Braunston and Flecknoe

The weather was good and it was Saturday. With the lifting of the Covid restrictions we had thought that the canals around Braunston would be busy. As the phase goes, the world and his wife decided (like us) to remove the cobwebs and give the boat an airing. The first lock at Long Buckby was relatively quiet and when Ragweed and Albert left the lock there was no sign of any other boats moving. However, just as we left to pick up water the first of six boats arrived. Braunston tunnel was busy and slow but most boats were going the towards Buckby. We dropped down the flight with Ragweed passing an assortment of boats going the other direction. Frustratingly, there were a number of single boats from the same hire company who could have paired up and didn’t appear to have been instructed well. One crew appeared somewhat frustrated about their inability to understand what was required to operate a lock. With lock-down being raised, and overseas quarantines remaining, boating appears to be an attractive a British-based holiday. The section between Braunston and Wigrams Turn is usually quite popular for mooring and today was no exception. All the usual attractive moorings were busy and once moored up by bridge 102 a steady stream of boats passed all afternoon. The village of Flecknoe that looks down on this pretty stretch of canal and countryside looked an attractive proposition for a walk. We climbed the hill via the road, explored the village and then returned to the canal via a bridleway that cuts across the fields. The views from Bush Hill were stunning with beautiful fluffy clouds and blue sky. The fields were full cereals but not the usual wheat but barley and more interestingly oats. There were also some interesting patches of sunflowers mixed with barley and wild flowers.

Albert hiding from view

Wide vistas of South Warwickshire

Oats

Wonderful old sign on Bridge 103 Oxford Canal

Long Buckby

In the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown we finally managed get away on Albert because staying overnight on boats is now allowed. We are going to take a cruise along the South Oxford which will be interrupted by a short period at home to celebrate our landmark wedding anniversary. The weather was dry as we left Yardley Wharf on Thursday but it became damp and then wet as the day wore on. We went up the Stoke Bruerne flight with a hire boat from Gayton and were assisted part of the way by a pair of CRT volunteer lock keepers.

Our first post-lockdown locks

At the top lock I was taken aback a little when I found a swan family coming out of the lock as the gates were opened. It appears that boaters were being encouraged to try and keep the family in the top pound to avoid potentially lethal confrontation with another more aggressive family further down the flight. The operation of retaining them in the lock was quite an exercise – carrot and stick but with duck food.

Locking Swans

We had a good trip through the tunnel where it was a relief to get out of the rain. We eventually moored up just north of Gayton Junction at one of our favourite spots.

On Friday the weather was much better. We popped in at High House Wharf to discuss a possible paint refresh on the grey colour of our roof with Colin Dundas. The traffic on Thursday had been light but around Weedon more boats were on the move. We reached Whilton just after lunch, picked up some supplies including some gas and then went up the flight with Ragweed a hire boat from Weedon. The couple hiring the boat were from Kent and admitted to being relative novices. However, they handled the boat well and together we made good progress up the flight aided for most of the locks by a steady stream of boats coming down. We moored up just below the top lock and Ragweed joined us. Opposite was a delightful garden and we got talking to the owners who are showing it as part of the National Garden Scheme. It appears that the scheme will operate by appointment under the current Covid-19 regulations. We had a long chat because it turns out we have mutual friends.

Geoff is a retired railway signal man and Sue is a talented canal can painter keeping the Buckby can tradition going. One of the cans on Albert is Sue’s work – we purchased it at Crick Boat show a few years ago. The garden also boasts the top part of a signal from Harpenden which works, a low-level shunting frame signal and a streetlight from Droitwich circa 1930 complete with operating original bulb.

A Roses but not Castles Tray

Long time readers of our blog may recall that I posted about the origin of Roses and Castles decoration way back in 2008 when I came across a blue underglaze plate with a scene reminiscent of the traditional Roses and Castles. Having read Tony Lewery's two books on canal boat painting (Narrow Boat Painting and Flowers Afloat) I have been aware for some time of his hypothesis that the inspiration for the style came from not only Victorian pottery decoration and but also Jappaned goods. I was therefore delighted when the other day we got a present of a decorated metal tray that our daughter Lucy had picked up at antique fair in West London. She described it on the phone as being "a bit like Roses and Castles". When we got it we found it had all the hallmarks of the traditional Roses and Castles style - but minus the castles. It is probably what is described as Toleware.

Our painted metal tray

The tray is just over a foot in diameter and has a dark green ground that is similar to many of the shades used on narrowboats. The flower decorations are very similar to that found on traditional canal boat decoration and the roses in the centre are painted are clearly painted in the same manner with confident sweeping brush strokes. The perforated edge to the tray shows signs of gold paint. We have no idea as to its age (or even its country of origin) but we think its a very pretty item. If could be old, that is Victorian, and this would certainly reinforce the theory put forward by Tony Lewery since the painting technique is so similar.

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First Trip of the Covid-19 Crisis

So with CRT advising:

"From today, Weds 13 May 2020
You may undertake short boating trips only from today – avoiding use of locks and any staff-operated structures if possible – providing, as per current government guidance, you do not stay away from home overnight and return to your home mooring (where you have one)."

we managed a short trip out for the first time since I don't know when.

 In fact with other pressures on our time pre-crisis this is the first cruise of the year. Albert need a bit of fettling after the winter before we got out of the marina by midday.

We managed it all the way to Cosgrove Lock and back but took the opportunity to drop in at Baxters at Yardley Wharf to use their services (pump-out and diesel). The weather was just glorious and ideal, it made us wish for a long trip.

Grassy Towpath near Yardley Gobion

Met some neighbours from our village walking a circular route and had a socially distanced conversation. There were a couple of other boats moving but understandably it was quite. We must do more of this!

Old Stratford Wharf

We pass along Watling Street almost daily since we live just north of Stony Stratford. I am familiar with the route of the Buckingham Arm of the Grand Junction and the Old Stratford Branch in particular. I often sit at the traffic lights at Old Stratford in queues of traffic thinking of the boats that used to pass under Bridge 2 (the so-called Old Stratford Tunnel) on their way to and from Deanshanger and on to Buckingham. I blogged about the tunnel back in 2015.

It therefore came as a pleasant surprise to see a model narrow boat being constructed just by the lights and close to one of the former local canal wharves. I have been promising to photograph it for some weeks but not had the opportunity - Watling Street is a busy road. However, between Christmas and New Year the roads were relatively quite and the sun was shining so I took the opportunity to take a few snaps.

The impression the wooden model gives is of a very short narrow boat because what might be the traditional back cabin is finished off by a prow which is adorned by the usual bow decoration and a boat name - Falcon which in the days of carrying was the name of a nearby inn.

An unusual road side memorial

Watling Street, Old Stratford (MK19 6AE)

The boat is decorated traditionally with the name of JT Canvin, Coal Merchants who operated at the adjacent wharf. The registration is given as Cosgrove 1928. Canvins were well-known locally. It appears that at the turn of the twentieth century they owned a steam narrowboat Jubilee which, if records are to be believed, was not very sound and appeared to sink in tunnels. It was eventually reported sunk in Old Stratford in 1961.

I think Alan Holloway, who appears to be responsible for this monument, should be congratulated for his enterprise and handicraft. What a good way to commemorate a location's canal history - particularly one that hasn't got a functioning link to our current system.