Welcome company

Rock n Roll has stopped by. We exchanged stories of our travels since we saw them last. The ice has arrived and we not to go any further. Just up and down the lock to fill up with diesel. Gailey Marine let us have it at the zero rate as we were ‘residential’ and not planning to move for a while. Otherwise it would have been at their ‘commercial’ rate with the added duty.

It got misty in the evening then in the morning we woke to see a thin layer of snow and the canal water had turned to slush. Water passing through the lock is keeping the thick ice away from our mooring. The sun cheers us up while the sky is clear and does its best to melt the ice while staying low in the sky.

Bird feeders are hung on the hedge so several birdies are getting their breakfast.

Despite the threatening conditions we do seem to be able to make the best of it while living on our boat. Keeping in touch with other boaters by phone, email and blogging helps to pass the time and enables us to keep track of each other.

Cooking for Christmas

Ann has made a rich fruit cake baked in a square tin. Got the marzipan and icing to do. Homemade puddings are the other tradition in the family circle although not many get to stir the ingredients and make a wish these days. Made enough for three bowels wrapped up with grease proof paper and cloth and steamed overnight on the stove. The pudding is consumed at Christmas having been steamed, decorated with holly and burnt with hot flaming brandy. Brandy butter was the preferred topping.

For various reasons we find ourselves a long way from the family at a time when we feel we should be much closer. Meanwhile we will decorate the boat and enjoy meeting other boaters on our travels. It is getting colder in the evenings and there is a threat of icy conditions coming early this winter. We have stocked up while at Penkridge and moved on a bit to be near a diesel supply. Now is the time for porridge in the mornings and stew in the evening. Stew is slowly cooking on the stove.

The chimney

Geoff on Seyella had found some useful advice on the net suggesting that a tall chimney would help our diesel fire draw better. The recommended length of flue should be 10 feet from the flame which would mean 4 feet above the roof! We only have about 1 foot 6 inches so we can get under bridges. Many years ago I had made our chimney out of rolled up ‘liners’ with Vic’s help. The great advantage was a double skin to keep the gasses warm. That worked a treat most of the time. The ‘down draft preventer’ as supplied with the boat was simply not enough and was not much good in strong winds.

Our chimney fitting is only 3 ½ inches diameter so readymade chimneys were hard to find. When at Crick we had asked to have one made but the maker was reluctant to help because it was an oil fire. Midland Chandlers had a 28 inch chimney but although the inner liner measured 3 ½ inches it would not fit. So I have got a 28 inch liner which drops over the existing chimney. For use when we stop of course. Will let you know if it is better after a windy day!

A need to move on

If we stay in one place too long we get itchy feet. We have done what we needed to do here and if we stay much longer the roots will grow. We have about a month to go somewhere and back before leaving at Christmas.

Kingfisher at Great Haywood

It was one of those magic moments, a chance meeting of boaters at the watering hole. We had just backed up to the facility when Derwent 6 arrived. We both filled our tanks and gathered round cups of tea at the bow of M 2 L. Then the owners of Sanity Again stopped to say hello. So there we were Chas, Ann, Del, Al, Bruce and Sheila all in one place a moment before moving off in different directions.

We turned across the bow of Derwent 6 to get under the junction bridge and there was Geoff with his bag of shopping and Meg about to walk back to their mooring at Tixall.

Balloon at Tixall

We stopped there as the best of the day had passed and we were eating lunch at 2 pm! We got away next day and did 12 lock miles to arrive at Park Gate for the weekend. It was a bit misty as we left but calm dry and warm during the trip.

Boat at Tixall Lock

Hanging around

The red diesel fuel we are obliged to use in our boat tanks is usually ‘gas oil’ with a red dye so we can pay less duty than that for road use. New EU regulations will require a change to ‘road diesel’ with the red dye. Road diesel has less sulphur in it and it also has some ‘bio’ content. Many boaters are concerned about the effects on their engines. Ours is a Beta 38 and this is what Beta told me:-

As far as the engine is concerned, they have been developed for ultra low sulphur fuels, so that they comply with the stringent emission controls, both in Europe and America. The bio content has also been taken into account, as all the emission restrictions have been mapped out for the future in a timetable based on the fuel specification. So the engine is fully capable of running with this fuel.

The storage could be a problem as the bio content can lead to higher bacterial growth, and higher water absorption. I have been talking to a filter manufacturer who has developed a large capacity high water absorption filter system, and should have details shortly. I don't think that it is all doom and gloom, as the lower sulphur content reduces the need to use low quality non detergent oils we recommend now.

High quality oils that contain detergent tend to wash down the bores, thus picking up the fuel residue that builds up the sulphur content in the oil, this can produce a weak sulphuric acid that attacks the bearings.

Don't forget that the fuel change is being done to lower harmful emissions. Kindest Regards, John Lusty, After sales, Beta

So it would seem we should consider changing the type of lubricating oil we use in our engines.

We managed to back up to the water point the next day. Got more diesel and moved out to Tixel wide for a while. It is getting cooler now so we have the fire on longer. Our tank will soon need topping up every 2 weeks. One very windy night the fire went out and issued forth its smelly fumes. We woke up and turned off the supply. Several attempts to relight it next morning failed due to the windy conditions. Put the radiators on to get warm. Smoky oil is not at all pleasant and at least set off the smoke alarm. We wonder if oil fires are worth the hassle because they also produce a lot of flaky carbon deposits that need scraping out. If the truth were known a much taller chimney is required. But then we would not get under those bridges! We moved into Great Haywood after breakfast to get some shelter from the trees. The wind reduced a bit and we were able to light the fire again.

We have been on several bus trips into Stafford to do some ‘Christmas’ shopping. Street decorations are now appearing to brighten the place up. Our friends Geof and Mags offered to look after Molly while we were away.

Move away for a while

With limited time on the moorings and the prospect of local fireworks at Shugborough Hall we moved away. Molly does get so upset with the bangs and whizzes that we have administered some calming herbal remedy which seems to work for her. We got all the way to Acton Trussel, turned and found a mooring before Deptmore Lock.

The lock keepers house now belongs to the farmer and is being renovated to be lived in again. British Waterways have been selling off some of their property and their attempt to make money by running public houses near canals has in fact made a substantial loss.

We are in open countryside for the weekend where we put out the bird feeders but only a few birds found it. Despite the remoteness we did hear and see some fireworks in the distance. We celebrate the fact that an attempt to blow up the houses of parliament was prevented. It was quite cold n damp that weekend so we had the fire going most of the time.

On Sunday we once again enjoyed our roast lunch with minted lamb and watched the racing on TV.

Monday was awful with wind and rain but we had to get back to Great Haywood for dental appointments, tesco orders and post due on Tuesday. A few hours driving the boat dressed up in waterproofs proved to be purgatory by the time we arrived. Thank goodness for the mooring space found near the lock. Due to several low bridges we are not able to put up our biminy which would have protected us from the weather.

Whether the weather be fine

Or whether the weather be not

Whether the weather be cold

Or whether the weather be hot

We’ll weather the weather

Whatever the weather

Whether we like it or not

It was a bit windy when we needed to move backwards to the water point where we pick up our tesco order. We did not get all the way there. Luckily another space was available and a kind boater moved his boat forward to let us in. It then took two journeys to get all the bags over the junction bridge and on to the boat. Then it rained. We have had so much rain lately that the river Trent is well up and flowing fast here.

Been away on another planet

Taxi’s, trains, cars and busses got us off the boat and away down south. We packed some bags and took the dog. Have we got all we need? Can we carry it all? We had moved to Great Haywood Marina and filled the diesel tank. The fridge had to be emptied, turned off and defrosted before we left.

There were several good reasons for going. Ann had a hospital appointment, more house clearing and sitting in for our grand children. Their parents could then get a night out with friends. We also paid visits to friends and family, walked in the forest and saw ‘Despicable Me’ in 3D. Many items from the home were distributed among the family. That is a very hard thing to do with so much to consider.

While we were away our cooker was sold. Amazingly we had met the buyer when at Dudley. We returned the hire car having done over 300 miles on a full tank of petrol. ‘Enterprise’ took us to the station and on the way we saw that several cruise liners had arrived in port. The train was packed with many people standing in the isles with all their luggage. Made me wonder why the luggage could not be put into a dedicated coach like they would have done many years ago. We were lucky to find our reserved seats were still available for our journey, but even we had our bags on our laps!

Once back at Stafford we got a taxi to take us back to Great Haywood Marina with a bit more luggage than we had left with! Just could not face moving the boat out so we paid for another night. Even then it took several days to get back into our boating routine.

Great Haywood is a wonderful little village where we have now booked appointments at the medical centre and the dentist. Restocked the fridge and enjoyed a few quiet meals together. It is late autumn of course so we enjoyed a walk along the river with the sun shining through the golden leaves.

The Black Country

A sharp left turn and a mile gets us to Dudley and the Black Country Museum with really secure moorings, boater facilities and the tunnel. The black country is a huge area of geological significance containing all the raw materials to set off the industrial revolution. Coal mining, iron and steel making, lime stone mines and lime kilns.
It was a very hard life for those who lived and worked during the 17 th. and 18 th. centuries.

Women were employed making chains all day long often using their children to help. They went on strike because they could not even afford to feed themselves. They were the white slaves of England.
We walked down into an 1850’s coal mine to experience the blackness and low ceilings. We were given hard hats and torches. A young boy was employed to open and shut ventilation doors but he was working in the dark because he was not worth a light. Ponies at this time were considered more valuable than children. If they were to fall into the canal it was the pony that got rescued first. When we were in that mine we thought about the trapped miners in Chilly. Thankfully they are now all rescued safely.

There was plenty to see in the completely reconstructed village with many shops and even a 1920’s cinema showing silent movies.
Then there was that tunnel with more than expected. It was the entrance to what was a huge underground mining industry digging out coal and lime.

There are caverns and tunnels in many directions. Many more unseen below are now flooded. We went in with our hard hats by boat on a round trip. It was an education by commentary and audio visual show seen and heard deep in the hillside. It was so good that we went in again the next day!

Going through Birmingham

At the end of the Stratford we turned right onto the Worcester and Birmingham canal.  This was a bit wider, lined with factories instead of trees and quite shallow in places.  A railway follows the canal all the way into Birmingham.  A mile further on we stopped at Bournville.

The ‘secure’ visitor mooring on the off side provide space for 2 boats and was already occupied.  So we were obliged to moor outside the security fence.  That night we felt quite vulnerable as youths gathered nearby at 2 am, talking loudly with the ‘f’ word in every sentence.

Even the train station is painted purple, for it is here that Cadburys chocolate is made.

We walked into Bournville in the morning to see some of the huge new factories and original buildings from the 1900’s.  All the fences and street lamps were painted purple.  We had the feeling that something was about to happen in the streets.  The evening news reported that the new owners are to keep the Bournville production going.  Good news indeed.

Back on the boat we set off for Birmingham and beyond.  We are not city people and regard them as ‘concrete jungles’ even though in reality there is more brick, steel and glass than concrete.

We took the direct route along the main line and were happy to find trees and grass once through the centre.

After 12 flat miles we arrived at Factory locks which climb up to the Wolverhampton level.

A short evening stroll then move the boat

It was sunny and calm so we took a stroll to get fish n chips at Hockley Heath.

We were soon sitting on a street bench watching the traffic while consuming the food from its paper wrapping.  Our plan is to move on through Birmingham but we wait for the political conference to finish.  The police are searching passing boats with dogs.
We set off on Thursday after using the facilities at the boat yard.  Ten miles of the northern Stratford canal seemed to take an age to Kings Norton.  Most of the canal is lined with trees on both sides and the prop kept getting clogged with the falling autumn leaves.

We had been told that we were heading into ‘bandit country’ so we did not stop on the way except with another boat at the water point.  Then we saw policemen patrolling the tow path!  After passing through the short Brandwood tunnel we found the curious guillotine lock which is now permanently open.

It was a ‘stop lock’ where private canal companies would charge working boaters for moving cargo.  Just like a road toll.

Family concerns

We have been off the boat while some changes are made to our galley.  We got a lift to Leamington Spa station and a train south.  Mother has moved to a Nursing Home and we have been helping her settle in.  Some furniture, pictures, TV and clothes transported from the house to the home.  We are much happier now knowing that she is being well looked after by the caring staff.
Now it is a case of facing up to ‘house clearance’ without loosing too much family stuff.  Luckily my brother is able to help with this endeavour.  The house has been valued and some furniture sorted for sale.  Various visits from other family members have been arranged so stuff will be redistributed.  The more we look the more we see and the task seems endless at this time.  It is unlikely that we will ever stop over at that family home again so now we stay with our grand children and their parents.  A very different lifestyle to that we are used to on the boat.
It was Josh’s birthday during our stay and we watched as he opened presents.  Our youngest grandson Ben had not been feeling well and was taken to hospital so we had a few late nights of anxiety.  Having stayed an extra day we were happy to return to the boat knowing that there was nothing seriously wrong.

 Our favourite boat fitter has done it again for us.  A separate hob and high level oven has been installed, replacing that cooker for sale.  The main gain is much better access to the oven and what was a corner cupboard.

A voyage of discovery

But first.  Oh dear another breach, a loss of water on the Mon and Brec in Wales.  Only a few years ago it was closed for the same reason and repaired at great cost.  So many boats and holidaymakers are disrupted in their travels.  The government have slashed support for the waterways again.  BW’s men in suits are being blamed for paying themselves loads of money.  It seems that they do not deserve so much for losing money on property which may well be sold off now.
We moved up to Kingswood Junction where the Grand Union ‘kisses’ the Stratford.  We are obliged to wait here as the footbridge is being protected by steel barriers.

The brick built bridge has suffered some severe damage by boats turning into the link.  The work men watched as a boat slowly bounced off the barrier.  “Still not enough” one said as the barrier moved!
It was worth exploring the junction with its lock cottages and a triangle of waterways.

Several locks on the Stratford bring that canal up to and above the Grand Union level as it heads northwest to Birmingham.  When we were there the Elsan facility was being unblocked.  I remember seeing it blocked seven years ago!  “Oh why can’t BW fix the cause rather than the symptom.”  The flushing water supply was just a trickle.
The local maps led us astray when we tried to find shops in Lapworth.  We found they had moved down the road past the railway.  At least the Post Office still exists in the wine shop but the other little shop did not have much more than bread n milk.  If you are coming up this way on the Grand Union there is a much better shop and Post Office above the northern end of Shrewley tunnel.
We started late to go up the 15 narrow locks of the Lapworth flight on the Stratford canal.  Mostly thickly lined with trees and having short pounds between the locks.  A few boats were coming down and at one pound on a bend it was tricky manoeuvring past the other boat.

It remained tree lined at the top and we began to wonder if we would be able to ‘see’ the sky sat.  However a gap was found albeit with the boat sitting on the mud.  Four more locks were tackled next day.

Rediscovery after 7 years

The last time we were on the Western Grand Union we were going east from Kingswood Junction.  Now we head west from Napton Junction.  It was there that we met Rose and Ray on Maddy Rose.  We shared tea and sandwiches over two days then went our separate ways, setting off down the Calcutt and Stockton flights.  We were joined by Misty Lady to go down all those double locks.

The skippers and crews were working well together as a team.  There were several boats coming up leaving the locks for us to go down.  It was sunny while we moved that morning but when we stopped at Long Itchington it rained.  Despite the wetness we walked to the village shop for provisions.  On our return to the boat we lit the fire to dry out.  August is a wet month.
Next day we set off and did another 9 locks with Misty Lady.  It was a damp grey day as we travelled down towards Leamington Spa and found a mooring just past bridge 33 in open countryside and bid farewell to our travelling companions.

It was sunny and warm as we continued our journey through the Spa town the next day.  We noted on the way that the concrete tow path prevented the use of pins for mooring.  There were however several bollards to tie to on the offside by Tesco where we stopped to shop.  Eventually spent the night by Budbrooke Junction and saw Ernie on 10 Bob Note pass us by.
We were not far from the start of the climb up the Hatton flight of 21 locks and were joined by another boat.  Double width locks need two boats to make the going easy and it does save the water.  It was at least dry n warm when we started off at 10.

3 hours later we had reached the top, an average of 10 minutes a lock!  It would have been good to find visitor moorings at the top.  There were plenty of car parks and gongooslers but the moorings were for permit holders.  We were obliged to move on just when we needed a rest.  Eventually found deep water and a low hedge so that we could ‘see’ the satellite signal.  Then it rained.

Procedures and actions

There are good intentions but actions may be less than intended.  What am I waffling about?  BW have been busy down in Banbury fixing up firm edges.  At the ‘Tramway’ it is finished.  Boaters are there already but BW had spread fresh earth about and put grass seed down without rolling it flat!  Now we have got deep foot prints and muddy boots.  Just when the grass is sprouting along come the cutters and squashed it all flat!

BW working!
I have got back from looking after mum again and trying to resolve care issues.  It is quite a stressful and emotional time for both mum and me.  It had become more difficult to care for mum even with people coming in each day.  Thankfully Hampshire Adult Services are on the case and have found a Residential Care home for mum.  My brother is on hand to help and has taken mum to see the place which has a room available.
We passed Paul Balmer on Waterway Routes on our way to the water point.  Just as we queued for the lock down came Mortimer Bones in her grey boat.  A few days later we had reached the summit pound, got diesel at Fenny and stopped short of Marston Doles.  We do not normally move on a Sunday and wonder why we did.  We simply lost count of so many boats heading south.  We took on water slowly just before heading down the locks towards Napton.  Boats coming up the locks and following behind all seemed to want water!  Even hire boaters just setting off from Wigrams Marina had already run out of water.  We have stopped after the second lock down after being told of an event at Napton and loads of boats trying to get up the locks.

One more problem

We got past Aynho, across the river Cherwell which joins the canal, entered Nell Bridge Lock and stayed there for a while!  The bottom gate would not shut properly and the lock would not fill.  So much water was gushing past that gate.  We shut all the paddles and slowly descended.  An attempt to flush out the obstruction was made before Ann went round to the British Waterways yard which just happened to be nearby.  By now many boats had joined a queue at both ends of the lock.

Two men turned up with a very long handled rake and after several attempts managed to dislodge the obstruction.  It was probably a loose brick below the gate.  We were then able to carry on to Banbury.  After the weekend at least ten boats were assembling below Banbury lock, waiting to get through the lock or use the facilities.  It is now the busy season and it was sad to see so many plastic bottles floating alongside the boats in the canal.

A bit out of touch and a few problems

We moved on down to Lower Heyford and found that there was absolutely no phone signal here.  Just 3 miles north we had a very strong and fast connection through Orange and T Mobile.  Here we got a space, TV and radio so not all bad.  Then Del and Al on Derwent 6 went by going north waving their arms and taking pictures!  We had intended to catch a train back to Banbury but they are infrequent and we did not see one stop.  We would need to be sure to get back the same day.  Apparently the driver would stop if you were on the station at the right time so we were told later.
Found some expensive bread n milk, oil and filter at the boat yard.  Oxford Narrowboats were very busy on their turn round day with lots of boats waiting for families to take them away for their holiday on the waterways.  They are looking for an engineer so just hope that they all get back later with no problems.

We walked into the village but it was very exclusive and quiet.  “I wonder where they get their bread n milk from.”  No shop or Post Office here, just a pub.
It was a noisy night with that railway just over the hedge so we turned round next day and got water before heading north.  A boat called No Problem arrived just as we had finished.  They had met Sue n Vic on the Kennet and Avon canal.  Two No Problem’s on the same canal!  Pity that there are really so many problems on that canal with many boaters reporting that the canal is ‘falling apart’ with lack of maintenance and consequently lack of water due to leakage.  Lack of rain does not help either.  The latest problem is the actual closure of the Leeds and Liverpool canal due to lack of water we are told.

Through and south of Banbury

We passed through Banbury and after getting water progressed to the Tramway moorings.  These are much improved with a hard edge, more popular now with more boats and still a 14 day mooring which is good for shopping at the local supermarket.  We plan to stay a bit longer than usual here.  In the past we hired cars to go home and now we get on a train because they are safer and less stressful.  The station is only 10 minutes walk from here and an hourly service gets us south.
My dear 91 year old mother had spent 3 weeks in a care home and quote:-“..did not like it one bit.”  While Ann stayed on the boat with Molly I went off on the train and with my brother’s help got mum back in her own house.  We arranged for care help to call every day.  I stayed several days trying to rearrange mums way of life for a better future.
Back together on the boat we moved slowly south.  There is a small holding by Nell Bridge lock where we found Bob n Jane on Hobo.  We have known them since our early days on the Kennet and Avon canal.  The little farm has pigs, sheep and hens.  They sell free range sausages, eggs, pork chops, legs of lamb etc so is well worth a visit.  They also sell pots of the Buffalow Ice cream from Napton!

Another day we drifted on down to Aynho and beyond.  It was at Aynho that we found a boat called ‘Bones’ and met Mortimer who writes for our boating magazine Canal Boat.  We swapped places at the water point as she continued her journey north.
When other commitments require more attention our activity on the canals and internet are affected.  It is nice to know that there are people, friends and 'followers' out there that we have got to know through this blog and also some that we just meet on the cut.  Phones, emails and blogging are all means of communicating equally well but there is nothing quite like real people when you see them.

On the move

It must be a year ago since we have been down the Oxford heading for Banbury.  We went up all the locks at Napton with many boats coming down and helping us with open gates.  It is a testament to the over 200 year old system design that it still works despite a certain lack of maintenance.  At least one lock gate had a broken balance beam and several locks had displaced cill beams.  Despite the recent lack of rain there is enough water at the summit to get through to Clayton.  We had stopped at the top for one night before going down the other side.  Then it rained!

I have been sorting loads of pictures of historic boats.  Many were taken at Braunston this year and last during the boat gatherings.  Thanks to the Historic Narrowboat Owners Club and their list which helped me sort our pictures.  The pictures can now be seen on our website moore2life.co.uk  .

Improvements and two runs

The old Perspex windows in the front cratch had gone cloudy over the years.  Much better now that Dave Bassett has replaced it with clear toughened glass.

Ann has gone ‘home’ to run for life round Southampton Common.  She walked the 5 km in 55 minutes with a crowd of likeminded people and collected money for charity.  (Why 5km in this country?)
The other run was by seven Star Class historic boats from London to Atherstone.  They removed 100 tons of gravel which had been dumped in Paddington basin in order to support the canal edge while a new building was constructed.  The gravel and all building material came in by lorry through London.  The building then cut off access by road so the boats were used.  It was an exercise to prove that it is still possible to move cargo by boat thus greatly reducing the ‘carbon foot print’.  The loaded boats are at least 3 feet deep in the water and often ran aground in the un dredged waterway.  They had left London on Monday and passed through Braunston on Saturday.

Fourty 4 years and counting

We got to the top of Hillmorton locks and walked down to find Gypsy Rover and saw Derek n Dot who offered a cool drink at the end of a hot day.  We had a good long chat about their future.  When we returned to our boat we found Reg and Elane on Relane.  It was our anniversary next day and they offered to look after Molly while we had lunch at the Bistro.