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.

Getting away from Braunston

We were soon back in the water and heading for the marina.  A bus ride all the way to Banbury and a train to Winchester / Southampton to see family was our first get away.  Quite a lot was achieved and several days later we were back on board.  Ann popped up to the shops while I filled the water tank and emptied our travel bags.  Ann has almost completely recovered from those strained muscles and thanks all those who contacted her.
Braunston Historic Boat Gathering was gaining pace and we were lucky to get out before events really got going.  As we left the marina another boat arrived to fill the space.  All moorings in and north of Braunston were occupied by boats nearly to Willoughby where we stopped at a shady spot for the weekend.

A full boat called Roach passing by our mooring
I find it quite sad to read the ‘stoppage’ reports.  The Caen Hill lock flight is still closed due to a ‘boat strike’ which destroyed a lock gate.  Canals do need more Respect and Support from boaters, public and government.  The summer months bring out all sorts to enjoy the waterways but they seem to lack respect for the system and other boaters for that matter.  Some are just petty criminals when the ‘tow path telegraph’ report items missing off boat roofs.

Blacking at Braunston

Once a year we arrange to have the boat pulled out of the water at Braunston Boats Ltd.  “You know, the yard at the bottom lock.”  This is an opportunity to inspect the bits normally below the water line.  While being pulled up the slope on a trolley the stern dips down in the water.  As a precaution the exhaust pipe from the engine and diesel heater have a bung inserted to prevent water getting in.

We are about a month later this year and a lot of weed had grown on the sides.  It is good food for ducks and swans that had been waking us up in the morning with their pecking.
By the end of the day the sides had been pressure washed and the first coat of black pitch had been applied.  It had been quite cold in the mornings and we were in the habit of switching on the radiators.  But we forgot the bung and the boiler turned itself off automatically.  Thankfully we were able to restart it a few minutes later after taking the bung out.  All was well after clouds of white smoke had blown out!

New anodes were welded on this time after 5 years.  Then a second coat of blacking was applied.

Recovery

After several days over the weekend of worry, pain and loss of sleep we managed to get Ann to see a Chiropractor.  Several options had been considered but the best one was to go to Banbury where we had been before.  A phone call secured an appointment the same day and we got on the bus from Braunston.  It was a long bumpy trip taking well over the hour exploring the countryside on the way!  By the time we had walked up to the Cross and beyond we had had enough of it and resolved to get a taxi back.
Marc remembered us when we met again and soon got to work with his healing hands.  Apparently several muscles linking shoulder with backbone and ribs had gone into spasm.  Half an hour later Ann was relieved of pain, only a dull ache remained.  Now it is a case of more rest and ice pack treatment to complete the recovery.  The taxi got us back to the boat comfortably in less than an hour so it was worth all that expense.

Visitors and flowers

It was breakfast in bed for Ann after a bad night.  A cold ‘chiropractic’ pad helps to reduce the pain of a torn muscle.

Way back when we started boating at Newbury Phil and Deborah kept their boat in the same marina.  They have two weeks off work, managed to get all the way to Braunston and are now on their way back.  Good to see them both again when they stopped for tea and a chat.

Summer has returned again and our ‘garden’ of flowers is looking good on the roof.  The weekenders are out and about again and more often than not two boats are passing our mooring in either direction quite frequently.  Every now and then we have a sort out of boat contents.  In the navy it was called ‘Captains rounds’.  If we have not used it for a year it must be disposed of.  An attempt to sell some of it at the Crick show was not very successful so it will be in the bin soon where boaters can take their pick.

Time to paint

I have time to put a few more coats to put on those well deck lockers and sort out some of their contents.  “Now where did I put that thing.”  Then we moved to Calcutt just for a change of view but as the phone and internet signal was unreliable we moved again next day.  Then we popped in to Wigrams marina for diesel as we knew they allow us to declare our use for travelling.  Diesel for moving the boat has extra tax so we are required to work out what percentage to claim.  Then the supplier has to work out how much to charge!  It is just too much trouble for some like Braunston Marina who force you to pay the higher rate.

The bloke who filled our tank recognised the name of our boat and told us that More To Life was for sale here.  That was our previous boat so we just had to get the key and have a look inside.  It was really sad to see her in such a state.  Unloved and empty for a year apparently.
Ann has been polishing the outside of our boat but now she is suffering from a repetitive strain injury so I have taken Molly for a walk and cooked dinner.

Americans ‘over here’

Not a planned meeting, it just happened.  We had moved south of Braunston when Sue rang.  They were not far away so we moved on after doing some painting.  First stop was to see Bob and Jane on Hobo.  They are normally in the marina and had popped out for the weekend.  The table and chairs were out on the tow path when we found No Problem.  One more coat of paint before a cup of tea out in the sunshine.
Our blog readers from America had come over again and have hired a narrowboat.  Did they just happen to see us and stop, or was it pre arranged?  We had no idea they were here.  It was the first time for quite a while that we had seen Sue n Vic, yet here we are again all together meeting blog readers!  I was in the galley washing up.  “Yes I do most times”.  I heard my name being called from a passing boat.  “Is that Chas?”  Ken Averil, Mary Lou and family stopped by to say hi.  Good to see you guys.  It seems that canal blog writers have influenced them to come over and experience our country way of life.  May they enjoy their discovery of the Oxford Canal.  It was Ken who has read our book ‘Life With a Narrow Boat’ and encouraged me to continue writing.

Next day Sue n Vic were on their way again but not before our first ‘well deck’ tea party.

Well deck mods

We went to see Dave Thomas before going up to Crick and asked him to make some well deck lockers.  The well deck is at the front of the boat above the water tank.  The deck is about 5 ft square and we had wooden boxes and a small chest of draws to store paint tins, tools and mooring equipment.  Over the years we accumulated more stuff which really needs sorting out as it is overflowing the containers.  It was never tidy and we could not sit out there.
Although Dave and Barry are strictly metal workers engaged in building a new boat they set to and spent two days on our boat.  They even managed to make the wooden tops for us.

So now we have steel lockers with wooden tops which act as seats and storage.  Most boats have similar facilities.  We elected to do the painting so we could get away before the weekend.

While we were by the wharf we got Tesco to deliver goodies and saw no less than three boats being craned into the water almost over our heads!