BOATS AND CANALS

We have decided to bin our old sofa bed, We have had it 10 years or so and it really isn't fit for purpose. The problem is finding one that will go through the door and open sideways. We found one on the Dreams website and it was in our local store. So we went along to see it and bought one. Delivery to the boat on May.

https://www.dreams.co.uk/ohio-sofa-bed/p/533-00212

Cheers Graham

We are on the boat for the weekend. Last time I was here I pointed out to the boatyard the problems with the paving next to the boat. Our neighbour had tripped over it in the dark and crashed into our boat. Fortunately he was ok.

Well it looks like they are sorting it. The concrete in the hole suggest a little more that just a subsided slab.



Cheers Graham

I should say so. unless it's a football net.

_________________
Maurice

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On the boat once more, the paving next to the boat has been fixed so our drunken neighbour shouldn't be tripping over it anymore.

We have a new sofabed. Jo has been working hard dismantling things. She won't let me publish the photo with her bottom in the air so here is one of her on the front deck. Observant readers will notice the lack of catch. We had to take it down to get the new sofa in.



This is the sofabed.



Cheers Graham

I should think not, why would you want to .

The boat is looking good.

_________________
Maurice

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We had a nice stroll around the locks last night.







Cheers Graham

Dotterel has left her mooring! A short trip to Rugby planned to make sure everything works before Brum.



Cheers Graham

Not long now.

I am glad that you turned the picture round I was getting a crick in my neck looking at it.

_________________
Maurice

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Today we went down Hillmorton locks and cruised to Rugby. We walked into town for lunch (3 mile round trip) then set off again and turned at the entrance to the Rugby Arm. We have come back up the locks and are moored just above them.

Cheers Graham

ps I will post some happy snaps when I am back on WiFi.

Had a lovely, relaxing two hour cruise this morning and then got stuck on a boat equivalent of the M40. We moored at Braunston and walked to the Admiral Nelson for dinner. Good beer, excellent food at a good price.

On our way back from the pub we bumped into our old neighbour from Calcutt, Dale so we invited him back for coffee. We are now heading back to Calcutt. It has been another very nice day.

Cheers Graham

Back home now so it is time for happy snaps in chronological order.

There is an old Thomas Clayton boat near Braunston no 19 called Conway. It was a butty and has been shortened. It doesn't look too good.



The obligatory boat by lock snap.



The entrance to the Rugby arm is under the bridge in the distance, nearer is an aqueduct, the boat is on another aqueduct. I like this bit of canal. We turned just after the bridge.



Hillmorton locks seemed to have a number of problems, there were 3 broken paddles between this pair of locks and the gate leaked a lot.



Barby Straight



The benches of the Admiral Nelson are right on the lock side.



I like this cottage above the second lock up on the Braunston flight.



The walk back to the canal from Braunston is very nice. I can see our boat from here.



I have modified my auxiliary driving lights so I can hang them off the side of the boat in case we need to do locks in the dark on the Birmingham canal challenge



Cheers Graham

A great collection of snaps Graham.

_________________
Maurice

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Great pictures

_________________
Laurie Booth
http://www.pamelasalem.net

The challenge.

This year I was ready the boat worked and was topped up. Crew injuries made us decide to go the long was round via Fazeley.

Day one saw us moored on one of our favourite mooring north of Stretton Stop.

Day two and we were at the Dog and Doublet on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. the trip down Atherstone locks suggested the crew wasn't in bad shape. However we decided to use route 2 of my plan on the challenge which had less locks.

Day 3 and we arrived Perry Barr locks.

This delight awaited plus a dead fox behind the lower gates. I pushed him off down the canal with the boat pole.



Further up the flight is was better.



And so we arrived at our night time mooring about 40 mins from our start point. We did final shopping and decorated the boat



The next day we left the mooring at 7:45 and were waiting to start at Newton Junction at 8:00 am.

We headed up the Rushall canal and found the pound above the first lock low. We got out of the lock after I measured the depth across the cill. We ran hard aground mid pound. The crew let water down and the rest of the trip up the locks was fine.

The Daw End Branch had some bad growth.



We headed right at Catshill Junction onto the Anglesey Branch and turned in the basin.



At Catshill we turned right along the Wryley and Essington. here we met a pair of boats on the challenge they asked us where we had come from and we replied the Anglesey branch. The weed here was bad again and I later learnt that they were bemused as there was no sign of our passage down the canal.

On to Pelsall Junction and up the Cannock Extension. We turned in the Grove Colliery Arm and dispatched a runner to the end to get an answer to a clue.

Out again and back on the W&E - here we got stones thrown at us!

We were glad to get off this section and onto the Main Line. We turned up the Bradley Arm to moor for the night.





It was great sailing at night, it was a little darker than the camera shows and we used my hand held auxiliary lights. At the end C&RT had moored a dumb barge opposite the winding hole but we turned with the bow sticking over the opposite bank. We tied up for the night at 10:55 against the bank in the yard itself. Very secure there.

Up at 4:25 and off at 4:55.

We passed Laurie moored at Tipton with much waving. The we did Tividale Quays at a ridiculous hour on a Sunday morning. I think the residents appreciated all the engine noise as we turned around.

Next stop was Oldbury locks which, predictably, were empty but two boats the tug Joanna and a butty were coming down. We sorted it all out and headed for the pools. Into the big pool and turn and out. Vibration, noise and a stuttering engine suggested all was not well. A large nylon carpet was round the prop.



It took me 12 minutes to sort it out. The we went into the small pool, ran aground on the way in, did a 5 point turn and ran heavily aground on the way out, moving heavy crew to the front sorted it.

Back down the locks and onto the main line followed by the 180 into Spon Lane Locks. Another 180 onto the main line, do the Soho Loop and Icknield Port Loop and head for the end. We arrived at 1:45. What planning!

We moored next to Laurie.




We treated ourselves to dinner in a pub, had a brief walk around Brum and went to bed. As with previous challenges it was very quiet I think everyone is exhausted.

We had a late start the next day after shopping and set off down Farmers bridge.




And down Ashted locks and under the railway



We moored for the night past Catherine de Barnes.

The next day Simon came to help us with the dodgy rudder which we thought was out of its cup. In the canal with his ladder and dry suit. What cup? He was a very nice guy, fun to talk to and generous. He wouldn't even accept a few cans of beer.

With a late start we headed for Knowle locks and Hatton. Despite injuries the crew was working well and we came down Hatton at 7.5 mins per lock. We moored for the night near Radford Bottom Lock.

Another early start and we were by ourselves to the bottom of the 10 locks at Stockton. We shared these with a nice father and son team who were on their first trip in a share boat from Calcutt.



They went into the marina and we carried on up Calcutt locks. Calcutt had a power cut so there was no diesel available but the pump out is petrol powered so worked.

Up the final lock at moor.

Trip to Brum - 64 miles 44 locks.
The Challenge- 46 miles 24 locks.
Home - 38 miles 76 locks.

Total 148 miles and 144 locks.

Not bad.

Cheers Graham

Thanks for the report and pictures, excellent.

_________________
Maurice

Please click to go to our associate sites

Foxshaw Gardens Online & Boats and Canals