Our cratch cover zip suffered some problems and the stitching came away. We have had it about eight years. The cover also suffered a small tear when our boat was left at Preston Brook a few years ago.
Over the weekend I looked around on the web and discovered that local cover/hood maker Tim Garland had repaired a few cratch covers for boaters. I left a message. This morning Tim got in touch, this afternoon we took the cover to his base ion Milton Keynes where he renovated the cover and tonight its back in place; all for a modest fee. What a great service! The cover should last a few more years now. We shall certainly get him to quote when we look for a replacement.
Canal & River Trust at Milton Keynes and Superman
Most boaters will know that the Canal and River Trust have upped sticks from Watford and moved to Milton Keynes.
The office is in the railway station building so anyone catching a train in Milton Keynes would be hard pressed not to notice it. Since most boaters won't catch trains in MK I thought I would post a picture of the front door. The visuals around the door are interesting but don''t expect to gain access. The door is firmly locked most of the day and I didn't see any sign of a receptionist. I think they don't expect or want to get any casual visitors.
The office is in the railway station building so anyone catching a train in Milton Keynes would be hard pressed not to notice it. Since most boaters won't catch trains in MK I thought I would post a picture of the front door. The visuals around the door are interesting but don''t expect to gain access. The door is firmly locked most of the day and I didn't see any sign of a receptionist. I think they don't expect or want to get any casual visitors.
CRT Headquarters Milton Keynes
Being a long time resident of the area I remember the station being constructed and it being used for filming Superman IV in the late 1980s. If you want to see the CRT offices featuring as the Daily Planet offices go to here. It was the last Superman film that starred Chistopher Reeves.
(Poster taken from Wikipedia)
Long Buckby, Stoke Bruerne and Yardley Gobion
On Saturday we returned to Albert at Braunston. Joining us for the day was daughter Emily and our grandson Hugh - his first boating trip at seven weeks old. We wanted to take on water so we moved across to the water point by Midland Chandlers. The tap was very slow so when fellow bloggers NB Valerie joined us and used the other tap the flow became a dribble.
NB Hadar passed us and then moored up around the corner. Jo & Keith came over to chat and then share a lunch with their friends on board Valerie. We left the water point with our tank only half full because we didn't want to spend all our time waiting and there are other taps.
Sunday saw us travelling down to Stoke Bruerne. Half way down the Buckby flight we met NB Tempus Fugit who was travelling single handed. We went down the rest of the flight together. Tempus Fugit is normally moored in Wolverton so we see it regularly. It turns out to be a Black Country Narrowboats Tug with a Kingfisher engine that makes a nice sound. My recollection is that Black Country Narrowboats built the famous Ragdoll of Rosie & Jim fame. There was a inconclusive Canal World Dicussion Forum debate on the topic a few years ago but she still appears to be registered with BW (CRT) according to Jim Shead.
NB Hadar
NB Hadar passed us and then moored up around the corner. Jo & Keith came over to chat and then share a lunch with their friends on board Valerie. We left the water point with our tank only half full because we didn't want to spend all our time waiting and there are other taps.
Hugh and Emily enjoying a boat trip
Hugh sleeping on board
Whilst waiting for the bottom lock at at Braunston I noticed NB Mouse. It is so short that its swim is longer than the rest of the hull. Surely the shortest narrow boat? According to Jim Shead's listing she is just 13ft 6in long.
Is this the shortest narrowboat?
We went up the Braunston flight alone, but there was a constant stream of boats coming down making our job easy. At the second lock we met friends George & Ann Davis who were coming down from Crick in their boat Daisy May. The trip through Braunston Tunnel was amazingly easy with no boats coming through in the other direction.
We took on water at Long Buckby. The water pressure was so fierce that the hose shot out of the water filler and soaked Maggie's legs - still it filled up the tank quickly. NB Midnight Rambler were waiting for friends at the Top Lock so we were able to go down the top lock together and moor up just below the road bridge. Unfortunately, The New Inn was closed and bordered up - no chance of a pint of Frog Island and a half of Old Rosie.
Sunday saw us travelling down to Stoke Bruerne. Half way down the Buckby flight we met NB Tempus Fugit who was travelling single handed. We went down the rest of the flight together. Tempus Fugit is normally moored in Wolverton so we see it regularly. It turns out to be a Black Country Narrowboats Tug with a Kingfisher engine that makes a nice sound. My recollection is that Black Country Narrowboats built the famous Ragdoll of Rosie & Jim fame. There was a inconclusive Canal World Dicussion Forum debate on the topic a few years ago but she still appears to be registered with BW (CRT) according to Jim Shead.
NB Tempus Fugit
Kingfisher KD26
Passing through Weedon, just after lunch, we got into a bit of a queue with two Stowe Hill boats idling back to their base and another boat who appeared to have some engine problems - clouds of black smoke billowed out behind it at random intervals. As we got further south the weather got colder and more cloudy. By the time we got to Blisworth it was quite miserable. The trip through Blisworth tunnel was quick - 30 minutes. There was only one boat going north and that was close to the southern portal. Emerging from the southern portal, we found ourselves in a damp and misty Stoke Bruerne.
We revived ourselves with drinks in The Boat Inn and then retired back to Albert. After seven o'clock the gas cylinder ran out and whilst I was in the process of changing it using my head torch, what handy devices they are, a boat arrived and moored up in front of us. It was a hire boat that had obviously got behind schedule since it had been pitch dark for over an hour.
Autumn leaves at Stoke Bruerne!
This morning, Monday, we woke to wet misty weather. We had moored up under the trees to avoid a pinch spot in the canal just ahead. That was a mistake because by the morning Albert's roof was just covered in leaves, from an ash tree Maggie informs me. It took ages to remove them from the roof and they left a lot of dirt behind which needed pleanty of mopping. The weather improved a little during the morning and after a slow start (it's allowed occasionally) we went down the Stoke Bruerne flight. It was very quiet. We met only one boat coming up and only a pair of gongoozlers, who turned out to be Spanish. We got back to Kingfisher Marina in the early afternoon and set about unpacking the boat.
All in all we have had a good three weeks crusing, not getting to Henley and "grandparenting".
Braunston
Last Tuesday the weather started bright and we descended the locks to Napton. It was quiet on the flight which meant that all the locks, except the last, were set against us. However, the narrow Oxford Canals locks are easy to operate and progress was good. The last lock was set for us by the CRT volunteer.
Napton Flight with the windmill on the hill
Lock side WWII pill box on the Napton flight
Although we have passed this way many times before we particularly noted the World War II pill box close to one of the locks. We have noticed a similar one on the Oxford summit near Priors Hardwick. Apparently the it's a Stent Pre-Fabricated Pill Box. We once walked up the hill at Napton to view the windmill and noted the plaque on the summit that reports that during WWII there once was an observation post on top of the hill The sign chillingly reads 'This seat and tree is close to the site of the Observer Post that witnessed the
many nights of the Coventry blitz. As a mark of remembrance the rowan tree was
planted on the 50th anniversary of the blitz. While sitting on this seat made
from Shukburgh grown timber please take time to reflect on the freedom we have
today. The support of this country in its desperate hours by such people as the
Royal Observer Corps, the Home Guard, the Women's Land Army and all those in
agriculture and horticulture who protected and fed the Nation is not always so
easily remembered'.
The weather deteriorated as we approached Braunston with threatening clouds appearing from the south-west. As we got to the junction at Braunston we were greeted by a loud clap of thunder! Fortunately only a light shower actually fell on us although to the south we could see lots of rain. We reversed Albert down the North Oxford to make use of the 14 day moorings as we were again called on for grandparent duties and would be away from the boat.
That night we ate at The Boathouse. As always the food was good value and enjoyable but we couldn't help notice how our waitress lacked any form of charm. Quite different from the last time we visited when the young waiter who served us was being trained by a supervisor and was very pleasant and attentive. It turned out his supervisor was also his mother!
Cropredy and Marston Doles
Monday was a dull showery day. We started by filling up the water tank at Aynho Wharf. Whilst we waited for it to fill (slowly) we also had a pump out. Having left my usual pair of water proof trousers at home, with an eye on the weather, I purchased another pair at a very reasonable price.
The trip through Kings Sutton was enjoyable although the weather was dull. As we passed under the M40 I took notice again of the memorial plaque under the bridge. It is a reminder that even in recent times, with the modern emphasis on health and safety, construction projects can carry risks.
As we left King Sutton Lock we collected a "blade-full" of weeds. It is actually rare that a trip down the weed hatch produces only vegetation, but it did this time. However there was a lot of it.
Banbury was quiet compared to when we passed through on Canal Day. The showers started again and we locked up through the town lock into the basin by Castle Quay and Maggie prepared the lift bridge. A boat was coming south so we waited for them to go under the bridge and also left the lock gates open. The crew were both wearing bright yellow fluorescent jackets so spotting them was easy. As they passed us I realised two things, firstly they were a Willow Wren hire boat and secondly that they were still accelerating sharply! Now the basin is not long and the lock is set at a sharp angle. I indicated to Maggie (by putting my fingers in my my ears) , that there was going to be bang and there was! The steerer made no attempt to steer into the lock and struck the wharf with load clunk. It was only in the last two yards that reverse was selected and at that moment the steerer also let go of the tiller! As I passed under the bridge I noticed the boat make a second unsuccessful attempt to get into the lock - again hitting the quay. I wonder what shoppers in the H&M store made of it all - they had a good view! It was the most inept piece of navigation I have seen for some time.
We then trudged up to Cropredy, squelching through the locks, and moored up just above the lock in the village. We stayed put for the evening.
Tuesday was a brighter day but it was blowing a gale. The trees were being shaken to their roots; we tried to avoid stopping under them! We went up the three locks to the bottom of Claydon flight. With a number of boats coming down, progress was good. The wind was still blowing strongly up the flight and some locks required extra care.
The crew of a boat coming down announced that the wind would drop after 1 o'clock . It did drop a little as we left Claydon Top Lock, about 1 o'clock, but it was still strong enough to cause me to take an interesting line into a lift bridge (141). I had the boat all lined up until a gust moved us across the canal and I had to line up again. Still we made it without a bump.
After Fenny Compton the wind did indeed drop. The trip through the Wormleighton "wiggles" was, as usual, interesting. We had to come to a rapid full stop at a blind bridge when we met another boat. A crew coming the other way on a tight bend got it all wrong and we had to select full reverse to stop in time. This section is always a challenge and you need to be wary because anybody can get it wrong.
We moored up for the night in the shelter of a hedge just above Marston Doles.
Aynho Weir Lock
We crossed the River Cherwell at Aynho Weir Lock with the indicator board showing a friendly yellow, and even the green was just showing below the surface. What a difference a week has made.
More Clearance under Nell Bridge this time
The trip through Kings Sutton was enjoyable although the weather was dull. As we passed under the M40 I took notice again of the memorial plaque under the bridge. It is a reminder that even in recent times, with the modern emphasis on health and safety, construction projects can carry risks.
A poignant sign under the M40 King Sutton
The spire at Kings Sutton
As we left King Sutton Lock we collected a "blade-full" of weeds. It is actually rare that a trip down the weed hatch produces only vegetation, but it did this time. However there was a lot of it.
A blade-full of weeds
Banbury was quiet compared to when we passed through on Canal Day. The showers started again and we locked up through the town lock into the basin by Castle Quay and Maggie prepared the lift bridge. A boat was coming south so we waited for them to go under the bridge and also left the lock gates open. The crew were both wearing bright yellow fluorescent jackets so spotting them was easy. As they passed us I realised two things, firstly they were a Willow Wren hire boat and secondly that they were still accelerating sharply! Now the basin is not long and the lock is set at a sharp angle. I indicated to Maggie (by putting my fingers in my my ears) , that there was going to be bang and there was! The steerer made no attempt to steer into the lock and struck the wharf with load clunk. It was only in the last two yards that reverse was selected and at that moment the steerer also let go of the tiller! As I passed under the bridge I noticed the boat make a second unsuccessful attempt to get into the lock - again hitting the quay. I wonder what shoppers in the H&M store made of it all - they had a good view! It was the most inept piece of navigation I have seen for some time.
We then trudged up to Cropredy, squelching through the locks, and moored up just above the lock in the village. We stayed put for the evening.
Tuesday was a brighter day but it was blowing a gale. The trees were being shaken to their roots; we tried to avoid stopping under them! We went up the three locks to the bottom of Claydon flight. With a number of boats coming down, progress was good. The wind was still blowing strongly up the flight and some locks required extra care.
Cast Iron Gates - Claydon
The crew of a boat coming down announced that the wind would drop after 1 o'clock . It did drop a little as we left Claydon Top Lock, about 1 o'clock, but it was still strong enough to cause me to take an interesting line into a lift bridge (141). I had the boat all lined up until a gust moved us across the canal and I had to line up again. Still we made it without a bump.
Autumn colours
After Fenny Compton the wind did indeed drop. The trip through the Wormleighton "wiggles" was, as usual, interesting. We had to come to a rapid full stop at a blind bridge when we met another boat. A crew coming the other way on a tight bend got it all wrong and we had to select full reverse to stop in time. This section is always a challenge and you need to be wary because anybody can get it wrong.
We moored up for the night in the shelter of a hedge just above Marston Doles.
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