Tilly’s fish kept her occupied this morning

No hold ups for us this morning and it appeared that today we got the wonderful weather we’d been promised for yesterday, sun all day long.

Surrounded by tuperware not the most accessible pump

Mick last night had walked up to look at Supreme Marine Boat Yard to see if they sold diesel. With no towpath access he walked over the bridge to look. There seemed to be nothing obvious at the yard. However when we pushed off this morning we could see the bold lettering on the side of a breeze block wall. But in defence of Mick, needing new glasses, everywhere was filled with cruisers. Not too inviting to pull up against to fill your tank. So we carried on.

Wonder what their second mate is called?

We passed NB Nelson’s Lady who we moored with at Crick a few years ago. This is the boat with the trike on the bow, although it was parked up on the towpath today. It also looks like they now have a second mate too. No one was in view so we couldn’t say hello, although they will remember us as being yellow.

Going through the flood lock

Castleford Flood Lock was open at both ends, so plain sailing through today. The lock is so big it looks like you’d be able to wind in it if it wasn’t for a few bits and pieces sticking up out of the water.

At the junction we turned right onto the River Aire, heading in the direction of Leeds, hoping to find a suitable mooring for Tilly.

The old route shown with dashed lines

Three and a half miles of river. We tried to spot where an old cut had been that is shown on the Waterways Routes map, but there were very few signs of where it had once been. On the old canal there had been Kipax Locks and Lemon Royd Lock, today these have been replaced by one very deep lock Lemonroyd Lock. At 14ft 7″ it is deep, with it’s length and width too there is one heck of a lot of water in that chamber.

Lock to the left, weir  to the right

Emptying the lock, Oleanna well back

We pulled up on the lock landing at some distance away. With the key in the panel I checked that Mick and Oleanna were okay before I started to empty the chamber. A thumbs up came back and I pressed the button. The paddles raise by themselves at intervals.

Calmly emptying

You really wouldn’t want to be down there!

Looking on the chamber side of the gates the level slowly lowers, the other side is totally different. This is certainly not a lock you want to nudge the gates of as it empties!

I had a little difficulty removing my key of power from the panel, it hadn’t given my that little clunk noise which most of these do when everything (gates and paddles) is back where it should be. In the end a twist of the key the wrong way in the panel gave me that reassuring sound.

Filling the lock

Mick held tight to the centre line passed round a yellow riser as far back in the chamber as possible. Thumbs up and I pressed the button to start filling the huge chamber. Once pressed I have no control, other than to press the emergency stop button, the paddles work themselves, slowly raising the level of water. Staying back in the chamber makes for a gentler rise.

People working on their boats

We’d been thinking of mooring up opposite Lemonroyd Marina for the rest of the day, but a lot of people looked like they’d taken root there. Anyway the aroma from the nearby sewage works was off putting so we moved along the cut looking for the next suitable place. 

A rather nice mooring

A small m was shown on our map just after a disused arm, nobody was there. We managed to get ourselves positioned between trees to make the most of the bright sunshine. Tilly was out straight away, the silver birch trees being conquered within minutes.

Trees!

Kindling

Whilst Tilly hunted, Mick chopped wood and did some work on the blog move, I got on with some work. I want to get my illustrations for the Separate Doors 3 report done before I launch into panto. Another half day will see them completed, then I can turn my attention to East End London in the 1960’s.

They were rather yummy

With quite a few off cuts of pastry left over from yesterday and half a pot of ricotta cheese I decided to put them to good use and made some Lemon Puffs. Well when at Lemonroyd I just had to!

Asleep where she should be

Only having an hour I was a bit miffed with all the woofers this morning, so came home until they had all gone. Half an hour left on the clock Tom opened the back door again, no noticeable woofers and I was off. I still needed to check out what those deer had been up to the other day, so headed off down the field.

Gateforth Wharf is empty again

We were all ready for the off once the second mate was locked inside. Today we’d wanted to get a good days cruising under the bow, at least we’d only lost half an hour, I suspect it could have been longer!

Rubbish field now ploughed ready to be good again

Haddlesey Lock needed setting as paddles at both ends were lifted to help keep the pound topped up, but we were soon through it and turning out onto the Aire to wind our way back upstream. The weather had meant to be really good today, but it was cloudy and quite chilly out on the river.

Approaching Beal Lock

The top gates at Beal Lock were a touch obstinate again, not wanting to close. But with the assistance of the paddles and extra shoving they came together in the end so that we could make our way up, only to do the same as we left. Here we paused on the pontoon to empty the yellow water tank and have some lunch before heading onwards.

Bank Bloomin Dole

To our surprise Bank Dole Lock was full with the top gates closed. The boat I’d let through the swing bridge in Selby must have filled it, maybe they had only just gone through, or spent all night filling it!. We emptied it whilst trying to help a cyclist who was asking for directions to York (we only know it by water so couldn’t help much). The gates take so much to move them on this bloomin lock and then with only one paddle working!

14:29

14:56

Nothing to do with me!

The wind then caught us and made getting off the side very hard. With the overhang here Mick didn’t want to use a reverse Andy move as that might have trapped the stern under it. So pushing out the stern, blasts on the bowthruster. In the end we got away but sadly something must have got inside the bowthruster tube, we’ve a blown fuse again! We so don’t like Bank Dole!!

Ferrybridge Lock with the cooling towers and old A1 road bridge

We pootled along back to Ferrybridge Lock. Here the levels have equalised since the floods and we were able to go straight through the flood lock. Cooling towers straight ahead, only to turn under the road bridges before we bumped into them.

John Carr’s bridge

The very first bridge here was built in 1198 an important crossing. Ferrybridge Old Bridge was designed by John Carr in 1797 (he established my Dad’s architectural practice in York) you can see many of his bridges around the north of England, this one is Grade 1 listed. It carried the Great North Road across the Aire. The next bridge to be built dominates the view as you leave the lock was built in 1967 to carry the old A1, now the A162.

A1M bridge

Further along is the new A1M road bridge bigger, higher, wider than it’s predecessors and further away from the cooling towers which opened in 2006. During my childhood and early driving years Ferrybridge was where you turned onto the M62 to head to Manchester, so those towers mean a lot to me.

Until next time

The power station sits alongside the river, the cooling towers no longer in use. The wharf where coal used to be taken from boats still stands, diagonal covered conveyors crisscross the view. Then as if they’d never been there the towers vanish out of view. Time to say farewell to the Norf.

Fairburn Railway Bridge

Getting on for an hour and a half the next reach of the river broadens, old industrial sites now greened over, the occasional basin off to the side. At Fairburn Railway Bridge chaps were erecting a mass of scaffolding. Huge pontoons surrounding the bridge on both sides leaving enough room for boats to pass through.

Blinding sun

NB Pearl

NB Pearl came past as we approached Bulholme Lock, the only boat moving today. Despite the lock being almost empty it took some time to level out with the river. The panel here has lights so you don’t have to guess when the water is level. One mental note for next time, the sluices all open on the starboard side as you come up, so it might have been better to pass a rope up on the port side as that is where Oleanna wanted to go!

with lights

Back to big locks

Numerous boats lined the cut, including Freda Carless we’d seen at Pollington. luckily there was a gap where the side is low, making getting on and off easier. A quick look round and we decided that here was not suitable for cats, we’ll move on tomorrow to find somewhere better for Tilly.

Starter started

With my organic grapes I started my sour dough starter, a thick sludge that I hope will become more fluid over the coming days. It’s been put on my proving shelf to keep warm ad out of Tilly’s way.

Yummyness

Then with some of my GF pastry I made us a couple of Salmon en croute. Duncan, it was very tasty! We’ve still got the other one to enjoy in a day or two.

Sunset

This evening we have finally made the decision to move the blog. There is lots to get sorted before the move, I’m leaving most of it to my IT assistant. We’ll let you know before  the new blog goes live and we’re hoping to make the move as easy as possible, we may even be able to move all the millions of words I’ve written over the years so that they are all in one place.

Cormorants

5 locks, 1 straight through, 1 key of power operated, 14.04 miles, 1 proper days cruise, 1 AWOL busy cat, 1 ploughed field, 1 empty wee tank, 30 minutes, 200 amp fuse blown, 1 parking meter, 4 herons, 1  kingfisher, 7 oyster catchers, 1 low sided mooring, 2 yummy parcels of salmon, 1 blog on the move.

As we pulled forward to fill with water today’s Lock Keeper came over for a chat. He was here to check the lock over and listen to any messages on the answer phone, then head off somewhere else.

Selby Lock is normally kept full as the bottom gates are a public right of way, a full lock is safer to fall into than an empty one. The top paddles automatically stay open to help keep the lock full. However, for some reason last week the lock managed to empty itself. This coincided with a big spring tide, which as it came in pushed against the bottom gates. Because the lock was empty the only thing stopping the gates from opening were the chains tethering them. The force of the tide was too much and the chains gave way, opening the bottom gates. After the tide had turned the gates slammed shut doing damage to the bottom cill beneath the water. 

This means that the lock is constantly emptying itself, a boil below the gates evidence to this. The lock is constantly being filled with the top paddles up and the canal constantly being topped up through Haddlesey Lock from the River Aire at the other end of the five mile long canal. Divers are needed to access the bottom gates and also one of the hydraulic pipes has split, necessitating replacement. 

As we chatted we could hear the sound of a boat approaching below the lock. The Lockie ran over to check it was a work boat that had come out from Goole, heading up to Naburn so that when the divers arrive they will have a boat to work from.

There are apparently a couple of boats wanting to come down from Ripon Boat Club, but they are stuck there for the time being. No chance the lock will be mended this week.

Just before 11am there was a tap on the window. Mark an old friend of Mick’s had come to visit. He was originally going to join us for the trip up to York, but as that was now cancelled he’d come to say hello. A guided tour, cups of tea and a catch up followed. 

An hour earlier than expected Mick got a call from the RCR engineer, he was only a few minutes away so we gave him our location and sure enough two minutes later his van passed Oleanna. We have gold membership with RCR (the equivalent of the AA for boats), which has a benefit of a free engine inspection once a year. Mick does all the servicing, but it’s nice to get a qualified pair of eyes giving her the once over. As last year Oleanna got the thumbs up on everything, she’s good for another year.

Whilst this was happening I popped off to get a few bits of shopping we’d missed yesterday, walking that bit further to Sainsburys. Here on the shelves they had organic grapes! Something I’ve been looking for for a while now. This means that I can now start a sour dough starter to be able to make bread, the grapes are needed for the natural yeast on them.

After we’d had some lunch it was time to get going. Mark and Mick winded Oleanna by the lock gates, the closest we’ll get to York this year.

Plenty of bikes and cars to hold up this afternoon at the bridge.

We pootled our way out of town, a Kingfisher flashing his blue at us. A mile or so out of town it was time for Mark to hop off at a bridge (the edges of the canal tend to be quite shallow elsewhere).

We waved our goodbyes and carried on to find a suitable place for Tilly. Gateforth Wharf was empty again, so we pulled in and let the cat out.

This morning Nigel rang, the Lock Keeper from Selby. Our passage up to York had been booked for Wednesday this week and he was calling with the news that the lock wouldn’t be mended anytime this week. Divers were needed, the recent big spring tides had affected the lock and it would take some time to sort. Last night we’d decided that if we couldn’t go up to York this week then we’d abandon our trip. Hopefully sometime next year we’ll be able to go that way and take Oleanna up the river for the first time.

Good name

A shame as the weather forecast for Wednesday looks really nice for a cruise and checking the webcam in central York the river looks like is is just about back to normal, people sitting out on the bank drinking. We know we’ll be back, at some point.

There are no winding holes on the Selby Canal so we still had to go all the way to Selby to be able to turn at the basin. We also wanted to top up on shopping and had arranged for an RCR engine inspection tomorrow.

Blackthorn

We pootled along in the sunshine, clouds of Blackthorn blossom clinging to the hedgerows, a wonderful site.

A cruiser slap bang in the middle of the moorings!

At Selby Boat Centre a boat stuck out across the cut, it was being worked on, having it’s outboard motor seen to, so being stern end in was needed, a good job it was a short boat. We’ve stopped here once before and had to breast up to have a look in the chandlers, we were after chain for our anchor and new mooring ropes. The chap we’d moored alongside sold us some ropes as the chandlery wasn’t manned. Mick returned on a later day buying a length of second hand chain which did the job.

Selby Boat Centre

The last obstacle coming into the basin is a swing bridge. The road over it doesn’t seem that busy until you stop the traffic, then vehicles and pedestrians flock to wait to cross. As I hopped off the boat with the key of power I could see that a boat was coming towards us from the basin. I reached the panel before their crew got off and waved them through. The bridge was open for longer meaning more people had to wait.

Selby Lock out onto the tidal Ouse

Bottom gates padlocked shut

Once moored up we walked up to the lock to have a look. Nobody about, all gates closed, those facing out onto the river were padlocked in position so that they couldn’t swing open with the tides. The tide was heading out to the North Sea, not much detritus going with it though. We’ve been told to wait for a tree to go past before exiting the lock in the past. Going in and out of Selby Lock is a treat that will have to wait for another time.

Tide going out below the lock

We walked into town for some shopping. I also wanted to see how far away the nearest vets was. Tilly is due her annual injections in the next couple of weeks, but the vets here is just that bit too far to carry her in her Escape Pod. She hates cars and panics making it very hard to hang on to her carrier. I’m hoping we’ll reach Sowerby Bridge in time where there is a vet just across one road from the basin there.

Selby Abbey

0 locks, 1 broken, 3.84 miles, 1  swing bridge, 4 cars, 1 bike, 1 dog, 10 pedestrians, 1 pram held up, 2nd boat through, 0 duckweed, 2 padlocks, 2 far, 2 noisy, 4 bananas, 5 bramleys, 1 box cereal, 0 wine (too far to carry any), 1 meeting arranged, 2 tickets booked, 1 dinner date with brother and nephew booked.

Chocolate Box bridge this morning

Whilst they had breakfast I was allowed out for an hour. There really wasn’t much point I’d checked out all the good holes and found any friends to be found yesterday, so I stayed close and was home well in time for them to move the outside again.

The Selby Canal isn’t that long, just over five miles long, so we didn’t want to use it all up too quickly. So we planned on stopping at one of two places we’d reach before getting to the outskirts of Selby.

The sun was out and our solar panels are starting to earn their keep. 250 watts this morning until a shadow is cast over them. With Mick’s remote battery monitor ( for want of a better name, it does more than just monitor the batteries) we could see how much less power there is being generated if you hold your arm up casting a shadow over the panel, 50 watts less. We still have our stove going so the chimney can cast a shadow on one of the panels depending where the sun is.

Coming in to moor with an audience

We pootled along to the next mooring, Gateforth Landing. There has always been a boat moored here when we’ve come past, but today it was free. With quite a high wall it was hard to step up off the bow, but we managed and tied up. With no roads nearby, only the towpath and a footpath leading into Gateforth it would be a better place for Tilly, the trains on the East Coast Main Line don’t worry her!

One way

The other way

Tree stumps, plenty of friendly cover. Before I got to check out what was behind the sideways trees she was calling me back and trying to pick me up. I wasn’t having any of that! I still had six hour and twenty six minutes left!!

Ouch!

From across the field we could hear screaming. Not kids playing screaming, but serious screaming. There were a couple of horses galloping across the field. My first thought was that it could be a hunt, I wanted Tilly back in doors if it was. A cat was killed last year in Norbury by hounds and this was not a fate for Tilly.

Soon we realised that there were only two horses, one had bolted, the rider screaming as it sped across the field. She soon fell off and her horse continued out of sight. There were a couple of people with them and the girl who’d fallen stood up quickly. At quite a distance away from us we couldn’t help, but for quite sometime we could hear the horse still disturbed.

Now this IS a Field

With all this going on I went to have a look. For as far as my cat vision could see there were fields. Fields with things growing in them, just for me! It tasted quite good,even the local deer must have agreed as they were munching it a mile away.

Hard to get a good look round

This outside sadly doesn’t get a Mrs Tilly stamp. Why when there is so much to do? Well it’s because it’s far too high. When I get off the boat I always have a quick look round to be aware of my surroundings. But here all I can see is a big stone wall, behind that is a bit of a hill, so I have to sit up very tall to check it’s safe. One time there was a rudy great big horse! I did see that one, because it was sooo big!

Trial with ink and colour

The first colours being laid in for the front cover

I got my paints and fine drawing pens out. Scanned the illustrations I’ve been doing to the highest resolution my scanner would let me, this was just in case I seriously messed up inking and colouring them in, then I’d have chance to go back and do them all again.

A try out with pens and watercolour on a sketch that won’t be used gave me the confidence to ink in the cover drawings and start to add some colour to them. I still need to work out the background for one of them, but that will come as I work on them.

What’s over there?

Deer!

During the afternoon a walk was called for, but Tilly was out. She soon showed her white tipped tail when we clambered off the boat. Instead of leaving her in charge she came with us for our walk, admittedly it wasn’t as far as we’d have gone without her. It also takes time as she gets distracted by any movement. But having her bound back to join you is great and quite often funny as she turns and does her cartoon arched back at you, for no reason what so ever.

Busy now!

0 locks, 1.28 miles, 2 chocolate box swans, 250 watts, 0.5 hours engine as we cruised, 1 high mooring, 2 fallen trees, 3 benches, 2 nails,  2 huge fields all mine, 1 bolted horse, 6 screams, 5 deer, 3 inked in sketches, 2 colours, 1 happy tired cat.

Being in Ferrybridge meant getting a Saturday newspaper was much easier than it would have been at Beal Lock on the River Aire. There was only one copy on the rack in the shop so Mick snatched it quickly. He returned to the boat valiant and with more news. He’d seen Tom (C&RT chap from yesterday), who’d been on his way to give us the news that Bank Dole Lock would now fill. He and his mate had cleared more silt from the bottom gates yesterday and even though water was still bubbling up from under the off side gate the lock would now fill. They even went and lifted a paddle for us so that it would be full for when we arrived.

Whilst we had breakfast NB Milly Molly Mandy pulled away from the moorings, heading in the same direction as us. Which way would they be going? Down Bank Dole Lock that was sat waiting for us, on to Whitley Lock? Oh well we’d find out when we got going.

Saturdays and Sundays you tend not to get many emails from C&RT about stoppages on the network. But this morning, before 9am there was one that dropped  into the inbox, it almost had our names on it.

The river in the green I made note of the height gauge. Today around 0.9m. I reckon that the top of the amber would be around 1.75m. Checking later on Gaugemap the levels at Knottingly Lock appeared to be the same as at Bank Dole. So if we have rain before we return we can have an educated guess as to if the river is navigable before we get to it.

Lots of rubbish

The recent floods had only just stopped before the full height of the flood banks. Lines of reeds and plastic detritus showed the height very well. The amount of rubbish caught in the branches of trees along the banks was revolting, bottles, bags, polystyrene and two beer barrels ( had the John Godber Theatre Company misplaced their barrels from Bouncers? ).

Glad we didn’t get swept along too

Approaching Beal Lock the road bridge also showed evidence of the floods. Masses of reeds frozen in time had caught on the supports, a snap shot of the speed the water must have been flowing.

The pontoon by the lock was empty, we’d have stopped here last night, but today we carried on to find a more cat friendly mooring.

Old Power

The first gate I opened got stuck half way, it wouldn’t budge in either direction! The off side gate however obliged so we could get Oleanna into the lock. Another try at shifting the gate did nothing, most probably stuck on silt. Before we bothered Tom again, I lifted a paddle on the bottom gate, then gave the obstinate gate a big shove, thankfully it moved.

Turning in

About to go down

More twists and turns brought us to Haddlesley Flood Lock. We think we’ve been straight through here once, the other times the lock has been in operation. Today it certainly was with a height difference of about eighteen inches. The walls are so high, all flood protection.

Eggborough from the flood lock

A quick look around, a bit of friendly cover and just a big bank! The bank, as with most high things, needed climbing. A big field with nothing much growing in it, it really should try harder. The bank would have to do, so I set about pouncing on anything that moved. This was quite friendfull.

What a rubbish field!

Later in the afternoon we got an update on the Lock at Selby.

Notice Alert for Mick and Pip

Selby Canal
Starts At: Selby Lock (Lock 1)
Ends At: Selby Lock (Lock 1)
Saturday 23 March 2019 08:30 until further notice
Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: Maintenance

---

Update on 23/03/2019:

Canal & River Trust engineers have reported specialist parts will be required to complete the repair. In the meantime Selby Lock remains unavailable for navigation.

This notice will be updated before midday Monday.

Our booking isn’t as yet affected, but depending on specialist parts it might be. We’ll wait and see.

Back on a little canal

3 locks, 7.73 miles, 5 miles of twists and turns, 3 power stations, 1 excited boater, 1 humoring boater, 1 newspaper, 2 beer barrels, 8 footballs, 36275437489 plastic bottles, 3455228 dog poo bags, 456748735343567 other plastic bags, 1 million plus marchers, 1 tasty friend, 1 grassy head, 8 sausage rolls, 1 sock pattern, 1 lock broken, 2 boaters waiting.

https://goo.gl/maps/mADVDgFrZz92

A quick spruce up inside this morning and a batch of sausage rolls ready to go in the oven and we were ready for visitors.

Matt Sian and Lottie

Matt and Sian are old friends from my Hull Truck days. Sian is the wardrobe supervisor there and Matt is an actor who was in quite a few shows I designed. We haven’t seen them for a couple of years and we haven’t met Lottie before, she’s just turned two and was a large bump when we last saw Sian.

We had timed our get together well as Matt is currently on tour in War Horse, but this week is a holiday week. The only shame was that Joshua their five year old son was at school today, but apparently he’s quite a chatter box and we’d not have got a word in edge ways!

Tilly just off to the left judging by Lottie

Lottie was quite taken with Tilly and her white whiskers. Tilly allowed me to bring her through so that they could meet and later on with Lottie being very quiet, Tilly came to sit in a patch of sun on the sofa. She even rolled over to show off her white bits, Lottie was okay. 

There was plenty to catch up on, so much tea was drunk and my gluten free sausage rolls went down very well, a treat Sian doesn’t normally get chance too have. After a couple of hours they headed home, it was lovely to see them. Hopefully we’ll catch up with Matt in Oxford later in the year.

Left please

With it still being quite early we decided to make a move. After emptying the yellow water tank we pushed off and winded. At Bank Dole Junction we turned left onto the North Yorkshire Navigation. A short distance on is Bank Dole Lock, I hopped off to set the lock and check the river board whilst Mick and Oleanna tried to tread water in the wind. The lock landing has quite an overhang which might just catch our boiler flue on the cabin side, so great care was needed.

Bank Dole Lock, still with silt under the beams

I lifted one paddle then walked to the bottom gates to check on the level, green! Marvelous. The first paddle didn’t seem to be doing much but the other one did. The bottom gates were leaking, but nothing out of the ordinary, it would just take a while to fill. Well that was our first thought!

Mick hovered. It’s a slow lock anyway, but this was taking forever. I checked the bottom gate paddles, they were down. The water level rose and then slowed right down.

After twenty minutes Mick had managed to tie up and came to look himself. All paddles were checked. A look below the bottom gates suggested that water was bubbling up from under it, maybe something was on the cill stopping the gates from closing properly. Maybe if we drained the lock and closed the gates again the seal might improve.

You can see how high the flood waters came by the line on the gates

A few minutes later the lock was empty, we opened the bottom gates, Mick closed his whilst I held mine open as long as I could as he lifted the only working paddle on the top gates. Sometimes gates seal better if closed in a different order, but as the lock refilled it was obvious this hadn’t made any difference at all. Would the lock ever fill?!

15:24

15:38

15:49

16:05 and still a foot to go

A call to C&RT was needed. The Leeds office said they would contact the local team and call us back. After ten minutes we were informed that Tom was on his way, he’d be about 20 minutes. So we sat and waited, all the time the lock slowly filling. When it got to about a foot short of being full the amount of water entering the lock was the same as that exiting. No way was it ever going to fill.

Closing the top paddle

Tom in shorts ‘It was warm in Goole!’

Tom and his mate arrived. Last week when the levels had dropped on the river they had to dig out a large amount of silt for the lock to be operational. The gates had worked fine then. ‘It’s a slow filler’ we were told. But when we said we’d been trying to fill it for at least half an hour they conceded that that was too long. The only thing to do was to empty it and have another dig around on the cill to try to get the seal better. 

This could take a while to do, did we want to wait to see if they could get it to fill? Bank Dole is not a place you want to be overnight. The lock cottage with it’s burnt roof attracts characters you’d rather not meet. So we decided to return to where we’d come from, Tom would call by in the morning to let us know how things were at the lock.

Bye Bank Dole

By now the wind had picked up. We might have been able to wind by the lock, but there was danger of us getting pinned across the flood gates above the lock. So Mick decided to reverse back to the junction, thanking me for letting him have bow thrusters. At the junction Oleanna swung round in the right direction and we headed back to Ferrybridge Lock.

Bow thrusters made this very much easier

Maybe someone is trying to tell us we shouldn’t go to York! Tomorrow we’ll try again if Tom can get the lock to fill. Third time lucky.

Back again

0 locks, 1.95 miles, 3 visitors, 1 new friend, 10 sausage rolls, 2 hours of catching up, 1 empty wee tank, 2 winds, 0.07 miles reversed, 1 lock so not going to fill, 2 C&RT cavalry, 1 big spade needed.

Tilly was allowed out whilst we had our breakfast, no early start needed today as we’d not be going too far. When we’d finished our cuppas there was no sign of her so the mad cat woman came out again. I did think that we could be here for hours waiting for her to return, but luckily after a couple of minutes calling she came bounding from the direction of the bridge tail held high.

Coming up Whitley Lock

A boat came past us from the lock as we were preparing to push off, so once the ropes were untied I walked up to the lock. It had only been about five minutes since the gates had closed but the lock had started refilling itself, already past half full. I spotted a wide beam coming from above and signalled to the lady that they should take the lock, then turned and signalled back to Mick that one was coming down. This of course took ages as the lock still had to finish filling, I closed the gates for them whilst the lady dropped their rubbish off, handed back their key and then worked them down.

No lights

These locks are key of power operated like the ones up towards Sheffield. The difference being that there are no lights on these panels so you have to guess when the water is level to be able to open the gates. A few presses of the open gate button later and they responded.

Once up the lock Mick did a 180 degree turn to get us on the water point and so that we could dispose of all our rubbish. Reversed back, winded and we were on our way.

Eggborough, Drax just out of view behind the houses

At points today you could see all three power stations at the same time, Drax, Eggborough and Ferrybridge, admittedly you have to move your head, but they all line up. So many cooling towers in one view.

As we cruised Mick made a phone call to the Lock Keeper at Selby to check on tides next week. It was the same chap we’d booked with before for our aborted attempt. Booking made with plenty of time to get there.

Flattened

Solar solar solar

Over the last five years we have watched Kellingley Colliery being demolished, today there is very little left, mostly black rubble. A large solar farm surrounded by slag heaps takes up some of the site, but the rest is now flat.

Bank Dole Junction

At Bank Dole Junction we carried straight on towards Ferrybridge the cooling towers getting closer all the time. We wanted to find somewhere to meet some friends tomorrow, in the end we opted for the visitor moorings right by Ferrybridge Lock.

Getting closer

Even closer!

The last stretch of canal to the lock is totally dominated by the Power Station, one heck of a lot of extra NORF here!

Tom Puddings full of coal

We pulled in behind two boats that looked familiar, a widebeam moored up on the opposite side. Too close to a factory with wagons for Tilly to go out, so she sulked for the remainder of the day.

More of those white things

Some supplies were needed so we walked back through Ferrybridge to find Morrisons. The road route just enforced our opinion of the area, not one to spend much time. The route back along the canal was far better all green. A couple of boats came through the flood lock during the afternoon. There is still a couple of feet difference between the river and canal, normally there is hardly any. Levels are slowly going down, we’ll be keeping our eyes open for rain in the Dales as this will swell the Ouse again.

They line up perfectly with the closed gates

Thank you to Paul of Waterway Routes for suggesting what the white metal things were at Pollington. He suggested that they might be stops for the end of the balance beams to rest against when they were manually operated. Here at Ferrybridge there are the same white things. They line up perfectly with the gates when closed.

#lots of socks

1 lock, 5.56 miles, 180 degrees for water, 1 wind, 1 left, 1 last space, 1 bag flour, 6 sausages, 6 roll fold and turns, 28 cooling towers, 8 Extra NORF, 1 sausage roll on account for Paul, 4 odd socks for World Down Syndrome Awareness Day.

With a lovely day bringing in spring we had to cruise somewhere. Tilly was allowed out whilst we had breakfast, but came home on time so that we could make ready.

Lovely day for a cruise

Just as we dropped the clean pram hood a C&RT boat cruised past towards the lock. We were uncertain as to whether both boats would fit in the lock at once, I walked ahead and left Mick to bring Oleanna. The chap with the key of power waved us in as their big boat nudged up, plenty of room!

New crane

Sharing Pollington Lock

A shiny brand new crane had been fitted onto the boat, they had been to Goole to get it fitted and were now heading back to Heck where there is a big C&RT yard.

Ferrybridge ahead

Once up they pulled over and let us past. No coats required today, sun, sun, sun. Ahead of us Ferrybridge cooling towers, just to the right Eggborough and now just behind us Drax, the only one left generating. 

Pollington Hall

As we passed South Yorkshire Boat Club a 1970’s cruiser was pulling out and fell in line behind us.  One of those with a sliding roof, perfect for a day like today.

Approaching Whitley Lock we pulled in at the end of the visitor moorings, hoping that the noise from the M62 wouldn’t be too much. A low rumble in the background, it was acceptable.

The doors opened and our little thug went off to explore, the steep sided drain covered in duck weed did give me slight cause for concern. But if she got in there she’d have a better chance of getting out by herself than with one of us trying to help!

Fields of fun across the drain

After lunch Mick walked up to the bins with a bit of rubbish, still plenty more which we’ll off load when we go through the lock tomorrow. Tilly had been gone just a little bit too long, so I had to do my mad cat woman calls. It took a while for me to get a response from her, but when I did I could see her on the other side of the drain! Well there were trees over there and tallish grasses which looked much better. No idea if she’d jumped across or if she’d found the footpath with it’s bridge. Making sure she knew about the bridge to get back I was a lot happier about the drain.

Late morning C&RT notices had started to come through. At 11:30 Thornes and Wakefield Flood locks had been opened and within another half hour the hole of the navigation was open again the levels now in Amber. Checking the webcam in York the pavement was visible again and a chap was busy spraying the silt back into the river to tidy things up for the tourists. By the evening  people were sat out on chairs watching the river go by.

Thinking of Christmas

Our summer chairs were dug out from under the bed as it was such a lovely afternoon. Mick pottered with the MPPT controller, he lengthened the time that the system is in absorption mode. I sat out and read through the script for this years Chipping Norton panto, Puss In Boots. The sun must have shone so brightly out of my bum last year that I’ve been asked back. This year I’ll be absorbing myself in anything 1960’s East End. A very amusing read, the fisherman across the way kept giving me looks. 

Tilly also busied herself by bringing friends home. One was a playmate. Tilly was removed inside so that it could make it’s escape, but it seemed reluctant to. I offered to lend it a hand, but I must have been very scary as it decided to leap into the canal. Luckily there was a ledge, with the aid of Mick being more scary than me and a plant pot I managed to catch it and set it free in the friendly cover to dry off. 

This evening we’ve been deciding which way to go. In past years when we’ve planned on heading south to the Kennet and Avon Canal, we’ve always ended up going north. We seem to be doing this again! Selby, York, Ripon? Over the top on the Rochdale? Decisions decisions decisions!

At 9am on the 6th March we had a C&RT notice come through informing us that the flood locks along the Aire and Calder had been closed due to rising waters. The level at Ferrybridge at that time was around 0.5m. It had risen quickly from a level of about 0.15m over night. So far they have not updated the notice, the level being at 0.9m this evening it’s no surprise. It’s slowly going down, but now we have an idea of how low it will need to get before the gates are opened again. This of course doesn’t mean that the river is necessarily closed, the level markers are likely to reach amber before the locks are opened. 

With this in mind we decided to stay put for another day, there was the cratch cover to clean! 

In the afternoon we went for a walk into the village to see what we could find. Walking through the farm yard from Swing bridge 3 we were watched by the cows in the shed.

When we reached the main road we turned left thinking that there might be more to look at in that direction.

Most houses were newish, boiler flues instead of chimneys. Across from the village hall was a stall outside Lock Farm. Bunches of daffodils, rhubarb and eggs for sale. We picked up a box of eggs, but left the rhubarb for others, not our favourite! 

A big notice on the side of the hall told us some of the history of the village. There had been an RAF base RAF Snaith (called this to avoid confusion with RAF Pocklington). After the war the buildings on the site became an open prison. By 1957 the camp became a borstal, the young inmates helping to clear up the airfield. 

Pollington Olympics were held for several years from the 1970’s. A torch processed around the village, races, vegetable competitions and floats, a usual village fete. Football, tennis and cricket have had grounds in the village. A fairly normal village which started off life as a settlement around farms and now houses people who commute to work.

There used to be a row of shops and three pubs, only one pub remains The King’s Head. The George and Dragon still stands proud on a corner. This was once the Greatest Pub in Britain according to Radio 2, but in 2009 it turned into an Indian Restaurant and sometime since the information boards were put up it has become a house.

Walking back along the canal by the lock we peered into the little sheds. On one side of the lock is a diesel generator, presumably used if normal power is cut to the lock. On the other side you can see the hydraulics just waiting for someone to press the buttons.

The lock has four pairs of gates. Normally the bottom two sets are used, but when longer vessels pass through the lock can be lengthened. This can only happen with the god of all Keys of Power which only C&RT staff have.

By the bottom gates are two large white metal things. Does anybody know what they were for other than growing weeds in?

Tomorrow we’ll assess the rivers and see how we feel, hopefully we’ll move on a touch.