The Year So Far

First Visit

8th – 10th January 2012
Sunday, 8th January: Norbury
Drove down from Lancaster in time for lunch. Afterwards went for a walk along the embankment towards Gnosall and back on the road. Later, Hil carried on down to Hereford and I stayed on the boat.

Monday, 9th January: Norbury
A whole day on the boat. On the previous visit we noticed some water ingress into the kitchen which we assumed was coming through the window. I’d applied some sealant to the frame and tightened up a few of the screws holding it is place and this seems to have done the trick. I spend a happy half-hour mopping out the bilges, removing two litres of a combination of rainwater and condensation. Nothing serious! During the day I kept a tally of boat movements and noted a total of five. That evening I met Dave, a newcomer to the moorings who amongst any other talents he may have is a ukelele player and George Formby impersonator!

Tuesday, 10th January: Norbury
Making the most of my bus pass I came home to Lancaster by bus. Got off to a bad start when the 08.40 from Norbury village to Stone didn’t turn up and I had to walk to Eccleshall and wait for another one there. After that it was plain sailing via Stafford, Newcastle, Crewe, Northwich, Warrington, Wigan and Preston where, in the absence of anywhere to eat I caught a train back to Lancaster.

Giving Notice

28th January 2012
Today I have Norbury Wharf the requisite three months’ notice to terminate my mooring agreement. I plan to go exploring over the summer, heading off towards Lincolnshire and the Chesterfield Canal and look for another mooring nearer Lancaster later in the year.

Through the Ice to Drayton

7th – 10th February 2012
Tuesday, 7th February: Norbury to Bridge 47
Drove down from Lancaster hoping to get away from Norbury just after lunch to make the most of the daylight, but I couldn’t leave Lancaster until 11.00 so didn’t get there until 13.10. Then I had to call in and see Simon at Norbury Wharf as this was the first time I’d been down since I gave notice to leave the moorings and we ended up having quite a long chat. It was just as well I went in as he told me that the bank had managed to pay my last mooring fees twice. He was able to arrange to pay the extra back into my account there and then and this must be the only time I’ve walked out of a boatyard better off than when I’ve gone in.
By the time I’d collected some drinking water and made a spot of lunch to eat on the way it was after 15.00, not helped by the engine needing several goes to get it started due to have been idle for a month in very cold weather. There was just time to get up to the visitor moorings at bridge 47 beyond Knighton for the night.

Wednesday 8th February: Bridge 47 to Market Drayton
I had the moorings to myself last night and it was a very cold one. The fire stayed in fortunately, but there was ice inside the cabin windows at the back of the boat and ice on the cut as well.

The mooring ropes were frozen and it took half-an-hour to untie. At this point I realised that I hadn’t brought enough water with me from Norbury (the boat’s water tank is drained for the winter) but I was hopeful I could get some at Goldstone or Tyrley.

The ice wasn’t particularly thick so I set off, getting under way at 09.00. On the exposed sections nearer Goldstone the ice got thicker and I was making very slow progress and began to think that I might have to stop there after all.  British Waterways installed a water tap on the visitor moorings some time ago when the one at Tyrley was out of action, but it’s never worked and wasn’t working today, leaving me with no alternative but to carry on.

Woodseaves cutting is very sheltered and hence almost ice free, but the water point at Tyrley (since repaired) was now frozen. Tyrley locks were ice-free due to the flow, but the lock sides were slippy and I took no chances. This, coupled with the fact that there was now a boat ahead of me meant that it took an hour-and-forty minutes to get down the five locks and I arrived at Market Drayton at 14.00

Wednesday is market day in Drayton, but by the time I got there it was nearly all over, very few customers and the stallholders beginning to pack up so I went back to the boat and took her under the bridge to wind, which I did with some difficulty due to the ice in the winding hole. There are two water taps here: the first one I tried was frozen and I was beginning to get worried about my water supply, but the second was working and I filled all three 5-litre bottles and the 25 litre plastic jerry can.  I ate in then went for a walk round calling in at the Talbot (where it was quiz night), the Kings Head (excellent Barnsley Bitter) and  the Red Lion.

Thursday, 9th February: Market Drayton to Norbury
It wasn’t so cold overnight but there was still a thin skin of ice on the cut in the morning. I waited incase it would either get warmer or that someone else would go through in front but eventually set off around 11.30 after a leisurly breakfast and walk into town for a newspaper.
I reached Tyrley bottom lock at 12.00. No one had been through since yesterday so the locks were all in my favour. The locksides were still slippery though but I did make the passage in an hour-and twenty, considerably faster than yesterday.
Someone had been in front from Tyrley (or maybe it was just the passage I forged on the way up) and the going was so much easier that I decided I could probably get to Norbury. Stopping briefly at Goldstone to make some sandwiches I ate them on the move through what became a cold and miserable afternoon. “Only the idiots out today!” said a boater tied up at Shebdon as I passed. I had to agree. I arrived at Norbury moorings at 16.40 to find, for the fourth time in a row that I couldn’t get on my mooring! The boatyard had been moving boats around and had not left enough space for me between “Holly” and my other neighbour. Fortunately, the lad who has been working on the moorings refurbishment saw my predicament and offered to move my neighbour’s boat up a foot or two so I could get in. Unfortunately, when my neighbour returned he was extremely unhappy that someone had untied his boat – even briefly!
There was no placating him so in the end I walked off and had a shower before going over to the Junction Inn for a meal.

Friday, 10th February: At Norbury
Last night I had noticed some puffs of smoke escaping from the front of the stove when the blower was turned up. The stove rope around both the door and the blower turned out to be in need of replacement. Fortunately we had spares of both ropes aboard (I have no idea when we got them) and it wasn’t a big job to fix them. I wondered whether the CO monitor/alarm had picked up any traces of Carbon Monoxide and discovered that it hadn’t – probably because it had a flat battery! Next I sawed up some logs and kindling and tidied up the boat and then, not wanting any more washing, I went over to the cafe on the wharf for lunch before driving home.

New Friends

2nd – 6th March 2012

Friday, 2nd March: At Norbury
Train to Stafford and then, after lunch in the market cafe, bus to Gnosall and cycle to the boat arriving about 14.00. Spent the afternoon cleaning out the water tank, which was filthy – a mixture of rust, crud and the remains of the paint coating. Stopped about 17.00 and lit fire only to find chimney needed sweeping and, of course, the grate needed cleaning afterwards to remove all the soot that collects on the baffle plate above the fire. Two filthy jobs and no running water on board. Thank goodness for the BW shower block!

Saturday, 3rd March: Norbury to Gnosall
Finishing off the water tank took the rest of the morning then I took Starcross over to the water point. After putting a little water in I switched on the pump – to find a burst pipe under the sink. The lagging had fallen off and I had been unlucky to encounter one of the few really cold days of the winter. I made arrangements with the boatyard to repair it and then went down to Gnosall for the evening, catching a bus into Stafford for a few drinks.

Sunday, 4th March: Gnosall to Stretton
Today I had arranged to meet Sarah and Jim on Chertsey (a large Woolwich working boat) and Bakewell (a converted butty) who moor at Stretton. It was the first time we had met, having got to know of each other through our respective blogs. We got on very well and continued the meeting down at the Swan at Brewood that evening.An excellent day that made up for the trials and tribulations of the previous two!

Monday, 5th March: Stretton to Gnosall
First thing in the morning I moved Starcross across the canal from the boatyard to the towpath side to have breakfast. Later in the morning I moved off back as far as Wheaton Aston, where I washed and polished one side of the boat and had lunch. After tying up at Wheaton Aston I found the engine stop not working. Then I noticed the instrument panel was dead. Suspecting an electrical problem I went to the batteries and fiddled with the toggle switches. When I turned the switches to “off” the panel came back to life and the engine stop worked! Switching them “on” again allowed me to restart the engine and this time I could stop it as well, so I dismissed it as “just one of those things” and carried on to Gnosall – where the same thing happened. However, as I didn’t intend to go any further that night I let things lie.

Tuesday, 6th March: Gnosall to Norbury Junction
The engine started OK, but as soon as I moved off the panel went dead and when I tried it the engine stop wasn’t working either. I tied up and called out River Canal Rescue, who came within the hour and swiftly diagnosed the fault as dirt in a connector box in the line from the battery. A quick squirt of WD40 was all it took (although the engineer did subsequently go off with it in his pocket! I gave the other side of the boat a quick wash and polish and then went off back to Norbury where Hilary picked me up in the car on her way back from Hereford at 16.00.

Spring Sortie to the Staffs & Worcs.

24th March – 1st April 2012
Saturday, 24th March: At Norbury Junction
We had a delayed start to the trip as we had to remain in Lancaster until the afternoon to see a man about our allotment, which we’d been waiting for for almost a year, so it was 16.45 before we arrived at Norbury. The new decking and path on the moorings is finally finished after almost a year! We took the boat up to Grub Street and winded before taking it back to the visitor moorings, which are nearer the road to unload the car. The Junction Inn was advertising a special Mexican food evening so we decided to eat there, only to find that didn’t actually have any Mexican food on! I ended up with Gammon and Chips and Hil had fishcakes. I don’t think I’ll miss the Junction Inn very much.
With the plumbing having been repaired we were able to light the Morco water heater. This can be a pig to get going – it once took me 52 consecutive turns of the switch and it’s usually at its worst after a winter lay-off. But this time it lit first time, which it continued to do all week!

Sunday, 25th March: Norbury Jc to Slade Heath
The clocks went forward this morning, but we were still up at 07.30 and, after breakfast, took Starcross over to the wharf for 61 litres of diesel, elsan fliud, coal, stern-gland grease and a paper, which came to £91 (on a 60/40 declaration). The bill for the plumbing wasn’t ready, which saved a bit of cash. Then we went over to the water point to re-fill the tank after which we were fully set up. We were finally away at 10.45, or at least I was, Hil having opted to go for a run along the towpath as far as Gnosall. We made good progress on a lovely fine afternoon, saying hello to Jim and Sarah on Chertsey as we passed them at Stretton and Adrian on Treskelly, who we saw at Gnosall. Autherley Junction came on schedule at 16.15 and we passed Coven at 17.10, opting to carry on a little bit further as the moorings there were in the shade and finally stopping at Slade Heath where we sat on the towpath for the remainder of the afternoon enjoying the sunshine.

Monday, 26th March: Slade Heath to Milford

It was very cold overnight and we awoke to a slight frost. Hil started the day with a run along the towpath whilst I got Starcross underway at 08.40. We were at Gailey Top Lock by 10.10 and found all the locks “against” us.

Following an accident at Stourport, where a young lad lost his life cycling across an unguarded footbridge, British Waterways had been installing “temporary” scaffolding on similar bridges elsewhere to prevent their use until a more permanent solution could be found. Here is the one at Otherton Lock:

We saw the first baby ducklings of the year, a very early brood, at Filance Lock and tied up for a lunchtime and shopping stop at Penkrudge visitor moorings. Hil managed to get her summer weddings outfit at the Hospice charity shop!  Then, after emptying the toilet cassette, we were away by 15.00 and the canal was suddenly busy with boats – we passed a convoy of four coming up the locks as we went down. We stopped for the night at bridge 104, just short of Milford, which was an excellent spot for a piece of stargazing later on, with Mars, Venus and Jupiter all visible along with the crescent moon.

Tuesday 27th March: Milford to Shirleywich

It was 09.30 before we were away today and we only got as far as Tixall Wide before a morning coffee stop turned into lunch turned into afternoon tea before we finally dragged ourselves away as other boats started to arrive.

Passing Great Haywood, where we turned on to the Trent & Mersey, we continued for a short distance to a spot between bridges 77 and 78, known as Shirleywich, where we tied up and went for a late afternoon cycle ride through Hixon and towards the reservoir near Abbot’s Bromley but which we had to cut short when Hil’s chain broke. It was warm enough on board this evening not to have to light the fire.

Wednesday, 28th March: Shirleywich to Great Haywood

Change of Plan: The original plan to get to Stone was abandoned in favour of a day’s walking on Cannock Chase. I reversed the 200m to the winding hole and turned whilst Hil went for a morning run along the towpath. We were back at Great Haywood at 11.10 and tied up on the visitor moorings just before the junction. We’d spotted a route to the Chase through some National Trust land, but it turned out to be only accessible from the village end, causing us to have to retrace our steps to the towpath.

We followed the towpath to Little Haywood, crossed the river by the old packhorse bridge and walked up past “Seven Springs” onto the Chase, getting slightly lost in the process. Our way back was via the main road and through the grounds of Shuckborough Hall.

Thursday, 29th March: Great Haywood to Penkridge

Our first call this morning was at the water point and we were then away sometime after 09.00 on yet another lovely day. We passed “Columbo II” from Norbury near Tixall. At Tixall Lock BW staff were painting “only the black bits” but these included the lock gate handles so Hil got paint all over her hands!  We reached Deptmore Lock at 11.10 to find another boat in front. Hil was getting a bit tired and fed up by now so we stopped just north of Acton Trussel for an early lunch. Afterwards we set off on our bikes back up onto Cannock Chase, this time visiting the Katyn memorial.

Once back at the boat we set off for Penkridge, where we took on water and emptied the cassette before tying up for the night. We went out to check on possible venues for a birthday meal for Hil tomorrow night, but weren’t over-impressed with any of them. We did, however, manage a pint in the Star, which is the best pub in Penkridge.

Friday, 30th March: At Penkridge

Hil’s birthday. After she’d mended a puncture from yesterday we set off to do the southern half of the Chase on an interesting route via Hednesford and the Chase Visitor Centre – which had no visitor information, only a cafe, toilets and cycle hire shop! It was cooler and duller today than of late. The roads were very busy which spolied the enjoyment a little, but we did follow a bridleway to get away from the traffic for a lunch stop. The route led us to the top of the Chase at Pye Corner and past the base of the TV mast that can be seen for miles around, even from the Shroppie. In the evening I cooked Hil’s birthday choice of meal – goat’s cheese on Ryvita followed by a stir fry and bananas in chocolate sauce.

Saturday,31st March: Penkridge to Bridge 7 Moorings

Cold and damp this morning, with a thin drizzle to start the day!  We were away at 09.45 following another boat up the locks, which consequently were all against us. Gailey Top reached at 11.25 after which we ate lunch on the move. Soon we caught up with a slow boat in front and stayed behind all the way to Autherley Junction. The boat was painfully slow, particularly through Pendeford Rockin’  where we had to knock  Starcross out of gear to stay clear.  There was the usual kerfuffle at the junction. We followed the slow boat round the turn – Hil making a perfect job of it – only to have to reverse out as there was a boat waiting to come through the other way above the lock. Hil didn’t make such a good job of her second attempt – although she would have got round if she’d kept her nerve – and we had a little stop at the water point for a “cup of tea”. Afterwards we went on to the rural moorings between bridges 7 and 8 on the Shroppie arriving at 16.00

Sunday, 1st April: Bridge 7 Moorings to Norbury Junction

Hil cleaned up inside as I steered us homewards. We passed Jim and Sarah at Stretton, getting ready for their trip to Droitwich, and were back at Norbury for lunch.

Summer Trip Part One: Norbury to Birmingham

27th April – 1st June 2012
Friday, 27th April:Norbury to Gnosall
Made the journey to Norbury by train to Stoke and the once-daily bus to Norbury village arriving at 15.15 in pouring rain. Called at Norbury Wharf to pick up the keys and say goodbye. Simon (owner) was not there, which was a shame and David (manager) dealt with me. I had to get someone to move two boats so that I could get Starcross out of the arm to the dry dock where she has been since they did some work on the propeller – putting a chamfer on the blades to reduce the noise as recommended by Crowthers.
Stopped at the water point to fill the tank and was planning to tie up on Shelmore embankment and go and say goodbye to a few fellow moorers but there was no room on the moorings. As it’s not very easy to tie up on the embankment itself I gave up that idea and carried on down to Gnosall

Saturday, 28th April: At Gnosall
I dedcided to have a day without moving on. As I needed some shopping I thought I’d get the bus to Wellington and visit the market there that I remembered from a previous occasion. Wellington used to be the principal town of East Shropshire until Telford New Town was built but it doesn’t seem to be doing too badly these days.

On the way back I changed buses in Oakengates, a much smaller town nearer to Telford and which possibly because of that seems rather more run down. It does however have three decent pubs all next to each other in the High Street. One is run by the Ironbridge Brewery, another has a range of beers from small breweries and an unspoiled public bar, whilst the Crown also has a good range of beer supplemented today by a beer festival!

I spent the afternoon back on the boat and that evening was back on the bus this time to Stafford to visit some of my favourite pubs for the last time for a while no doubt. The last bus back to Gnosall is nowhere  near as busy as it used to be now that it leaves just before 11, rather than an hour later!

Sunday 29th April: Gnosall to Brewood.

Awoke to a very wet and windy morning at Gnosall. Not a day for going anywhere, but I had arranged to meet Jim and Sarah from “Chertsey”, at Brewood this evening. I waited until after lunch when it appeared that the worst had passed but as soon as I left the shelter of Cowley cutting I found that the wind was stronger than ever. I even lost my Tilley hat, blown away despite being tied on and I couldn’t stop to retrieve it as I was passing two moored boats with a third coming up behind and a bridge right ahead at the time!

I reached Brewood by about 16.30 and met Jim and Sarah, with their friend “Hairy Neil” in the Swan that evening.

Monday, 30th April: Brewood to Bridge 54, Staffs & Worcs. Canal

What a difference a day makes!  It was warm and sunny this morning and after walking into the village for a paper and polishing the brasses I set off from Brewood about 12.30. I paused at Autherley Junction for a coffee break and then carried on along the Staffs & Worcs. I was in two minds whether or not to stop at Compton, but the visitor moorings were full so that decided that. I remembered that we had moored near bridge 55, north of  Hinksford on our previous trip down this way and found a spot not far from there for the night.

Tuesday, 1st May: Bridge 54 to Wombourne

I am travelling very slowly as I don’t plan to go on to the River Severn for a fortnight, which is just as well as with all the rain we’ve been having it is in flood! It was raining again today and I was glad I only had a short distance to go. I reached The Bratch locks around 10.00 and the lock-keeper said I was the first boat through that day. I felt guilty about dragging him out of his office into the rain but I was grateful for his help in working through.

I got to Wombourne shortly afterwards and stopped for the rest of the day, venturing out later for some shopping and then again for a pint in the “Round Oak” pub (not much good) before tea.

Wednesday, 2nd May: Wombourne to Greensforge

Not actually raining this morning but soon after I’d set off i noticed that the instrument panel was dead and when I tried it the engine stop wouldn’t work either. My first thought was to call out River Canal Rescue but this has happened before and when RCR came all they did was to squirt some WD40 onto one of the connections. So I stopped and tried to do the same, with success. That wasn’t the end of the problems though: after stopping for lunch at Stourton Junction I went inside to find the boat full of smoke! The door to the stove had fallen open. It must have only just happened as the smoke alarm hadn’t gone off and it was only smoke!  I had to open all the doors and windows and sit outside in the well with my lunch until the worst of it had cleared.

I was away again at 15.00 for the short trip to Greensforge. Walking to the pub later that afternoon I found a charity road race in progress. The runners passed the pub twice in the space of half-an-hour, but I don’t know how long the race was or what it was in aid of.

Thursday, 3rd May: Greeensforge to Hyde Lock

Another short day so I could afford to wait a while before setting off.  I planned to leave the boat near Kinver but wasn’t sure exactly where so I got the folding bike out and cycled down the towpath. There wasn’t anywhere at Kinver itself – it’s all permit holders or 24-hour only – but I did find a spot just north of Hyde Lock on a wide bend with other boats moored that looked suitable. I was just in the process of tying-up there when the heavens opened and the rain set in for the rest of the afternoon and evening.

Friday, 11th May: Hyde Lock to Wolverley

After a week back home in Lancaster I came back to Starcross by catching a bus to Preston, trains to Wolverhampton (changing at Crewe) and buses via Stourbridge to Kinver. Arriving about 16.15 I unpacked, made a cup of tea and then set off towards Wolverley, where I had arranged to meet Dave and Annette in the morning. I was slow going, with most locks against me and no other boats around to help out and it was after 20.00 by the time I got there. I made a quick meal out of a home-made pasty I’d brought with me and then went over to the Lock pub for the “last hour”, as we used to say before the licensing laws were liberalised. The Lock is a nice pub with a good, traditional public bar and Banks’s beers.