Now in a marina

Before we moved in we enjoyed an evening out with Del n Al when we all went to the Red Lion pub. Live loud folk music on Friday night. Thanks for getting us out you two!
We moved in before that expected storm over the weekend. Got our tank filled with diesel at 79 pence a litre! Then moved to our temporally allocated mooring. (If we are not happy with it we can put in for a transfer).

Finished with the engine for now. At least it has fresh oil in it after that major service. We will be using that diesel to keep warm while in the marina.

We were obliged to purchase an electric meter to measure the power we use. The electric to be paid each quarter. While connected our Victron Combi will charge the batteries but we will not leave them permanently on float charge. We have an immersion heater in the chlorifier (hot water tank) but if the power goes off there is a risk to the batteries because the inverter will take the power from them! Must remember to turn off the immersion heater after about an hour!

Perhaps the best plan is to connect to the land line during the day when we need it, like running the engine, and disconnect at night.

The marina has been dug out of a farmers field of cabbages! They are growing among the freshly sown grass! We went for a walk to explore the area but the field and access road are still wet n muddy!

Banbury to Cropredy

With our engine fixed after that major service we are able to to continue normal life on board. Hot water is back on tap, we enjoyed a shower each and got the washing machine working overtime.

Although we were plugged into a shoreline from Tooly's yard we only used it in the evenings. Our solar panels did their best during the day.

Banbury is a very busy noisy town and quite bright at night. It provided us with vegetables from the market and Ann went off early to shop at Morrisson's. We had a good chat with Malcolm and Barbara on Pilgrim before leaving.

We set off down to the turning point and back up through the town after dumping rubbish and filling our water tank. Then it was 'full steam ahead' in sunshine going up to Cropredy. Most of the locks were set in our favour making a pleasant journey.

There above the lock was Derwent 6 with Del n Al on board. What a cheerful couple they are. Al had put the kettle on and once we had tied up we went round for tea and a chat.

Next day we got up late because it was so quiet and dark. Practicing to stay under the covers for that extra hour we get over the weekend.

The new pump fits!

A big relief to finally get the correct water pump direct from Kubota.  Our thanks to John who fixed it and Mat who organised it at Tooly's in Banbury.  Adrian at Beta helped to sort out the confusion.

Listen to your engine with the covers off every now and then.  Mine was telling me something and it was John who told me what it was saying!  We are lucky the water pump never actually leaked.  With the new pump fitted the engine purrs quietly.

Still waiting!

Before the weekend another water pump was delivered.  It was the wrong one again!  John the engineer was busy on another boat anyway.  Now it is Monday and the yard is locked and it is raining. John is working on yet another boat!

We have the fire going for a short time mornings and evenings with a kettle of water keeping hot for drinks and washing.

At least we are better off than the fella asleep most nights snoring underneath the shopping centre.

Still hanging around Banbury

Banbury town centre turned into a fairground last week. Just so noisy but fun to watch people on the rides.

Once you know about a problem you are obliged to get it sorted. It was just a major engine service that was needed. All things done that should be done after a years cruising.

 We even had the diesel polished after suffering dirty fuel last month.

On start up the engine rattled a bit. John the engineer at Toolys listened intensely then turned off the engine. "It is the water pump, look the pulley moves in and out!"

When the first replacement pump arrived it did not fit! The design of the engine had been changed. We are still waiting for a new water pump!

We are now hooked up to mains power with the engine in bits. We are not waisting time here though. Got to do something positive. So we set about getting rid of all those things we have not used during the year. Some for charity and some for the bin.

With so many phone shops here we were able to downgrade one of our smarties at the end of its contract. Ann kept her phone intact with Memory Map installed by Sue and got a new battery for it.

Another walk round the park to push away the blues.

A walk in the park

While hanging around Banbury we went for a walk in Spiceball Park.

Over the top

We climbed up the Napton locks and continued on that winding road to the 'mast'.

One lock keeper was at the bottom lock while another came up most of the way. The going was slow at the top as usual with a shallow canal.

Next day we continued to Claydon top lock and stayed the night. We followed several boats down the next day with some also behind us. Plenty of crew to help. We stopped just past the bottom lock being one of our favourite moorings.

We have been lucky with mainly sunny dry days and have usually moored in time for a late lunch. Keeping warm with the occasional use of the radiators. After some washing we needed the fire on. It is oil fed but the oil did not flow when it was turned on. I had to dismantle the Toby control to restore the flow.

It was back at the beginning of September that the engine coughed and spluttered. We were near Autherley junction so we called into Oxley Marine. They discovered contaminated diesel in the tank, water separator and fuel filter! It was not the bug and thankfully the injectors were not harmed this time.

When we were in Banbury last year when that happened. We needed reconditioned injectors, the tank of fuel polished and filter changed. Now Matilda Rose has suffered from contaminated fuel. It does seem that we are being supplied with dirty fuel these days. That Fuel Purifiner from MLS is worth getting.

Postal uncertainty

We moved on to Napton in search of post. We had rang the Post Office and got the agreement to send poste restante. (to be collected). Later we had confirmation that the envelopes had arrived.

Having found a mooring we walked to the shop. At first we were shocked to find that the Post Office inside the shop had closed a few weeks earlier. So who had I spoken to and where is our post?

The shop keeper then asked if we were looking for poste restante. There it was under the counter! Apparently the Post Office is to reopen soon after some local protests. Uncertainty has got to me.

It is worth calling into the Folly Shop.