Freedom of the Cut 2019 - 21

Meal at The Swan and lots of cars.

Saturday 31^st August

Strange weather this morning when it began clouded over and windy, then a cloudburst later after I moored up, before the sun appeared and was very pleasant.

I did Shadehouse  Lock solo and then there were volunteers at the remaining 3 locks and I tied up on the waterpoint to fill the tank, before moving across the cut for a longer stay.

The meal in The Swan with my eldest daughter and her fiancé was very good and all home cooked. Pizzas made of homemade dough and the crab dish was extremely good with chips and salad.

Sunday 1^st September

Another rest day, so it was a late start. I had some cooking apples hanging about and just needed some blackberries to enhance them when cooked up. I found them on the Coventry near the swing bridge and got enough before popping into The Swan for a pint. I had a long chat with some other boaters on the next table and we compared notes on a few selfish boaters who insisted on mooring up several feet apart and other aspects of life on the cut, but nobody mentioned toilets or batteries!

Back on board, it was time to do some cooking for a few days ahead, including the apples, potatoes and some leeks. I intended having a BBQ this evening to cook a sirloin steak and some sausages that were left over. It is difficult trying to balance what is left over in the fridge and what is freshly purchased, as I do dislike throwing food away.

It is time to think about another visit back home and I am hoping that I can book a week’s mooring in Shobnall Basin. If that proves impossible then I have a backup at Mercia.

Monday 2^nd September

I let go after emptying any rubbish and headed back towards Alrewas. There were  volunteers on duty this morning, but I was lucky with other boats coming towards me, which saved me either closing the bottom gates or having to stop and open top gates – as the old boaters used to say, “It were a good road.”

I pulled in at Alrewas, being in two minds whether to stop there or not and there were not many vacant places in the centre. However, I did pull in between two other boats on the piling and two other boaters had by this time, asked me if there were vacant moorings in Fradley, of which there were several, which indicates just how popular it is there.

Tuesday 3^rd September

The first thing I had discovered this morning was that I had run out of gas. I had not renewed the empty cylinder when I changed over bottles, so now there was none at all. I did think that this was rather strange, as the previous bottle had lasted over a year.I had to fall back on using the microwave for my morning cuppa, but it worked out OK and I even made a cup of coffee in it later by using a coffee bag, which I keep in reserve.

I now had to think of where to get more gas, either by going on to Burton, or backtracking towards Rugby and decided on the latter as I also wanted an easier train journey home in the next couple of weeks. The train from Burton involved more changes and of course cost more, being that much further from home.

Winding the boat would involve moving in reverse for a considerable distance past several other moored boats, so I went forward through Alrewas Lock onto the Trent where I reckoned that I could turn at the end of the lock cut. The river flowed in at that point and it was not an easy manoeuvre, but I got round using full revs before going back into the lock. The alternative to this operation was to travel the half mile of river section and wind beyond Wychnor Lock, which would have taken an hour at least.

Another boat left abandoned to CRT to get rid of.

Back up through the locks to the Junction, where I turned left on the Coventry Canal to Streethay Wharf, where I could get gas and diesel.

The Mucky Duck at Fradley.

I had never stopped here before and was amazed at the amount of stuff in their chandlery, some of which had been there for many years judging by the amount of dust on it.

Onwards to Huddlesford Junction where I pulled in for the night and to have a look at The Plough, another pub I had never patronised and very pleasant it was too although the beer at over £4 a pint was more expensive than the Midlands norm.

Wednesday 4^th September

The morning was spent writing up this blog and answering e-mails, so I did not get away until midday, with the intention of getting as far as Alvecote. It was an incident free day but extremely windy and was good to occasionally get in the wind shadow of trees and bushes, but despite that the cut changed direction as it weaved about, so sometimes it was blowing on the stern – not a day for brimmed hats.

A most unusual wind turbine.

I arrived at The Samuel Barlow at 5pm and had no difficulty getting on a vacant mooring as the wind pushed the boat in the right direction and into the bank. There are several working boats here, which I suspect are going to the Huddlesford Heritage Gathering on 20^th and 21^st September, including nb Darley owned by Blossom Edge, who has been boating since he was a boy, but we don’t see a lot of him nowadays. http://darley135.blogspot.com/

Thursday 5^th September

I departed Alvecote about 10am in sunny but windy conditions and on occasions it was quite cold when the sun disappeared. I passed Grendon dry dock thinking of the hours I had spent in there blacking Nuneaton and Brighton. A man was signwriting a boat and I think it was Dean Box who did the work on Stronghold, but not quite sure if it was or not.

I had no wish to push this floating tree along.

I was soon in Polesworth and only stopped to make some coffee and have a sandwich, before heading for Atherstone and up the 11 locks.

I was fortunate in that the first five locks were not only in my favour, but there were boats heading down some of them, although the sixth was against me (it was full) and had to be emptied before I could enter. By this time another boat with crew, had caught me up and I was ready for a rest, so pulled in on the empty visitor moorings below Lock 5, tied up and had a well deserved pint in The King’s Head across the bridge. This pub was closed for a few years, but after restoration, it seems to be thriving as it is canalside, which is good news in view of all the pubs that have closed in recent years.

After a shower, I phoned Eric who lives in the town to see if he was going for a drink, but he is at the Slough Festival. I met a man dog walking on the towpath, who told me that there was a classic car festival here in the town at the weekend, but after researching it online, most of the cars were within my lifetime so they could be of interest.

Friday 6^th September

I walked up to the Co-Op to get a few essentials, but did most of the shopping in Aldi, which I had forgotten was here. In comparison with the Co-Op, Aldi easily outstripped them in popularity and all the tills were in operation.

It was time now to tackle the last five locks of the Atherstone flight, but this time I was following another boat, so all the locks were against me and had to be emptied before I could go in. Once again they were all, bar the top lock, done using the Jacko Method, as I now call it, because it was taught to me by John Jackson of nb Roach. Briefly described, as I have done so before, the boat is taken out of gear as it enters the tail of the lock and I step off at a suitable point with windlass in hand. Leaving the bottom gates open, I walk up to the top and when the boat is a about 6 to 10ft from the top cill, I draw half to a full paddle. This stops the boat and holds it in position, while I walk down and close the bottom gates, before returning to draw the remaining paddles. The method works on single locks only and all those ascending into Birmingham, but not on the Aylesbury Flight, where the boat needs to be left in gear and on tickover to keep it on the top cill.

Lock 1 was of course done by the volunteers and I pulled into the water point to fill the tank. By now I was saturated once more by a sudden cloudburst as I was filling Lock 2, with nowhere to take shelter and had to change all my outer clothing.

Once watered up, there were ample moorings to be had and I pulled in to share a ring with another boat. The stern line was attached and the centre line was on the bank, but a boat named Manxman steamed past at such a rate of knots that my bow was pulled into the centre of the cut and struck his stern, despite me trying to hold the centre line. I shouted, “SLOW DOWN”, but by this time it was too late. I absolutely abhor these selfish bastards, who are so inconsiderate to others trying to moor up – they know how difficult it is when others come past and you can always see when mooring up is taking place.

Howard Williams came past on Nuneaton later and I was curious as to where he was taking her without the butty in tow. I did find out when we had a chat later.

Saturday 7^th September

I badly need to wash the bedclothes and considered them to be too much for the twin tub to cope with. I had been on the lookout for a launderette for a while and at last I found one in Atherstone. Surprisingly, I had walked past it several times, but thought by the title that it was more dry cleaners and service wash, but not so because I could do my own washing there. I thought Braunston Marina was expensive, but this one was only £1 less for wash and dry. Because I have no spare sheets, they have to be dried immediately after washng so that they can go back on the bed. 

Whilst waiting, I had a half pint of Imperial Russian Stout, which is brewed by Marston’s in small quantities. Being 8% ABV, it would not be sensible to have a pint and was like a meal in a glass and very flavoursome. I had a long chat with Shane, the landlord about pubs that we both had in common and both being friends of Eric, we seemed to gel straight away.

The rest of the afternoon was spent tidying up inside the boat, before I went to The Maid of the Mill for a pint. Very much a locals pub, where most customers seemed to know one another. It was noisy with two TVs going as well as loud musak. It is many years since I last went there and although it has been taken over and improved since then, it is still not a place I would frequent again, but it went on my database all the same, where there are now 134 pubs listed.

For the first time, I lit the new Morso stove, but could not get a decent draw with the restricting bracket stopping the ash door from opening when the top door was closed. I decided to unscrew it, but the screws were riveted on the inside and could not be unscrewed, so I set to with a hacksaw and cut it off. Now I could get a decent draught through the grate and the fire burned fine, but gently as is was the first firing.

Sunday 8^th September

Today was the annual Atherstone Motor Show for classic cars and the weather was good with the sun shining and no wind. Several roads are closed for this event as they are taken over for display purposes and the crowds were out in force in the sunshine. Most of the cars were from the period in my lifetime, but there was a handful of older cars from the 1930’s. Motorbikes were also included, as well as few campervans. Most of the shops were open for business and the food outlets were doing a roaring trade. In the Market Square, there was a very loud disco and a few solo buskers.

AC Cobra?

Austin Metropolitan.

Not sure what this is.

A Shirley.......

.....so the badge says.

Bogus policeman with 

two tone horn going full blast.

Jaguar XK 140. 

Even the radiator cap was polished up.

Engine of above.

XK 140.

Rear end of a beautiful car.

A Lambretta.........would you believe?

A very busy place.

Engine of replica E Type Jaguar.

I spent two hours walking around the cars, before having a final pint in The Angel and heading off towards Hartshill, where there were ample moorings outside The Anchor.

Freedom of the Cut 2019 - 20

Minor Mishaps

Thursday 29^th August

I had time to spare now, so pulled the pins and headed for Rugeley. which is an old market town with a wealth of supermarkets, including Tesco, Morrison’s and Aldi as well as a myriad of smaller shops and all of them are just a short distance from the cut.

I was waiting for an hour and half to enter Middle Lock at Fradley, being the last of six boats, but once through, there was only one boat ahead on the next lock layby.

Very narrow bridge 'oles on the T&M.

The other piece of bad news was the bow caught on a projection on the sill of Shadehouse Lock and snapped one of the supporting fixings on the tipcat. It is designed to break if it does catch up, as it is held in position by a piece of cord, but the tipcat was now hanging in the water by the two side chains and would be better removed, rather than left hanging there and the sooner the better, so I pulled into the layby and managed to release the side chains and get it off, being that much heavier than normal after being in the water. I can fix it back on easily enough, if I can support the weight on the stern of another boat

Apart from that the remainder of the trip was uneventful and in sunshine most of the time and I arrived in the town about 5pm. Having been here several times in the past, moorings are normally hard to find, especially this late in the afternoon, but surprisingly there were many free spaces. 

I found Wetherspoons in the town and as it was Curry Night, I indulged with a Chicken Korma, because the Lamb Rogan had sold out. Although I tried out their Table Service of ordering by using the ‘Spoons app, but abandoned it after it refused to show an alternative offered on the printed menu and went to the bar instead. Although it was only Thursday, the place was extremely busy.

Friday 30^th August

It was to be a sincere shopping day at Tesco in Rugeley. I was living from hand to mouth on board, not having been to a decent store for ages, so two shopping expeditions where to be made. It is fortunate that the store is very close to my mooring. On the way back from Tesco, I saw a guy that I knew from some previous time on a mooring and then remembered his boat is called Namaste and placed him last at Willington where we chatted about his boat mostly and his Gardner engine.

Having now stocked up, it was time to move off, but first I had to wind the boat at the nearest winding hole, which was a mile away across the River Trent aqueduct. All went well until I tried to turn Stronghold, but the wind at that point was extra strong with no trees or bushes to slow it down and kept undoing what I had just managed to achieve. I did get round eventually, after holding up another following boat and headed back the way I had come, which took just over an hour to get back to where I had been moored.

I have passed this boat every year somewhere on the cut,

 but never talked to the owner or ever seen him.

A famous crime committed at Brindley Bank.

Crossing the River Trent aqueduct.

Someone has a sense of humour.

After that saga, things went well and I pulled in at Woodend Lock layby, as there was a projected part that I might be able to utilise to refit the tipcat, which took about 30 mins with a little help from another boater who had pulled in behind.

Belt and braces to make sure I don't lose it.

Refitted at last.

.

Fore end now complete.

Shadehouse Lock cill - what projection?

After that success I continued to Shadehouse Lock and moored up for the night, satisfied that something had gone the right way for a change and walked down to The Swan for a pint.

Freedom of the Cut 2019 - 19.

An Impressive Visit to the National Brewing Centre.

Sunday 25^th August

Time to move on again, as well stocked up with shopping for a while and seen enough of Willington, what there is of it.

I found a good mooring just a little further than Shobnall Fields, behind some houses, but with hindsight I would have been closer to my goal at the Fields. My goal being The Bass Museum or National Brewing Centre as it is now called. Having tracked it down on Google Maps, I set off to walk there, which turned out to be 1½ miles away. It was an extremely hot day with little shade and I reached the Museum at 14.30. Fortunately it did not close until 17.00 and I spent a very enjoyable two hours there before finishing in The Brewery Tap, where I had three tickets to cover three thirds of a pint each and there was a good choice of ales on offer.

Having brewed my own beer from scratch for any years, I found the whole exhibition fascinating, especially the Burton Union System of brewing and it is only by seeing it first hand that it is more easily understood. Sadly it has been supplanted now by a more modern system, which needs less manpower to operate, as have many other brewing processes nowadays. However, I do believe they still use it to brew Pedigree beer. The other most interesting item on display was the Robey tandem compound steam engine and I had a chat with the engineer in charge, who even let me into the enclosure to look at the valve chests on the other side. What I had not seen before was the condenser that also created a vacuum when the cold water was sprayed inside and was inline with the piston rod and added extra power, making the whole thing 20% efficient. Both power cylinders were inline too and not side by side which is more usual. Best explanation is here:-

http://www.forncettsteammuseum.co.uk/the-sleaford-engine.html

Two cylinders in line, along with the condenser at the far end.

I had spotted a far larger Burton Union System outside the museum, but could not get a photo of it, as I was now locked in! The only way out being through the Brewery Tap.

The Burton Union System explained.

How many of these breweries have you sampled?

An example of the interior in a Victorian pub.........

......and the beer taps behind the bar.

The working micro-brewery in one exhibition hall.

The last remaining saddle tank locomotive of which there were many.

The blue wagon is actually a diesel loco.

A Morris Cowley with a two gallon spare can on the running board, which is very similar to the one I have on board.

Can you count the barrels in this stack?

Monday 26^th August

Another very hot day was forecast so I set off for a pub by way of Shobnal Basin, where Jannell’s is still in existence after all these years. Long ago they used to have a hire fleet, although I never used them. I had a look around their extensive chandlery and their strip LED’s in particular, but they were more expensive than Midland and did not have the sophisticated dimming switch.

Walking along the main road, I got to The Compasses, but it was evident that it had been closed for some time. Realising now that I was walking in the wrong direction, I retraced my steps to the canal bridge and passed the front office of Marston’s Brewery and shop where the brewery tours start, but I knew they only did tours on Thursday, Friday and Saturday morning, which had to be booked in advance.

Continuing on, I eventually came to The Albion, which is the Marston’s Taphouse and is considerably different from the usual Marston’s houses, in that the handpumps were at the back of the bar and all exactly the same, also the beer was run along pipes in the ceiling from a rack of barrels in a glazed chiller in another part of the room, but that is where the difference ends, because the menu was much the same and there were fruit machines and muzak. I did at least know that the beer had not travelled far from the brewery.

Beer pumps draw the beer from .......

......this stack of barrels.

Tuesday 27^th August

I walked up to Shobnall Basin to get another copy of Towpath Telegraph, as I had left the previous unopened copy in the pub and while there, I enquired about a weeks mooring, which to my surprise was only £43 and it was within walking distance from the rail station, so far cheaper than Mercia and no bus ride involved.

I let go later and cruised only for 2 miles, but passed Bridge 33e without thinking about stopping to go to Morrison’s until I got to Branston, where the famous pickle first made an appearance. By now Morrison’s was too far to walk, but there was another Co-op in the village where, just as before the produce was very limited.

I was in a pub when the landlady said, "Is your little friend not drinking then?".

To which I replied, " He has had his fill at the Co-Op across the road."

This is a good quiet mooring spot with rings and there were only two other boats visible, but no wi-fi was to be found anywhere. There were two pubs within walking distance and very little traffic along the towpath, but rain was imminent in the next few days and I needed to move on just in case the Trent went into flood again, although I did stay one night.

One of my good luck stories is that I found another £5 note today beside a lock; this is the 2^nd one, as I also found one at Braunston during the historic boat rally.

Wednesday 28^th August

I set off under a cloudy sky, that promised sunshine earlier and the day was much fresher with a slight breeze, but it was not long before the rain set in as showers, although some were prolonged more than I would have liked

I set off for Fradley through several single locks, some of which were operated for me, but most were done using the “Jacko Method”, whereby I step off the stern as the boat enters the lock with it out of gear to drift slowly in. Walking up to the top paddles with a windlass, I wait until the boat is within 10ft or so of the cill and then draw half a paddle off. The boat stops at the top gate, while I walk back to close the bottom gates, which are aided to close by the slight current of water through the lock chamber. The top paddles are now fully opened to lift the boat up.

All went well, except that I was now very wet once again as I got into Fradley moorings below Junction Lock and there were plenty of spaces at 15.30. I pulled in on the water point to fill the tank, but another selfish, inconsiderate, bastard boater insisted on passing by at some speed, thereby drawing my unmoored stern into the centre of the cut and almost into his own boat, despite me hanging on to the centre line as hard as I could. These people must have moored up with others passing by them, so why are they so bloody thick when doing it to someone else? If I see another boat without a mooring line fastened off, I slow right down so as not to disturb the other boat, because I know how much it affects them.

With dry trousers now on, I walked to The Swan for a pint and some relaxation and a browse through their menu. I hope the ‘specials’ are changed for Saturday, when I go there to eat with my daughter again.

These bridges cannot be taken at full speed.

My Road Pro 12v fan found in 

Braunston Marina laundry - a life saver in a heat wave.

freedom of the Cut 2019 - 18

Return to Willington.

A few more notices like this could be useful to novices today

Tuesday 20^th August

The only place to shop for food was Shardlow Village Stores, which was 1 mile along the main road that crossed the cut, so it was time to investigate, not that I was expecting much. Not a pleasant walk alongside the traffic, but I needed some exercise. True to my expectations, it was more a boutique type of shop that sold a minimum of foodstuffs along with birthday cards and gifts. I did locate a couple of expensive lamb chops to BBQ and that was it. I caught the bus back and had a pint in the Clock Warehouse, where Marston’s have done a good job of restoring the interior, but ruined it with an imitation wide beam barge in the loading arch below, which is looking somewhat tired by now.

The Clock Warehouse.

I cooked both chops on the BBQ and will keep one for tomorrow if I don’t eat out again.

The bricks in this boundary wall are so soft that birds have pecked nesting holes in it. They also go behind the adjoining brick so the nest would be hidden.

The brewery bottling store built in 1780.

Used for unloading boats at the bottling store.

Wednesday 21^st August

I let go about 09.30 to wind the boat in Dobson’s boatyard opposite and head for Shardlow Lock hoping to follow another boat in, but when I got there he had an offer from a boat already waiting in the lock, so I had no alternative but to do it solo although it was only 4ft 5ins deep. The next lock was Aston where I had moored previously and although 8ft, I did this one as well. The following lock was Weston and this was 10ft 11ins, so more daunting and despite getting Stronghold in and tied up fore and aft, I could not close the offside gate, as it was just too heavy and had to ask a dog walker to add some weight behind the beam. Just as I was about to exit that lock, another boat appeared behind me, so I offered to wait at the next one for them – any help making things that much easier.

It was about here that I saw my second ever terrapin, but no chance of a photo as it dropped back in the water as I went past. The last one had been in the filthy water of Paddington Arm last year.

Instead another boat appeared behind me at Swarkstone and got me through with the help of mother and two girls, but they were pulling in at Barrow, so that didn’t last long. Eventually I got back to Stenson and what with the bridge over the tail of the lock and it being 12ft 6ins deep, I was just not going to chance the slippery ladder that far up, so I hung around on the layby waiting for the previous boat, which was twenty minutes behind me and they took me through to moor up again by The Bubble Inn. That was quite enough for one day and the 9 miles took me 7 hours of cruising, bearing in mind that I had to fill most of the locks before I could pass through.

I did not feel like cooking by the time I had moored up, so went to The Bubble Inn for a Greek beef stifado, with rice and Greek salad. It was not how I remembered it in Greece and was rather dry with none of the recommended spice flavourings or the baby onions. Anyway, it was all washed down with a couple of pints of Cornish Tribute.

Thursday 22nd August

A slow start this rather miserable morning with overcast skies and a strong wind, although no rain is forecast and the Bank Holiday weekend is looking good. I motored up as far as Mercia Marina to visit Midland Swindlers again and moored outside this time. I wanted some Morris oil for topping up, some Duraglit and a deck chair. Duraglit has now been replaced with Brasso wadding in exactly the same type of tin as the original make. There was only one type of chair on sale and that was too heavy for carrying any distance, so that was off my list. Besides, it was more expensive than I wanted to pay. I also bought some toilet bowl cleaner as mine is now very badly stained despite scrubbing vigorously in the past, it has remained so. This Jabsco concoction is made by the pump manufacturers and is biologically safe, so should not damage the biological action of the Silky RX in the waste tank.

I looked at some LED strip lights housed inside an aluminium extrusion and was given a demo by the salesman. Not only is there a touch switch on the end of the strip, but if a finger is held on it, the lights are dimmed. After switching off, they remain as the same setting when switched back on – clever stuff and I must admit to being tempted to replace the fluorescent strips over the galley work area.

Whilst on that mooring I went into marina reception to make enquiries about getting a temporary mooring for when I went home next. It was £67 for a 50ft boat for a week and no reservation required, so that was easy. There is also a bus service every hour from a stop outside the marina to Burton. Not as cheap as Rugby Wharf, but still fairly reasonable, compared to some other places I could mention.

Moving on, I soon arrived back on the Willington moorings and there was one space left on the edge of the winding hole restrictions. In all cases, there is no mooring opposite a winding hole, although I have seen hire boats and liveaboards there many times.

I did some shopping in the Co-Op, which is better stocked than the ones I am used to and popped into The Green Man on the way back. Surprise – it was full of locals eating and drinking and it was only Thursday. There were six popular ales on tap, but I restricted myself to one pint of Bombardier. 

Back on board, I had to do something with the remains of the beef stifado, a small piece of fillet steak and a lamb chop previously cooked on the BBQ. I had bought a tin of oxtail soup so it was all mixed together with some boiled potatoes, leftover mushrooms and some broccoli and carrots, flavoured with some tomato puree, Worcester sauce and seasoning and simmered for a while. Surprisingly, it was very tasty and produced enough for about four meals.

Friday 23^rd August

A leisurely day on the mooring with not a lot to do. At last the constant wind had dropped this morning and it looked like a warm sunny day for a change. Blogging and generally wasting time this morning, but another visit to the Co-Op was due, before another visit to The Dragon for beers outside and the garden was packed with people.

Not many tables free on a Friday evening at The Dragon.

Visitor moorings full up on the towpath. 

Saturday 24th August

Yet another visit to the Co-Op, but the problem is that I can’t carry too much shopping in one go in a knapsack, unless I take the wheels.

Andy Belton stopped at the waterpoint opposite and we had a few quick words. He had been up the Caldon and was now on his way back to Nottingham, so he missed all the hanging about for the flooded Trent.

I got into conversation with a boater on the towpath after he remarked about how good The Anchor pub was after spotting my tee shirt. We talked for a while about pubs and beer and he did complain about the cloudiness of the two pints of Boot Ale that he had and that the Doombar was now off. We compared notes on various waterway pubs and I showed him my database of 120 pubs on the cut, many of which he had been to in the past. The Boot ale was now off, so I had Clod Hopper instead, which was a light ale with slight citrus flavour. Strangely enough, another punter at the bar, said, “That’s a bloody good pub,” referring again to The Anchor at High Offley. So two people had remarked on it within the space of five minutes.

It is extremely hot again this afternoon and I spent a lot of it sitting out with a book and the fan going full belt to keep cool.