Monday 11th May 2015
Day out on the trains.
Day out on the trains.
Saturday 16th May 2015
Heading out of the soar on to the river Trent and heading towards the Trent and Mersey canal.
Heading out of the soar on to the river Trent and heading towards the Trent and Mersey canal.
Sunday 17th May 2015
Through Sawley Lock and moored close to Sawley Bridge Marina. Viewed several boats there but none of them came up to spec.
Through Sawley Lock and moored close to Sawley Bridge Marina. Viewed several boats there but none of them came up to spec.
Monday 18th May 2015
6 miles 4 locks to Weston - on - Trent
6 miles 4 locks to Weston - on - Trent
Tuesday 19th May 2015
8 miles 3 locks to Willington, looked at a couple of boats at Willington Marina.
8 miles 3 locks to Willington, looked at a couple of boats at Willington Marina.
Wednesday 20th May 2015
A boat had caught my eye in Towpath Talk moored at Wilton Marina so we arranged to visit, caught the train there and got picked up at the train station by one of the staff and taken to the marina. Investigated it thoroughly and it passed the my No 2 Nose Test for mould and mildew, IE there was no sign of damp at all. Put in a silly offer.
A boat had caught my eye in Towpath Talk moored at Wilton Marina so we arranged to visit, caught the train there and got picked up at the train station by one of the staff and taken to the marina. Investigated it thoroughly and it passed the my No 2 Nose Test for mould and mildew, IE there was no sign of damp at all. Put in a silly offer.
Thursday 21st May 2015
The silly offer was almost accepted, I had to go up another thousand but still got a 15 year old 55ft boat with a perfect survey for a reasonable price, within my budget, but it still didn't leave me much left over.
The silly offer was almost accepted, I had to go up another thousand but still got a 15 year old 55ft boat with a perfect survey for a reasonable price, within my budget, but it still didn't leave me much left over.
Friday 22nd May 2015
1 mile 7 locks - Norton Junction.
Left Almyne at Weston-on-Trent. Caught the train to Wilton again and completed the purchase. License and insurance all paid up and off we went in my new boat.
The trains to and from Weston-on-Trent are few and far between so travelling to and from here can be a bit hit and miss. I suppose if you are a regular commuter the early morning and late evening trains work, but during the day, not so much.
Once at Whilton and all the formalities completed (including getting the license renewed as it had expired a while ago during the time it was moored in the marina) we were good to go.
Checked out all the ropes and cordage (a yachtsman would have kittens at my terminology) before we set off and decided that it would be politic to get a couple of new center lines.
Pretty ambitious for a first day but we made good progress with no misshaps. 55 foot long doesn't sound much more than 45 foot long, but my goodness it makes a difference.
1 mile 7 locks - Norton Junction.
Left Almyne at Weston-on-Trent. Caught the train to Wilton again and completed the purchase. License and insurance all paid up and off we went in my new boat.
The trains to and from Weston-on-Trent are few and far between so travelling to and from here can be a bit hit and miss. I suppose if you are a regular commuter the early morning and late evening trains work, but during the day, not so much.
Once at Whilton and all the formalities completed (including getting the license renewed as it had expired a while ago during the time it was moored in the marina) we were good to go.
Checked out all the ropes and cordage (a yachtsman would have kittens at my terminology) before we set off and decided that it would be politic to get a couple of new center lines.
Pretty ambitious for a first day but we made good progress with no misshaps. 55 foot long doesn't sound much more than 45 foot long, but my goodness it makes a difference.
Saturday 23rd May 2015
10 miles 7 locks 1 tunnel Hillmorton
I am sure that we must have taken time out to get a few provisions but I can't for the life of me recollect when or where this might have happened.
Really exciting getting to know the new boat, how it handles, how quiet the engine is compared to Almyne (which had an air cooled Lister) and how far away the front is.
10 miles 7 locks 1 tunnel Hillmorton
I am sure that we must have taken time out to get a few provisions but I can't for the life of me recollect when or where this might have happened.
Really exciting getting to know the new boat, how it handles, how quiet the engine is compared to Almyne (which had an air cooled Lister) and how far away the front is.
Sunday 24th May 2015
14 miles 3 locks - Hawksbury Junction.
The plan is to get to Fradley, moor up and then collect Almyne and Olive so we can have all three boats together in a location that doesn't infringe on any other boaters but still gives us access to the facilities we require, hence the degree of travelling we are achieving.
14 miles 3 locks - Hawksbury Junction.
The plan is to get to Fradley, moor up and then collect Almyne and Olive so we can have all three boats together in a location that doesn't infringe on any other boaters but still gives us access to the facilities we require, hence the degree of travelling we are achieving.
Monday 25th May 2015
12 miles 9 locks Whitley Bridge
Moored up just below the Atherstone flight. We did stop off briefly in Atherstone to replenish our dwindling resources of food so that we could eat tonight.
12 miles 9 locks Whitley Bridge
Moored up just below the Atherstone flight. We did stop off briefly in Atherstone to replenish our dwindling resources of food so that we could eat tonight.
Tuesday 26th May 2015
11 miles 4 locks Hopwas
Our destination is within a days journey. Glascote locks were, as usual, a pain to go through.
Evidenced by this poem that has been at the lock for a good number of years
Just a note, to let you know, that this here Lock, is very slow.
So take a breath, relax and smile, (you might be waiting here a while.)
The problem is, (or so we're told,) is Lock Thirteen is very old.
Her paddles shot, through wear and tear, the water pours out here and there.
We've had them fixed, then fixed again, by some of Waterways finest men.
And for a while, the Lock works well, until again they leak like hell.
I pray this pause in your sojourn, has made you stop, to think and learn.
That on the 'cut' there is a pace, that's not for those who want to race.
So if you're rushing, running late, this tale of Leaky Lock you'll hate,
If you've no time to gently float, then why a bloody Narrow Boat?
On a brass plate attached to the lock.
11 miles 4 locks Hopwas
Our destination is within a days journey. Glascote locks were, as usual, a pain to go through.
Evidenced by this poem that has been at the lock for a good number of years
Just a note, to let you know, that this here Lock, is very slow.
So take a breath, relax and smile, (you might be waiting here a while.)
The problem is, (or so we're told,) is Lock Thirteen is very old.
Her paddles shot, through wear and tear, the water pours out here and there.
We've had them fixed, then fixed again, by some of Waterways finest men.
And for a while, the Lock works well, until again they leak like hell.
I pray this pause in your sojourn, has made you stop, to think and learn.
That on the 'cut' there is a pace, that's not for those who want to race.
So if you're rushing, running late, this tale of Leaky Lock you'll hate,
If you've no time to gently float, then why a bloody Narrow Boat?
On a brass plate attached to the lock.
Wednesday 27th May 2015
9 miles 2 locks - Moored above Shade house lock.
Ah ha, we are here! Just need to collect our other boats.
One of the features of Forty Two is the bed. It is a full size double with a one piece mattress and the whole thing folds away against the side of the boat. A couple of straps hold the mattress in place when it is folded up and vertical against the side of the boat. With the bed folded up against the wall the way to open it is to sort of lift it a bit whilst at the same time pulling the top towards you. It pivots and slides towards you and when it gets to a certain point (about 45 degrees) is slides back so that the far edge is tight against the wall and then settles level. There are a number of complicated levers and sliders to achieve this and once open there are a couple of slide bolts, one at each end, to lock the bed in the down position. The reverse process is just as complicated, but it does mean that the bedroom is mostly clear during the day making access to the back doors easy with plenty of room. With the bed down there is only a very narrow strip between the bed and the wall to get past it.
9 miles 2 locks - Moored above Shade house lock.
Ah ha, we are here! Just need to collect our other boats.
One of the features of Forty Two is the bed. It is a full size double with a one piece mattress and the whole thing folds away against the side of the boat. A couple of straps hold the mattress in place when it is folded up and vertical against the side of the boat. With the bed folded up against the wall the way to open it is to sort of lift it a bit whilst at the same time pulling the top towards you. It pivots and slides towards you and when it gets to a certain point (about 45 degrees) is slides back so that the far edge is tight against the wall and then settles level. There are a number of complicated levers and sliders to achieve this and once open there are a couple of slide bolts, one at each end, to lock the bed in the down position. The reverse process is just as complicated, but it does mean that the bedroom is mostly clear during the day making access to the back doors easy with plenty of room. With the bed down there is only a very narrow strip between the bed and the wall to get past it.
Thursday 28th May 2015
Caught the train to Willington to collect Almyne and Olive.
By the time we got here it was too late to do any travelling as the trains into Weston-on-Trent only seem to stop early morning and late evening, presumably for the commuters.
There is a decent cchippy here so it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.
Caught the train to Willington to collect Almyne and Olive.
By the time we got here it was too late to do any travelling as the trains into Weston-on-Trent only seem to stop early morning and late evening, presumably for the commuters.
There is a decent cchippy here so it is an ill wind that blows nobody good.
Friday 29th May 2015
9 miles 3 locks Barton Turn
Feels as though we have been travelling for months but the end is nigh, we should be at Fradley by end of play tomorrow.
9 miles 3 locks Barton Turn
Feels as though we have been travelling for months but the end is nigh, we should be at Fradley by end of play tomorrow.
Saturday 30th May 2015
5 miles 10 locks Shade House Lock
All three boats together now but in my absence the batteries on Forty Two had gone completely flat, I had inadvertently left the inverter on which had drained them down to absolutely nothing so much so that they were unrecoverable. No choice but to have five new batteries installed, an unexpected bill.
5 miles 10 locks Shade House Lock
All three boats together now but in my absence the batteries on Forty Two had gone completely flat, I had inadvertently left the inverter on which had drained them down to absolutely nothing so much so that they were unrecoverable. No choice but to have five new batteries installed, an unexpected bill.
Sunday 31st May 2015
Took loads of pictures of Almyne and built a web site giving all the details. Almyne was advertised on Apollo Duck with a link to my Almyne web site.
Took loads of pictures of Almyne and built a web site giving all the details. Almyne was advertised on Apollo Duck with a link to my Almyne web site.
