The Griff, Nuneaton

It is a wet Wednesday, we're boating and there are water shortages. We are moored up on the Coventry Canal just north of Marston Junction where the Ashby heads off east. All day it has been either heavy showers of just heavy rain. At last it has just abated.

We are on our way to explore Northern Waters, the first stage being a trip down the River Trent. Getting to the Trent needs some thought because of the closure of the Leicester Arm. We are going via the North Oxford, Coventry and Trent & Mersey rather than the more direct route via Leicester; or at least that is the plan.

We left Yardley Gobion on Sunday after spending Saturday night on board Albert in the marina; the idea being we could work out what we left at home and then get it! In the end we did have to return home on Sunday morning to get a favourite fleece. When we got underway on Sunday morning, after purchasing a new gas bottle, the weather was fine but fresh. We went up the first few locks of the Stoke Bruerne flight with a large family group but when we caught up with a single boat ahead and changed partners. As we got towards the top of the flight we were approached by a canoeist who asked about following us through Blisworth Tunnel. When I pointed out that it was not allowed, we offered him a “lift”. He put the kayak on the roof at the Top Lock and enjoyed the experience riding in cabin. He then realised it was two-way working and just how close boats pass in the tunnel. I think he also realised that prohibiting canoes was reasonable. The canoeist was on his way to Market Harborough and was camping out at night. He reckoned that he made around 6 mph so he overtook us. After he had overtaken us he had to walk a section occupied by “Tyson” a viscous swan – he was warned by passing joggers. We finally moored up at Flore Wharf and saw him pass us again.

Canoeist Hitchhiker overtaking us at Bugbrooke

 

Monday saw us getting up early to try and beat the lock opening restrictions on the Buckby and Braunston flights. We got to Whilton behind another boat, hoping to pair up, but discovered another boat already in the bottom lock so we had to go up alone. It wasn’t easy, it never is on this flight, but in lock 10 we got stuck. An underwater obstruction under one of the gates meant they couldn’t be closed tight. No amount of flushing water and pulling and shoving would make them seal! We were on the point of calling out BW when two crews arrived and lo and behold the obstruction finally moved and we could seal the lock and continue. We made Braunston Top Lock 45 minutes before closure and moored up for the night Braunston. It was quiet.

On Tuesday we visited Midland Chandlers at Braunston and bought some new leisure (domestic) batteries. At Hillmorton only single locks were in use because of the water restrictions. We finally moored up at Rugby and used the opportunity to visit Tesco’s. Not a bad place to moor on a wet day but no TV reception.

NB Callisto passing just north of Braunston

Wednesday, today, found us boating in steady rain. Passed our friends the Westlakes who were going south on NB Morpheus near to Stretton Stop. Bob W and I only managed a few words in the wind driven rain. Stopped for lunch at Ansty and Maggie got really wet as she helped moor up. Later in the afternoon it finally became dry (only just).

Wet day at Sutton Stop (Hawksbury Junction)

Despite the indifferent weather (to use a phrase), we are enjoying our spring boating and looking forward to exploring new waters.

Barton Swing Aqueduct - Towpath

Following my earlier post, and the photograph from Wonderful Britain magazine showing horses on the elevated towpath of the swing bridge, I decided to look back at the pictures I took when we crossed the bridge (twice) back in 2009.

Barton Swing Aqueduct, Bridgwater Canal;

showing the location of a bracket supporting the towpath and control

On several photos I could clearly see evidence of  riveted brackets that supported the towpath structure. On the labelled photo above you can see where the remains of one bracket are located. It is likely, looking at the photo, that the Wonderful Britain photograph was taken from the control tower seen in the photograph that lies between the road and canal swing bridges.

Wonderful Britain

Another foray into reviewing old waterway's magazines rather than books.

Wonderful Britain was published in 1929 as a fortnightly series of magazines which could be bound into a four-volume set. The magazine sold for 1s/3d each and the bindings cost 3s/- each. It was published by The Amalgamated Press which was founded by Alfred Harmsworth (Viscount Northcliffe) who published the Daily Mail. The diverse articles in each edition were heavily illustrated; not unlike the National Geographic magazine but with monochrome illustrations.

The particular edition that caught my eye, when browsing ebay, was Part 26 published on February 27th. It included articles on Prehistoric Roman Roads, Monuments to Heroes and Things to See Around Newcastle. Crucially it also included an article by Ladbroke Black entitled "Our Inland Waterways".  Being a single unbound edition I got the magazine in the auction for £2.50 including post.

Grand Junction Canal, Cassiobury Park, Watford

Grand Junction Canal, Leighton Buzzard

The heart of this article, and the magazine, are of course its illustrations. Although black and white they are of good quality. Some come from Frith. Most feature canal subjects but rivers are also covered. The text by Ladbroke Black is very readable and strays from the usual canal history. I was perplexed by his reference to the abandoned Wendover Junction Canal being used by Alfred Rothschild to raise water-fowl until I found out that the author lived close by.

There is a long description of the Wey and Arun Canal but much of the article is made up of a description of life on "monkey boats" and their decoration. The description tends towards the idylic and he notes that "the pay is good, especially if the skipper has a large and active family".  He does, however, mention the lack of education of the children of boating families and the role of the Brentford Institute.

Grand Junction Canal, Aylesbury

One interesting section, describing the Roman canals around Peterborough, describes how a motorist should find Car Dyke. The directions include road numbers. Since this is before the 1936 Trunk Roads Act they are not the usual A,B,C or D with a number. Labroke Black refers to Road 15 from Peterborough and then Route 1177 to Ripingale station.

Denver Sluice, Great Ouse

Regent's Canal, passing by London Zoo

To me the most interesting are those showing horse-drawn narrow boats on the Grand Junction and Regent's Canals and the trio of images of the Barton Swing Aqueduct. The latter location has family memories for me, and I have posted about it before, but one of images in Wonderful Britain was particularly fascinating. The swing aqueduct allows the Bridgewater Canal to cross the Manchester Ship Canal without restricting the air draught of ships. The photograph (below) shows horses on the aqueduct towpath (Bridgewater Canal). The towpath of the aqueduct is supended some height above the channel of water, presumably to save constructing a wider bridge.

Barton Swing Aqueduct, Manchester Ship and Bridgewater Canals

 - showing horses on the elevated towpath

Barton Aqueduct in operation

Water Shortage Information

Like most boaters at this time of the year we have been wondering how the water shortage will affect our cruising plans. I have been keeping in touch with the stoppages and restrictions on Waterscape and I realised that around our home mooring (Yardley Gobion) there would be many restrictions on lock openings. However worse was to come - our obvious route north over the Leicester Arm to the Trent, would actually be closed from mid April just when we were planning to use it.

Having sorted out an alternative route via the Coventry and Trent & Mersey canals I was a little more optimistic but I decided last week to seek general cruising advice from British Waterways on routes north. Unfortunately the staff manning the number given on Waterscape proved less than helpful. All they could do was read the details already posted on their web site. No extra insight or information was available. What I really wanted was an overview of the problem areas rather than have to investigate all the individual stoppages and restrictions on routes north.

Come Monday it all changed. The Boaters Newsletter (email) arrived and it provided a link directly to some really helpful maps of the water shortage restrictions.  All the information I really wanted. Just a pity that last week BW customer services didn't (couldn't) tell me that this information was shortly to be announced. Lets hope the restrictions don't get worse.

The BW advice also gives stark figures on the condition of their reservoirs. Some, such as the group that feed the Grand Union Tring Summit, are remarkably low. Despite some spring rain the Tring reservoirs (GU South) are only 60% full - an historically low value and the Saddington reservoir (GU North) is only 41% full. The vital Oxford and Grand Union group of reservoirs that feed Braunston, Napton, Watford and Foxton locks (amongst others) are only 47% full. Luckily in the north the situation looks different with some reservoirs virtually full.

It rained heavily today. Pity we didn't get more of the same in February instead of 38% of long term average.

New Header Tank - More Brass

I decided that we  needed to improve the engine coolant header tank on Albert. The small open hopper we had been using was OK but it was a bit small. Expansion made checking levels difficult, even with a sight gauge. Its replacement is a larger a 1 gallon brass tank made by Tony Redshaw. It was well-polished by Tony when I picked it up from Braunston and at the moment it makes a very good mirror!

Brass Header Tank (and reflection)

I transferred the sight gauge over from the old tank. Although the automobile style cap makes it looks like it is pressurised, it does in fact vent to atmosphere. We will have to see how it performs in practise.