Meaford Monday 18 April 2016

Quiet night in Gt Haywood with a couple of boats going by before we were about this morning. Much cooler today and overcast but fine all day. 

We set off at 9-30 am with Diana steering and me working the locks, we met about 8 boats during the morning so most locks were with us. I hopped off at bridge 78 and walked to Weston Lock, on the way I met a lady, she was not only walking a small dog but also a racing pigeon, the pigeon would land ahead of her wait until she passed and then fly forward passed her again before landing and waiting. in her hand the lady was carrying a cardboard pigeon transporting box so I guess it gets a ride home. Above Weston lock Mr Asbo the swan was on duty making sure no boats loitered in his pound. Not quite so aggressive today but he has already tackled 8 boats this morning.

Above Salt Bridge our luck changed and we caught up with a slower boat, they were not going so slow that we felt we needed to overtake them but slower than we like to travel. We followed them to Sandon Lock and helped them trough the lock. Once through Sandon lock ourselves we pulled over and had lunch.

Arriving at Stone Diana went up to the lock and reported that CRT were doing an inspection with a boat in the lock and there would be a delay, as it turned out they started locking down straight way so very little delay. The boat they were using was aluminium construction powered by an outboard. Talking to the drive he said it was ideal for the job.

 

 

 

 

As we cleared the lock we could see that some statues were being erected in the back garden of the Italian restaurant, La Bella Napoli, beside Star Lock. I hope they are well cemented down. The pond above Star Lock was a foot down and I grounded going into Yard lock but she soon lifted off with the water movement. We  stopped briefly at Stone Boat Building, I am not sure if they still do boat building but they have a large chandlery but didn’t have what I wanted, a new seal for the diesel tank filler. These tend to grow a bit with age and exposure to diesel and if you don’t have a good seal on the filler then rain water can enter the diesel tank. Standing on the forecourt was their pump out machine, a rather colourful old lorry. We pushed on a bit longer climbing the first two locks of the Meaford Flight where we have moored for the night.

Today’s Journey  11 miles, 10 locks in 6 hours.

Gt Haywood Sunday 17 April 2016

We had a very good drive to the boat, the only slow bit being the A14 with 3 miles of 40 MPH speed limit for barrier repair, I have yet to see anyone working there.

It was just before 12 when we arrived at the boat and set to unloading the car and loading the boat, a bite of diner followed by a trip to the marina library where we left some books and took some books before being ready for the off at 1 pm. Our departure was a bit slow as just as I was dropping the ropes another boat in our bay reversed out and he was a bit slower than us negotiating the bridge and island, thank goodness there was no wind to make things worse.

Out on the cut we turned left, north and immediately passed another Cutweb member so a short chat was in order. We were to meet quite a few boats as the afternoon went on, By now the weather was a bit overcast and I could see rain landing in the cut but didn’t actually feel any it was that light. A clean run through Armitage Tunnel only to catch up wit a boat the other side, this was the first we had seen of him so he must be quite a bit slower than us so I stopped for water and let him get away.

Just passed the Ash Tree pub is the Ash Tree Boat club and last time we came by the land had been cleared behind the club moorings and also on the other side of the canal, now they have the foundations for several building in.

The sunken boat is still in Rugeley but now it has a CRT Notice on it so it must have arrived more than 14 days ago. Just past bridge 68 we caught up with the slow boat from Armatage again. I didn’t see him look back so I don’t know if he knew I was there or not but when he pulled close to the bank I slid by, he said hello and didn’t seem surprised to see me so I guess he knew we were catching him, well his Collie had been keeping an eye on us. 

The swan is still sitting at Wharf cottage front lawn with the Cobb floating around keeping an eye on things. Last time we came through a couple of things happened, one a lamb was sitting on its mothers back, well today one was having a lie down on mums back. The other was that Diana bought some eggs from Taft Bridge, today she dropped off the empty egg case and bought another half dozen box of good free range eggs.

A steady run to Colwich lock and no queues, The cow muck at the bridge is not too bad yet but just down from the bridge looks bad, a view of what’s to come.  As we left the lock another boat arrived below, as we pulled away the sun was lighting the lock and cottage nicely. There are a lot moor boats moored in the stretch by Shugborough Hall now so we decided that we may as well do Gt Haywood lock as well beings there was no one waiting. Above the lock their were a couple of mooring spaces to chose from and we are just one boat away from the junction on a nice straight piled section.

Today’s Journey  10¾ miles, 2 locks in 4½ hours

Home Mooring 6 April 2016

We set off at 9-15 am in reasonable weather. Almost immediately we passed a field of sheep and lambs with this lamb deciding that he didn’t like laying on wet grass.

At Wharf Cottage, Colton, on the offside of the canal this pair of swans have set up home on the lawn. The Penn sitting on the nest while the cob patrolled the canal but surprisingly unaggressive.

We stopped in Rugeley for a quick bit of shopping both at Tesco and Morrison. A little further on we passed this sorry sight, did the hull leak or was it the stern gland that failed, maybe the bilge pump failed as well. What ever happened it was someone’s pride and joy. Work is ongoing behind the Ash Tree Boat club. They are building 72 houses on 2 sites, one each side of the canal. I wonder what the householders will think of boats permanently moored outside their windows or will the club lose its moorings? We just went under bridge 62 by the water point and the sky’s opened throwing hail down onto us with some force, to say my ears were stinging would be an under statement. Thankfully it only lasted a few minutes but it wasn’t pleasant. From a distance the railings at Armitage tunnel don’t look to bad but when you look closely its probably a waste of good paint. I cant believe this work was carried out by volunteers, all the ones I have met take much more pride in their work.

 

 

 

 

 

We passed a moored boat who was worried about getting his generator wet so was running it inside his boat, I wonder if he was a worried about dying from CO poisoning.

I took it nice and slowly round the bend by the church leaving plenty of room for any oncoming boats only to meet one right under bridge 60.

Just passed Armitage Railway Bridge 59A mother duck was taking her new family for a walk along the towpath, I don’t know where the nest was but I would be surprised if the youngsters could have got out of the canal that young. From here it was a steady run back to the marina where following a pump out we put Harnser back on her moorings, had lunch, loaded the car and headed off back home in the sun shine.

Today’s Journey  7¾ miles in 2½ hours

Our total for the week was 93¾ miles, 79 locks in 46¾hours spread over 10 days.

Taft Bridge Tuesday 5 April 2016

We made a reasonably early start this morning at quarter to nine with a view to spending the afternoon at Shugborough Hall. The weather stayed fine all day but didn’t warm up until this afternoon. Passing through Stafford, CRT have carried out a lot of spot dredging with the spoil on the offside bank.

Work is still ongoing at Tixal but there was no one on site today.

Tixal lock was with us as we had just met a boat, this is one of the few places that still a company marker on the offside. At Great Haywood Junction we turned left as the water tank was getting low but had a short wait as there were already two boats there. Once we were full we dropped back and winded in the junction and then headed down through Haywood Lock and moored to visit Shugborough Hall. We crossed the River Trent on the horse bridge with its alcoves to allow the pedestrians to get out of the way of the horses, today they are handy to get out of the way of cyclists . When we arrived at the Hall we found they closed on Tuesdays. As it was a nice afternoon we had a walk round the grounds of the Hall before returning to Harnser and moving on again. We had our first queue of the trip at Colwich lock with two boats waiting to go down. We carried on to Taft Bridge where we topped up with diesel and then moored for the night on the towpath side almost opposite.

Today’s Journey 

9.75 miles 4 locks 1 junction 2 canals in 5 hours.

Acton Trussell Monday 4 April 2016

We left at 9 15 am but stopped a few minutes later to see Dave on Nb. Anon who sells leather goods to buy a windlass holder for a fiver. I usually stick the handle of the windlass through the belt loop on my jeans, but its only a mater of time before it busts and I lose the windlass. I have been using it all day and so far I am well impressed.

The weather was fine and the sun trying to break through but a rubbish forecast for the afternoon.
I have asked several people what use to stand beside the canal where it runs closest to the railway at map ref SJ 91912 07094

Passing Calf Heath Marina we still cant work out how to get into the pub from the canal. Just passed here we found a dredger and butty almost in the middle of the canal belonging to Sea and Land Just before the chemical works there was a tug, 2 flats and one with a toilet on board. We met another couple of flats with push tugs making their way in that direction.

Spring has really sprung with with all the Marsh Marigolds out in full flower as well as the Cowslips. There were quite a few boats around the Gailey and Penkridge area where we were now suffering from April shows, but nothing like the rain forecast. We stopped for lunch in Penkridge before doing another couple of hours. For some reason CRT in their wisdom have marked the Gailey lock moorings below the lock as 48 hr moorings, that could lead to fun when things get a bit busier. Also the winter moorings below Penkridge lock don’t look too inviting, is it possible CRT didn’t want boaters to take winter moorings this year.

We moored a short way above Deptmore lock for the night in bright sunshine but we could see the rain going round us and since we have been here there have been a few flashes of lightening.

Today’s Journey  10½ miles, 10 locks in 6 hours.

Coven Sunday 3 April 2016

A bit of an early start for us this morning just before 8 am but one boat had already passed us. A warm still morning as can be seen looking out of the cabin doors.  The reason for the start was due to time limited passage at the Rough Hills Stop Railway Bridge. The deck of the bridge is being replaced so the canal is supposedly only open for navigation between 9 and 10 am and again between 3 and 4 pm. However on the way we met both a hire boat and a privately owned. Arriving at the bridge dead on 9 am there was no sign of life, but the pontoons under the bridge had been moved out of the way.

It had just turned 10 am when we set the top lock of the Wolverhampton 21 and it was obvious that we were the first to use it today. All went well until we went to set the second and this is what we saw, a dry pound and all gates open on lock 3. Diana went down to close up 3 and I went back to let water down from the top. To date this is the driest pound I have encountered. Needless to say all the locks were against us but all the rest of the pounds were will up but each lock had the towpath side bottom gate open, that was until we met the CRT chap walking up who had been closing them. We finally met a boat at lock 18 and then a single hander at 19, even so the last two had leaked off by the time we arrived. The trip down had taken just a smidgen over 3 hours.

Leaving the Aldersley Junction I felt a bit guilty as we popped out into a fishing match, but only passed half a dozen fishermen, the ones north of the junction didn’t get disturbed. We stopped for a bit of lunch opposite Oxley Marina when a boat came by a little bit fast, he winded at Autherley Junction and came back even faster, I bet the fishermen liked him.

After lunch we pushed on south on the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal passing our first clutch of duckling of the season, finally mooring on the rings just passed the Fox and Anchor at Coven for the night.

Today’s Journey  21 locks, 5 junctions, 2 canals 10¾ miles in 6¾ hours

Tipton Saturday 2 April 2016

We left our moorings in convoy heading for the CRT Bradley Workshops at quarter to ten in steady rain. We had an extra passenger onboard, Christine who had never been on a Narrowboat before but is a member of the BCNS. At Deepfields Junction we turned right into the Wednesbury arm. There are plans to fully restore the arm so that it forms a loop back to the Main Line. The weed on the arm was much less than last time we attempted this journey. Once at the Bradley Workshop we filled the basin and also the winding hole with 27 boats.  There was just one more to get in after this who’s bows were in the entrance bridge hole.

Just as we arrived the rain stopped and the sun came out and stayed out for the rest of the day. After a bit of lunch we wandered round the workshop that was built as a British Waterways Board boat workshop with two deep dry docks, one of the docks housed a boat manipulator which could invert a full size Narrowboat for working on it’s bottom. Part of this machinery has  been left on show but a majority of the docks are now covered over. The other dock although mainly covered is used for storage, in the photo you can see paddle apertures and paddles plus if you look closely a pile of new cast iron water points.

The yard employs 3 carpenters and one apprentice a single carpenter builds a gate out of English Oak working alone. About 3 pm boats started leaving heading back to Tipton. A 60 foot boat can just turn right out of the basin and head back towards the main canal, any longer and they have to turn left to the end of the arm and wind due to the entrance being on the angle.

The return journey was much pleasanter in the sun shine and on the way we passed a Moorhen sitting on a clutch of eggs floating in the middle of the canal We also passed what looks like a cast iron object on the canal bank which obviously weighs several tones. I must say I like the way in the Black Country they call a spade a spade, there is no doubt what this notice is telling you.

Back at Deepfields Junction we turned left back to Tipton to drop[ off out guest of the day and then we continued on the Black Country Museum moorings where we filled with water and moored just outside the secure moorings. We spent the evening in the new Dudley Tunnel Trust restaurant with other members of the BCNS. When we returned to the boat we found the road noise a bit intrusive we had a short night time cruise in the dark back to Tipton.

Today’s Journey 

Moored in the same spot as last night but have done  8¼ Miles and 3 junctions twice cruising for 4¾ hours.

Tipton Friday 1 April 2016

Last nights moorings were quiet until 4 am this morning then it sounded like a wood chipper running somewhere.

We left at quarter to nine this morning with a run of just over an hour to the Black Country Museum, we were lucky enough to get a mooring right outside the gate so were one of the first to go in.

After spending an enjoyable day wandering round we returned to Harnser and went about a mile to Tipton where we moored up with lots of the other boats doing the BCNS Spring Cruise tomorrow.

Today’s Journey  3¾miles 1 junction twice in 1½ hours