A hire boat beat us setting off this morning, we followed them in towards Banbury. They passed the winding hole before Tramway, then another hire boat shot across the cut aiming to wind and go into orbit all in one go. We stopped and wait for them to turn. Their positioning hadn’t been right, so they ended up missing the hole. Several more attempts were made each one ending up with the same outcome, a barge pole stuck out the front. They let us pass and we suggested backing up further and trying again. As we passed under Tramway Bridge they were still facing the wrong direction.
Banbury Lock ahead
At Banbury Lock the hire boat ahead was rising in the lock. The chap at the helm asked how far they had to go before they could wind. I checked my Waterway Routes map, about ten minutes a short distance after the footbridge they’d be able to turn just before Hennef Way.
A hire boat was on the water point above the lock, using his hose to wash the boat. He pulled forward as we came out of the lock. As I walked up to the lift bridge I could see it being wound up. A chap who’d been walking past with his shopping had stopped to do the honours. Once it was back down I noticed him slotting a windlass back through the gates at Tooleys Boatyard. Thank you.
Thank you
Blimey Banbury was busy, glad we stopped short yesterday. We were wanting to stop for a couple of bits at Lidl, but there was not one space spare. Oh well we’d make do for lunch today.
In stark contrast Sovereign Wharf was almost empty, maybe everyone had headed to Cropredy to grab a mooring in advance of the Festival. We pootled onwards. Hang on, maybe they’d have room for us. We’d been planning on pulling into Cropredy Marina, but being in Banbury would be far easier. Mick put Oleanna into reverse, it being a Friday the Wharf office was open. A lady popped her head out, we enquired if they had room. She headed off to check with the owner and returned pointing us to a mooring behind us.
Where have they all gone?
Oleanna really wasn’t keen on pulling into the off side, she’s used to mooring on the Spiceball Park side, but she relented in the end. We tied up and headed to the office to check in. Half the price it would have been at Cropredy including electric and an easy walk back to Lidl. It was only 10:30 too, brilliant!
It may look different but it’s still Bumbury!
Lidl provided us with frankfurters. A few years ago we went through a phase of having them for lunch, we’ve avoided them suspecting them to contain gluten. Today we checked the ingredients, today we’d have frankfurter sarnies for lunch!
Yum!
The washing machine has been busy again, we’d been running low on pants and socks. I sent off an email for a revised panto quote for printing, called Tim the puppet man again who seemed very keen to help us out on panto, then I collated my paint requirements and emailed them to Gemma. Several jobs crossed off the list.
Mick has had a phone call from Ricky at Finesse today regarding our failed battery. They haven’t dealt with the company our batteries came from since Oleanna. Mick talked through the checks he’s done and Ricky agreed, we have a dead battery. The warranty is as Mick had sussed, not really worth persuing as we’d only be offered 10% off another battery from the same company!
1 lock, 2 miles, 3 lift bridges, 2 open, 1 lifted for us, 10 frankfurters, 1 bored cat, 3 loads washing, 1 tumble dried, 2 boaters with clean smalls, so many passing boats.
No tea in bed today, we wanted to up and off so as not to end up in a queue at Somerton Deep Lock, I also hoped to have an afternoon of work. We pushed off before anyone else from the meadows. The cows that normally go that way and then back again were on the other side of the cut today. They moo’d loudly so we knew they were there.
SOLD
No queue, that was a relief. The For Sale signs at Somerton Deep Lock had big SOLD signs added. I wonder what the new owners will add to the house, Mick said he’d look at adding as much solar as he could, unless there were planning restrictions.
Both top paddles worked today, so our ascent was a speedy one.
Chisnell Lift Bridge, will it end up being hydraulically operated?
Chisnell Lift Bridge was down as we approached, a chap walking his dog said he’d help with it. The bridge was well balanced and easy to move. The end of the chain appeared to have some blue rope that had worn away and strands of it sat on the ground next to a mooring spike. Was this how the bridge was meant to be secured open to boats? With no means to secure it I let it close and we carried onwards.
Hello again
Todays queue was to be found at Aynho Weir Lock. A boat going up to the river section and two waiting to come down. We waited below and helped where we could, then there was the walk to Nells Bridge and help out there too before it was our turn.
The house that stands alongside Haddon’s Lift Bridge is up for sale. Plenty of space, with a two story office, four bedrooms and three bathrooms, handy for the Pig Place too! Yours for a mear £1,350,000. I wonder if C&RT would give you permission for an end of garden mooring?
Kings Sutton Lock
Onwards under lift bridges to Kings Sutton Lock where a boat was just rising slowly. A boat arrived just in time to wait for the lock to be vacated. I chatted to the lady, they were kicking their heels waiting to go into Cropredy Marina for the Fairport Convention Festival in a couple of weeks time. You have to book the marina for five days at £50 a night! Profiteering!
As their boat came out of the lock their engine stopped. Something round the prop. A glance along their boat showed the culprit, their centre line diagonally taught along their cabin side. The lady said they’d not done that for ages, suspect they won’t do it again for a while. Mick pulled Oleanna back so they could pull their boat out of the lock and let us pass.
I wonder when/if work will begin on the cottage
We normally stop just around the corner, but with a distance to cover tomorrow we wanted to be further on, Grants Lock called. We chose to moor up before the new housing estate opposite a popular field for people to walk round. Tilly set off to explore, then it was time to talk to Tim the Banbury puppet man, followed by working out just how much canvas would be needed to be printed for the panto portals for a new quote.
Puppets
During the afternoon notices came in from C&RT. The normal notices but also several regarding places we’d just come through. There was a tree down between bridges 211 and 212 blocking the canal. Chisnell Lift Bridge 193 was impossible for single handers to use as there is no way of fixing it open, no change from when we passed through. Then on facebook we heard of boats fenders getting caught on a bolt at Somerton Deep Lock top gate, luckily they had all had weak links in their chains so had avoided serious problems. We’d not noticed anything this morning, but then Mick tends to stay well back from the top gates on the Oxford. Sorry if you are following us, we seem to be jinxing things as we pass!
5 locks, 8.1 miles, 9 lift bridges, 1 down, 2 blackberries, 3 problems behind us, £1350000, 7 town square puppets, 3 creatures, 1 Oleanna’s length of canvas required, 1 chicken and red pepper curry, 1 connection checked, 1 link on order.
Boats were already on the move, mostly hire boats. We pushed out, waving to Graeme. I walked up to the bridge to do the honours with the key of power. All clear I lifted the decking and Mick brought Oleanna through, a short distance behind was another boat, so I waited to let them through too, this took quite a while, the chap offering to close the bridge so that I could get back on Oleanna. I declined as it would be quicker for him to just get out of the way, there was waiting traffic!
The services were filled with hire boats topping up with water and selecting books from the book exchange. The boat that had just come through the bridge had got himself stuck between Oleanna and the corner, I gave their bow a big push and they were off again, very slowly in front of us. We don’t have a problem with tick over past moored boats but when their speed didn’t increase when we’d passed everyone today suddenly felt like it would be a very very long day!
One bridge, too many boats
We trundled along behind, maybe the lift bridge would be down and they’d let us pass. No. This is another lift bridge that looks like a hydraulic mechanism is on the cards. They passed through the bridge but didn’t warn a boat that we were directly behind them, the bridge obscuring us from the chaps view until the last minute. We made sure he knew the way ahead was now clear. Then the boat aheads dog took a dive into the canal, it had tried to follow it’s owner down the gunnel then couldn’t turn round.
At Shipton Weir Lock I walked up to help as the couple sorted their dog out. The lady and dog were first timers, the chap used to have a boat twenty years ago. Mick asked if it was possible for us to leapfrog them as we’d quite a distance to travel today, thankfully they were fine about it. As we rose in the lock a queue formed below. The chap from the boat we’d been following insisted on crossing the bottom gate, which doesn’t have a walkway for the simple reason that there is a very good bridge over it! I was glad to be ahead of them as today I was likely to get annoyed with such things and shout at the man.
Bakers Lock was occupied with a hire boat, a family of four. I asked the usual question, ‘Is it your first narrowboat holiday?’ The answer was polite but honest, ‘Yes and it will be our last’. The kids weren’t sleeping, at the locks there were things to do, but they were hard work etc. Boating simply wasn’t for them, it doesn’t suit everyone.
Lesser spotted strimmer
Above the lock the towpath was being strimmed. The moored boats getting a spraying of cut grass. One of the chaps did walk back with a leaf blower to give them a clean.
The hire boat was returning to base a couple of days early. At each lock we’d catch them up, have a chat and help them. By their last lock, Dashwoods, we were on first name terms and I knew that the youngest had started to learn French, yesterday.
At Pigeon’s Lock there was a queue, we had to tread water as the lock landing was occupied, a boat was coming down. Soon there was space and we moved up. The next boat into the lock took their time. From below I could see that there was a problem with the bottom gate, water gushing around it. I walked up and suggested that a couple of people might be needed on the top gate to open it before the pound above lost all it’s water that was flowing straight through the lock.
I so love Rosie
Next up was the hire boat and there was chance to see what the problem was at the bottom gate. Where the bottom gate meets the stone stop ( not sure of the technical terms) there is usually a large timber which helps to create a reasonable seal. The top couple of feet of this timber had rotted away, leaving a big bolt holding only air and allowing the water in the lock to rush around the end of the gate. Was there a notice about this a little while ago?
Hope you found something more appealing to do for the rest of your holiday.
Lunch was had on the move after Dashwoods Lock. The hire boat had pulled in at the water point just before the bridge at Heyford, no-one was to be seen. We waved anyway as I’d promised the girls. Hope they found a nice hotel for their last couple of nights and that they got to go swimming.
A long pause before I could raise Mill Lift Bridge, so many walkers! Just as we were through another boat approached, Mick waved them on, so I waited before lowering the bridge, confusing a dog walker who wondered why I was just by the buttons and wasn’t closing it.
ALAN!‘s Lock gave me the chance to take a photo of the paddle gear and the break that I’d mentioned a few weeks ago, similar to that at Hillmorton.
At Heyford Common Lock there was a hire boat full of cousins and teddy bears. Mums and Aunties shouting to the young crew to keep their arms in as they descended the lock. They’d had a great few days and the weather had been good too. They were heading back towards base and not worried about the rain this evening as they’d be tucked up. I however jinxed this by mentioning that rain was forecast for 4pm. By the time we’d risen up the lock it was 3:50pm and drops of rain hit the cut. Waterproofs time.
Would we be lucky, would Somerton Meadows have space for us. Rounding the last bend we could see our usual spot was available, in fact there was only one boat along the first stretch. We pulled in as another boat pulled in from the opposite direction. Tilly was given todays time frame and off she went into the sideways trees, she likes it here.
See you Joan
Too late to start some work I looked into what I could make with the spring roll wrappers and left over roast chicken. There were various other things that needed eating up, beetroot and some Jersey Royals, these were set steaming whilst I chopped up a carrot that had seen better days and some white cabbage. Garlic and fresh ginger. Roast chicken was soaked in soy sauce, maple syrup and a bit of lemon juice. This was all cooked up a touch then it was time to see what to do with the spring roll wrappers.
Each wrapper required soaking in hot water for about 20 seconds to soften it up, then blotted dry. I soon discovered that I needed to work quickly as they stuck to things if I took my time. Filling in and wrapped up, the ricey wrapper sticking itself together nicely. I now had a choice, steam them or fry them. I don’t deep fry anything, but decided to shallow fry them to see how crispy they got and hoping they’d stop looking like condoms!
Well the outcome was some very nice chicken rolls, golden brown and hot. The accompanying potato salad and beetroot strange bedfellows, well that’s what you get with a fridge fusion tea.
7 locks, 11 miles, 2 lift bridges, 2 boats, 2 cars, 5 humans, 2 dogs, 1 holiday cut short, 20 years and no sense, 4pm rain, 1 big teddy crew, 1 red moggy, 2 hours of cat shore leave, 1 interesting meal.
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.
I’ve missed seeing this boat
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.
Picnic anyone
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!
Food envy!
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.
With model box and drawings wrapped up against possible rain I set off to catch the bus to Chippy. From our mooring the walk was a far shorter one than if we’d been moored in Jericho. However the large puddles of water on the roads edge gave slight concern when buses passed by! Dry refuge had to be sought. Time ticked by, then more time. I’d arrived in plenty of time and with only one bus an hour I started to get very twitchy as even the Stagecoach app was jumping past the bus I was waiting for! Thankfully buses are colour coded in Oxford so when three came along together I knew the last one, gold, was my bus.
Oxford roads are totally messed up at the moment, road works here there and everywhere so it seems, but the bus made it through to Chippy only twenty minutes late, thankfully I’d aimed for a bus an hour early for my meeting, so I wasn’t late.
People! Louisa, Paul, Gemma, John, Liza and Sophie at the front
How nice it was to be back in a room full of people doing a model showing, only one joining via zoom today. We had the Lighting and Sound designers along with Sophie the costume designer, just Jo the props maker was missing today.
Sophie showed us her costume designs, I’d had a sneaky peek at them a couple of weeks ago to see what colours she was thinking of using, so our designs matched quite well.
Then it was my turn to show the model. Thankfully I didn’t get the model shakes which normally happens when showing a model to a full room. A couple of minor adjustments and additions were asked for by John the Director. All went well.
Trying to cut costs piece by piece
After this Gemma the Production Manager and myself sat down to see if there was anywhere we could try to save some money. Sadly my design has come in over budget, some tweaking and pinching of money from other places is possible, inflation and a few extra requests really hasn’t helped. Each set piece was looked at individually, the build discussed. I’d already amended drawings to include alterations to make the build easier. On the main set build we could only find a couple of things to reduce the cost, my painting would have to make up for this as extra details in the build may have to be cut.
How the rainforest portals would be put together was also talked about. Having the design printed onto canvas would be the best option as it would then match two cloths with the same look. Some work by me is required to get it printed in sections with overlaps to achieve the best outcome. Mike Todd asked about this process in a comment the other day. Basically my model designs are scanned at a very high resolution, then they can be printed onto various types of surfaces depending on what you want them to do. This is just like a very VERY big photocopy. Gauzes can be printed so that you can do transformation scenes, a scene in front of the gauze bleeds through to what is happening behind it. A front cloth which needs to be soft, far softer than could be painted by hand, this we’ve used a lot at Chippy. Scenic canvas for applying to set pieces, saving a Scenic Artist lots of work (in this case meaning I’d not have to work my socks off for an extra week). Designs can also be printed onto vinyl or mdf flooring.
Chair and notes
To do any of these your original artwork has to be as good as it can be, any mistakes will end up being 25 times bigger, the odd pencil line not erased will show up as a 1cm line. A jittery line will still be jittery, just bigger. In some cases painting by hand is more fluid, curves are so much easier to paint at 1 to 1 with a paint brush on a long stick. The mice and cats I had on the portals last year would have been enlarged from my model as blobby things, rather than the neat animal shapes I painted with the assistance of stencils. So printing has it’s place, but it comes at a cost.
The theatre
I could paint the portals this year, adding a week to my work load, this would save the budget about £1000. That decision in the end will likely happen next week when new prices come in for printing and building the set. So unfortunately the relief I normally feel on a day when I hand over a model was not present and I still have more work to do before the design can be signed off. Heyho!
Holly Hocks on Spring Street
Some time was spent checking what paint was already in stock at the theatre and making sure it was stored safely to be used in a few months time. Plans were printed and scanned for distribution. Time to catch a bus home.
The S3 gold I caught was also running late and it headed to Charlbury, I’ve never been there before. So by the time I got back to Aristotle Bridge it was 7:30pm, too late to do a few work jobs. Dinner was left over roast chicken pasta, an easy meal once the chicken carcass had been stripped.
An emptier bag than I went with
Mick had spent the day getting quotes for insurance for our house. The costs have gone up, hasn’t everything, and companies seemed to be reluctant to cover us for three lodgers at the house at a time. Mick got in touch with a broker to see if they could find a policy that wasn’t too pricey for us. We’ll see what he comes back with.
0 locks, 2 late buses, 2 many thousands, 1 and a bit increasing my work load, 3 possible days near Plymouth, 1st proper model showing since the pandemic, 2 boxes of paint, 4 litres Bona Mega, 2 not 3, 1 bored cat.
The paperboy decided to have breakfast before going to pick up a Saturday paper, the weather app he’d looked at suggested the forecast rain would start around 11am. Well it was wrong, it started around 9am and continued with only a couple of short lulls well into the evening. Mick put on his waterproof coat and went shopping with a brolly in hand.
Drawings
The drawing board came back out and on Saturday I spent all day updating working drawings so that the set for panto could be built from them. I added in a few suggestions from one of the builders, with the hope that they would assist in reducing the cost of the build. My original sketch drawings are done with two things in mind. One to assist in making the model and to get pricings done. They tend to have a bit too much information on them, so simplifying them for building was needed.
PAH!!!
Mick listened to what cricket commentary there was from Manchester, most of the recorded interviews he’s heard before and remembered. Tilly spent much of the day asleep, occasionally sticking her head out the back just incase the weather had improved, it hadn’t!
Hello!
Boats came past, one with many a sticker in it’s windows. This was NB Scholar Gypsy, the crew however not known to us, we waved from inside anyway, but I suspect we weren’t seen as the person on the helm was forging on in the rain.
Gingery Salmon with lots of green
The staff at the hire base worked away through the rain. Boats were washed whilst having a second rinse by the rain. Then the numerous hire crew arrived early afternoon, they were chatted through the boat, then each one in turn headed off down the canal, most to Isis Lock to wind below and return. They then moved their belongings on board for their time away, slightly soggy at the edges.
Sunday. The Geraghty zoom included Jeremy Paxman, cherries, cricket (of course), season tickets for QPR and Scottish blueberries.
Our 48 hours was now up, but still being in Oxford was needed for Monday morning to access a bus out to Chippy. Thankfully the S3Gold service follows the canal for a distance northwards of Jericho, so we set our eyes on the quiet mooring by Aristotle Bridge.
First things first was to dispose of some rubbish. The bins at College Cruisers are C&RT bins, but are often not accessible due to the hire fleet being in. This morning however all but one boat were out, so we pushed Oleanna across the cut and got rid of the fishy packaging from our salmon last night.
as it says
We were now opposite NB Huffler. Margaret could been seen through the window and Tony stuck his head out of the hatch. Margaret hasn’t been very well recently, requiring visits to A&E to help monitor her heart rate. Things were improving, but another visit to the hospital was on the cards. We wished them well and hopefully they’ll be back on the move soon.
Pipe smoker
We now pootled on up the cut, only 0.6 of a mile, but just far enough. The back gardens along this stretch are worth a nosy at along with the backs of the houses. However at this time of year the amount of leaves obscures the views too quickly for photos. We pulled in towards the end of the quiet mooring, surprised at how many boats were moored there.
Tilly headed off into the ditch between the canal and playingfield. Across the way a couple were trying to trim a Spaniels fur, it really wasn’t enjoying the experience and kept shouting about it.
I got on with more drawings, once they were complete I then set to taking photos of the model. A new coloured storyboard will be put together in the coming days for reference.
The Town Square
With the model packed up and ready to go we sat down and enjoyed a roast chicken. Very nice, it’s been a while. I just need to now factor into our menu a lot of beetroot as Mick wasn’t aware I’d bought a bunch. It might be beetroot and chicken salad for us this week.
0 locks, 0.6 miles, 1 very wet day, 1 drier day, 1 disappointing outside, 1 model finished, 14 sheets of drawings finished, 130 photos, 1 Sunday roast.
Kings Lock, River Thames to College Cruisers, Oxford Canal
It was busy this morning. A Sea Otter that had pulled in infront of us last night pulled out and winded. It seemed like they’d done this in front of a blue boat that had just come up the lock. A second glance at the blue boat, hang on that’s Graeme on NB Misty Blue! We stuck our heads out of the kitchen window and shouted across. Graeme was last seen on the Great Ouse last summer, we’d both escaped Goole after the breach in 2021 and the same year both boats had taken part in the first Tideway cruise under Hammersmith Bridge. Today there was only chance for a quick exchange of words, Graeme has never cruised the Upper Thames, he looked excited to be on new waters.
There be dragons
A few more boats came and went before we were ready to push off, we let a small cruiser go ahead, not knowing if we’d have been able to fit alongside them. I walked down to help with the bottom gates and the skipper said they would wait at the next lock for us.
Last matchstick lock
Our last matchstick lock on the Upper Thames. I like these with their matchstick markers on the paddles, even using the long pole to open and close the bottom gates. I’ve been wondering if the gates on the Thames last longer than those on broad locks on the canals. On the Thames they like you to open both gates, the long pole saves you from having to walk all the way round. Having both gates open avoids the edges getting worn from boats only using the one. Yes many boaters manage to avoid grating their way into a lock, but many don’t. We all see how much water gets lost through gates where a groove has been worn and then C&RT have another running repair to do.
We don’t!
Maybe we all should adopt opening both gates at broad locks. I know we have tended not to, but maybe we should start. Yes it will take longer to go through locks, Mick usually has a boat hook with him as he enters or leaves a lock so that he can catch a gate that opens itself. Every little thing may help reduce the maintenance costs.
We pootled along, passing other moorings we’d considered stopping at yesterday, we’d chosen well being away from busy roads.
Thank you for waiting
Sure enough at Godstow Lock the little cruiser was waiting for us, gates open and more than enough room for us to go along side. I made sure I kept hold of the bow rope, keeping Oleanna well away from the cruisers hull. A boat was heading towards the lock, this made our leaving a lot easier, meaning we could all get back on our boats and leave the gates for someone else to sort.
Moooo!
Port Meadow stretched out in front of us, the cattle wetting their feet at the waters edge. Cranes on the horizon and the tower of St Barnabas Church in Jericho, our chosen destination for today.
Looking across to Jericho
A boat came towards us, that would make a good picture I thought so got my camera out. The chap at the helm did the same in return. A big wave and smile followed, it was Paul the Narrowboat Mover on his latest job.
Hello Paul
Good to see him again. Only one more boat to tick off our summer list this year and that’s the blue boat normally found further north, NB Jubilee Bridge.
Well our time was up on the river. We could have stayed until midnight, but we chose not to. A left onto Sheepwash Channel, ducking under the railway lines and squeezing past the old swing bridge. Our next job to fill with water below Isis Lock.
A small cruiser was tied to the end of the pontoon, we managed to pull in in front of him, Oleanna’s bow overhanging by quite a way. Mick took the hose just as a chap stepped off the cruiser behind. Maybe he’d only just pulled in and was wanting water too, maybe he’d been there a while. Soon he was filling umpteen plastic bottles from the tap. Mick found another one closer to the lock, we draped our hose across and started to fill our tank.
Facing the canal
A boat reversed towards Isis Lock, we were nearly full. Our hose was sorted and the reversing boaters intention confirmed, he was heading for the river. I helped with the lock, then the boats swapped places, Oleanna heading into her first narrow lock for two weeks. A few turns of the windlass and we were back up on the Oxford Canal.
A space was found opposite College Cruisers, boats being made ready for this weekends hirers. An early lunch for us whilst Tilly reacquainted herself with the isthmus between canal and Castle Mill Stream.
Emails for panto required attention. With my final model meeting next week today would be filled with budget questions. Set build quotes were in, they ranged from £40,000 to £16,000. The highest from a company who obviously didn’t want the job. I so wonder how much my friend Graham in Leeds would have quoted. Not sure if he was approached or not this year, I know it wouldn’t have been £40,000 for sure!
The remainder of the day was spent finishing off painting notes on the model. Hooray! Finished!! Then time was taken doing a paint call, this means when I’m in Chippy I can check to see what colours they already have and what to order.
Our time on the Thames is over, we’ve enjoyed the upper reaches, a touch of a shame that I’ve had to work most of the time. But at least I’ve been able to enjoy the cruise there and back. We’ve a couple of places we need to be in the next couple of weeks, after which we have to decide where to go and by which route?
3 locks, 2 navigations, 3.5 miles, 2 lefts, 2 friends spotted, 1 full water tank, 39 x 2 litre bottles, £2,000 to shave off, 1 long list of paints, 48BG 54/244 base, 2nd night of spag bol, 1 development still not started!
What’s he doing? At 3:30am? Why’s he going out the back? I could hear the zips on the pram cover and the doors being opened. Apparently we’d developed a list and Mick had gone out to loosen the ropes and try to push the stern out. By the time it was daylight we were on a jaunty list again, further pushing out required, would we now be able to reach the bank to untie?
Breakie
Supplies had got very low, in fact we’d run out of milk of all varieties, only one thing for it a cooked breakfast, well as much of one as Mick could manage with what was available.
Yesterday you had to walk down the gunnel a few feet to be able to get off the boat, this morning you had to get to the centre and then hope that knees were capable of hoiking you up onto the bank. He made it and ended up having an hours wait for our supermarket delivery. Heavy bags were split and then passed in through the side hatch, thankfully nothing landing in the drink.
Cupboards, wine cellar and freezer replenished. Our battery capacity is just about managing to keep up with our needs so we’ve decided to keep the freezer on, it definitely needed restocking.
Above Pinkhill Lock the picnic moorings were empty apart from one cruiser, they were leaving and followed us towards the lock. Here a volunteer and Lock Keeper opened the gates and we were asked to nudge as far forward as possible, the cruiser slotted in behind.
Conversation at the bow was about flying Spitfires, at the stern it was far more sollom. There was mention of a Lock Keeper who had passed away and a planned memorial service.
The toll bridge
On leaving we let the cruiser pass us, they were aiming further than us today. Past all the same boats on the meadows that had been there nearly two weeks ago we pulled up behind the cruiser as the lock was being filled. The chap on board said the Lock Keeper would penn us down separately. In they went the gates closed behind them.
The bottom paddles were raised slowly and the chap from the cruiser walked round to the little cabin by the lock adding a bunch of flowers to several others. The Lock Keeper who had died was the very nice man we’d met the day we arrived on the Thames nearly two weeks ago. Nik Vallely, had passed away on the 10th July, a big sign stood by the lock cottage saying Private House, Do Not Disturb. How very sad.
Eynsham Lock
The Lock Keeper on duty is here until things get sorted, his normal patch further downstream. He apologised for not penning us down with the cruiser but he’s not accustomed to the dimensions of Eynsham Lock yet. Another EA chap walked up for a chat. The funeral is being held at the lock on the 28th July at 12:30pm. There were discussions about cutting grass, I suspect the lock and surrounding area will be immaculate for the day.
A pause to drop off rubbish and then we were on our way downstream, no room at the moorings below the lock today. The river now wider and more boats nestled into the banks.
Kings Lock mooring
At Dukes Cut Junction we turned towards King’s Lock and pulled in on the lock moorings leaving space for a shorter boat between us and another boat. Mick walked up to see the Lock Keeper and to pay our £6 for the night. He chatted about the level dropping above Pinkhill Lock last night. Thames Water sometimes extract water from that reach, but usually the EA are informed before hand and react accordingly. There is also a warning system which alerts the Lock Keepers of changing levels, even in the middle of the night, but no alert had been given last night.
I’ll be queen of the island!
We settled in, Tilly headed off across the neat grass into the trees and friendly cover. A short while later a boat pulled up onto the pontoon close by, a family with children who were excited to be on an island. Noisy blighters! I’d been enjoying having the outside to myself.
Time to make notes on my model. I was going to work my way through all the scenes, but changed my mind knowing I wanted to alter the colours of some of the town square setting. This could take sometime. A check in the model box and an alteration of the clock towers colour too. I think my alterations were wise, here’s hoping I still think so tomorrow!
I put a bolognaise sauce on to cook and left Mick to cook some spaghetti as I added details to the Ugly Sisters boudoir. The rest of the scenes will have to wait for tomorrow. We enjoyed our spag bol with a glass of wine, it may only be Thursday but it is our last night on the Thames! That was our excuse, we stuck to it and had a second glass to keep the first one company.
2 locks, 6.4 miles, 1 delivery, 1 boaty list, 1 queen of the island, 3 pesky kids, 1 town square make over, 1 soggy chair, 1 wet back.
Would we get away before NB Narrow Escape? Would they beat us to where we wanted to moor today? We tried to get away early, but not early enough, they had already vacated their mooring. Fingers crossed there’d be space ahead for us.
Three locks today each with a Lock Keeper in attendance. I asked one of them if they have an infrared sensor up and downstream on the river that gets tripped as a boat approaches, as they just pop out take a look and get their life jacket everytime.
That’s a big weight
I got chance to actually look at the counterweights of the paddle gear today, that’s why lifting and lowering the paddles on the Thames is so easy.
Northmoor Lock and weir
The Lock Keepers also look after the weirs, John had mentioned to us yesterday about the weir at Northmoor still being adjusted manually by lifting panels in and out by hand, not with the assistance of gearing.
A natty solar roof
Below one lock two boats waited to come up. The outside one a very familiar boat from the Trent and Mersey, NB Mellow. When we had NB Lillyanne I’d always take a photo as we passed of her yellow underneath Mellow, today we got to say hello to her owners.
Pill box and hide
Now the Thames looses it’s wiggleyness and straight lengths stretch out ahead. Pill boxes left right and centre line the north bank. The Thames was part of the second defensive line, the GHQ stop line incase of invasion in World War 2. Just how many pill boxes stretched the full 300 miles ?
Not quite in focus
This year we’ve rarely seen Kingfishers, quite often by July the magic of that flash of electric blue has worn off, but today we had one escort us to our mooring for the day. Sadly he was a touch too far ahead for a good photo.
The stretch of moorings by the Ferryman Inn had one boat on them, NB Narrow Escape! We pulled in behind them, but soon noticed a lot of buzzing on the bank, their stern must have been right by a nest. We pushed out again and tried the next length closer to the pub. The plants on the bank were attracting the bees, but no sign of a nest, we’d just close our windows and hope we’d not annoyed them too much.
This looks interesting!
The bank is high and a touch undercut, a problem for us, but not for Tilly. We’d looked around, neatly cut grass for as far as we could see, she’d not be interested. Out she came, shouted about things for a while and then scurried across to some sideways and upright trees. She was gone for hours. The fat resident friends needed to be kept an eye on. Despite returning to the river bank with one of them this didn’t seem to put her off her evening dingding!
A little bit of Grecian statue
More work, nearly there! As a reward we headed over to the pub for a meal. The Ferryman isn’t what you’d class as a cosy pub, it has little if any ambiance. But a pint and glass of wine along with food was all that was required.
I had a steak accompanied by an orderly 1970’s salad (only thing missing was some slices of hard boiled egg), whilst Mick had a pie. Well Tom from Waiouru would not have ordered it, at least it mentioned it’s puff pastry top on the menu. Have to say this top had puffed up beyond all expectations.
3 locks, 10.9 miles, 1 bees nest, 300 miles, 5 hours of busyness, 1 model nearly there, 1 pint, 1 glass, 1 flying pie, 1 steak, 500 miles this year.
A touch further to go today, we pushed off and soon passed a boat we’d be leapfrogging, NB Narrow Escape. Is this the Narrow Escape that we met on our first time on the Oxford, did they suggest Somerton Meadows to us? It’s a while ago now, but it could be them.
Pretty boat
We pulled in at Grafton Lock to fill with water, a load of washing had been on the go since we’d set off, the tank now after a week needed replenishing. Here the tap is not situated well for a downstream facing narrowboat. The short hose ‘someone has left’ was about 2 foot too short to reach our tank even with us pulled as far back as possible and the hose threaded through the cabinet door. A sign suggests the Lock Keeper may be able to assist, but Mick decided to see what he could do first.
Too short!
Some tape and our hose at least meant we’d get some water, but it would be far slower and such a waste of water as it dribbled along our hose and filled up the cabinet. Mick walked up to ask the Lock Keeper if there was a better way. There was, facing upstream would help. Words are carefully used by the friendly Lock Keepers on the Thames. They don’t want to be seen to give you an inch.
It was soon obvious that we knew the uphill boat in the lock, John on NB Thermopylae, we’ve met him a couple of times on the St Pancras Cruising Club Tideway Cruises, last year he’d offered to crew for Mick when I was in Chippy on panto. Being a single hander he was keen to stop for a cuppa, the Lock Keeper was not keen on him pulling into the layby but he could breast up to us as we filled with water. NB Narrow Escape came along also wanting water, they were waved into the lock as there’d be an hour wait.
Thermopylae
Thermopylae was tied to Oleanna and the kettle put on, time to set the world to rights with John. Just as we finished our cuppas the water tank started to overflow. We did a do-si-do so John could fill with water as we headed for the lock, all watched over by a rather beady eyed cat.
We hoped for a space above Rushey Lock on the meadows, another few miles ahead and one more lock. As we approached we spotted a possible space some distance upstream. The next one was taken, NB Vienna’s stern sticking way out. Then the good length of mooring was just about full, NB Narrow Escape having grabbed the last space. We tried pulling in at the near end, but bushes would have given our paintwork an exciting look at the stern.
Sad Oleanna
Only one thing for it, reverse. It was quite a way to the space we’d seen before, but Oleanna quite likes going backwards with purpose and thankfully the wind played fare. We pulled into a space by ourselves, long grass stretching out as far as you could see, we thought Tilly would love it. Well she didn’t maybe because from her level all she could see was tall grass, there were some sideways trees and a tree too, but she wasn’t too bothered with it all.
It’ll still take quite a bit of work
More work for the walkdown of Cinderella. A tiled rostra and steps, maybe a touch complicated, but if I can make up some big stamps for each colour it should be quicker to paint.
This is rubbish this!
Mick was on cooking duty again, kedgeree, yumm!
2 locks, 5.9 miles, 0.5 in reverse, 1 full water tank, 1 cuppa with John, 3rd brood, 1 spot reserved just for us, 1 unimpressed cat, 4 steps, 15 lanterns.
