of each. Today I sat down thinking I’d manage to get through the big folder and make it considerably smaller. Well after 4 hours of auditioning photos, I needed a walk.

Along the canal, past the Old Hovis Mill and the basin. The collapsed wall just by Black Road Bridge has been rebuilt, for years the rubble of the wall lay across the closed towpath. Now open, but big cracks are showing, it looks like someone has hoped that adding more mortar in places will help. I fear it’s only a matter of time before big chunks collapse again.

The pontoon moorings were full. I turned up Buxton Road to walk to the Co-op. A few new shops/cafes/bakery. Tommys Bar and Pizza looked interesting even though there was a big shutter behind the windows. Then a couple of doors up was Early Bird Bakes. Not open today and sadly they are unlikely to sell anything for me, but it looked very interesting. They are open four days a week and their bread takes 48 hours to make, lots of tasty sounding pastry labels sat on the empty shelves. I suspect it’s a place well worth a visit if you come this way.

This evening I’ve had a go at stuffing some peppers. The outcome was tasty, but I should have got the peppers cooking before I stuffed them! Next time! There’s two left over for lunch in the next couple of days too.

Reports from the south coast came through all day. Lots of every exciting things to look at, an hour of lumpy water, I was right not to go. I could track PS Waverley as it made it’s way round the Isle of Wight, even visiting a garden in Portsmouth!

By the end of the day I think I’d achieved editing 1/3rd of my sock photos. Guess what I’ll be doing tomorrow?

As a reward I turned on The Great British Bake Off, it must be autumn. Maybe I should have a go at the technical challenges each week as I’m not going to be busy with panto this year. But maybe our waistlines would like it too much!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 sausage days, 0 one told me they were sausage days!!!! 79 litres, 3 bags coal, 2 short walks, 253 photos of socks down to 74, 53347279 left to edit.

Squeeeeeze!!!! 29th August

The tunnel light shone on the roof of the tunnel. The nav lights glowed by the top front corners of the cabin. I sat still hoping my weight would assist at the bow. Once Oleanna had been lined up fully with the tunnel, Mick gave the engine just a little spurt of power.

The portside was getting quite close to the curving roof, should I just push it clear a touch? It’s never a good idea to fend off at the bow, Oleanna’s made of steel, she can withstand contact with brick, skin is less effective. I checked with Mick at the stern, no idea what he may or may not be able to see.

A blast of bow thruster, then the other way just a touch. A jot more from the engine. Oleanna glided onwards. A little scraping noise from the port side, was that the grabrail or the gunnel?

A green arrow on the wall indicated the nearest exit was behind us, ‘That way out’. Another 60ft and the arrow pointed the opposite way, ‘This way out’. Oleanna was still moving, if we got stuck now would anybody know?! A hire boat had pulled up at the end of the moorings on the west side of the tunnel, maybe they’d know if we’d made it or not.

Slowly and steadily Mick nudged Oleanna onwards, a burst of power to starboard, forward a touch, port, forward.

After 8 minutes the bow of Oleanna was back out in the day light. We’d been warned that the canal takes a sharp turn to the left on exiting so it would be good to start moving the bow over as soon as you could, using the bow thruster.

Mick was still kneeling at the stern, torch pointing forward. Then gradually the stern appeared into the light, so did Mick’s head. The bow being pushed across to miss the bank. As he stood up we’d made it through!

The sign suggests a passage time through the tunnel of 2 minutes at 2mph, well it had taken us 10 minutes! But we’d done it. No-one there but ourselves to witness it!

We pootled to above Froghall Lock 1, this is the first lock down onto the Uttoxeter Canal, the first of 17 locks and 13 miles. Today you can only go down one lock where there is a basin you can moor in. Time for me to turn the windlass, Mick could do it on the way back, but I had to work this lock.

The bottom gates leaked like a waterfall, no wonder as they get little use. Oleanna dropped down into the basin. Would there be room for her? On past visits I think there has always been at least one boat moored, one occasion three, but today we had it all to ourselves. Mick backed us in, tied us off, a silver propellor location reached. Not that we’ve taken the evidential photos elsewhere, but we think we’ve now been to at least 18.

A little walk round confirmed that despite it being a lovely mooring it wouldn’t be safe for Tilly, a road passing quite close by. We broke the news to her gently. GENTLY!!!!!! I’m a silver propellor cat and you just don’t give a monkey about my welfare!!

We walked over to Hetty’s Tea Room to see if there was a menu we could peruse maybe for breakfast, none on display. Across in the car park were the three cyclists we’d seen at Wood Lock earlier, they’d been heading to Leek. We stopped for quite a chat with them. They’d enjoyed their bike ride and met various interesting people and had been all the way to Leek and back in the time we’d not even done half the distance. We think they had all spent time on life boats, one of them said he used to work on the Chiswick life boat, another did training on the Humber.

We returned to Oleanna and grumpy Tilly. A big chilli was cooked up, enough for three meals, and a glass or two of wine to celebrate getting Oleanna through Froghall.

So todays journey at the top of this post should read

Cheddleton Visitor Moorings to Froghall Basin

6 locks, 5.6 miles, 1 lift bridge, 1 river section, 1 burst hosepipe, 1 chimney removed, 2 horns relaxed, 1 boats pensive smile, 1 pram and cratch cover removed, 1 tiller pin removed, 1 gauge, 10 minutes in the dark, 1 little scuff on the grabrail, 2 happy boaters, 1 grumpy cat! 0 TV but good internet signal!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/A7RsLnDsB2tbuvd19

A Hive Of Activity. 7th August

Boughton Road Bridge

Up early and walking to the station, walking pole in hand for support. It was my turn for the dentist today and we’d decided instead of going into Bumingham we’d skirt round the city.

**Who knew spark plugs were pink? I didn’t**

I managed the 0.6 miles walk to the station reasonably well, it took longer than normal, but I was happy. Train then tram to Brindley Place. I had quite a bit of time on my hands, so instead of heading straight to the surgery I opted to see how busy the canals were.

A large screen was in Brindley Place showing the Olympics to rows of empty billowing deckchairs. Four five boats opposite Lego, others may have moved off this morning. Through Sheepcote Bridge looked a touch busier, but round Oozells street loop was empty.

Ten volunteers were busy weeding and digging around the wooden bee sculpture, a hive of activity!

Then up to the dentists to sit and wait for my check up. I had a couple of things for Colin, they were checked over made note of, but no action required. Then he told me that he was moving to the West Country, family things, this would be my last appointment with him. Oh blimey, I’ve just got my trust back with dentists after a very long period of avoiding them at all costs, now I’m going to have to build up a relationship with someone else. I wish him well, family life seems to take over when you reach a certain age.

**That octagonal building’s coming along**

My hygiene appointment had been booked for Saturday, the nearest the could give me ten days ago, but a cancellation was available tomorrow morning. I checked I’d not be spending huge amounts on train fares and accepted it, this would give us two more days cruising rather than sitting around Rugby.

**Bit hard when your dentist is leaving**

Back to New Street. I’d actually managed to get in and out of the station this time without getting lost, quite important as I didn’t want to use too many steps. Ozzy still towers over the station, looked like a touch of theatrical oil might help with his mechanical knee.

The train back was followed by trying to sus out the buses. But there was only one within half an hour that would leave me with a big walk back to the canal anyway, so I opted to take it steady and walked.

Whilst I was in Bumingham Mick had been busy. Our house insurance runs out soon. Having lodgers the last few years has slightly complicated our policy and each year there have been different things we have had to abide by. For the first few years one night out of sixty one of us had to sleep in the house. Then we were made aware last year that we couldn’t have three lodgers at a time. This only comes up occasionally, but would be handy if we could accommodate a third person as there are three bedrooms. Mick tried last year to resolve this and ended up getting a quote from a broker, an extra £600! We opted to stay with just two. Today he found the right person to talk to at LV, the policy is £200 more, but it includes plumbing and drain insurance which we have elsewhere for £200!

**More painkillers and another drug to counter act the side effects**

He’d also been to Tescos to collect the click and collect order and a prescription of more pain killers for me. Just need a prescription for him and then we’ll be all drugged up and ready to go.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2nd visit to Tescos, 2 trains, 2 trams, 7000+ steps, 1 pole for support, £6, 10 volunteers, £600 insurance, 3 lodger possibility, 84 more pills, 1 tiresome towpath.

Halfway! 30th June

Paddington Basin

The boats on the pontoons reduced to two this morning, but by the end of the day we’d be joined by another two narrowboats and a little electric sailingy type boat. This had tarpaulins added to a frame over it so that the crew could sleep inside with some privacy.

The Geraghty zoom was a little depleted this morning, but we still covered subjects such as Strawberry eating squirrels, oppositional disorder and skeletons. Then it was time for breakfast, we’d nearly got everything but lacked a little on the bacon front. Being moored right outside an M&S foodhall is quite handy on such occasions, it’s just a touch expensive!

Mick was early, the shop not opening it’s doors until 11am and there was quite a queue. Yellow labels were around the shop, it would be worth me having a look before too long to see what bargains there might be. Whilst Mick cooked breakfast I scoured the shelves to see what we might have to eat this evening as we’d be at home tonight. With a lot of things less than half price I got us a feast.

Today Mick planned on heading off to explore Ealing stations that have been revamped with the dawning of the Elizabeth line. This being where he grew up along with being interested in trains it was an obvious way to spend his day. He caught the train out to West Ealing where the station has changed to a different road and platforms have moved through bridges. Then several buses took him to Ealing Broadway via Greenford. Ealing Broadway a very different sight to that I remember.

Just before Mick left for his exploration a Police van had pulled up close to our mooring. Three Police Officers busied themselves putting a rib into the canal, no rush about it, it kind of felt like they were going for a Sunday jaunt up the Regents Canal. It took them time to get the engine mounted and even longer to get it going. Off they went and strangely enough they returned just as Mick did! Was this a coincidence? Or had he been on their jaunt too? Are the above photos his? Or was he on a mission with the police or helping with their enquiries whilst out on the boat?

I had planned a great day, for me. A bus ride down to the Thames and then some time at the John Singer Sargent exhibition at Tate Britain. Christine and Kathy had said how good it was, plus he’s one of my favourite artists. Then another bus journey was to take me to the National Gallery where the Last Caravaggio is on display, Caravaggio also another favourite.

My route was planned to make the best use of buses and therefore least amount of walking, however I’d be needing to walk around the exhibitions and my little walk into M&S today had proved to be quite painful with my knee. So sadly my very arty day was not to be, resting my knee more important.

**Ends ends and more ends, what a Joy!**

Instead I sat down and watched the second half of The Duke (2020), about the theft or borrowing of the Goya Duke painting staring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren based on a true story. This was as close as I’d be getting to the National Gallery today. Whilst I watched the court and the verdict I spent time weaving ends in on three pairs of socks for my sockathon. On one pair I’d started this process a week or so ago as there were a lot of ends! A LOT!! But the next four pairs are ready to have their photos taken and be popped in the post to their sponsors. So by the end of the 26th week of #pipssockathon2024 I have finished 26 pairs of socks. I also got a message from a friend who now sings songs with people suffering with Alzheimer’s, her socks had arrived and will be worn the next time she’s out singing, flashing her ankles at everyone. Thank you Cate!

Well our sad git’s meal from M&S turned out to be quite a feast, posh chicken kebabs with caesar dressing, frites and some vegetables on the side. Not all of the frites were consumed, but we gave it a good try!

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 Lizzie lines, 3 buses, 0 art galleries, 4 pairs totally finished, 1 very bored cat, 2 sad git kebabs, 4 portions of frites, 1 Mick and 3 police officers?

Dead Good Mates. 19th June

Mytchett Visitor Centre

A couple of people had told us how we must visit Brookwood Cemetery whilst we were in the area, with a couple of days to wait for our lock passage we decided to head there today. A walk over the canal to catch the no3 bus to Ash Vale Station and then the train to Brookwood. The train journey was much longer than I thought it would be, but then the bus had taken us further away before we’d started.

The station has an entrance into the cemetery, but just where was it. Station staff asked if they could help and we were told to go down the stairs to the barriers and ask a member of staff there, they would let us out. We did this and the chap pointed towards a gate through a subway, when we got there he’d buzz us through.

Brookwood Cemetery was conceived by the London Necropolis Company in 1849 to house London’s deceased when the capital was finding it hard to accommodate both living and the dead. In 1854 it was said to be the largest cemetery in the world, it is now the largest in Western Europe. It was consecrated on 7th November 1854 and opened to the public six days later when the first burials took place.

Next to Waterloo Station in London a dedicated station was built giving access to the cemetery. Trains with passenger carriages reserved for the different classes and Hearse carriages arrived at the cemetery on it’s dedicated branch line. The original London Necropolis Station was relocated in 1902, but this was demolished after being bombed in WW2.

There were two stations in the cemetery, one serving the none-conformist side (North) and the other the Anglican side (south). Apparently the southern platform still exists in the ownership of the St Edward Brotherhood. Wakes would be catered for at the stations.

**I really hope his tomb contains him and not Hops and Malt**

The first grave we came across was immediately of interest. Gates and a wall surrounded the memorial of Ramadan Guney (1932-2006). Originally from Cyprus, he emigrated to Britain in 1958 where he set up a music business. In 1983 he purchased the burial rights for over 19 acres of Brookwood Cemetery, he subsequently acquired Brookwood Cemetery in 1985 from it’s owner Mr DJT Dally. His aim was to restore the cemetery back to it’s original park like setting. More can be read about him here. An interesting sack covers part of his memorial.

We walked around the north west boundary, colourful and interesting graves none very old. Many sat skew wiff in their allocated plots, presumably facing Mecca.

Through a gate in a high fence, cordoning off the military graves, fencing keeping the dead in. Here Commonwealth graves all chalky white line up, immaculate grass between them. Next the graves of the Americans, crosses standing still, bright green grass, stars and stripes fluttering from a high flag pole, eagle above the door to the chapel where those who’s bodies were never found are remembered. All had died either in the UK or the surrounding waters. 69% of American bodies were repatriated at the request of their families.

More lines of graves, 1st and 2nd World Wars. Some dates from after the wars, presumably died from injuries. The wonderful cottage garden plants around the graves wonderfully kept. We walked up to take a look at the lines of Chelsea Pensioners, the majority passing away in the 1960’s.

Lunchtime, but where could we get some food? None of the residents would require refreshments. We should have thought about this! We walked down The Gardens, a line of semi detached houses built in 1897. Were these built for gardeners in the cemetery? If there hadn’t been several vans parked outside and workmen in modern clothing I’d have thought we’d been whizzed back in time.

Behind The Cricketers we found the Yurt Café where we enjoyed a slice of Lemon Drizzle cake and a lovely cuppa, far cheaper than a posh pub lunch! Now it was time to find our way back into the cemetery, after all we’d not even started to look round! No pavement along the road that splits the cemetery into it’s two halves, I was relived to arrive at the entrance.

Now with a vague plan on who we wanted to see and a route to maybe follow we walked on down Avenues. A real mixture of graves.

Why was Private CE Wilburn (from Gosport) in a corner with no-one near, his commonwealth grave stone much akin to those we’d seen this morning.

Large boughs of trees surrounded the grave of the Peyers family, Adrian Christopher had been a tenor opera singer, appearing in several productions with Opera Scotland and at the Royal Opera House.

Penny Privett who’d died in 2022 sat amongst some Victorian graves, the lay out far more haphazard than in the northern cemetery. Huge large trees give the dead shade on a sunny day, a deer appreciated it too.

Mausoleums were dotted around. The family Wood perfectly positioned for a film shot. The metal door partially open behind a gate, a slab of stone missing from the roof, no coffins to be seen inside, all so atmospheric.

Nearby John Singer Sargent (1856 -1925) rests, best remembered for his Victorian and Edwardian society portraits. His grave is Grade II listed even if it is far less elaborate than many others in the inner ring, the most expensive place to be laid to rest in the cemetery.

Heading towards St Edwards where monks will show you round, sadly the church doors were locked and we didn’t have enough time for a tour so we didn’t knock on their door.

Some of the graves are now surrounded by trees, framing them so wonderfully. Were they planted with this in mind in decades to come? One family upstages itself, a simple knot on one gravestone, 6ft in front a huge angle spreads their wings.

This is the side I’d rather be laid to rest. The thought of having so many dead mates around you for company, the long grass and shade from the tall tall trees. Such a mixture of ages and eras. You could come to visit everyday of the year and see something different.

We crossed over the busy road again to the north cemetery. Different nationalities remembering their loved ones in different ways. One lady had so many fake and real flowers around her grave it was hard to see who she was. A sultan in his own plot had become overgrown with thistles, we’d not seen thistles anywhere else!

We headed back to the gate into the station. Pressed the bell to be let back in.

I do like an atmospheric graveyard, but what a place! We’d only really scratched the surface.

We came away wondering who was the first to be buried there. On 13th November 1854 the following burials were recorded. Mrs Hore’s two still born male twins from 74 Ewer Street, Borough. Elizabeth Costello aged 3 months from St Saviours Workhouse. Henry Smith aged 31 from St Saviours Workhouse. Charlotte Edwards aged 74 from Chelsea. An interesting article can be found here. I wonder how many people lie there now.

Thank you Heather and Mick for suggesting we visited and John for telling us about the railway.

0 locks, 0 miles, 2 buses, 2 trains, 1 gate, 5 miles walked, 1 dodgy knee, 56745645634789 graves maybe! 2 slices of cake, 2 pots of tea, 1 hour of accompanied shore leave, that’s a touch better!

A Fleet Visit. 16th June

Barley Mow Bridge Moorings to Eelmoor Bridge Moorings

Mick got our two hoses out this morning to see if they’d reach from the water point. They did. A topping up of the tank required for day to day use, but also needed to weight the bow down for the low bridges.

Everyone was on the zoom today, Sean back from keeping the sound working at the tennis in Paris. Subjects included ground up bricks, half sharing detectorists, Trump versus King John and Now We Are Six.

Time to carry on back towards the locks. We passed Tundry Pond, only just visible through the trees, more of a lake than a pond. Along the bank here gabions were used to shore up the cutting side, creating a terraced bank in 1983.

NB Olive sat at the end of the Double Bridge mooring, it nearly got a stamp of approval from Tilly the other day and might be the most cat friendly mooring on the canal. A short distance onwards is a wonderful house. A lady sat in the conservatory. Try as I might I cannot find out who the architect was or it’s history, I just know it is a very fine house. There is however a photo of it on the website for RW Armstrong. Their website is worth a nosy at, some huge expensive houses that they have worked on.

As we rounded the most southerly bend on the canal we turned towards the north east, now heading north for the remainder of the year, dependant on what happens with the problem at the locks tomorrow!

A buzz, a big buzz. Following and buzzing around us was what looked to be a 2 inch long orange bee. You know how sometimes a big Bumble Bee takes you by surprise, well this was twice as big! Maybe a Queen Common Carder Bee, but they don’t seem to be big enough.

The swing bridge padlock opened easier than on the way up, I suspect I was the last person to use it. A walker assisted as I pushed it back to open up the footpath by locating the big hinge over the padlock loop.

The Fox and Hounds was doing a roaring trade today, all outside tables full, one small cruiser on their moorings, later this sped past us when we were moored up, heavily laden with passengers.

Today the fishing season has started again, quite a few rods across the canal some at moorings. Thankfully as we came in towards Reading Road Bridge the mooring was clear, just a family feeding the swans.

With a shopping list of sorts we headed into Fleet to stock up on a few food items and to visit Screwfix, we know how to spend a Sunday afternoon. Mick was in need of some more gloves for engine servicing and I’d noticed that they sold castors with bolted on wheels that we might be able to use on our pull out cupboard.

Fleet Road, the main shopping street was a bit of a surprise. Lots of restaurants, Turkish barbers, Waitrose, M&S Food and Sainsburys. There was also a Millets. I’ve been trying to find a present for my brothers birthday, here was the perfect thing, just as on his wish list. With National Trust membership we also got 15% off.

Next door was a pet shop. I pop into them frequently to try to find a wood handled fishing rod toy for Tilly, the present one mended many times and currently held together with gaffer tape. Not one but four to choose from!

Sainsburys was used for a top up shop, then we crossed the road to Fleet Essentials. This we thought would be your typical stuff shop with plastic boxes and plant pots out the front. Inside it was a tardis of just about everything, no bananas, but everything else. Tools, circular saw blades, wool, a plastic box for our new hose, WD40 in three sizes, lamp shades, picture frames. Well worth a visit should you come to Fleet.

A walk round Waitrose to see if there was anything worth having with a reduced yellow sticker on it. Nothing jumped out as a good buy.

A different route back to the boat took us past an area cordoned off by Police. The 70’s building on the corner had sections of brick façade at first floor level. One of these sections had fallen off, a huge pile of rubble on the pavement below. Really hope no one had been underneath!!

Back at Oleanna, I stowed our purchases as Mick flattened everything on the roof. Ahead of us Reading Road Bridge, 6ft low. We approached slowly, would Oleanna’s smile fit under the bridge? It looked tight, but we managed it. But would we fit under Pondtail Bridges? 2 inches lower?

I headed to the bow to help lower it that bit. Maybe 2 inches spare. From the stern Mick thought the previous bridge had been lower.

Today our chosen mooring was at Eelsmoor Bridge. Right at the end of Farnborough Runway. We pulled in to the furthest end of the moorings. I did a cat recky check. A path headed through the trees and friendly cover towards the runway. Here sat in amongst traffic cones were cars, plane spotters. I could see the buildings of the airport in the distance, my brother Andrew having had quite a lot to do with the buildings here in his previous architectural life. The mooring passed, but we knew Tilly wouldn’t be keen on the planes taking off.

Mick checked flight radar, the last flight due out at 8pm. Over the three hours prior to 8pm we must have had around 10 jets take off, one for Palma, Nice and Paris, others unknown destinations. Tilly had given up on the mooring long before the third plane took off.

We sat down to enjoy roast pork as the skies turned silent. As this happened other noises cranked up. Cars with their music thumping away came and went across the bridge behind us. Then motorbikes would arrive, crank up the revs and zoom off down a service road as fast as possible, returning at great speed, crossing the bridge and zooming off up the road. So not the quietest of nights. We won’t choose to moor here again.

0 locks, 7.2 miles, 1 swing bridge,1 giant bee, 2 limbos, 4 castors, 1 stick, 1 fishing rod , 1st day fishing season, 10 jets, 6 motorbikes, 1 expanding and contracting car, 1 minus a Mrs Tilly stamp of approval mooring.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4WWUXvSRvqvPzX2a9

Bloomin’ Heck. 14th May

Lidl to Bridge 41

There were a couple of things we’d missed yesterday on our shop, so Mick valiantly headed all the way back to Lidl! Some double cream and dark chocolate baking necessities for next weekend! I sat and updated the blog before we moved up closer to Leamington Spa to do a couple of things in town.

Clare and Graeme were only a few bridges up ahead, they fancied listening to a pianist in a church this morning whilst we were busy, then the plan was to team up again to work our way up the locks ahead. Well that was the plan!

I stood up from the dinette table, all of a sudden it felt like we’d got ten bags of coal on the roof and Oleanna was very top heavy. I fairly quickly realised that it wasn’t Oleanna swaying, it was me. I steadied myself and carried on with the setting off jobs, slowly. Stepping onto the bow to untie the bow line I still felt wobbly. Was this vertigo? It felt a bit different. As we weren’t moving far I stayed up front and sat down, ready to moor up, less to do, hopefully less wobbly head.

There were loads of boats through Bridge 41, the most we’ve ever seen. We pulled in behind the long line, NB Lottie Jane a couple of boats ahead. Mick stood waiting at the stern for me to tie my rope, I needed his assistance, the thought of stepping onto the bow again not appealing. Time to sit down.

I had planned to check on possible presents here in Leamington Spa and visit a new mural which from photos looks amazing. But that simply wasn’t going to happen. Was this vertigo or something to do with the tooth I’d had taken out last week? My gum is still quite sore. Mick bobbed into town to do the things he needed to do and I called my dentist for advice. The receptionist booked me back in for an appointment this afternoon.

The news was passed to Clare and Graeme, Clare bringing me a get well soon purple iris. They would stay today too.

Arrangements to get our new Bully Boy Battery delivered to us was simpler than we’d thought. A boat yard we will be passing was very happy to receive a large heavy package for us and keep it safe until we arrive. We just have to get there now.

Mick and I caught the train back into Birmingham, so much for me saying goodbye to the city yesterday! A walk to catch a tram across town and then a sit down in the waiting room at the dentist.

Colin checked around my mouth. No normal signs of an infection, but the clot itself didn’t look normal. I was given two options and I opted for pills, he agreed. Three days of antibiotics, started straight away before I left the surgery. If I had any concerns I was to ring. No alcohol for me for the next week.

One good thing about the day was being able to admire the gardens at Leamington Spa Station. A few years ago we’d been on a tour around the deco station. The architecture, chrome and lovely doors are just one side to the station, the flower beds and hedges another. The topiary steam engine is still there plus these wonderful flowering shrubs, with such delicate flowers. Does anyone know what they are please? Sorry for the bad photos.

Back at Oleanna, Tilly gave me a head nudge then complained about being cooped up for two days in a row! Mick cooked dinner and I cast on sock pair 20. Hopefully my head will start to improve in the morning.

0 locks, 0.4 miles, 200grams dark chocolate, 200ml double cream, 1 bag carrots, 1 new broom, 1 wobbly head, 2 trains, 2 trams, 9 pills, 1 green engine, pair 20 cast on, 1 mural left for next time.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/4gvsZSKWiZ3apdbCA

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna