We had decided to buy the boat after a few hire boat holidays; I had first cruised on the canals about 20 years previously but Jacquie was a recent convert. . With all our dogs holidays are limited, I had talked about my canal experience and eventually, when our last Borzoi died Jacquie was convinced to try. . She was immediately enthusiastic and when we got home Jacquie started straight away looking at advertisements for boats to buy; as we had some money available from our house move we could afford to buy one outright. . After seeing a few we visited Viking afloat and were very impressed with the boat on offer, it was well kept and would be available at the end of the season. . We had a survey undertaken and as all was fine we went ahead with the purchase. . We booked a mooring at Fenny Compton so now all we had to do was move the boat before the winter closures started.
Friday 18th October
We had brought our possessions up a week or two before and stored them at the yard. . All the dogs except Ockie were in kennels so now we were ready. . We drove up to the marina and parked the car before heading to Whitchurch by taxi and train. . We leave Viking afloat in the late afternoon heading the wrong way, turning round at the nearby winding hole we head off towards the boat's new home. . Happy to be enjoying our new acquisition Jacquie goes below to put the kettle on to discover we have forgotten to buy one, we have to use a pan to make a hot drink. . At Grindley brook we chat with the shop keeper who wishes us good luck. . We buy some cakes as a treat and work on down through the locks stopping for the night just below the railway bridge. . After getting the boat ready for the night we head off for a quick celebratory drink at the Horse and Jockey and then back to bed.
Saturday 19th October
After a cooked breakfast we are underway early and are passing through Povey's lock by 8:00. . Midmorning at Wrenbury we see a man stirring up the canal with his pole. . His chimney had blown off overnight, we lend him our sea magnet but he is still has no luck. . At the Baddiley flight there is a hire boat close on our tail, with no other boats in sight we set the locks for him as we leave. . We stop for a while at Burland where Jacquie buys some washing up liquid and soap but no kettle! . Lunch is hot pies from the shop and as we are making good time we relax to eat them. . Hoping to get to Nantwich before the shops close we head off again dropping down the Hurleston flight and turning right onto the Shrophire Union canal. . Fate is against us however and progress draws to a crawl passing a long line of moored boats. . Crossing the Aqueduct we pick up something round the prop and loose all power. . Being in a confined area of water does not help as every time we go into reverse to clear the prop we seem to pick whatever it is up again when we start forward. . With the wind to fight as well and not wanting to hit any of the moored boats it takes us quite a while to get moving... We moor just round the corner by bridge 91 but it is already too late for the shops. . I head off to Mass and return to the boat with a take away and a bottle of wine. . Later when taking Ockie for a walk he mistakes which side to get off the boat and steps into the canal rather than onto the towpath. . During the evening I try out the radio, I don't get to use my licence much but we will need it later to contact the crew. . I contact a local JOTA (jamboree on the air) station, JOTA is the reason the crew will be joining us later, they are busy running a station back home.
Sunday 20th October
We are on our way a little later this morning but still before 8:00, the day is grey but the wind has died down. . Up till now we have been travelling downhill but at Hack Green we start to climb. . By mid morning we reach the Audlem flight and after the first two locks I spot a familiar boat, Globetrotter had spent part of the summer moored at Aldermaston Wharf and I had seen her as I cycled to work. . At the next lock we were helped by the lock keeper who gave us a holiday form to complete. . A boat taking on water above the lock followed up the rest of the flight. . We did not meet any boats coming down until two thirds of the way up and then we met three before reaching the top. . Just before the top Ockie fell in again! . We stopped for lunch at the top of the flight setting off again at one o'clock. . At the Adderley flight we make good progress working the five locks in about 40 minutes. . As a result we arrive at Market Drayton in the mid afternoon, we had thought of stopping here for the night but as it is so early we press on. . Tyrley locks are in a spectacular wooded setting popular with walkers who provide an audience at each lock. . Jacquie had been looking forward to Woodseaves cutting from the description in the guide but finds it disappointing after the beauty of Tyrley. . We moor for the night at Goldstone wharf and treat ourselves to a pub meal at the Wharf tavern. . I telephone the crew and arrange to meet them at Wheaton Aston for lunch tomorrow.
Monday 21st October
We set of at 8a.m in fog
and press on so we can make our rendezvous at lunch time. . This meant passing
a pub (The Anchor) advertising eleven different ciders!!!. . We had to slow
down in a few places for fishermen and moored boats, but still
not pubs. . The Boat inn at Gnosall was not looking at its
best, the photo on the jigsaw was obviously taken at a favourable
time. .
Cowley tunnel is only 81 yards long, more like an extended
bridge, but nevertheless it has the usual safety signs and arrows
to show the shortest way out. . Despite our slow rate of progress we made it to
Wheaton Aston on time but no sign of the crew, who should have
been travelling rather faster. . It seemed to be a bit of a radio hollow, I could
not access the repeater to find out where they were. . We retired to the
pub for a drink taking the radio in case they tried to contact
us. .
After a short time the landlord relays a message that they would
be half an hour late - held up on the M5, so we decide to stop
for a meal.
It was over two hours later when we left with our full crew. . Dave had invited
me to join him on a hire boat many years before, he had a lot of
experience and was happy to help move the boat, he had brought
Sean with him - both were unemployed at the time. . Another link
between us is that the three of us are all radio amateurs, though
I hardly ever use my licence. . Dave has brought a bigger aerial with him and
sets it up on the roof of the boat. . A few hours later at a low bridge he goes on top
to lower it whilst I slow the boat down. . It does not seem
to slow much and he has to dive for cover so that he is not hit
by the bridge. . We arrive at Autherly Junction and decided to
moor for the night. . Sean goes ashore to hold the rope and has to
pull hard as we try to slow the boat by going into reverse. . Something seems to
be wrong so when we are safely moored it is time to investigate. . It turns out we
have lost gear change and are permanently in forward. . Now we can
understand why Dave had to duck and why Sean had difficulty
stopping the boat. . Further investigation determines that a collet
had sheared of, at least we were near a boat yard.
Tuesday 22nd October
Dave goes to the boatyard as soon as he thinks they will be open, by then we have moved to the water point by hand, whilst Jacquie goes shopping for postcards. . It does not take long to fit a new collet and we are underway in twenty minutes, Dave also bought a spare to go in the drawer ready for the next time. . Arriving at Aldersley Junction we turn up the Wolverhampton flight. . Here is where a crew comes in handy getting the locks set ahead of us and we make it up in just over two hours. . There problems begin with weed and plastic bags, Jacquie is also disappointed with Birmingham, I think she has expected more architectural heritage than we find on our route. . At Gas Street Basin we turn onto the Worcester and Birmingham where Sean tries to take an artistic picture of the sunset at Edgebaston tunnel. . We moor for the night next to Bournville station but find that the gate is locked at night so we cannot look for a pub, there is no other way off the towpath for quite a distance. . We end the evening playing cards which becomes the norm for the rest of the trip.
Wednesday 23rd October
Leaving Cadbury's factory
we head off to Kings Norton Junction where we turn through the
old guillotine gated stop lock onto the Stratford canal. . There are pretty
wooded cuttings but the canal is shallow and we run aground a few
times. .
At midday we stop at the Blue Ball by bridge 19 and have lunch. . Before moving off
again I investigate the electrics as the alternator light has
been coming on, but there is no obvious fault.
Through more 'leafy lanes' we carry on to the Lapworth flight and
start going down. . For the first part of the flight there is a boat
travelling ahead of us but we overtake them when they stop for
tea. .
Sean is going ahead lock wheeling but nobody has remembered to
tell him where we are going so it is a relief when we arrive at
Kingswood junction and see him sitting on the correct lock. . We lock down onto
the Grand Union and turn right cruising on to moor just below
bridge 63. . After a meal and a game of card we adjourn ton
the 'Tom O' the Wood' for drink.
Thursday 24th October
Ockie and I set off on foot to start the day whilst Sean produces a pocket tape recorder to make notes for the log saving us from having to write it all down. . He seems to have lots of useful gadgets in the pockets of his jacket. . I rejoin the boat at the next bridge. . Shrewley tunnel is very wet and so are we when we emerge from the other end. . We stop at the top of the Hatton flight to take on water and then set of down. . It takes us nearly two and a half hours and it is hard work. . You would think that the worm and crown gearing on the locks would make raising the paddles easier but practical experience suggests the opposite. . As we pass through the two locks at the cape Jacquie leaves a windlass behind so I have to return to retrieve it. . We tie up below bridge 49 and head off shopping and at last we find a kettle and a broom! . With all the walking and locks we are all tired and decide to call it a day staying where we are for the night.
Friday 25th October
We all oversleep and set
off, after breakfast, later than on previous days. . I get off to
get some bread and a newspaper whilst the others keep on moving
slowly. . Whilst waiting for me a boat goes past but when
we get to Radford Semele they have already gone on ahead. . We catch up with
them at Wood lock where we have to wait until they have finished
with the lock. . When we get to the Bascote staircase there is a
pair of hireboats waiting to come down, they ask if they can come
down as there had apparently been a string of boats going up. . We agree but when
Dave goes to empty the bottom lock thereby setting the staircase
they get angry thinking we are taking the lock. . After we get to
the top we realise that we could have passed in the staircase,
still it is too late now and it would probably have been too
complicated to explain it to them. . We stop for a welcome break
at the Two Boats where we meet Dennis who says that he is cheaper
than any other welder on the cut.
After lunch I go to set the lock taking the sea magnet with me so
I can fish for windlasses whilst waiting for them to bring up the
boat. .
All I catch is rusty nails. . At Warwickshire Fly Boats Jacquie goes shopping
for more post cards and gifts but when she re joins us at lock
eleven she only has the cards. . By the time we make the top of the Stockton
flight, just under an hour and a half after leaving the pub, the
lock wheelers are glad of a break, shortly afterwards it starts
to rain. . At the Calcutt flight we share the locks with
Narrow Escape. . When we turn onto the Oxford canal there is a
big sign saying "All boaters please read" but there is
no notice underneath it. . We stop for the night near bridge 111, the
Napton Bridge Inn.
Saturday 26th October
Sean starts his morning comments on the electronic log with the engine checks, "yes we still have an engine"! . When we set off Jacquie goes to the bow to feed the ducks and in a few minutes we get a good view of the Windmill. . It takes us an hour and a quarter to climb up the locks, with a lock wheeler working ahead all the locks are set for us. . Nobody walks the long pound however as the towpath does not look very inviting. . After much discussion at the top about whether there is enough room to turn the boat we decide to try it. . We make it with room to spare (It is probably about 55 feet) and do a 360 degree pirouette. . We make it to the George and Dragon in time for a drink but too late for food. . After lunch we move the boat a few feet by hand and start to tidy and clean her, ready for her new home. . We are just sitting down for a game of cards when Jacquie notices that there are streaks on the windows from washing the roof. . She goes off armed with kitchen towel to clean them but when she reaches the worst part her foot slips and she ends up in the canal. . It takes two of us to hauls her out and she rushes of to the shower to try and warm up. . We eventually get to play cards then return to the George for mixed grills and a welcome drink.
Sunday 27th October
We have a leisurely start before moving up to the marina for a pump out and to fill the diesel tank. . We find out where we are to moor and move Touch and Tell in to her new home. . After a last cup of coffee we wave her goodbye and head for home.
©Michael Cobb 1999
This page last updated 19/06/99