Category Archives: Work Boats

It Only Brok Yestuday! 3rd October

Small Hedge Swing Bridge to Sykehouse Junction, Aire and Calder Navigation

Yesterday we’d looked at Ship Tracker to see if there was any sign of Exol Pride, she was in Hull. This morning she was heading up the Humber towards Goole, we’d most probably see her today. The VHF radio sprang into life, just two words, ‘EXOL PRIDE‘ Yep she was on her way towards us.

With possible work phone calls and the need to be sat inside for them we needed to move on despite Tilly wanting to stay. Once breakfasted and yellow water dealt with we were on the move.

Ahead the light at Sykehouse Lock was red, this suggested there was a volunteer on duty. Mick radioed ahead, they’d get the lock ready for us. No comment of ‘Come in on the Green‘ little radio etiquette either, but that didn’t bother us.

Being about a mile away we pootled along at normal cruising speed. I could see someone come down to close barriers and swing the bridge over the lock. Then as we approached the top gates opened for us. Still a red light. Still a red light. We carried on in to the lock. The chap stuck his head out of the window to check we were fine, then lifted a paddle at the bottom.

When we were nearly down he came out to chat again. Only one paddle working on the bottom gates, one gone on the top too. When another goes that will be it! He mentioned that Exol Pride was on her way and reckoned we’d meet her up at the Junction. We thanked him and were on our way.

Kirk Lane Swing Bridge was swung, then only one more bridge in front of us. Would we arrive at the same time as someone from C&RT who’d be there to open the bridge for Exol Pride? Someone appeared, ran down to the panel, the bridge started to lift. Thank you. Up ahead the blue and white of Exol Pride was just visible.

Well except they weren’t opening the bridge for us. The bow of a narrowboat appeared on the other side of the bridge. The bridge operator most certainly hadn’t seen us, but the chap at the helm thankfully had. We motored on to get under the bridge.

Well Hello and thank goodness, it was NB NI from the Tidal Trent! They were alive, wonder if they’d got to Ripon? I know of someone who’s been waiting for the Ouse and tides to be right before heading up stream, so I’m not sure they could have, it would have been a dash if they did! No time to chat we had a big boat to keep an eye on.

A straight mile ahead of us there she was coming across the Went Aqueduct. Slow progress as the channel there is narrow. The radio chirped up again. Chatter between Sykehouse Lock and Exol Pride. The bridge would be made ready, ‘We’ve got a sluice out at top’. ‘Well there’s a surprise!’ ‘It only brok yestuday!’ ‘Be six month afor its mended’

As they cleared the footbridge on the aqueduct the wheelhouse was raised back up, after having ducked under. Still not at full speed there was still a lot of water being shifted as it passed. We waved, no wave came back. The water all churned up and muddy just as it would be with us on a shallow canal, Exol sitting low in the water full of oil for Rotherham.

We’d planned to pull in on the moorings just before the junction. Two narrowboats sat there then a long line of fencing protecting people from a section of bank that’s lifted at a jaunty angle. I spotted a cat in the window of one boat, two cat hammocks in the window. Not a good place for Tilly or them to share. We pulled out of the junction, 1 long blast on the horn. We’d pull in just round the bend, putting water between the felines.

As fairly normal for these parts it was windy, someone was taking full advantage of it, a windsurfer on the lake, zipping back and forth at speed. Tilly was given the remainder of the day to explore. However, the wind got right up my bum! Can’t we turn it around and catch the last outside again, pleeese! A nice mooring plenty of room on the bank, perfect for a bbq! Not today though!

Not a day for outside chores. I tried calling Promptside again. Still no luck, Peter was away from his desk, he would call me back, they were really busy. The build up to panto! We were on the board, booked in, only the song sheet artwork needed now. I had a request for the background of this to be paler from John. Luckily I’d saved a version I could alter, a two minute job! I must be getting the hang of things now.

1 lock, 3 bridges, 1 held up, 2 worked for us, 1 narrowboat safe, but where are they heading now? 1 big blue boat passed safely, 0 outdoor jobs, 2 windy, 1 looney cat, 1 stove lit, 1 sock nearly finished, 1 song sheet finished.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/D7Y7UA2262yF1Hh39

Going Down Kegworth. 30th August

Zouch Lock to between Kegworth Marine and Radcliffe Bridge 46

Coats were required when we pushed off this morning. Two boats had just come past heading southwards and as we rolled the covers up one headed towards Zouch lock, we had ourselves a locking partner.

The chap with the boat asked straight away how far we’d be going today, ‘We’re definitely going down Kegworth Deep Lock today’. Then the lady at the lock asked the same, my reply was the same too. After that we’d then see, we’re not in a rush to get anywhere so if we saw somewhere good to stop then we would. This sounded good to our partners.

The lock was surprisingly half full, the reason soon became obvious a paddle had been left partly up at the bottom end, it still took quite sometime to fill. A C&RT chap arrived with windlass in hand he’d come to help a crane boat up the lock, he ended up being a handy extra bum to push the top gates open.

Below the crane boat appeared, Pride of Sherwood, you can tell we’re getting closer to Nottingham now. We exited and the crane boat squeezed into the lock only a few inches to spare on the width, most probably length wise too.

Time to add waterproof trousers to the mix. Thankfully soon blue skies were ahead of us and dark grey behind. We’d considered moving down to one of the moorings shown on Waterway Routes yesterday, but with the flight path directly overhead for East Midlands Airport we’d decided against it.

The first glimpse of the cooling towers at Ratcliffe on Soar power station, NB Somewhere Else had a good mooring for the view.

Shortly before Kegworth Deep (New) Lock as the weir stream moves to the west you get a view of a fine house. Stone work and brick suggest the building has had several lives and scaffolding on the far end suggests a new roof was happening.

It took a while for me to find information about the house, The Hermitage. It was sold last year and I found several articles in local newspapers from when it went on the market. Each one suggested a different asking price ranging from £2,000,000 down to £1,500,000, quite a big difference only over the space of a couple of weeks. I wonder what it sold for in the end.

Back in the 16th C the house was used as a religious retreat for church dignitaries travelling between Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire. The property was owned by the Parr family and used as a hunting box, Catherine Parr (Henry VIII wife) never lived here but it is thought that she’d have visited. Bay windows were added in Victorian days and an extension was added in the 20th C.

There are gardens of all kinds, rose, water in the 5 acre grounds. Eight bedrooms, 2 pantries, a wine cellar, a beer room, quite a house and somewhere mentioned a boat room!

More details here and photos inside. https://alto-live.s3.amazonaws.com/z_IcaADIjwbX0Gg7FTWCHHXJVK0/CbwyhoDNHGVaV3SsdWHJbn_TtCw/Brochure/[0]/zawPywL1gkyKv_dyF2nsSg.pdf

Our partners slowed as they came round the bend to the top of Kegworth Deep Lock a boat was just exiting, we swapped positions and were helped down by a cruiser that was waiting below. In a couple of weeks the lock will be having some remedial work done to one of the paddles, a notice has been in existence for the lock for a couple of months now. Despite the notice all paddles worked, stiff but that’s only to be expected on such a deep lock.

We followed through Kegworth Shallow Flood Lock and then pulled in at Kegworth Marine. A gas bottle had run out last night. If we hadn’t filled with diesel we’d have topped up here £1 a litre, but you have to pay cash. We cobbled together enough cash for a couple of bags of coal too and chatted away to the chap. We’d arrived just in time as they were closing up for the day to do some grit blasting.

Onwards, what would a mooring be like that we’d got our eyes on? Round a couple more kinks and there it was, high up but accessible. We pulled in, a nappy pin at the stern, but at the bow this wasn’t possible the armco having a solid top to it so no gaps, spikes were brought out and hammered in.

Tilly was given five hours, we didn’t see her for quite a while. Thigfs ogtsdies gd, i sorldt hevos a Thissy stbieo od aprooel! Another day of her talking with her mouth full!

This afternoon I sent an email to the chap who knows what he’s doing regarding printing for scenery. I explained how I’d made my model and was concerned that I’ve shot myself in the foot by making it as a collage. He agreed that a scanner only focuses on one level, but suggested I send in a piece of model and he’ll do a test print. I’m so hoping he can find a way of making it work, otherwise I’ll have to repaint everything flat for the cloths to be printed. It took ages to do the original! Fingers crossed.

Late afternoon I had a catch up chat with Jo the props maker, she’s been doing woodwork, making trick boxes and working out mechanisms for collapsing chairs.

2 locks, 1 flood lock, 4 miles, 40kg coal, 1 gas bottle, 1 cat evicted, £500,000 difference, 1 high mooring, 55cm a touch too wide, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/poW36n2wnafnnawe7

Smiles Everywhere. 25th July

Aristotle Bridge to Thrupp visitor mooring.

A cuppa in bed was allowed before we walked up to the deli. The cabinet by the front door is filled with wonderful looking pastries and Persian dishes. Sadly none of the yummy looking things would agree with me, so I just dreamt of filo pastry filled with cheese spinach and spices. We looked around the rest of the shop which does sell gluten free produce, however the mark up is really quite something, £6 for a box of cereal! Yesterday Mick had come for a look and spotted some spring roll wraps which were made from tapioca and rice flour. He considered buying me a pack but wasn’t sure about them. I decided I’d see what they were like, knowing they’d not be like tortilla wraps. The dishes in the freezer also looked appealing, but we’ve enough food on board right now without adding to it. We made our polite purchase and headed back to Oleanna.

A pootle got us to the services, we trod water and waited to pull in then emptied the yellow water and topped up on fresh water. Tilly got a clean pooh box which she was desperate for! Then we carried on past the line of interesting boats on the Agenda 21 moorings to Wolvercote Lock. Here a single hander was just finishing going up, I closed up after him and set the lock ready for us.

I unlocked Perry’s Lift Bridge remembering that it so wants to lift itself, so I quickly walked across it letting it do it’s thing behind me. I then sat on the beam. There was a chap a short distance along the track mixing something on the floor. He walked up and sat on the other beam opposite me. He made some remark about Huel drinks, that was what he’d just been mixing. He then waved to Mick saying he was just helping. With Oleanna safely through the bridge I stood up, the chap didn’t. I asked him to stand so that I could cross the bridge, he stayed seated. His comment was something to do with the bridge being dangerous and he was waiting for me to walk back over it before he stood up!? Well it took some persuasion, but eventually he stood up. The bridge stayed put. ‘Isn’t your husband coming to help you?’ I replied that he wasn’t needed as I bent down to encourage the beam to lift and close the bridge sufficiently for me to add my weight to it for it to then be locked closed again. It was all a touch odd, the chap continued talking to me as I walked away, but I needed to catch up with the boat so politely made my way.

Wolvercote Lift Bridge is still not there. Pipes coming up from a newish concrete base suggest it may end up having a hydraulic mechanism fitted. But for now the bridge deck sits under the A34 with a picnic bench sat on top of it.

I walked on to Wolvercote Junction. Here the single hander was waiting his turn, a boat was trying to get itself off the bottom and another boat sat in Duke’s Cut Lock waiting for the water to empty. Mick pulled in behind the single hander and I helped him up. There was time for chats about where we were both heading. He’s gradually aiming for the Macclesfield to spend the winter up there. We’d really enjoyed our 2016 winter on the summit pound.

Wanting to stop for lunch we were out of luck for a mooring below Kidlington Green Lock so carried on up it. I did a double take as I walked up. The yellow bag that had been over the off side bottom paddle had been removed, now back in working order. But the beam had been sawn off and replaced with one of C&RT’s improvised beams, big chunks of timber bolted together. This hadn’t been like this three weeks ago. Had there been notices about it whilst we’d been on the Thames? I had a vague memory of one.

**Frankie and Ghost, Shadow was elsewhere**

Up we rose and looked for a mooring. There was a gap ahead in front of three boats, one of which had it’s back doors open. As we approached slowly I called out ‘Hello!’ Out of the side hatch came the slightly puzzled face of Frankie, the puzzlement soon turned into a big Italian smile. There was time for us to have a good chat and catch up, Ghost came out to check on us, you could tell she was doing calculations to hop across to join us. I’m so glad we got to meet up this time.

Lunch was had and just as we were about to push off again a blue boat was pulling alongside us. Our turn to pop our heads out to see who it was. Graeme on NB Misty Blue. He pulled alongside and we had a bit of a chat, but boats appeared from both directions cutting our time short. We’d planned on heading through Thrupp today, but now if there was space we’d stop and meet Graeme for a pint.

There was also a rendez vous planned with NB Dusty the South Oxford coal boat. Recently Jock and Katy have sold up and the new chap onboard is Bob working Dusty for Juels Fuels. It was guaranteed that we’d meet him mid channel. The boats were tied together and drifted a touch as we filled up with diesel. Bob used to have a boat on the South Oxford about ten years ago, this was his first run down to Oxford since he’d taken over Dusty, he was surprised that he still knew quite a few people. 87 litres at £1.03. Thank you Bob.

We were surprised when we arrived at the two day moorings that there was still a space for us at 4:30pm. The three boats that had been ahead of us were all lined up one after the other in order of arrival. I needed to do some work before heading to the pub, so knuckled down.

**Mick, Pip and Graeme after a few drinks**

We had a very pleasant evening with Graeme at The Boat. Exchanging our cruising tales from the last couple of years and where we planned on heading next. He’d recently been on the St Pancras Cruising Club cruise to the Thames Barrier and then back upstream to Teddington. So very glad we bumped into him again and had chance for a proper catch up. The man just doesn’t stop smiling!

4 locks, 5.7 miles, 4 lift bridges, 1 left open, 1 a picnic bench, 1 with a weirdo, 87 litres, 1 full water tank, 1 empty wee tank, 1 clean litter box, 2 smiling boaters met, 1 coloured storyboard, 3 glasses wine, 1 mediocre burger, 1 mediocre gammon, 1 very yummy looking liver and bacon.

https://goo.gl/maps/v7B4UjgyDHsbk5qq8

A Kind Of Update, Update. 29th June

Cropredy Marina to below Slat Mill Lock

Our three days in the marina were up today. Being plugged in is all very nice, but there’s only so much washing you can do, well the curtains could have come down but the idea hadn’t crossed Mick’s mind. Tests on our electrics suggested the remaining two batteries would be fine now they’d had a full charge and also because of this Mick can now monitor them again. We’d only know for sure if we went back off grid.

Marina’s are not our natural habitat so we did chores making sure that the water was full, yellow water was disposed of and then went to say our goodbyes to Theresa in the office. Who knows we may be back.

This morning an updated notice came through from C&RT in regards to Banbury Lock.

Planned repairs to the damaged lock gate are progressing on site. Updates of this notice will be provided.

Well that wasn’t really an update, that’s an ‘Oh we didn’t give them an update when we said we would update them’ kind of update. Nothing to even guess at there, no stop planks went in yesterday and work continues on the damaged gate. When we fully know what we’re dealing with we will update the notice. We tend not to knock C&RT, they have an ever increasingly hard job to do, but their communication skills at times are next to none existent.

We reversed out of our pontoon and turned right out of the marina towards Banbury. A mooring was in mind for the day, but would someone have already snaffled it?

A single hander was just finishing at Cropredy Lock, so the local gongoozlers got to see two boats in quick succession going downhill. The lock cottage looked like they’d had a leak or flood, mats and rugs hung on the fence drying. No toy dog on the fence by the bottom gates, one day I will replace the one I saw there years ago, it made me smile.

**This fence so needs a little woofer in amongst the roses**

All the canoes were at home, no bobbing about on their wake would have to be endured, well for a while. NB Serendipity was passed at the services, they’d been into Banbury for shopping, winded and now were heading elsewhere for the rest of their weeks on board.

We’ve not noticed The Saucy Hound before, a cafe/junk shop just downstream of the services. It looks like hey do all day breakfasts and hot dogs. Who knows if we get stuck along this stretch we may have a visit.

I counted the number of boats on visitor moorings facing Banbury, 17. They won’t all be headed south of Banbury, but I suspect a good proportion are. We passed one boat with a sign in it’s cratch ‘Make compost not war’. Their array of black buckets on their roof suggested they have a system for their waterless toilet.

At Slat Mill Lock I noticed some old brickwork just behind the bollards on the offside. The boundary wall between the lock and field has a stretch of modernish brick. The earth also looks lower than that surrounding it at either end of the lock. Are these all signs that there used to be a lock cottage here?

Quite a few locks along this stretch of the Oxford have a lock cottage standing alongside. Cropredy, Bourton, Grants and Somerton all have a cottage. I spent some of this evening looking at old maps back to 1880’s and there was no mention of a cottage, just the lock, which was quite often referred to as Slatemill Lock, Slate Mill being a short distance away on the banks of the River Cherwell. I also couldn’t find any information elsewhere on the internet. If anyone knows more I’d be interested.

The award winning mooring, at the end of a length of piling was occupied by a C&RT tug and skip boat. How inconsiderate of them, don’t they know that they’d moored their boat on the best bit with wide towpath and clear to the sky for solar. We need solar more than we did now we’re down to 100AH of battery. We pulled back towards the lock, ants nest after ants nest meaning we got closer and closer to the lock.

The afternoon was spent sketching out a new clock for Cinderella, emailing it to John and then making a white card version of it for the model. I put together a white card model story board so that everyone can see what happens and when with regards to the set. Have to admit to running out of steam before taking photos of all the model pieces to assist the builders, but that can happen tomorrow.

Just before 7pm a new update came through.

Planned repairs to the damaged lock gate have progressed very positively today. We will be able to give an update on likely timescales for reopening navigation in tomorrows update

Well, that’s slightly better. ‘Timescales’ may just have been written without thought, to me it suggests there may be several openings. Maybe assisted passages, a temporary repair with a later closure, closed for a month, a week, a day? Who knows. Another update not really updating us, just trying to be positive. I’d show you an update from the Wigan flight or Huddersfield Narrow where you are given almost too much information, but that would be a whole blog post in itself.

However, facebook has interesting photos.

2 locks, 1.9 miles, 1 reverse, 1 right, 1 full water tank, 1 more wash load, 1 empty wee tank, 1 skip in the wrong place, 6 buckets to our 1, 1 cat’s tail held high again, oh that boat Tilly explored the well deck of in the marina, turned out to be NB Perseus another Finesse boat, Tilly has good taste, 1 bad internet connection, 1 boat on the move again tomorrow.

https://goo.gl/maps/aE1p8fMpizRXTiff6

Gunthorpe At High Noon. 23rd January

Stoke Lock to Low side Hazelford Lock

The alarm was set this morning, no time for a cuppa in bed either! Breakfast was followed by emptying the yellow water tank, then we walked our rubbish down to the bins by the lock. There was no sign of a volunteer, just a cleaner in the loos and a chap clearing things away from the works that had been happening at the lock.

The lock has had an upgrade this winter, new LED lights and new boat operated pedestals. At the moment the pedestals are not working so someone from C&RT has to come out and work the lock for you from the cabin, booking required with 24hr notice. Cheryl from the Milton Keynes Office called us to say there had been problems at Holme Lock this morning and the person coming was on their way, they’d just be late. We decided to get Oleanna and move her down into the lock cut ready.

Heading inside for a bit of warmth brought the Lock Keeper, Simon, not a volunteer. He’d been trying to clear all the rubbish at Holme Lock this morning as it was stuck behind the gates. He asked us to wait where we were, Stoke Lock needed emptying to check the gates first before we could go in. He then asked us to pull in on the starboard side, he’d only be able to open the bottom gate that side as they were still having problems with the hydraulics.

The gates were tested, then we got the green light to go in. As we descended Mick asked if it was possible to do a radio check with Simon, this was the first opportunity to check his Christmas present worked, thankfully it did. Simon was heading to Gunthorpe Lock next, would we like his assistance? Well it would save me having to jump back onto Oleanna from the pontoon below the lock in the full current from the weir. But it would also mean being in the lock, holding a rope round a blue riser! We accepted his offer and arranged to meet downstream in about an hour.

Out of the lock we came, blue skies surrounding us. What a beautiful day. We waved to the ladies who rescued Tilly when she was a kitten as we passed Burton Joyce, round the big sweeping bend. Geese flew overhead. Then a flock of birds, not sure what type swooped in murmuration high above the river, switching and changing direction, then settled again only to take off as we passed them by. What a wonderful sight.

The pontoon at Gunthorpe was empty, but we carried on towards the lock cut, pulling in at the water point. We were early for our rendez vous with Simon. Should we wait or operate the lock ourselves? Hmm, that would mean fighting to get back onboard below the lock. We opted to wait.

Waiting for the lights to change, which side of the lock to pull in on, the blue risers, the V channels behind them, all very familiar from seven years ago. Simon arrived at noon and worked the lock for us. We took it steady, no need to rush in any lock, especially one with blue risers! I took a deep breath, I still hate this lock with a passion.

Simon checked below and gave us information about rubbish that may lay in our way below. He needed to hang around at the lock so wouldn’t see us at Hazelford. The lock gates opened, we thanked him and sped off down stream again. All 9.75 digits still in tact.

This reach is particularly pretty and today it was just stunning. We were glad of our layers, but the blue sky with wispy clouds above was so beautiful. The last two years we’ve missed cruising in the winter. The views (when there’s no fog) are so different. People say there are 2000 miles of the network to explore, true, but there is there and back again and then all four seasons to enjoy. The river was ours and the birds. Wonderful.

Above Hazelford the lock cut was full of C&RT boats, a skip boat, the crane boat and Maid Marion the tug boat. I climbed a ladder on the island and headed to press buttons. It was hard to see Oleanna as the level dropped, but she reappeared on leaving the lock.

There was a Dutch Barge at the far end of the moorings, we pulled in to the lower section, only recently revealed from the flood waters. Tilly was allowed some shore leave and made the most of it once she’d got to the top of the big steps. She returned with a mouth full and was sent away again.

A tap on our roof mid afternoon, a chap was here to help remove a rope from a prop. Not us, it must have been someone above the lock. An hour or so later we heard a boat engine, the boat from Stoke Lock.

News came through that the stretch above Town Lock in Newark was iced up from a member of the Trentlink facebook group. They had tried to get through yesterday but had no luck. Maybe we’ll have a sausage day tomorrow and hope it thaws.

Much of the afternoon was spent sorting out future lodgers for the house. Another favourite actor had been in touch today. We’re now booked up for a third of the year ahead.

3 locks, 2 assisted, 9.6 miles, 1 hour late, 1 deja vous, 9.75, 2 hours shore leave, 1 friend at least, 1 happy cat, 1 glorious day boating, 1 cheeky robin, 1 boat behind us, 1st Look North, 6 lodgers, 1 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval.

https://goo.gl/maps/Hpg99bRANBi17VZR9

It Bends The Other Way! 21st January

Derwent Mouth Lock to Boots Footbridge, Nottingham and Beeston Canal

Ice surrounded us this morning, maybe we should have followed the boats yesterday. Was today going to be another day breaking ice, or should we sit tight and hope that the sun would make a difference? 7 hours cruising between the Trent and Mersey to Stoke Lock for our booked passage on Monday morning. We suspected we’d not be able to cancel the booking now in time to save a volunteer from coming out to meet us. Oh well, we’d see what happened.

Well what happened was the high bow of NB Hadley came past at quite a lick heading for the lock, churning it’s way through the ice. ‘We’ll be following you, thank you!’ Mick shouted out of the hatch. By the time we’d had breakfast another boat had come up Derwent Mouth Lock and reset it for us, brilliant!

Frosty mornings means stiff ropes. Wiggles of lines are hard to untie from T studs and then pull through nappy pins, it’s a bit like that game where you move a hoop round a bent wire trying not to connect the circuit by touching it.

**Green! Plus a first outing for new waterproof thermal kid gloves**

Fog. There was a lock somewhere ahead of us, it had been there yesterday, honest! The river level was now in the green, below the lock a channel cut through the ice could be made out vanishing into the fog. Working the lock I took care not wanting to slip. Frosty lock beams were avoided as much as possible meaning walking round the lock more than I normally would, but I’d rather the extra exercise than slip in.

**Derwent to the left, Trent to the right, I think!**

Life jackets on, anchor attached we were ready for the river. Straight on where the Derwent meets the Trent, we were glad we know the river quite well. The pipe bridge, the M1 bridge, keep right so as not to get too close to the weir.

Would Sawley Flood Lock be open or closed? Where was Sawley Flood Lock? At about three boat lengths away the lock beams could be seen. Was it open? No. The flood lock has a paddle left open at both ends to keep a flow of water heading to the locks at the other end of the cut back onto the Trent.

We soon arrived at Sawley Locks, the right hand one out of use currently. Time for the Key of Power. The lock was in our favour but still had to work it’s way through it’s programming of opening the sluices a bit at a time, four times before the next press would actually open the gates.

The lock cottage, tea rooms and pub have recently been sold and today we got to meet it’s new owner Ron Gooding who came out to say hello, he then offered to work the lock for us so I could hop back on board. A friendly chap who is used to Thames Locks, he’s a BSS Examiner and a marine gas engineer, according to his card. The pub will reopen at some point, ‘there’s lots to do’ along with the tea room. Today must have been his first go at working the lock, which doesn’t work in the same way as the Thames locks. I kept saying to press and hold the button til it started to flash, but he was too busy chatting.

Back on the main river Oleanna skidded round with the flow of water coming from the weir. Here we most certainly needed Waterway Routes! ‘The river bends here Mick’ ‘In the other direction!’ Landmarks appeared out of the gloom, moored boats, the scout place, the pontoon, Erewash, mind that rib, left now, mind that other rib, we’d made it to Cranfleet Cut and the flood gates that have been closed for a month.

Ratcliffe Power Station could only be made out by the clouds of steam rising above the fog back lit by the sun doing it’s best to burn it’s way through.

At Cranfleet Lock the Lock Keeper was a touch frosty sitting at an angle in his flower bed. The lock was full of logs and crud brought down by the floods. Both bottom gates needed opening as there was so much sitting behind the gates to get one fully opened.

Now onto the long reach to Beeston, the fog kept coming and going. Small cruisers appeared round bends swerving to our starboard to avoid us, we’d already moved over to give them more room, so they ended up being a long way over.

We wondered how high the floods had been along here, had the houses on stilts been affected, did they ever flood? One house has just recently been sold. It has it’s own floating pontoon and is on a double plot. Rather a lovely house. Link to it’s details.

Beeston came into view, the sun having cleared most of the fog by now. Pulling in to the lock landing took a bit of doing, the flow preferring to keep us moving towards the weir. A few days ago we’d seen pictures of how much rubbish was just outside the lock gates, thankfully most of it had been moved away but both gates required opening.

**Familiar from the Great Ouse last year**

As I worked Oleanna through the lock a lady with blue hair and a dog chatted away. Obviously a boat owner wanting to head upstream. How had our trip been, speedy! What was it like at Cranfleet? We chatted away, me wondering where we’d met before. After she’d walked away I realised it was the lady from NB Watt Way who had been at Bedford River Festival and she’d followed us across the tidal section to Salters Lode.

A top up with water, we then carried on a short distance to find a mooring for the day. Some shore leave was allocated to Tilly, but she really wasn’t enamoured with the wall and all the foot fall.

As soon as we’d tied up I had a look at The Victoria Hotel’s website to see if there might just be a table for us this evening. Last night I’d checked and there were quite a few left, but now there were none. Oh well, we’ll go another time when the weather might not stop us. Instead of very nice pub food we had the remains of our chilli with jacket potatoes, not quite the celebratory meal we’d hoped for on reaching Nottingham, but a tasty one never the less.

**A better solution is required, this one was free though**

Checking Nebo as we were moving today, my phone kept up with us very well. However the phone inside seemed to stall a couple of times and had only recorded four miles of the eight plus. I remember this occasionally happening early last year when I was trying it out, it would loose us for a while, I’d assumed it was because I was using my phone for other things, but maybe that wasn’t the case. We’ll keep recording on two devices for the time being.

5 locks, 1 a flood lock, 1 set of flood gates open, 9.54 miles, 1 straight, 1 left not left left, 1 left, 1 very white day, 2 many bits of tree, 1 lady, 1 disappointed cat, 1 canal without ice, 0 table.

https://goo.gl/maps/ZoVzqLSBoYPdo2Gg6

Oleanna Workshop. 6th January

Shardlow

Talk has turned to what to do should the river remain too high for us to head northwards. A week would be fine, but what if it ends up being several weeks? Maybe our route requires amending. Last year we’d only been interested in stoppages before Christmas holding up our progress, we’d not taken any note of those on the network behind us this year. Would we be able to reach Yorkshire by one of the Pennine routes?

We knew Wigan closed on the 3rd Jan. But what about the Rochdale or Huddersfield Narrow? Mick looked through the stoppages. If we could get Oleanna to Huddersfield for my show that would be brilliant. We knew there was a stoppage stopping us getting there from the east, but what about the west? A long stoppage in Slaithwaite, oh well! The Rochdale has stoppages scattered around too. So no Pennine route open to us. Even if there had been we’d have needed to be through Stenson Lock before next Monday when it closes for new bottom gates.

So it looks like we are here for the foreseeable. Forecast for more rain in a few days. Great!

Time to get to work properly. Most of the jobs involve contact adhesive which is very very smelly, so not a job to be done inside. I set myself up a workshop at the stern under the pram cover for some shelter.

The hatch got a layer of plastic to protect it, aerials moved out of the way. One of the lockers was cleared for a drying area. Time to get sticking yoga mats onto the formas I’ve made. The two sugar lumps were covered before lunchtime. The vapours coming from the glue as soon as you start to spread it out was really quite something, I ended up opening one of the sides of the pram cover, but it didn’t help that much.

**Not a bad view, two widebeams added last night**

I have previous experience of this glue. Frank used to use it to fix edging onto pieces of scenery at the SJT. On one show we used it to add curves of silver laminate to what became known as ‘the doughnut’ which hung from the lighting grid in Scarborough for ‘Making Waves’ a show about the RNLI in Northumberland. None of us were too keen on this particular piece of scenery which when back lit illuminated everything above it, including ducting which normally remains unseen for very good reasons.

My first experience was at college fixing fabric to foam shapes, sitting all day in a workshop with the extractors working hard. When I got home that day I proceeded to empty the fridge of all four of my house mates food hunting for my cheese grater! It is strong stuff.

I decided that I’d only do so much gluing each day to hopefully save my brain cells, so I moved back inside to work on the giant mug. The pipe I’d bought yesterday was measured out with the hope that the hair dryer we have on board would get the pipe hot enough to bend into shape. No chance! I also needed a vice, pieces of wood all sorts which simply were not available on Oleanna. Time to rethink.

I’d bought three 90 degree elbows yesterday, if I had one more I’d be able to make a handle, quite square, but it would do the job. Pipe was cut, holes in the mug to slot things through, yep it would do. Mick was volunteered to head back into town tomorrow to pick it up along with a suitable mask to protect me from the glue fumes.

**Are you waiting for your Dingding to be served Tilly?**

Mick carried on working on the trip computer. He managed to install the Android Operating System with not too much bother. It just won’t re-boot now! Still work in progress. He then moved on to removing the Christmas lights outside.

During the day a couple of boats have come past, one presumably returning to it’s home mooring and a C&RT tug boat which returned with another skip several hours later. Will these be used for dredging? Or will the new lock gates be loaded into them for Stenson?

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 makeshift workshop, 1 stinky morning, 1 head ache, 2 sugar cubes done, 2 bottoms done, 1 handle rethought, 2 holes, 2 rolls masking tape, 1 elbow missing, 0 response from the trip computer, 1 Friday night roast, 0 way out of here come Monday, 1 pompom.

Hey Ho Ho ! 7th December

Alvecote Marina

Christmas deliveries this year are a touch of a worry. Will the strikes affect present giving? Will anyone be in to receive parcels in advance? Changed delivery dates getting cancelled by the courier and moved by a week, which would be too late for collection by us! Here’s hoping things arrive. Then there are the orders that for some reason payment gets declined, so you have to order it again, delaying dispatch by a couple of days. Hey Ho Ho!

This morning thankfully a very important parcel did arrive on the date specified. Other things can be a touch late, it’ll just end up being someone else wrapping them and not me for the big day.

-1C when I woke this morning. It will take another day I reckon before we start to see ice on the canal and marina. The sheets on working boat Victoria glistened at me this morning, the white frost accentuating the creases.

Time to do some work. I’ve now been given a float for #unit21, so it was time to spend it. Giant spoon, top hat, pingpong bat, all easy small things.

Then hunting round for trainers for everyone. Trying to get the same shoe in sizes 8 down to 13 kids took much of the afternoon. In the end I settled for one style of trainer for everyone bar one person, but I found something a bit similar for them. Next we’ll see if they fit. None learning disabled actors are pretty quick to let you know if shoes don’t fit right. Learning disabled actors tend to say ‘Thank you Pip, they are lovely’, ‘Really comfortable’, ‘They don’t rub’, ‘Thank you’. Then a week or so later you hear word has come through from their Mum or PA saying that the shoes are really uncomfortable and are crippling them. It’s lovely working with the Dark Horse actors but sometimes I wish they weren’t so polite, especially when it come to shoes. But here’s hoping we have enough time to get everyone comfortable before the show goes out on tour. By the end of the day I’d spent over £700!

With colder temperatures due it’s time to keep the water tank topped up. We may be right beside a tap, but the tap or pipes leading to it are likely to freeze. I’d put the emersion heater on for an hour early on in the day, hoping to take a shower and then top up with water before the temperature started to drop. However the water had only reached tepid, so another hour was required.

I topped up the tank, made sure I drained the hose pipe before stowing it again, any excess water left away from where people walk so as not to create an ice rink. I left the shower until later.

Coal skuttle was filled up during daylight hours so as not to disturb our next door neighbour. Ash pan popped at the end of the pontoon outside the hatch for ease of use and hopefully out of the way.

Up in Scarborough Mick had done some shopping, visited his favourite pizza shop and chatted to neighbours. A couple of handyman jobs needing doing by someone with a long ladder. Hopefully he’s found someone to do them. I think he also did a bit of Christmas shopping too!

TV reception is totally pants here in the marina. So long as there is just an inkling of reception I can access online TV. I’ve watched Jamie Oliver cooking up a clementine and ginger roast duck with noodles. Our Christmas duck will be traditionally roasted, but I’ll keep this recipe in mind for another time as it looks very tasty. I then decided to see what Ghosts was like as we’ve never got round to watching it. Two episodes later, I now need Mick to catch up with me!

0 locks, 0 miles, 0 trains, 1 full tank of water, -1C, 12 pairs trainers, 5 cycling shorts, 1 neon top, 2 many neon covered boobs, 1 top hat, 2 wands, 2 braces, 70cm of wooden spoon, 2 duvets on the bed on the boat, 1 twinkly night.

Two Of Each. 5th December

Alvecote Marina

The yellow water tank was emptied and two bags of coal put in the well deck. Then the bed was pulled out access to the vacuum bags below required for my big down coat, time it came out in case the temperature drops as forecast next week. Opening up the storage under the bed always brightens up Tilly’s day, it’s very exciting!

Bags were packed, all watched on by an increasingly concerned Tilly. Next the most important job, the magic food bowl was brought out from under the bathroom sink, turned on, ticking noise was present. A cool block was popped in the bottom, a sachet of food added to one of the compartments and primed for opening. It was then positioned on the floor below the dinette table where it can flip open unimpeded.

**Brighton and Nuneaton on their home mooring**

Now is was time for a reassuring head nudge. Tilly was being left in charge for the night. Stove stocked up and turned onto night mode, central heating set to 10C, so it might get chilly, but not overly and she can always cuddle up under the duvet or blankets. A full sweep of the boat was done to remove any chewable cables, the top removed from the toy box for Tilly to select a few good ones to keep her occupied.

A taxi pulled in to pick us up taking us to Tamworth station. The station here is handy as two lines cross over each other, one heading north south, the other west east. Today we took the high line and a train to Sheffield which was very very full. We were lucky to get seats!

At Sheffield we looked up to check the platform for Scarborough, the slow £20 cheaper route via Hull. Our train was cancelled due to lack of staff! We weren’t allowed to change route so had to wait an extra hour for the next service which thankfully was running. We took refuge in a cafe for some cake, a cuppa and warmth.

Two strangers at the next table chatted away, at some point an old fella appeared between them. His chair right in the corner between the lady and man. How had he got there? Had he pole vaulted his way over the top of the chilled medication freezer? Crawled across on the floor under the table? Was he Mr Ben? Or were we actually extras in an Alan Ayckbourn play, the couple and man inhabiting two different time lines and somehow, we were able to observe both. The old chap did seem to be oblivious to the conversation going on in front of his nose and the couple didn’t acknowledge him at all!

Out of Sheffield we passed familiar sights, it was still light going through Doncaster where all the visitor moorings were chocka, only one boat was moored above Thorne Lock, we didn’t get chance to see if we knew any boats moored on the visitor moorings in Goole.

Arriving in Scarborough it was chilly but thankfully not raining for the walk to the house. Blimey it was cold inside! One side of the house is warmable, the other the boiler an object waiting to be fixed. At least we’re saving money on fuel consumption and thank goodness we haven’t got lodgers. Today though we took a booking from an actress I know well from my Hull Truck days, good job we’ve the plumber coming to visit just in time!

With heating on and doors closed to keep the Arctic air from spoiling the growing warmth in a few rooms. Mick headed off to buy essentials as I ordered us some fish and chips. Our preferred Chippy Capplemans was soon going to close so we tried elsewhere, Claires Plaice and they would deliver. Not bad haddock and chips, but Capplemans tend to be better.

Mick tinkered with the pvr. Last time he did this at the house he came across an episode of Look North presented from the new Hull Truck theatre on it’s opening night. Today he found a segment about the final show at Spring Street, the old Hull Truck theatre. Of course it was Bouncers, there on stage were friends and old Truckers Jim, Jack, Matt and Mark. Lovely to see them and great to see the old blue tin shed that we all used to call home.

**Maureen, Plain Elaine at the back, Rosie and Sexy Susie**

Duvets were moved about for extra insulation, here’s hoping we don’t freeze overnight.

0 locks, 0 miles, 1 magic food bowl, 1 concerned cat, 1 stove stacked up, 2 trains, 1 stinky loo, 90 minutes wait, 1 Freezing house, 1 down coat needed, 2 of each, 1 mushy peas, 15 tog plus 10 tog should keep us warm?!

Twenty Years! 3rd December

Between Locks 5 and 6 to Alvecote Marina

A Saturday newspaper was picked up this morning along with some chesty cough mixture, Mick is having difficulty brushing off the cold I gave him.

One boat came past before we pushed off, hopefully the first lock of the day would be in our favour. Mick walked on ahead after giving Oleanna’s bow a push out for me, I tootled on behind waiting for the top gate to open.

Nebo notes were easier to make on entering the locks today as we were without a volunteer, so there was more time to note our position before the lock started to empty. Have no idea why my Nebo recorded 1.5 miles further than Mick’s as our phones were sat next to each other for most of the trip!

We passed an up hill cruiser and then on a longer pound I could see someone setting the next lock, it had been half empty so the chap set it in their favour, we were a long way off.

Mick worked the locks, at some he adopted my method of opening the bottom gates. Standing in the middle and pushing them apart, kicking one into it’s recess and then fully opening the other gate. Neither of us are willing to step over from one open gate to a closed gate as others do. Mick says he’s not sure if my method saves any time, he also isn’t too happy doing it. To which I say, if he’s not happy doing it then he shouldn’t. I know that new or metal gates are harder to move, but that comes with experience.

I had a go at closing the bottom gate using a boat hook. I’m not tall enough to do this, so gave up after the third attempt. I felt a touch of a fraud at one lock as I waited for Mick to return from setting the next lock to close the top gate.

Moving gates is the reason I’ve been told not to work locks until my calf is better, but it really doesn’t feel right stood on the back of the boat alongside the beam and not closing it!

Second to last lock and the bottom gates were open, a boat just entering from below. We pulled in to wait our turn. Mick walked up to help with the bottom gates as I wondered if the chap climbing the ladder was Sam from NB Red Wharf. Our bows have crossed several times through the years normally just long enough for a quick chat. Today there was a touch longer as his boat rose in the slow filing lock. Sorry I didn’t walk down to chat too, I’d done too much walking yesterday. Tilly sadly didn’t sit in the window to say hello, well it was time for my mid morning snooze!

**Bye Sam, see you again, somewhere, sometime**

By now dark clouds were starting to take over from the blue sky we’d been treated to so far. The number of oak trees along this stretch gave us such wonderful views, if only the sun had been shining the orange trees would have glowed their glorious colours. They were still pretty good.

The temperature was very chilly as we pootled our way along the five miles to todays destination, Alvecote Marina. We pulled in at the service point and Mick went to check in, whilst I did my best to rinse the bow rope that had landed in some dog shit residue! The chap came out to point us towards our mooring for the next few days. Some thought went into where to place us. In the end we were directed towards an old 70ft working boat Victoria. It turns out I’d taken a photo of the exact mooring as we’d come past.

We decided to go bow end in which made our mooring easy, this would make it easy to fill with water, hook up we can do from either end. The short thin green pontoons not ideal, but stepping off the bow will just require an amount of care. A nappy pin was needed to tie the bow, then we could head indoors to warm up.

Tilly was not pleased. No shore leave whilst we are here, she made her feelings known!

Some research over the last few days had been done on Chinese Takeaways in Tamworth with delivery. Once a year I risk Chinese food, avoiding battered dishes, but hoping not to regret pancakes and hoisin sauce with crispy aromatic duck or soy sauce hidden in most dishes (Joan’s Home Kitchen in Goole an exception as she’d cook especially without gluten). Eat Well was chosen, £3 delivery charge, ordered on line, cash required for payment. At first our delivery slot wasn’t possible, we’d have to wait 85 minutes, hopefully it would be worth it.

Mick headed out to wait in the car park of the Samuel Barlow pub, not currently open. A phone call from the driver discovered that he was on the wrong side of the canal, torches were flashed and after a short walk the food was handed over.

The duck was good, followed by Crispy Beef and Kung Po Chicken. Very generous portions, I was quite surprised at the amount of meat we got in each dish and one large rice between us was just right. A very good takeaway. We even got two fortune cookies each, my fortunes more upbeat than Micks.

**Don’t know what this means about the next twenty years!**

6 locks, WE 6.15 miles, Pip’s Nebo 6.3 miles, Mick’s Nebo 5 miles! 3 passed, 1 Sam, 2 chilly boaters, 1 dog doo rope, £10 not £18, 1 mardy cat, 1 Chinese, 20 years together, I’m not old enough to have been with him for 20 years, surely!

https://goo.gl/maps/XGeg9oL2HQbezC8G9

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna