On August 5th we put in long hours. After an early (8 o’clock) start we managed to get to Norton Junction in the day. The weather was good all day and it was great cruising. The only negative was the idiots at Stoke Top Lock who “stole our water”. A crew had kindly seen us in the lock below and left open one of the bottom gates of the top lock. We watched the activity at the top lock carefully in case a boat arrived and we were dismayed to see it close as we left the lock below. Maggie ran up and found it half filled by the time she got there. She received an apology from the crew, who were not novices) but I am afraid that I followed it up to make sure they realised quite how stupid they had been (it would have only taken a quick glance under the bridge).
When were moored up at Norton, just below the New Inn, we were joined by NB Tarn, a tug-styled boat fitted with a Greaves 2YWM that appears to have been imported by Lawrence Hogg. They were returning to London from the IWA Festival at Burton. Despite its similar Greaves (R & H, India) lineage their engine had several layout features that were different from Albert’s 2YWM. That night we ate in the New Inn – Maggie had her usual half of Old Rosie.
