Category Archives: Tunnels

Faces At the Window. 21st September

Ballot Box Bridge to Colebrook Eco Moorings, Regents Canal

We’d planned to be on our way by 7:30 but that didn’t quite happen, it was nearer 8 by the time we’d pushed off. The journey in towards London always takes time, add into the mix weed and other boats, it can always take longer.

A new development sits up high, hang on was that a boat up there? NB Pavo, we’d seen the boat about. Our deduction from down on the canal is that this boat has found itself a pool of water to sit on off Canal and River Trust water a bit like the boat on the South Oxford Canal. Maybe it is going to be an office for someone, or maybe it’s just a big water feature for the complex.

More boats all individual, more paintings on walls.

Very slow boats

Soon we could see a breasted up pair ahead of us some distance away, each bend brought them closer and closer, each bend gave them shallow water that they needed to pole off, it was the Polish coal boat. We caught them up and slowly followed them, tick over then neutral then tick over again. There was nowhere suitable for them to pullover to let us pass until their bow got stuck again. They freed themselves leaving a gap just wide enough for us to go through between them and a moored boat, we were waved on.

Kensal Town brings with it office windows to look into. From above Ainsley and Nicholas peered back down on us, nosy blighters! Duck weed covered the whole canal by now. The bubbles at Westbourne Terrace Bridge doing their best to hold the mass of green back and away from Little Venice. The water point was free, we pulled in to make use of the tap and bins and make a brew.

Left at Little Venice, Rembrandt Gardens moorings were full, we hoped our booked space further along would be available.

At least it won’t go yellow!

The steep bank outside one of the posh houses on the Regents Canal has been clad in astroturf, their gardeners no longer having to mow that part of the garden, they might just have to weed it instead in years to come.

Warthogs biffed at large balls containing edible treats. A lazy Colobus Monkey lounged in what used to be the Snowden Aviary it is now a walk through monkey valley exhibit with high up perches for the monkeys.

There’s Heather!

Stood waiting for us at Hampstead Road Locks was a familiar figure, Heather, she’d walked up from St Pancras to help us with the locks. No volunteers on today and thankfully I remembered which gate had a problem last year, so I used the other one.

Heather set off to set the middle of the three locks. A trip boat set the bottom lock for us, all easy going. Around us the new buildings we’ve seen going up over the last few years all look complete, walkways criss crossing everywhere.

A short pootle and we arrived at St Pancras Lock, two volunteers on duty, one of whom we’d done the Tideway with last year. Sadly there was no room for us to moor at the cruising club this time, but there was plenty to chat about as the lock was set in our favour.

Hello!

We waved goodbye to Heather and David and carried on our way, we’d be seeing them both at the flotilla. The Queen had done her washing and watched us go by as we approached Islington Tunnel.

This looked hopeful

The tunnel was clear, I zoomed in with my camera. One boat in view on the Eco Moorings where we’d booked for two nights. There was a possibility that the boat was breasted up and there’d not be room alongside the towpath. We carried on through the tunnel.

Maybe not so hopeful!

By the time we’d reached the other end the boat I’d seen was breasted up, in fact it was the third boat out from the towpath. All along the Eco-moorings the boats were breasted up apart from one small gap. Was someone overstaying? Had the C&RT website calculated the wrong length of mooring available?

Mooring spaghetti

We pulled through the next bridge and I walked down to check on any spaces below the lock. Every space was full with boats breasted up. Pooh! Only yesterday Mick had tried to look to see if there were any spaces available at the other eco-moorings, but as we’d already got a booking it wouldn’t show us. We’d past a space on the other side of the tunnel, admittedly by a building site, but we’d have been bank side there enabling Oleanna to finish being washed.

Jaunty

Only one thing for it, to reverse back into the space that was available, do the best we could mooring at a jaunty angle and try to sus out when those we were blocking in would be wanting to move off. The angle did have one benefit, we’d be able to open our hatch! Soon after mooring the Puppet Barge came past, thankfully there was enough room for them.

That’s a big one!

We settled in and explained to Tilly that there would be no shore leave for the foreseeable future. The hook up cable came out and after quite a bit of grring from Mick we had power, £10 credited to our account. We’d be able to do washing and use the electric kettle. Cheryl from a few boats up (NB Firecrest) came to say hello as she reads the blog.

Onion Bhaji

This evening we caught a bus and headed over to Kentish Town to meet up with Christine and Paul for an Indian meal at the Bengal Lancer. A very nice meal with great company and the delivery of our nav lights. These came in a really rather big box, four times the size of the lights! We just need a battery for the white one now and somewhere to strap it to. Thank you Christine for the use of your address.

4 locks, 11.73 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 left, 1 tunnel, 1 Heather, 1 David, 1 Ainsley, 1 Nicholas, 1 Queen, 40ft mooring, 58ft 6 boat, 1 jaunty mooring, 1 mission nearly accomplished, 3 nav lights, 0.5 clean boat, 1 harrumphy cat!

Left To London. 12th September

Gayton Junction to almost Adam’s favourite mooring Bridge 63

After spending months on the rivers and seeing on average a couple of boats move in a day (apart from at weekends and excluding the river festival) this morning was a reminder of how busy places can be. Before we were even outside rolling up the covers we’d been passed by several boats , one at 06:20. Then as we were ready to go for it we had to hold fast as two Union Canal boats came past heading southwards.

Quite a distance to go

With a suitable gap in traffic we reversed back to the junction, one small blast of the bow thruster and Oleanna herself turned back onto the Northampton arm and pulled into the service block with next to no effort what-so-ever. Water, yellow water, rubbish all were sorted. NB Ivy May pulled up they had a problem which they hoped the boat yard would be able to help with. Hopefully it’s nothing bad and they can be on their way soon.

With our chores complete, life jackets, torch, waterproofs out the back, a quick check of the direction the tunnel light was facing and that it worked, we were ready. Left to London!

Such a great building

Soon we were passing the lovely mill in Blisworth and approaching the tunnel portal. All tunnel preparations were done, tunnel mode engaged. We paused to let a Kate Boat exit before we plunged into the dark ourselves. I hoped Tilly would still be enjoying her morning snooze and not get worked up about the journey underground.

Coming into the light

We passed another boat part way to the middle and with 1600m to go we saw a tunnel light enter the far end. Thankfully we passed them after the big pissers coming in through the tunnel wall so I didn’t have to mop up inside.

Out the south portal. We passed only one boat moored towards the tunnel, a hire boat running their engine in reverse gear. Maybe they’d be heading for the locks soon? With water levels still low we decided that we’d wait half an hour for a locking partner or for anyone coming up the locks if they were set against us.

Stoke Bruern

As the top of the locks came into view we could see a boat just entering the top lock, Hooray!! We wouldn’t have to wait. Ooooo! Another boat pulled out to join them! We’d be waiting. We pulled in checked the time and waited.

This looks interesting

Mick walked down to see if anyone was coming up, no sign from the bridge. We waited. Still no-one after half an hour. I walked down to the second lock, no-one coming, Mick walked to look back towards the tunnel, no-one coming. We filled the lock.

Peeking out of the top lock

Just as Oleanna was entering the lock a boat appeared from behind, hooray! Soon followed by a second one. Did we have a situation where they were wanting to share? No, we had a locking partner! With both boats in the lock I walked down to set the next in the flight. This was repeated again. But as I walked to the third lock a Black Prince hire boat was just pulling out. I don’t know you wait half an hour for a lock partner, then all of a sudden three come along!

New partner

The lock was ready for when the hire boat arrived, and the same question was asked regarding sharing. I’d already called back to Mick, so we had no problem in swapping partners, we just wanted to get down the locks without wasting water. So we waved goodbye to one boat and joined the next.

Swapping with uphill boats

With four on board the crew were all experienced, so someone naturally walked down to the next lock to set ahead. Only one pair of boats were met heading up the flight, so a swap over in a pound was needed. The lady on one of the uphill boats asked about the tunnel, ‘Would it be worth one of us walking ahead to see if anyone is coming?’ I let her know that the tunnel was two way and that there was no towpath through it. I did suggest putting waterproofs on as even after the drought it was still very wet in there.

A volunteer greeted us at the second to last lock saying there was a problem gate and it had taken five of them to open it for the last boat. It turned out to be a case of a ground paddle still being open and water flowing over the top gates stopping the levels from equalising. The volunteer managed to open the gate on his own this time.

Bye bye

At the bottom we waved our partners goodbye and headed onwards, maybe we’d pull in once down Cosgrove Lock, this is where we should stop today.

But after an hour and twenty minutes we decided that we’d had enough for the day and Tilly would prefer it here.

Of she goes

We spotted Adam’s favourite mooring, a wide beam sadly taking up the view. A little bit further we pulled in, forced a nappy pin through the plants covering the gaps in the armco and let the cat out.

Signs

I spent some of the afternoon working. A few props need sketches doing and sign posts needed making for the model. Now I could have a good tidy up and put my model making things back under the dinette seating. The corner has been filled with my work since we left Bedford in July. After nearly eight weeks it’s nice to have all that room back again! Tilly made sure she reclaimed it by having a good old roll around.

7 locks, 8.43 miles, 1 perfect reverse, 1 full water tank, 1 left, 2 partners, 0.5 hours short, 1 favourite mooring taken, 3ft swords! 9 signs, 4 hours shore leave, 1 reclaimed dinette.

Bangerless! 29th April

Bridge 103 to Water Lane Bridge 9, Grand Union Canal

Not a Lapwing but it was singing it’s little heart out

1980’s synthesised kazooing woke us this morning. Lapwings. Their call will always remind us of Lock down 1 opposite the potato field at one of our early moorings. Such a distinctive call. The three or four of them were in good voice, I wanted to record them but first their was an aeroplane, then passing boats, followed by a tractor, then they had gone. They seem to like freshly sewn fields.

A swan on a very private nest, willow fencing around the area

Pushing off was one of those waiting games today as boats kept coming past. How polite should one be in not pushing out in front of someone? Or should you just grab a gap when one appears? In the end it wasn’t that bad and the boat in front of us soon pulled over for morning coffee, a training boat.

With the trees now in leaf the spire of Braunston church took it’s time to show itself. Bangers! But would we get moored? We hoped our arrival time was suitable to be able to fit in a gap just vacated.

Braunston Turn turned

At the turn we turned southwards, the other folk occupied by a boat that seemed to be wanting to wind. Then we played the chicken game, would there be a mooring further along by Butchers Bridge or not?

Quack quack!

Maybe we’d fit in at the back just by the bridge into the marina, over looked by rip stock mallards. No there was a ledge stopping us from coming in fully and so close to the entrance we’d rather be out of the way.

The moorings had a couple of gaps, one long enough for a 50ft boat perhaps, the other much shorter, but the two together might just fit us. Mick slotted the stern in and then went to see if he could attract the attention of those inside. They moved back and we slotted in everyone on piling hooks rather than rings.

Very pretty

The Aubretia at the top of Nibbits Lane was wonderful. Over the years it has cascaded and tumbled down the dry stone wall to make a fantastic display.

The butchers for a Sunday roast shop. Pork would be on the menu, next cheapest after chicken. A joint for four of shoulder. We got a very generous joint more likely for six or eight, good job we like pork. Some veg, a pork pie and some bacon.

Sunday Roast

Then the question. ‘Are you still doing gluten free sausages?’ The signs on the cabinet didn’t look promising. The answer came back, ‘No we don’t do them’. Well I was very lucky once in the past. No Braunston Bangers for breakfast anymore! The church spire won’t have quite the same effect from now on.

Wait for us!

After lunch we pushed off hoping that a boat that had just passed would wait for us at the locks. The hire boats were busy, two were being filled up with groceries from a Sainsburys van, I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many crates! Was this a stag do? Maybe but for an octogenarian!

We had a partner for the locks. Yay! Well we ended up having two. Up ahead was a single hire boat that had only just been sent of from below the locks, they were mob handed with plenty of sailor hats on display.

NB Whistler shared the first three locks with us then it was obvious that we were now being followed by another single hire boat, time for us to split up especially as we’d caught the boat ahead. There were downhill boats at most locks now so gates could be left.

Swapping over

We teamed up with a canal time boat for the last three locks. Once the lock was filling I’d walk up to the next to empty it or help open gates. I signalled back to the lock below that there would be two boats coming down, Mick acknowledged my signal. However he didn’t pass it on to the two ladies crewing for the hire boat, who closed everything up. Soon rectified.

Braunston Top Lock

Once up the last lock it was time for the tunnel. Now is it 300 to 400m from the other end where the kink is? Or 400 to 500m? Thankfully no-one was coming towards us so we didn’t have to adjust our speed to avoid any possible collision. We can confirm the kink is between 400 and 500m from the Norton Junction end.

What plumage! I think there might be a baby sheltering under her wings

The moorings with a view looked pretty full so we pulled in before them and soon found ourselves surrounded by the stag do boats, a boat in front and one behind us. They were a touch noisy to start with but soon settled down to munch their way through their supplies.

Turned out nice again

6 locks, 7.28 miles, 1 right, 4 Lapwings, 2 git gaps made a mooring, 1 huge hunk of pork, 1 pie, 4 rashers, 0 bangers! 12 maroon crates, 2 locking partners, 1 tunnel, 2 mysterons, 1 mooring without a view, 2 boat stag do, 12 stags having Nanna naps.

https://goo.gl/maps/4cGUL7FKryZquvX7A

Left Left Please. 14th April

Curdworth Visitor Moorings to Star City, Grand Union: Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal

Heading up to the Birmingham plateau usually means long hard days of locks, no matter which direction you come from. However today was going to be a short one for us as we were heading for new waters!

Daffodils and chickens

The boats around us had already moved off before us, the Anglo Welsh boat starting it’s engine bang on 8am. We’d noticed a slight list to Oleanna, I pushed out the bow, but the stern was being obstinate. Mick popped her in reverse, then pushed, then reverse again. Eventually we were off the bottom just as a boat was coming through the bridge behind us. Sorry we pulled out, we’d reached the point where we just had to carry on.

Minworth Bottom Lock

Minworth Bottom Lock was very full, in fact the top gate was open. A chap was busy picking litter from quite a mound of duck weed on the off side. He asked if we could wait whilst he removed the worst of the weed and rubbish from the lock before I emptied it. Mick hung around below and I chatted with the chap. He does this off his own back, with rakes, landing nets, a bucket (now broken) and a high sided wheelbarrow.

Handy bus stop

By the time I emptied the lock and opened the bottom gate (only one as we’re on the BCN) Mick had managed to pick up something on the prop. A blast of reverse disposed of it, but now he was very very close to the arch of the bridge below. Thankfully he managed to manoeuvre away before any damage happened to the grab rail or pram hood.

Pale patches of grass suggests this lock had work done recently

You could tell the chap had started at the bottom of the locks as the next two got progressively worse, more duck weed and more and more rubbish collecting above the top gates.

Noisy motorbikes on the towpath

With todays fuel prices you would think that would put off the towpath motorbikes, but no. Two kept passing us, up and down the way almost to our planned destination. They paused at the drive through KFC then were heading back of into the distance again

.

Tiger, zebra, giraffe and a crocodile!

A hire boat came past, or was it an Ark? Only one of each animal on board though.

The canal now gets more and more urban. The M6 getting closer and closer all the time, HS2 will join in with this in years to come.

Natural light changing ugly into attractive

Over head a factory was built spanning the canal. Concrete pillars holding the weight beyond the towpath. Today we’d timed our cruise to perfection, the sun streaming in between the pillars. The colours of the (none too artistic) graffiti catching the light and creating an effect similar to that of stained glass. Wow! What a treat.

We were facing Spaghetti Junction, old bridges and new all starting to cross cross at speed above the slow moving canal below. Peeking through under the M6 we could see where we’d be stopping today, Star City.

Left left please

At Salford Junction I gave directions. Not straight on or just left but, ‘Left Left Please!’ Mick slowed Oleanna down and pushed the tiller over, several points to the turn and we were round and onto new water for all of us.

The River Tame below M6 above

Now on the Grand Union, we crossed over the River Tame which quietly trickles it’s way underneath transport old and new. Nechelles or Salford Bridge Stop Lock now has no gates but the canal narrows and a cottage sits behind big fences for it’s own protection. A cheery chap called out to us from the garden.

Ahead was our mooring for the night, Star City pontoon, a secure mooring behind a locked gate, or so we thought. On closer inspection someone has cut away the C&RT padlock. This may have been because the padlock broke. We pulled up at the near end, furthest away from the busy road bridge ahead.

What a long pontoon!

Star City has a huge cinema, bowling alley, restaurants etc. We’d not be visiting and neither would Tilly. This took a bit of explaining as to begin with the trees, cowslips and sideways trees looked appealing. But behind them was a service road then the carpark. The Cat Health and Safety Committee convened and decided it was too risky.

Chopping

After a late lunch Mick chopped up a log that had been fished out of the Aire and Calder by Al weeks ago in Goole. I started on a batch of Hot Paw Buns, mixing together the dough and leaving it to rise before adding the fruit and spices.

Only half of the rip!

Next on the jobs list was the port side cratch cover. Yes we’ve only just had the zips mended but unfortunately when Mick dropped me off at Nether Lock on the Trent the other day we were too busy protecting the cabin side to notice that the overhang attacked the pram cover! A rip along the skirt and a broken zip!

Mended a couple of times before

I’ve been looking online to see if it would be possible to mend the zip rather than replace it. With a pair of plyers in hand I had a go at following the advice I’d found, the zip head may have opened up and not be pushing the teeth together enough, so hopefully a squeeze back would do the job.

Squeeze

I gave the leading end of the zip a squeeze, a slight improvement, but I couldn’t squeeze anymore. Mick came and helped too. Maybe the back of the zip needed a squeeze too. We nudged the head down a touch opened up the teeth behind and applied pressure. Back up to the top as far as it could go and try again.

It would never be invisible so I don’t mind the brighter blue cotton

Well it looks like the job might be done as the teeth are now aligning and pushing together as they should do. We’ll see if it stays together tomorrow when I roll the covers up.

Mick checked the weed hatch, not much to report on the urban jellyfish front. We’ll see what we manage to catch in the morning!

Hot Paw Buns Click photo for recipe

Hot Paw Buns had their fruit and spices added. Normally I’d leave the the dough to rest again before shaping them, but today I experimented, shaping and adding their centres, leaving them on a tray to rise before going in the oven. It took them quite sometime to show any intention of rising, maybe they weren’t warm enough, maybe the yeast was past it’s best, or maybe I was pushing them too soon. But what really matters was how did they taste.

Going going….

Yummy as ever!

3 locks, 5.8 miles, 1 left left, 1 good soul, 1 dinted dinghy! 12 hot paw buns, 2 inches darned, 1 log kindling, 1 zip mended?

https://goo.gl/maps/Q3b8GrWZjhmQHurf6

Hidden Depths. 26th March

Bramwith Junction

Fran and Mick

A couple of days ago Mick’s niece Fran had been in touch, she had a spare ticket for a Sheffield Hidden Rivers Tour today, would one of us like to go? Well this was right up Mick’s street and a chance to see Fran too.

So off I (Mick) went to catch the bus into Doncaster. The expected 13:13 bus from Barnby Dun into town never turned up but the 12:42 came along at 13:35. This got me to Doncaster station with 10 minutes to spare to catch the train to Sheffield.

Outside Sheffield Station

Then a short 10 minute walk to the rendezvous point outside the Triple Point Brewery and Bar. I met Fran and her friend outside and donned our wellies in the car park. Another twelve people arrived in dribs and drabs, most (but not quite all) of them suitably attired. The three tour guides met us there, all wearing waders, and gave us a short briefing and hard hats.

Hard Hat
Fran and Ali

Then it was off down the road to a gap in a moveable fence which lead to a suitable place where we could get into the bed of the River Porter. A bit of a walk in the open air first to get us used to walking on the rocky river bed.

The river soon disappeared into a culvert underground. The headroom was very limited at this point, in fact the lowest of the whole tour. At one point I had to resort to hands and knees.

We went this way

It then opened out a bit and the headroom got better. We carried on until we were under the railway station. Here the River Sheaf joined us and the water flow got stronger. The guide told us to look up and he pointed out some wooden boards above our heads. These form part of platform 5 of the station. There are plans to remove these boards and replace them with glass or perspex so people above can look down on the underground river. It will also let light down to the river thereby encouraging a bit more wildlife down there.

Cracks of daylight from the station platform above.

We then took a sharp left and walked under the railway tracks. The station was built between 1865 and 1870 so these arches have been here a while.

All the time there was the rumble of trains moving up above while we carried on for a few hundred metres under the station. The going under foot was very rough along here, well actually for pretty much the whole tour. Lots of loose stones and bricks. There was much potential for broken ankles but we all survived. At one point one of the guides stood in in his waders in waist deep water with his head torch switched to red and pointed us through an archway on the left where the water was much shallower.

Go Left!

We reached as far as we were allowed to go, the presence of bats prevented further progress. So we stood a while to look for bats but none wanted to come out to play. The light at the end of the tunnel was tantalisingly close.

Unreachable Light at the End of the Tunnel

So that was the end of the tour. Or rather the halfway point, we turned around and headed back the way we came. All in all it took a couple of hours and was very enjoyable. It was difficult under foot and a walking pole would have been useful. There were a couple of places where the water came over the top of my wellies so waders would have been good too. But even so it was a great tour.

Fran gave me a lift back to the boat where she stayed for a Saturday roast dinner.

Meanwhile, back on Oleanna …

Tilly and I (Pip) were left in charge of Oleanna for the afternoon. Tilly hunted. I read my panto script, turned down a job that I’d been approached about yesterday (two models on a boat at once just isn’t feasible, panto takes over our lives for long enough, plus we still want to boat this summer), pulled out some knitting and caught up with my old school friend Morag for an hour on the phone. Then a gammon was popped in the oven with roast potatoes as the sun set, all ready in time to welcome the intrepid explorers back.

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 winds, 1 bus, 1 train, 1 car, 0 newspaper, 2 many dogs, 2 intrepid explorers, 2 rivers, 15 hard hats, 1 dress, 4 wet legs, 4 wet socks, 1 panto re-read, 1 sausage day, 1 hour catching up, 1.4kg gammon, 18 roast potatoes, 3 choc chop cookies with ice cream.

2021 An Adventurous Year

Time for the annual round up. Put the kettle on or pour yourself a glass of something stonger, put your feet up, this is a long post.

Looking out into a cold world!

As midnight turned from 2020 to 2021 we saw the old year out and new one in at the house in Scarborough, a quiet affair with just the three of us.

January and February brought ups and downs with them. Oleanna rose and fell with the water level at Viking Marina due to the breach at New Bridge whilst the country locked down. Despite the restrictions on travelling we made use of having a hire car for a few days at the beginning of the year to keep an eye on Oleanna.

Jobs around the house continued, our bedroom was redecorated and reclaimed from troublesome tenants. Tilly and I ventured out into the nearby park for the occasional walk, dependant on the number of woofers and the weather of course.

We walked, we ate, we drank, did our best to stay well and I started on the design for Chipping Norton’s panto in my reclaimed work room.

The spare living room was used as a workshop doing some work for Animated Objects, scrimming giant sci-fi guns and then painting model buildings all for The Odyssey. Beetroot burgers were made and pancakes consumed.

Then March came along and some easing of restrictions. Colour came back in nature with the daffodils popping up and my panto model started to get coloured in. A design for some origami paper arrived ready to be folded up to be part of 1000 ships display that would happen a couple of months later along the Yorkshire coast.

With new freedoms we had a couple of trips to Goole to check on Oleanna. First one was to swing her round and finally put fire extinguishers on walls all ready for her Boat Safety Inspection which she passed with flying colours and a comment that we seemed to like CO and smoke detectors, well I’d rather have too many than not enough!

The cofferdam at the breach site was completed and an access ramp created. My posts about the breach put us in touch with several people in Goole and at the beginning of April The Goole Escape Facebook group was formed. Due to the breach and lack of water in Goole Docks no leisure boats were allowed to use Ocean Lock out onto the Tidal Ouse. A joint calm voice was needed to try to find a way out for those boats wanting to leave, including us.

Of course March was also when Mick and I got our first vaccinations. Who’d have thought having a jab would put a smile on peoples faces! Not that you could really see them behind all the masks. A bathroom got a make over and we discovered parts of Scarborough we’d never been to before.

April was a very busy month. With lodgers on the horizon house jobs needed finishing. The roof needed attention along with a wall in my work room, both jobs were for the professionals. Pictures went up on walls, finally. The bathroom needed finishing with Frank fitting us a new bath surround.

Mid month out attention moved back to Oleanna. Way back when, we’d booked her in at Goole Boathouse to be blacked. We had a night on board before moving her from one marina to the other to come out of the water. She was jet washed down and the chaps began applying layers of 2 pack to her hull. We visited most days with jobs to do ourselves. Mick busied himself inside whilst I ground back rusty bits on the gunnels, repainted them and the tunnel bands. Inside the oak floor had a good clean and then was treated to two coats of oil. The weather had been perfect for it and she went back in the water a week after she’d come out, enough time for the 2 pack to cure. She looked smart again, well the cabin sides still needed a good wash!

Whilst in Goole we met up with David, Karl, Wendy and Martin, four members of The Goole Escape group. David had managed to negotiate with ABP passage for leisure boats through Ocean Lock at Goole Docks, this was limited to specific times of the tide. So escape was now possible but everything would have to come together to make a sensible plan. We wouldn’t be ready for a few weeks and hoped that there wouldn’t be a mass exodus before we could join people.

As I carried on trying to finish my panto model Mick made good use of his time doing a VHF radio course, we’d need to be able to use the radio to meet the criteria for going through Goole Docks and out onto the Tidal Ouse. Tilly visited the vet and got a years worth of flea and wormer treatments, we were all set to move back on board.

The first of May was that day. We’d hoped that Tilly would remember the boat after seven months on shore, within about two seconds of being back it was obvious she knew where she was. News that Goole caisson gates were now open and cruising up towards the breach site was possible we headed off to give Oleanna a good run and so that Tilly could venture back onto dry land. It was very good to be back on the move again. On our second such trip Tilly remembered how to swim!

Whilst in Goole Mick took his Short Range VHF Radio exam and passed. I carried on painting my panto model. We both had our second vaccinations. Heather Bleasdale came to visit joining us for an outdoor lunch. We got to know the Goole Escape Committee and discussed plans. We watched work going on at the breach site. Mick had a birthday and Joan’s Home Kitchen provided us with a celebratory meal a couple of days before we hoped to escape.

On 21st May an escape committee meeting was had early on, the weather looked hopeful for the tide in the afternoon, we were booked in at Ocean Lock. Our escape was to be via Selby, the Lock keeper was called there and our plan confirmed. At lunchtime we moved up to fill the diesel tank and await the other escapees, Sea Maiden and Lullabelle. Given the go ahead by the docks to proceed we were soon passing through to Ocean Lock where there was plenty of space for the three of us. At around 14:30 the large lock gates opened to reveal our way out of Goole onto the Tidal Ouse.

All three boats arrived safe and sound

We headed upstream following Sea Maiden being pushed along with the tide. Would we make it to Selby before the tide turned. Each boat arrived individually and was locked up into Selby Basin. We’d made it, now all we had to do was escape Selby as the swing bridge out of the basin there was broken.

We waited. Tides, times, weather and the amount of fresh coming down stream all had to fit together. Bridget and Storm came to visit. We twiddled our thumbs. The Environment Agency came and closed the flood barrier. We twiddled our thumbs. Daily escape committee meetings were held. By the 27th everything was looking to fit together apart from one thing, Keadby Lock would not be manned at a suitable time for us to get off the river. Sea Maiden and Lullabelle decided to stay put in Selby. Heather Bleasdale was joining us for the trip but Oleanna would be out on the river on her own heading to Trent Falls.

What a day that was! David’s advice was spot on. Leaving Selby just before 10am Oleanna zoomed downstream with the out going tide. We followed our charts keeping to the channel. At the Apex light Mick swung Oleanna round to head upstream onto the Trent our progress slowing instantly.

We then crawled our way to find where we should wait for the tide to turn. Two hours of very little, drifting on our anchor. We’d picked the day well, it was wonderful out there.

When Oleanna started to move round a touch more we managed to pull the anchor up and found our way back into the main channel to head upstream with the incoming tide. One plan had been to moor up in Gainsborough, but we decided to carry on and arrived at Torksey just as the last light was fading at just gone 22:00, 64 miles in a day, I doubt we’ll ever beat that.

Over the next few days we made our way up the Trent, dug out our windlasses to work locks in Nottingham. Once we rose up Derwent Mouth Lock onto the Trent and Mersey we had completed our escape. The going would now be much slower along shallow canals and plenty more moored boats to slow down past.

Now we should make our booked mooring at Rembrandt Gardens, every day would be a boating day unless the weather was either too hot or far too wet to cruise. Along the Trent and Mersey, pausing to stock up in Alrewas. At Fradley we turned onto the Coventry Canal to head southwards. We gave a tow to NB Burghley Girl to the bottom of Atherstone.

At Hawkesbury Junction we did the 180 degree turn onto the North Oxford Canal, through Rugby and up Hillmorton. NB Kamili with Andy and Irene passed as we arrived in Braunston where we paused for another butchers, then up the flight and through the tunnel.

Straight on along the Grand Union. On route we stopped for a drink with Lizzie at Bugbrooke. Paused for a hot day under some trees near Milton Keynes. Had a diversion along the Wendover Arm for a night. Picked up extra crew, my old college friend Jen, for a day through Hemel Hempstead. Came across our first sightings of HS2 cutting it’s way across the landscape.

At Bulls Bridge we turned left onto the Paddington Arm. On our trip into London we came across our friends Pete and Clare on NB Billy, it turned out we’d be neighbours at Rembrandt Gardens for a few days. We arrived on time and the next day headed across London by bus to Hackney to see the London Leckenbys for the first time since Christmas 2019.

Plenty more family to catch up with. Kath came for lunch, we had a trip to Eastbourne to see Marion and John, a lovely lunch with Christine and Paul. So good to see everyone again and not just on a computer screen every Saturday.

Happy Birthday Big Brother

Andrew’s 60th Birthday was celebrated, nothing fancy just good to be able to be together for it, we’d achieved our second goal of the year.

We heard there was a space at St Pancras Cruising Club for a long boat like Oleanna, so we took advantage of a more secure mooring close to Kings Cross whilst we had a visit back to Scarborough. Checking on the house, lodgers changing over and seeing the latest Ayckbourn play with Bridget and Storm, it all made for a good weekend away. I then headed off to Huddersfield for a couple of days work with Dark Horse, fitting costumes for a photo shoot.

There was to be a Tideway cruise from St Pancras Cruising Club and with one space left we jumped at the opportunity. Ten boats made their way to Limehouse, we breasted up with NB Misty Blue, Graham turned out to be another Goole Escapee. Three lock-fulls of boats headed out onto the Tideway on the morning of 10th July, special permission had been sought to go under Hammersmith Bridge which was closed to all forms of traffic at the time.

Tilly thought we were mad taking her onto such rough water, I was a little perplexed too! Very glad that I was the official photographer, clinging on as we did more than bob up and down! Tower Bridge, The National Theatre, Christine, Adam, The Houses of Parliament, Battersea Power Station. So many sights, what an experience!

The further west we got the calmer the water got. We were glad when Hammersmith Bridge was passed as there had always been a chance that it might close to boat traffic at anytime due to safety reasons. We turned off at Brentford along with several other boats and continued up to Hanwell where we had a very sociable evening at The Fox with everyone. Thank you Simon for mentioning the cruise to us.

Sadly our washing machine hadn’t liked the lumpy water so for the next month we cruised meeting up with engineers on route hoping it could be mended. Back through London, pausing at St Pancras again. Then down to the Herford Union to cut across to the Lee and Stort. We had another mooring booked on the Lee awaiting our arrival, alongside NB Billy.

Then up the Lee and onto the River Stort. We’d only ventured so far up the Stort during our first winter on Lillian, this time we headed all the way to Bishop Stortford. Our return journey was held up slightly due to the river going into flood overnight so we had to wait for it to lower to get under the bridge at Roydon.

Back through London we made use of the new Eco-moorings near Islington Tunnel, a handy stop off with electricity. Here we met up with Nick an old friend from York and Adam called in for a catch up after working the breakfast shift at Radio 2.

Goodbye Christine!

At the end of July we pushed on and left London behind us, returning to Bulls Bridge.

We headed up to Uxbridge for cheap diesel and finally got our washing machine mended. We turned around and headed back to the Hanwell flight, stowed the garden back in the shower and headed out onto the Thames again where we turned right towards Oxford.

With a weeks license we couldn’t dawdle, although a broken lock gate at Boveney Lock did hold us up overnight so our license would be extended. A space was spotted below Cliveden so we treated ourselves to a night moored in the grounds of the big house. We paused for a socially distanced chat with Sue on No Problem XL, good to see her looking so well. Henley Regatta was almost ready as we passed through and our favourite mooring above Days Lock did not disappoint. All too soon we turned up Sheepwash Channel and ascended Isis Lock back onto the Oxford Canal.

Whilst in Oxford I managed an actual face to face meeting with Dash the Director for Chippy Panto. He seemed happy! Then we made our way up to Thrupp where we’d booked ourselves in at the cruising club for a few days whilst the London Leckenbys came to visit and we had a trip back to Scarborough and we got to see the show at Esk Valley for the first time since we’ve been living afloat.

I had a day trip to Chippy where I did a final model meeting over zoom from a dressing room, but also had chance to measure things up. Then we were off up the Oxford Canal, mooring in our favourite spots, it was a touch busier than it normally is in the winter.

A pause to visit Village Meats in Braunston and we spotted our old share boat NB Winding Down so we stopped to say hello. On up the flight sharing with a boat full of actors, then left up to Crick for the first time in ages.

A prearranged boaters meeting at Houdini’s Field worked brilliantly, NB Panda and NB Kamili convened and we all enjoyed each others company over a fantastic barbeque outside so everyone could feel safe and Tilly could roam about. Oleanna was treated to a very good wash and brush up before we were on our way again. We now needed to get her north before I started on Panto.

News came through that the breach on the Aire and Calder had been mended and nine months after the canal had sprung a leek it was mended and open again. Boats could now move through the area, mooring however is still restricted.

Following the Grand Union we headed down the Stockton Flight to Leamington Spa. Tilly and I had a few hot days on our own moored at Radford Smelly then we were on our way again. An obligatory burger at The Cape of Good Hope the night before we teamed up with NB Mad Hatter to ascend the Hatton flight. One day my old college friend Emma will not have an excuse to helping us up the flight, this time we met for a cuppa and a catch up the following day.

On up Knowle to Catherine de Barnes, then Camp Hill Locks, the Ashted flight and Tunnel (!) followed by Farmers Bridge into Birmingham. The city centre is still full of building and tram works but with the sun out it looked stunning. We also caught up with Paul Balmer from Waterway Routes before carrying on with our journey.

A night at Hawne Basin filled the diesel tank up. A night at Dudley Port Basin got the cupboards filled. A pause at Urban Moorings meant we could donate our deposits and the next day we descended from the Birmingham plateau down the Wolverhampton 21.

Along the Staffordshire and Worcester we managed to have a mid stream catch up with Barbara from NB Bessie Surtees. At Great Haywood I managed a catch up with Kay from NB Pea Green as she set up to trade for the day and Mick filled Oleanna’s water tank.

Heading north on the Trent and Mersey we pulled in for lunch and a surprise hello to Barry and Sandra from NB AreandAre whom we’d got to know last year in the first lockdown. In the afternoon we were joined by Bill and Lisa for a trip through Harecastle Tunnel. Now we swung off the Trent and Mersey and onto the Macclesfield with it’s wonderful bridges.

It would have been nice to take our time but we had a rendez vous to make. The end mooring at Marple was free and from here we headed into Manchester by train to join the London Leckenbys for a meal of big red fish. The following day my old school friend Morag joined us for a night on board with some serious catching up to be done.

Our next deadline loomed, Standedge Tunnel. We dropped down the Marple flight, crossed the aqueduct and turned right at Dukinfield Junction onto the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We knew we were in for some hard work to climb our way over the Pennines, last time we’d enlisted crew to help as I was one handed. This time we’d be going solo. Apart from the very first lock it wasn’t too troublesome. The work is rewarded with stunning views.

Standedge Tunnel did not disappoint. Because of social distancing Mick got ride ride up front in the cratch leaving the helm to a C&RT volunteer. Bumps and scrapes made Oleanna wince along with us, but we all got through in one piece with no damage. Tilly wasn’t too happy about the trip, but at least I can now boast to the local cats in Scarboreugh that I’ve been through the longest deepest highest tunnel on the canal network whilst they just lazed around on their shed roofs!

On our way down the other side Oleanna had a belt that went taking out quite a few wires in the engine bay. RCR were sent for, the engineer suggested we’d need to remove a pulley on the alternator to be able to remove trapped wires, this could not happen where we were. We could move but the batteries would not charge. The only way to top up our electric was with the solar panels. Emergency power conservation went into operation, blogs were hand written, the freezer turned off and we gradually ate our way through our defrosting supplies. Every day Mick managed to pull more wire from the alternator and soon there was no need for an engineer again, just a new belt needed fitting.

We made our way down to Huddersfield and arrived the day before I had a production meeting at Dark Horse. After walking to my meeting I handed over the model and we stocked up on supplies before heading off east along the Huddersfield Broad Canal.