Erring On The Side Of Caution

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

(Post for Tuesday 20th August)


The start of yet another trip where things have not gone to plan, but probably the only recent one where it happened on day 1!

The plan was to take both boats to the historic boat gatehering at Alvecote Marina this coming weekend.  This is our favourite organised historic boating event of the year, and with Sickle in its shiny new paint we hoped it would balance out the fact that Flamingo is getting increaingly tired externally, and consequently increasingly hard hard to spruce up to any extent.

As far as Sickle got, before we decided to play it safe.

But it wasn't to be, unfortunately.  I had done an oil change on Sickle a day or two previously, and run up the engine on the mooring, including selecting gears, and all had seemed fine.  However after she had taken Sickle as far as the bottom of Buckby locks, Cath said she was unhappy with the difficulty she was encountering getting the gearbox in and out of gear.  David and I investigated, and agreed all did not seem as it should be.  We used our "phone a friend" lifeline for some additional advice, and concluded if there was genuinely a problem we were unlikely to fix it quickly.

Much to our dissapointment we concluded the safest thing to do was to take Sickle back to her mooring, and to only take Flamingo to Alvecote.  So David and I retraced our steps with Sickle, and spent some time putting everything securely away, and locking her up.

We thought we would have to arrange a taxi back to Whilton, but someone from a neighbouring boat heard us discussing it, and offered to run us up there in his Land Rover.  I must say we were most grateful, as it was now looking increasingly unlikely we would get Flamingo to Braunston that day as planned. 

Approaching the top lock at Braunston

In practice we made good progress, and decided to press on at least through Braunston tunnel to the top of the locks.  On arrival there we reckoned we could get somewhere towards the bottom of the flight, and hopefully find a mooring in a pound near the bottom, without having to go all te way down, as there was no guarantee we would find anything on the main Braunston visitor moorings.

In fact there were no spaces in the flight, so we carried on in rapidly diminishing daylight.  Fortunately the disabled mooring spot was unoccupied.  It is legitimate to use these if no disabled boater wants it, and this late in the day it was exceedingly unlikely any would now turn up.

We hadn't planned a pub meal that evening, but by now we felt we needed one.  We are increasingly drawn to the Old Plough as being the best pub for food in Braunston, and it didn't dissapoint.  We were particularly impressed with the efficiency and friendliness of the young lady at the bar who was doing an excellent job as the only server both for drinks and food.  Generally it doesn't seem the norm to tip in pubs, but tonight I felt she had earned it.

Home Mooring to Braunston
Miles 10.4, Locks:13
Total Miles 10.4, Total Locks:13
(Sickle miles not included)

Standard stuff

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

The final day of a trip that ended up about 5 weeks longer than planned, and through no fault of our own.

The trip from Braunston back to our home mooring is fairly standard fodder for us, and we largely know what to expect. One of the things we know is that it is impossible to know how long it will take to traverse either the Braunston or the Buckby flight of locks.  The total transit times are highly affected by use by other boats, or sometimes even actions by volunteer lock keepers that actually slow things down, rather than facilitate passage. Also limited opening hours because of limited water supplies are making the locks busier when they are open, (although it is hard to see these measures are contributing much to water savings overall).

Braunston Top Lock - I wasn't about to let him push ahead!

When we did the same trip a couple of weeks back with "Sickle" after the Braunston Historic Boats event we made a too late start, and got into long queues even before the first lock - today we did better, and were soon into the locks. We started to work up with one hire boat, and were surprised by the fact that after a couple of locks a different one untied, and jumped in instead. Poor etiquette we thought, but perhaps hire boaters don't know this, and the "gazumped" crew didn't seem bothered by it, so we said nothing.

Descending Buckby locks

By the top of the flight the "replacement" hire boat was trying to motor out of locks ahead of us - again something I avoid if I'm the second boat who has joined another - generally whoever is "lead boat" tends to stay that way, unless a discussion takes place and changes the order for any reason, (such as when one gate can't be fully opened, for some reason, for example).

When it looked like he thought he was going out of the top lock first as well, I made very certain he didn't - a very lucky move, as he proved to be very slow in the tunnel, and I doubt was half way through before I came out the other end. I hate trying to follow other boats in tunnels at very low speeds - neither of our boats will go slow enough, in needs you to keep taking them out of gear to avoid running down the one in front - a real pain!

And Buckby Bottom - I love these rejuvenated "Weed Boats"!

I don't know where he went, but must have moored up, because after a longish wait for our place in the Buckby flight, nobody had turned up to share with us, so we set off alone. However boats in front were very slow, and in many cases there were boats waiting for the next lock we arrived at. As a result we ourselves had a boat catch us up. It proved to be the one that we had first been with in the Braunston flight - how much easier it would have been had they been allowed to stay with us throughout.

Overall Buckby took a long while - far longer than ought to be necessary, if people got their act together, but, as I said earlier, this regularly goes with the territory.


Eventually we got back to the mooring that we have been paying for throughout this whole long saga, but which we have not actually used since early May. 



Braunston to Home Mooring
Miles 10.9, Locks:13
Total Miles 365.5, Total Locks: 362

Almost back on the Grand Union

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

This is a fairly easy day, just a few locks, so we weren't too fussed about getting going too quickly. Alan started steering, and I decided that it was time that I had a proper clean around. There was a lot of dust in the carpets, and we'd managed to transfer a lot of dried grass inside at All Oaks Wood.

Hillmorton locks

However, on the way I contacted our friend Polly to ask if she wanted to have dinner with us that evening somewhere in Braunston. Yes, she said, she'd love to. Did I want to go to the gym with her that afternoon?

Ooo! Yes, I did. But we couldn't be too late going because the small gym is getting very busy late afternoon at the moment. Immediately there was a bit of a problem - could we get to Braunston in time?

A quick stop in Rugby was essential for a few things at the supermarket. We were lucky, all the moorings were full but the water point was empty, an ideal spot to fill up with water while I made a very quick visit to the Tesco. I got back to the boat just at the point that the tank was full.

Yes - the bow needs a repaint even more now it's been welded up!

On to Hillmorton, and while one of the pounds was very low we weren't delayed much with the three locks there. All that was needed then was the 7 or so miles to Braunston. These aren't quick miles. The canal is shallow, and winding and there are lots of boats moored along it - requiring us to slow down while passing. I did a stint steering, but realised that I hadn't had a bath for a day or so, and I was now covered in dust from my boatkeeping tasks that morning, so I persuaded Alan to steer again while I had a very quick shower/bath.

We got to Braunston in good time. People on another boat told us that Braunston was 'chocka', so we moored on the Northern Oxford before the main moorings, and I walked to meet up with Polly.

I thoroughly enjoyed going to the gym. I used the treadmill to check that I can run a mile comfortably in 10 minutes (OK, yes, I'm breaking no records there, but I haven't run for 15 years until recently), then another 15 minutes of intervals to try to build up my speed. Then weights. I felt great afterwards. I wish that I could go to the gym more often, but I am so often away that any gym membership becomes uneconomic.

The dogs, particularly Odin, behaved like idiots when they saw their special friend Polly. Then a pleasant meal in the Old Plough. 

One more day to home.

All Oaks to Braunston
Miles 15.0, Locks: 3
Total Miles 354.7, Total Locks: 349

Nearly a mile further than yesterday!

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

Another day at Brinklow Boat Services - another day of trying to scramble dogs across boards laid over the cloths of another working boat - ultimate no mishaps occurred!

Dave had agreed to look at a problem on Flamingo where rust formed between the deck plate and the top bends of the boat. The previous owner had tried fillers in the offending gap, and it hadn't worked, so rust streaks thwarted any attempt to paint it up to look tidy. The decision was to put a weld over the full length on both sides to form a proper seal - something that took longer than expected, because (as Dave explained it) despite all attempts to needle gun the area first, residual rust kept trying to break out, and disturb the weld.  In fact he had to do the worse side in small short sections.

No pictures yet, but they would simply show the repaired area covered in a suitable quick drying primer. The front end badly needed a repaint anyway, and now it most certainly does!

Dave also wanted to look over the Lister HA2 engine. He fully rebuilt it a couple of years back, but we have had some issues on this big trip, thought to be down to fuel delivery.
 
He agreed with the diagnosis of the engineer from Shire Cruisers at Sowerby Bridge that throughput on the fuel lift pump seemed less than might be expected. Between the two people taking a look I had bought a replacement fuel pump, (none was available when we were at Sowerby Bridge), so I agreed that Dave would fit it.

Dave also checked the rest of the engine, particularly ensuring all internal fuel joints were tight and not leaking, but also checking tappet clearances. In the end it was all declared in good health, other than the possibly suspect pump.

By late afternoon we were ready to leave  In the end we only went just up the canal to the usually popular moorings at All Oaks, which we found surprisingly empty.

We had travelled about a mile more than we managed yesterday, but it still wasn't much over a mile!


Brinklow Boat Services, Stretton Arm to All Oaks
Miles 1.3, Locks: 0
Total Miles 339.7, Total Locks: 346

A very short days boating!

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

Almost no boating today, but we did go the very short distance from our overnight stop to Brinklow Boat Services.

We had the usual fun of threading our way between boats, with at least one needing to be repositioned temporarily to get our near 72 foot around a corner entering the yard, and getting past the "floating/sinking" dry dock.

We had to moor on the outside of the "Star", meaning old plywood boards had to be laid across the sheeted hold of that boat to give a route to get the dogs on and off.  Max got the hang of it almost immediately, but Odin seemed to want to cross on the bits where the boards weren't!   Doable, but all three family members needed to be on hand each time it was done.

Today Dave Ross replaced the rotting "back end beam" that crosses the front of the engine room with a steel replacement.  It is a common compromise these days, if not strictly prototypical.  Anything in wood needs constant maintenance, and quickly starts to deteriorate - the steel equivalent is the same shape, but far less maintenance is required.

I didn't take pictures, so these are "borrowed" from Dave.

Old beam removed

It was very rotten

Complete and primed.

That's better!

Stretton Stop to Brinklow Boat Services, Stretton Arm
Miles 0.4, Locks: 0
Total Miles 338.4, Total Locks: 346

Another fairly gentle day on the Coventry then Northern Oxford canals.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

Around the turn at Hawkesbury, (180 degrees)

We didn't get going very early, but no problem, it was going to be a relatively short day.

I steered the first bit, then Alan took over and I got changed into my running kit. Alan dropped me off at a bridge in Nuneaton, and I set off on my run. I don't like running in warm weather, and it was starting to get warm so that I was grateful of any shade along the towpath. Alan picked me up again on the corner near Charity Dock. We decided to stop at Hawkesbury Junction for a quick lunch and I could have a bath/shower before we set off again.

 

Flamingo with Brighton (right hand side) [Dusty Miller]

Hawkesbury Junction is also known as Sutton Stop after a family of lock-keepers there in the 19th century. There is one shallow lock, a stop lock, which was to keep the waters of the Coventry Canal separate from the waters of the Northern Oxford Canal - each canal company was a separate entity, and as water was their business they were careful to make sure that another company didn't get their precious water. 

Dusty's painting based on the above [Copyright Dusty Miller]

Hawkesbury is also well known among boaters for a very difficult turn of 180 degrees underneath an elegant arching canal bridge, but also in front of a popular pub where drinkers can watch your mistakes. The ideal is to take a full length boat 'round in one', but there are photos of the boatmen of the past having a crew member holding a rope around a 'strapping post' to help them get around - so it's clearly not an easy thing to do. In practice we work on the principle of getting Flamingo round without completely cocking the whole thing up.

More than 50 years later Flamingo is where the pair were in the 1960s.

Once through the stop lock we tried to reproduce part of a photo by canal artist Dusty Miller that includes Flamingo in its Willow Wren carrying days, taken in the mid 60s.  Dusty went on to turn that photo into a painting, but artistic licence added another pair of boats, and changed the boating faiy seen with Flamingo.

I steered the first few miles, while Alan polished brass, then he took over. We managed to moor the boat somewhere near to the side just by Rose Narrowboat moorings - enough that the dogs could get on and off with both of the planks placed across to the bank. They don't seem to be able to cope with one plank - it's too narrow - but put both of them to the bank and they are OK with walking on and off. We took the dogs for a walk in the evening sunshine. Tomorrow just around the corner to Brinklow Boats for some steelwork on Flamingo.

Springwood Haven to Stretton Stop
Miles 14.7, Locks 1
Total Miles 354.7, Total Locks:346

An easier day - but "oh dear!"

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

The big push to be at Alvecote last evening had put us in a good position for a somewhat more leisurely journey on to the Stretton arm of the Oxford canal, where we have arranged to have small amounts of steelwork done on Flamingo by Brinklow Boat Services. In fact this should have happened about 5 weeks ago, but getting locked in on the Rochdale canal had scuppered that plan - fortunately Brinklow could still accommodate us at this later date.

Now we had two relatively short days to get to Stretton, and an obvious half way stop is near Springwood Haven, where there are good deep moorings, and excellent walks for the dogs.

Today would be the day with most of the locks - the eleven lock flight at Atherstone, a good well maintained flight, though the locks are notoriously slow to fill.

Unfortunately as I tried to hand Cath the camera we normally use for the majority of the blog photos, my hand caught on the strap as I thought I had handed it over, and yanked it from her hand, after which it skidded across the lock-side, and disappeared into the cut just above the top gates of the second lock up at Atherstone. They don't half sink quickly!

Cath though it couldn't posibly retrieved, but David had a go with our big magnet. I wasn't sure there would be anything magnetic, but apparently it found something, (maybe the clip on the case), and came briefly to the surface, only to fall off and sink again before it could be grabbed.

There was steady traffic up and down the locks, so I had to move the boat on up the flight, but after a long wait David did eventually appear with the camera - once set a challenge he likes to succeed!

Approaching the top of Atherstone, (taken on the "other" camera!).

Now we knew you can resuscitate mobile phones by drying out in tubs of rice, so we have tried the same with the camera. Unfortunately unlike phones zoom cameras contain motors, gears, many moving parts, not to mention lenses, diaphragms and sensors.  So far the camera is refusing to play ball, and the lens remains fully extended and any attempt to use it results in a"lens error". There is visibly water inside the lens, and also between parts of the LCD screen on the camera back.  There may also be rice grains embedded in the mechanism that should work the lens! I have not completely given up hope, but I am certainly not optimistic of a good outcome. This sadly was not a cheap camera - we do have another with us, but it is less suitable for blog photos, and there will probably be a lot less photos posted for a while.

We did get easily to Springwood Haven, and the dogs got a good walk, but I think it will have been an expensive day, unfortunately.

Samuel Barlow, Alvecote to Springwood Haven
Miles 10.8, Locks:11
Total Miles 323.3, Total Locks: 345