Two days

Tuesday 8/6/2010 Irthlingborough to Thrapston

Miles 9.7 locks 5

Started in the rain this morning and before we got to the lock the rain had eased but the prop was fouled with weed again so it was down the weed hatch to clear it off. The rain was coming on and off and the river improved. Near woodford we spotted a Red Kite for the first time and we continued to see them throughout the day. Stopped at Thrapston and went for a walk into the village.
Mooring by ThrapstonWednesday 9/6/2010 Thrapston to Wadenhoe.

Miles 5 Locks 2

Not far today as our travelling companions wanted to stop at their favourite moorings. A walk up to the church and later round the village soon showed us why.

Still at Irthlingborough

We haven't moved today we have been to nearby Rushden where we lived between 1973 and 1985

visiting old acquaintances and looking at the changes to the town.

Cogenhoe to Irthlingborough

Miles 12 Locks 10
We set off from Cogenhoe as the mist was clearing. the river was very weedy for the first 3 miles and one time I had to stop and clear the prop via the weed hatch. By the time we stopped in Wellingborough fo a visit to Tesco to top op the liquid refreshments the sun was just peeking through the clouds By the time we went Through Ditchford lock with the offal processing plant behind it was getting dark with a thunder storm in the offing.

It didn't take long to come and by the time we has passed Higham Lock and got to within hundreds of yards of the mooring beside the Rushden & Diamonds sports complex the heavens had opened. So we put the cover up in a downpour only to have it finish just as the covers were up.

On a more pleasant note it has been a good day for bird watching we have seen Common Terns, Common Buzzards (5), Cormorants (3) Kingfishers (2) and a solitary Tufted Duck

Gayton Marina to Cogenhoe

Miles 10 Locks 23
We have reached the River Nene. We arrived in Northampton at midday and locked onto the river. On the way we passed under the M1 alongside Rothersthorpe services. This is how it looks under the motorway. The locks on the River Nene are quite different from those on the canals, the main difference can be seen in the next pic where the Mitre gates of the canals are replaced by a Guillotine gate. Thankfully most are electrically operated and all you do is press a button. We do expect to come across some that have to be raised by hand turning a wheel. I hope it is not my day for operating the locks when we meet one

We are now moored on the water meadow by Cogenhoe lock

Norton Junction to Gayton Junction

Miles 12.7 Locks 7
The first pic really belongs to yesterday at sunset butit was taken at Norton junction our starting point for today. This will be aour last full day on the canals as we descend the locks of the Northampton flight onto the River Nene (pronounced Nen if you come from these parts). This afternoon at Gayton Marina. we will stay here and start our descent to the Nene tomorrow.

Brinklow to Norton Junction

Miles 18.7 Locks 9 Long Tunnel 1
We came off the Northern Oxford Canal about lunch-time and headed south on the Grand Union Canal through Braunston Tunnel to Norton Junction where the Leicester arm leaves the main line. As with rest of the country it has been wall to wall sunshine today the factor 30 sun block went on before 8 am. Tho pics tonight of the locks at Braunstone.


Braunston Bottom Lock Lock No 3

Atherston to Brinklow

Miles 20.4 Locks 10
A misty start to the day as we climbed the Atherstone flight into the town where we stopped for some provisions. As the day wore on we passed through Nuneaton and skirted the top of Coventry and onto the Northern Oxford Canal. We passed under the M6 at about 3 pm and moored up at Brinklow at 5.30.
The picture feature tonight is the Charity Dock boatyard at Bedworth. The pictures say it all. Pics will be loaded tomorrow poor connection tonight

Huddlesford Junction t Atherstone

Miles 15.8 Locks 4
Only 4 locks today 2 just before lunch time at Glascote near Tamworth and the bottom two on the Atherston flight just before we moored up. We will be completing the ascent tomorrow with a pause below lock 5 to visit the shops in Atherston itself. For those readers who like to know exactly where we have been we have passed through “in the correct sequence” Whittington, Hopwas, Fazeley, Tamworth and its suburbs of Glascote and Ammington, Alvecote and Polesworth. For the aficionados of the railways these names may sound familiar as we are travelling alongside the West Coast Main line.
Have you ever wondered why it is always hard to put dry gloves on wet hands which has been the story of my life today steering in the rain , which, I think we have all had today. Changed gloves once because of them being soaked and numerous times to get things from my pocket. Still the forecast is for improvement from now on. I hope so I would hate it if we had one rainy day out of three for the next two months.

Weston Lock to Huddlesford Junction

Miles 19.5 Locks 7
We are now near Litchfield where the Coventry Canal meets the derelict Wyrely to Essington Canal. No pics tonight but a couple of links to the RSPB site showing a couple of birds we don't normally see on the Macclesfield Canal.
The Reed Bunting http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/r/reedbunting/index.aspx Just before Huddelsford Junction on the Coventry Canal and the Tufted Duck http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/t/tuftedduck/index.aspx Just after Weston Lock. Fradley was busy as usual withe the added congestion of two sets of boats breasted up close to one another but on opposite sides of the canal. Still the Ice cream bought at the junction made up for that.

Chatterley to Weston Lock

Miles 19.9 Locks 16
At least the rain held off today bu it was quite windy. The Trent and Mersey canal between Stoke and Weston has been quite busy with one boat passing as I write this update at 3 mins to nine. We had heard of the anti-vandal locks that had been fitted to Etruria and Trentham locks and the first picture is of the one at Etruria. Anyone with a Dalton windlass will have problems at the lock mechanism prevents the windlass from turning a full circle once it has been placed all the way on the Spindle. We had to queue at the Meaford locks for at least one boat using the lock in front. Here we are waiting for the third lock down on the flight.

High Lane to Chatterley

Two days report as there was no connection last night
28/05/2010 Miles 13.7 locks 0
A nice run in the sun from High Lane to Bosley. Didn't start untill after 12 noon as we waited in vain for the pump-out cards to arrive. at least the weather was kind to us. The picture is of the Mill at Bollington with the new bridge at the front.
29/05/2010
Miles 12 locks 13 and one long Tunnel
What a contrast in the weather, the driest we have been today was when we were in the Harecastle Tunnel. So no pictures today. We are moored at the southern end of the tunnel at Chatterley.

One day to go

We have made three trips to the boat today loading up for the summer cruise on which we hoped to set off tomorrow morning. Unfortunately the two BW Pump -out cards I ordered last week failed to arrive in the post today so we will have to wait for tomorrows post before catching the bus to High Lane.
We also heard that with the water levels on the Macc being about 3 inches down the crew of Discovery No1 had to discharge their drinking water before the could get out of the High Lane Arm. This made me check our situation and we were hard aground on the bows so I decided to pull away from the edge and only suceeded after several minuits of hard heaving.

May Day

We spent the May Day Bank Holiday at Whiteley Green on the Macclesfield Canal. We went on the Friday and returned on the Monday. The moorings belong to the NCCC and two large gazebos were set up to have a space for people to gather and chat. there was heating provided and lighting was by two Tilley Lamps. Quite a few club members turned up, the BBQ was light on Saturday and Sunday for people to cook their own food. On Sunday members with a musical bent gave a show.

Boats moored @ Whiteley Green Br 24 Macclesfield Canal.

Final Green Lane Update

From the following sequence of pictures you can see Green Lane Aqueduct on the Lower Peak Forest Canal in Romiley after repair work to fix a serious leak. As you may recall two separate attempts were made or the second visit was planned as the pointing of the wall where the most water was coming through was not done until after the first visit. There is still a small "weep" in the arch of the aqueduct

The spot where most of the remedial work was carried out.

Looking North towards Woodley Tunnel

Looking South towards Hyde Bank tunnel.

As I pass this spot quite regularly I will watch for further activity and report if there are any significant changes.

Back in the water

We relaunched the boat earlier today after a week of cleaning and blacking the bottom. It is a very satisfying feeling to see the boat gently slip back into the water, now all we have to do is get the rest of the boat ready for the summer cruise.

On the Slip

Disaster! the engine water pump failed as we were running the engine last Sunday. We had stayed on board overnight and were recharging the batteries when all of a sudden a cloud of steam from the engine compartment. A quick word with our local mechanic and a new pump was on order. I decided to replace our existing 45 amp alternator at the same time for one with a higher capacity whilst work was going on in the same area.
We had decided to black the bottom of the boat before we go on our extended summer cruise and a slot was booked on the NCCC slipway for early May. Last week I had a call asking if I could move to the slot for Monday 19th April (today) as the boat due for this week couldn't be done and needed a little more time before it would be convenient. A quick call to the mechanic to check that the water pump and alternator could be fitted for Monday was met with a sigh and a promise that it would be done in time to move up to the slip by 11 am. As it turned out the water pump proved to be more difficult a job than anticipated and the work was still being done as the boat was polled from its moorings to the slipway and during the pull up.

On the slip with the bottom just having been pressure washed

The alternator is still being fitted at this stage hence the engine space hatch cover still being up. What looks like a flying bridge on the roof is really the step/seat we have at the back of the cruiser stern deck.

I decided that as most of the wear seemed to be around the waterline some extra priming should be done in that area. Hopefully the first coat of bitumen paint will be going on tomorrow after the hull has been sanded

Easter

We went to Bugsworth Basin at the head of the Peak Forest Canal for Easter along with about 25 other boats from the NCCC
We moored just outside the small basin on the Middle Arm


The main Basin was almost filled with Club Boats


We had set up the marquee on Thursday afternoon and had a full programme of entertainment over the weekend including a fine performance from Braunston Pickle, a folk band and a 60th birthday party on Sunday evening. One nice thing about staying at Bugsworth is visiting the Navigation Inn and another is visiting Buxton, which is only half an hour away by bus. We did both this weekend - more times to the Navigation Inn than Buxton.
The trip back to High Lane this afternoon was uneventful and took around three and a half hours.

NCCC Opening Cruise Sunady 28 March 2010

Our first time out this year on the North Cheshire Cruising Club's opening cruise from Bridge 12 on the Macclesfield Canal to Bridge 20 and return.

The convoy on its way out
Just after Bridge 20 turn around, boats moving in both directions. As we arrived back at the moorings we noticed that the domestic water pump was coming on for short periods . Quick looks behind the sofa showed we had a leak in the same area as before. the system was turned off and left till next day when it was found that the pipe that had come off due to ice earlier needed replacing. This was done so hopefully we should be O.K. for this weekends trip to Bugsworth Basin.

There follows a short video showing the boats getting ready between bridges 11 and 12 and the boats passing near Br 20, starting with the Commodore on the Vice's boat as hers had developed a fault part way along the trip.

Green Lane Aqueduct Further update

The contractors have been on site again most of last week. I havn't had time to look or take any photo but last wednesday the leak had stopped again so I presume the dams have gon in again. the machine that lifted the puddle up to the towpath was there so they were up to something. I should be avle to visit the site Tomorrow.

Green Lane Aqueduct Update

The dams have been removed and the aqueduct re watered but the wall below is still leaking. The day after this machine was used to lift extra puddle up to the towpath.

Later in the day this was the scene still got the temp fence round the place where the

cement grout was added.
Another view of "The place where the leak was" showing the puddle that has not even been

tramped down.
A view from the top showing the aqueduct walls still leaking.
I wonder if B.W. will be paying their contractors for "nearly fixing the leak?".

Green Lane Aqueduct Update

The dams are still in place on the Lower Peak Forest Canal at Green Lane Aqueduct in Romiley as work to fix a long standing leak takes place .


The section of canal dammed off is quite short and includes about 40ft of canal as well at the aqueduct.

The leak has been found and the bank behind the waterwall has been excavated to reveal the void created by the leak. a liquid slurry of sand and cement is being pumped up and allowed to flow into the void.

This is the machine making the slurry and pumping it up to the canal level from the road under the aqueduct

Work continues. I will report progress next week.

Lower Peak Forest Canal.

At last B.W. are doing something about the leak at the Green Lane Aqueduct on the Lower Peak Forest Canal in Romiley. The leak was greater than 20 ltrs per minute and had started in the inner arch of the aqueduct and in the last year had spread to one outer wall. this week two dams were erected either end of the aqueduct and the water pumped out. This is the first time for over a year I have not seen water pouring out of the wall. Lets hope they manage to fix it now.

I will follow the progress with interest and report as things develop.

Been to the boat Yesterday

I went to the boat last night to change over photographs. It seems that we have a photo of the boat on the boat and a photo of the House in the house so I was instructed to change them over which I did. Going on the boat reminded me that I had not reported the alterations that took place before Christmas
The previous owner changed the original fit out by adding cheap vertical tongue and groove planking to some internal partitions and then painted it in a matt stain paint that I could never quite match. Earlier last year I experimented by taking off a small bit to reveal quite good mahogany faced ply under that, after a sand down and several coats of varnish, looked quite presentable. The rest of the partitions were done late last year with a few being clad as the old tongue & groove was the only thickness there was. It all looks better now. At least I think so.
You may also recall seeing the fresh water pump when it was repaired in the summer at Stourport well................ over the winter the plastic pipe connecting the pump to the copper piping feeding the rest of the boat was forced off by an ice build up, which ment all the shifting of furniture and panels again to fix it back on. Fortunately only a small amount of water was released onto the carpet.
I will have to spend a couple of days checking things out soon as the NCCC opening cruise is on 28th March and the Easter cruise shortly after.

Spelling

I have just been looking at the last few entries in last years blog and have found several (Probably not all) spelling mistakes. I have altered those I noticed. Reminder to self to use the spell checker each time I update

Awakening to 2010

As the days start to get longer it is time to poke the embers of last years blog in preparation for the new cruising season. One thing I promised to do was give the summary of last years cruising - we traveled 496 miles and negotiated 334 locks and one Lift ( the Anderton), twice. The canals travelled on were the Macclesfield,Upper Peak Forest,Trent & Mersey,Shroppshire Union including the Middlewich branch and the Wardle canal, the Staffs & Worcester and the Gloucester and Sharpness. We also traveled from Stourport to Gloucester on the River Severn in both directions and spent two days on the Bridgewater canal between Preston Brook and Sale. Oh one other thing, unfortunately a picture of the winning hat in the NCCC Easter Competition has been found and I have been persuaded(arm twisted behind back)to include it in the blog. So Here Goes ----