Tuesday 5^th June 2018

Andy turned up again followed not long after by Graeme. More jobs were attended to although all were jobs that should have been done before the boat left the workshop. The only job that could be considered a snagging job was the curing of the leaks on the water tank filling and vent lines. This turned out to be no more than jubilee clips and screws had not been tightened up.

12 ballast bricks were added under the sink unit along with my apprentice piece engine and a further 3 bricks in the bilge beside the cabin bilge pump. There is still a slight list but these were all the bricks Graeme had.

I then went to see Malcolm in the reception to say our farewells as we are, hopefully, staring to move tomorrow and he is not working. It was Malcolm that we saw in September 2016 after I was made redundant and, through him, we were put in touch with Graeme.

Both Malcolm and Andy at the brokerage have seen us through a lot.

I then took Phil next door, out in his boat as he is inexperienced and a bit fearful of using her.

We walked to the pub in Ravensmoor, the nearest to here. It was a long way. We had our dinner there and a few pints and then a longer walk back.

Tomorrow we intend to move but first have to wait for the cooker guy. Hopefully he won’t be too late.

We want to get to Middlewich for Folk and Boat weekend on 15^th-17^th June. It will be a hard push, which we never intended doing, but with the breach in the Middlewich Branch it is 119 miles and 115 locks instead of just 7 miles and 9 locks. I plotted out on the map how far we have to get each day. Even on the map is looks hard and is going to be very tiring.

Wednesday 6^th June 2018

D-Day. Our D-Day.

Once up and an egg and bacon breakfast. We then readied the boat for leaving. Toilet cassette emptied, water tank filled. Things stowed away. And then waiting on the cooker man. 

After removing the battening that was holding the side door trims in place we find, again, that the side doors cannot be shut. Another job that should have been fixed during snagging.

Andy from the Brokerage came with flowers. We managed to catch Harriett and others we had met and became friendly with on the marina.

The cooker guy was here at just after 11am. The problem was a cable tie catching the cooker fan casing. The electrical sockets have been put in exactly the wrong position. I was also able to sight for the first time the flexible hose supplying gas to the cooker. It is kinked as I suspected after Graeme forced the cooker into its recess. The cooker guy reckoned there is also insufficient ventilation in contravention of the installation instructions.

So, with the cooker guy finished we went to the marina office to say farewell to everybody there. An emotional farewell to Phil, our neighbour.

And then we were off. Another 3 days and it would be one year since I had finished work to oversee the build of Bridge Street and here we were only just getting underway.

There is always something about a ship leaving port. And this for us felt very much the same.

Engine running hours on leaving the marina 5.6

We left the marina at 12.30, this time without mishap. The weather was again, very hot and sunny with no breeze at all. So on to the four Hurleston Locks at the end of the Llangollen Canal and a right-hand turn on to the Shroppie.

We stopped briefly at Nantwich Marina to pick up spare belts for the engine that had been ordered and also bought another lock windlass and a gas bottle spanner.

And so on to Audlem where we moored at 17.45, just before the first lock. We past a number of places we would have liked to moor if it weren’t for wanting to reach Middlewich in time for Folk and Boat.

We saw a Kingfisher actually land on our cratch cover although he only settled for a second. Also saw a Heron actually catch a fish. He flew from the bank and hovered over the water before dipping his head in the water and coming up with a sizeable fish. He then settled on the bank before swallowing it whole and live.

We got well ahead today but have the Audlem Lock flight very first thing tomorrow.

Day total: 6 locks; 9.5miles; 4.5 engine running hours.

Overall total: 6 locks; 9.5miles; 10.1 engine running hours.

After mooring we went to the Shroppie Fly pub for our dinner. This is a famous pub on the canal, full of character. We both had fish and chips.

According to Andy at Swanley Bridge marina, Graeme has demanded £1,900 in full, this being his final payment, saying that if he didn’t get it he would go bust. Andy said that he ranted and raved in the worst way Andy had ever heard from him. Apparently, Graeme reckoned we should not have been allowed to leave the marina until the money was paid and was demanding that we return. It was only yesterday that it was agreed with him that Andy would return to the boat in Middlewich to continue with the snagging, mainly the filling and painting over the holes Graeme had drilled into the gas locker, in breach of regulations, for fitting of the led lighting. However, we have so many issues we are not prepared to settle the bill unless certain targets are completed to our satisfaction. Brenda has asked Andy to tell Graeme that he needs to contact her in person.

Thursday 7^th June 2018

We set off at 8.30 after an omelette breakfast. And were straight into the 15 locks of the Audlem flight. We made very good time as most people were travelling in the opposite direction so all locks were in our favour.

At the third lock we got our first phone call of the day from Andy at Swanley regarding Graeme and his outbursts. However, he has been asked to phone Brenda directly but hasn’t.

Audlem flight is picturesque but the outflows from the pounds above are awful. It makes it impossible to line up on the locks properly. The power has to be kept on and any mistake does not end nicely. The first bump of the day took a part of the front running strake down to bare metal.

We carried on and a mile later came to the 6 locks of the Adderley flight. By this time it was very hot. Again the outflows made things difficult.

After Adderley we stopped and moored for our lunch. We had bought two fruit scones from an honesty box on the Audlem flight and a pork pie from one at Adderley top lock. They were really enjoyable, especially the pork pie.

On through Market Drayton. Our Challenger boat, Empire, was based here for a while and we did the Four Counties Ring from the boatyard at Betton Bridge. Much has changed and, like everywhere else, there are new housing developments.

We continued on and a mile from Market Drayton came to the last flight of five locks on the Shroppie at Tyrley. These were done in quick succession although all were against us. The weather continued hot, hot, hot and the outflows causing problems.

After Tyrley the Shroppie is lock free apart from one at Wheaton Aston. We decided to pass through Woodseaves Cutting before stopping for the day. Woodeaves is a very narrow, very deep cutting that stretches for about a mile and can be quite dark due to the trees meeting overhead. It is difficult to pass oncoming boats and there tends to be a lot of obstructions from fallen trees and landslides. Not this time though. We passed just one boat right at the beginning of the cutting.

Arriving at Goldstone Bridge just outside the village of Cheswardine at 1630 we moored up for the night. It had been a long day and we are well ahead of schedule for arriving in Middlewich for Folk and Boat.

We had dinner, hung some washing out for a while. I did a bit of fishing, a gudgeon, two roach and a bream.

Day total: 25 locks; 10 miles; 7.9 engine running hours.

Overall total: 31 locks; 19.5miles; 18.0 engine running hours.

Friday 8^th June 2018

Started the day late and, after a bacon sandwich we set off at 10am. It was a cold day, especially after the weeks of heat and sunshine we have been having.

Today was a day of long cruising with just the one lock all to get to Middlewich. The Shroppie was built with long straight sections, some over a mile long, deep cuttings and high embankments. Shebdon embankment and Grub Street cutting are amongst some of the most impressive.

It was a later canal, one of the last to be built and so was built for speed. The Shroppie fly boats were pulled by teams of horses and often achieved 12mph. The horses were changed regularly and there are many stables to be seen en-route.

We passed the old Cadbury’s factory at Knighton. From 1911 until 1961 milk was delivered here, by canal, and turned into chocolate crumbs which were then transported to the factory at Bournville for onward processing into chocolate. Nowadays the old factory still exists with its wharf frontage and overhanging canopy but it backs onto a modern factory that produces powered milk. You can feel just how busy the place must have been in its hey-day.

The famous Anchor Inn at High Offley was passed. We would have called in for a pint but it was shut. There will be other opportunities.

Norbury Junction and Gnosall were very busy with a few tricky manoeuvres at Gnosall to allow boats to pass. I did get shirty with a guy that, after Norbury, stayed in tick-over and held four other boats up for over an hour. I was second boat behind him but eventually managed to pass both him and the boat, a hire boat, behind him. The poor hirer didn’t know you could overtake. OK so everybody likes to enjoy the canals at their own pace but they should still be courteous to others.

It was good fun to stop on Stretton aqueduct and watch the cars on the A5 below us flying past. Numerous drivers were waving at us and a few sounding their horns.

We passed Toad’s Croak at Brewood. Another boat built by Graeme Cunliffe, but looking very neglected.

Apart from the one lock at Wheaton Aston, Brenda spent her day on the boat cleaning, ironing and tidying about. The boat looks better for her work. It was funny, whenever the thermostat on the iron cut in or out the engine revs fell and rose.

After dinner I did a couple of small jobs and then had a spot of fishing. A baby Great Tit landed on the rod for a second or so and it was great watching all the tiny fish attacking the bread bait when it was held just below the water surface.

Day total: 1 lock; 20 miles; 1 tunnel (Cowley); 7.3 engine running hours.

Overall total: 32 locks; 39.5miles; 1 tunnel; 25.3 engine running hours.

Saturday 9^th June 2018

Today was supposed to have been a short day. It most certainly didn’t feel it.

We set off far too early at 7.15 and quickly reached Autherley Junction at the southern end of the Shroppie. En-route we passed under the thundering M54 and through a couple of very narrow stretches of canal.

At Autherley we completely passed the water point which was not marked at all and covered in undergrowth. We got rid of our rubbish and were going to buy milk, bread and what other else in the shop except we were asked to move the boat very rudely by a guy from Napton Narrowboats because they were moving hire boats about. So be it, surely rural businesses need all the custom they can get and not be rude and turn people away.

At Autherley we joined the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal heading north towards Great Haywood Junction with the Trent and Mersey Canal some 21 miles and 12 locks away.

Autherley is actually on the outskirts of Wolverhampton although, like a lot of canals, you wouldn’t know it. A very narrow, blind cutting stretches for over ½ mile before countryside is again reached. It would be difficult to meet another boat here, there were only two small passing places so the horn was used more than once to warn of our progress.

The M54 was passed under again, about a mile down the motorway from where is was passed earlier. But by canal it was 3½ miles and 1 lock away.

Being an early, Brindley built canal the Staffordshire and Worcestershire meanders, twists and turns following the contours of the land so being cheaper to construct albeit taking more time to travel, a distinct disadvantage when it came to the canals in competition with the railways.

At the Hatherton Branch a cabin cruiser was waved on to pass us as he should have made much quicker progress on all the bends. He then slowed right down and actually held us up. And he never even thanked us.

Gailey was very busy with moored boats and their hire fleet. The surroundings of Gailey Top Lock are very picturesque with the large, round former toll keeper’s watch tower.

The weather now turned very hot again with four, very heavy locks to contend with. After these we ran right alongside the M6. Surreal to watch the traffic travelling as we were, at 3mph. They wouldn’t even know we were there. I knew the canal was here somewhere but was never able to locate it on this eastern side and could only see it once it had crossed over to the western side a bit further up.

At Penkridge we wanted to take on water. The first water point marked on our old guides did not seem to be there. Many people were sitting outside here at the Cross Keys pub.

At Filance Bridge I held the boat to allow an oncoming boat through. After they had passed I started my approach when another boat was spotted coming towards us. As I was already partly under the bridge, the bridge was mine so I kept going, but so did this other guy. We met with me partly under the bridge. It was very tight here anyway with an awkward angle on the bridge-hole and moored boats. This other guy took no avoiding action at all, he didn’t even attempt to go into reverse. When the two of us came alongside each other he really got a piece of my mind. The compulsion to head but him was very strong.

Then at the other waterpoint in Penkridge there was a very strange guy on his tug style boat on his own that was blocking the mooring. He didn’t appear to be doing anything so, when challenged, he replied he was going to the toilet in the service block. Twenty minutes later he reappeared and then mucked about with his boat for ages. There was a lock directly after the service point so I offered to set the lock for him to get him moving. Brenda meanwhile went off for some shopping.

After watering up we lined up for the lock, there were now no fewer than three boats all waiting for water because of the tug man, as we started to call him.

Shortly after Penkridge there came another lock and tug man was there and not even started locking. He reckoned he couldn’t manage the paddles. Brenda did them for him. An absolute pest this guy. Thankfully he moored up just after this lock.

We then passed under the M6 again. The next time we see it will be at Hassal Green just outside Sandbach.

We passed through Park Gate Lock and moored up to visit Midland Chandlers. And spend more money. We bought an anchor, rope and chain in preperation for the River Weaver and Manchester Ship Canal, a nice chimney flue and various other bits and bobs. Cost of £365.

We had intended on mooring here and having a day off tomorrow and get some jobs done. We are both finding this run tiring and are needing a rest. We had never intended, once on the boat, of going for hours as on a hire boat, but we do want to be in Middlewich for Folk and Boat and so have to.

However, we were next to a road and so carried on for another ½ mile and one lock to more peaceful surroundings.

All in all, this day has seemed long and frustrating with the unpleasant and cantankerous people met. There were however, many more nice people.

Day total: 10 lock; 16 miles; 7.8 engine running hours.

Overall total: 42 locks; 55.5 miles; 1 tunnel; 33.1 engine running hours.

Sunday 10^th June 2018

Although we were going to have a day off today, we decided to move to be able to get a Sunday lunch somewhere.

A latish start saw us passing through Acton Trussell. A lovely looking place but no pub. What English village doesn’t have a pub!

Passing through some beautiful countryside and a really nice looking marina belonging to the South Staffs Boat Club, we came to the outskirts of Stafford.

Beside bridge 98 was the Radford Bank pub and carvery, so we stopped after just two hours cruising. We had a lovely meal and drinks for just £36.

A very hot day.

Back at the boat Brenda flopped and I sorted and repaired the front door trims.

An easy restful day. We both needed it and this will be what our lives will be more like after Middlewich.

However, to get there we have long days yet ahead of us.

Day total: 11 lock; 3 miles; 1.4 engine running hours.

Overall total: 43 locks; 58.5 miles; 1 tunnel; 34.5 engine running hours.

Monday 11^th June 2018

After quite a chilly start, especially in shade, the day became very hot again although it did become quite breezy by afternoon.

We set off after breakfast at 7.30. We were both awake at 4.30 and were debating getting up and getting started but slept again until 7am.

At bridge 101 there is the start of the restoration of the branch that led to the centre of Stafford by way of making the River Sow navigable. Good luck to them but you wonder why. Possibly for commercial reasons on behalf of Stafford, canals do bring in a lot of money to a local community. But a 1½ mile branch would most likely become no more than a permanent mooring line for unofficial residential boats that have no compunction to move.

Tixall Lock and Tixall Wide were reached. An area that has to be almost without comparison anywhere on the canal system. An absolutely beautiful area that must be revisited at leisure.

At Great Haywood Junction we passed on to the Trent and Mersey Canal, our forth canal since leaving Swanley Bridge and the one to be followed all the way to Middlewich.

We dumped rubbish at the disposal site here, filled with water and emptied the toilet cassette for the cost of £1.

Then came lovely Staffordshire countryside but we were just ticking off the miles. There were just four locks in the 9½ miles before Stone was reached. Here there are four locks in the town itself and the three locks of the Meaford flight just outside. There were six volunteer lock keepers on the Stone locks, but all were gathered at the second lock and then left Brenda to do all the work anyway.

Stone just has to be visited again. The Star Inn beside the bottom lock in Stone dates from the 14^th century and what could be seen of the town centre looked interesting.

After the Meaford flight there was just 2 miles until we moored in Barlaston at 1730 just beyond the Plume of Feathers pub which had to be sampled. At the mooring we were visited by a duck with a deformed beak. I wanted to put her in the oven but Brenda took pity on the thing and she finished up getting most of my breakfast bread.

Day Total: 13 locks; 17 miles; 1 tunnel; 9.2 engine running hours

Overall Total: 56 locks; 75.5 miles; 1 tunnel; 43.7 engine running hours   

Tuesday 12^th June 2018

Today was a long, hard day.

We left Barlaston at 7.15 and passed the Wedgewood factory before coming to the 11foot 11inch deep lock at Trentham. After that came Trentham itself, a nice looking place, and countryside on the run in to Stoke-on-Trent. Going under numerous bridges there are five locks through Stoke, one unusual one beside the railway, where an alcove has been built into the railway wall to accommodate the lock beam.

The last lock was an awkward one on an angle beside the Industrial Museum at Etruria. Then past the entrance to the Caldon Canal before lots of derelict looking industrial sites and a few old bottle kilns left over from Stoke’s pottery industry.

And then we came to Harecastle Tunnel. An amazing feat of engineering considering it is still in operation almost 200 years after opening. The tunnel is one of the longest on the canal system at 2926 yards. There are actually three tunnels under Harecastle Hill. The first was built by James Brindley and was opened in 1777, the same year that Captain Cook discovered Australia, after 11 years of building. It represented engineering on a scale unprecedented at the time. This tunnel quickly became a bottle neck with boats having to be “legged” through so a second tunnel was built by Thomas Telford, being opened in 1827 after just 3 years of construction. The third tunnel was a later railway tunnel that was closed in the 1960’s. In the early 20^th century Brindley’s original tunnel had subsided so much from mining that it was closed to navigation.

The tunnel runs a one-way system and so we had to wait an hour before proceeding through. The tunnel was built by dropping a number of vertical shafts and then digging outwards from each until they met up. Consequently, there are several changes of profile in the tunnel and lowering of the roof. It can be quite daunting but also exciting going through. There is a shorter railway tunnel at the northern end of the canal tunnel and it is eerie hearing a train rumbling overhead.

After Harecastle came the junction with the Macclesfield Canal and the start of the 26 lock “Heartbreak Hill”. We became stuck here behind six slow moving hire boats that could not work out how to operate the locks efficiently. However, after the first lock, with them each having more people on board the boats became strung out and there were no further hold-ups. The delay did cost us over an hour though.

It was then heads down doing 12 locks of Heartbreak Hill until we moored for the night at Rode Heath. On the way we passed beside the road that was my route to the workshop at Chesterton where the boat was built. Many times I had looked down onto the canal and said to myself “one day”. It was satisfying to look up at the road and say “made it at last”.

Had our dinner in the Broughton Arms, two meals for £12.

Day Total: 18 locks; 14 miles; 8.9 engine running hours

Overall Total: 74 locks; 89.5 miles; 2 tunnels; 52.6 engine running hours  

Wednesday 13^th June 2018

We wanted to get ahead of the hire boats that had held us up yesterday so set off at 8.15. Thought this would have been too late but the hire boats hadn’t yet moved.

We had arranged to have the kids after school on Thursday for the final run into Middlewich, otherwise we could have easily made It today.

Our first lock was less than 50 yards from where we had moored up. After that the locks were a blur, done quickly and no delays although quite a few were against us.

We paused for reflection just before the M6. For once it was not held up and at a stand-still. The number of times we were held in traffic, looking down on boats working the locks and saying to ourselves “Bastards”. Well now we are one of them. A smug, satisfying feeling.

We duly arrived at Wheelock at just 11.30 and moored not far from the water point.

Then started a very busy afternoon to get the boat looking nice for arrival in Middlewich which was important to us.

While Brenda cleaned and tidied, polished and waxed inside, after hanging out washing, I started outside. The roof was scrubbed, front, rear and cabin sides and top of hullsides on port side were washed, waxed and polished. Thankfully, this is the side that will show in Middlewich, the starboardside will have to wait until we are moored that side too. She looks so much better, although the black paint on the sides is very much battered. She has had a hard first weeks cruising and will hopefully never have to work that hard again.

The engine was given its first 50-hour service. An oil and filter change. The gearbox should also have had an oil change but there was not enough oil. So the oil was freshened and will have to be renewed when we get more oil in Middlewich. The gearbox holds 1.4ltrs so we will have to fashion a receptacle

to catch the draining oil and get a measuring jug so that the correct amount can be put back. It is very difficult to see a level on the dipstick. This will make the job cleaner and easier. At the moment there is a hell of a mess of oil in the engine saveall that will now have to be cleaned up.

We had a Chinese takeaway on the boat.

We are both again, knackered.

Day Total: 14 locks; 4.5 miles; 3.8 engine running hours

Overall Total: 88 locks; 94 miles; 2 tunnels; 56.4 engine running hours  

Thursday 15^th June 2018

There was absolutely no rush today so after breakfast we did a few little jobs and tidied up a bit more. Just before 11am we moved onto the water point and took on water, emptied the toilet cassette, dumped some rubbish and duly set off on our last leg of the journey.

We had a slow cruise as we had arranged to have the kids dropped off at Crows Nest Lock at the top of the Booth Lane Flight after school. They were to be with us for the cruise into Middlewich but, as Eva had her drama club and would have to leave us at 4.30, we decided to carry on to Cledford Bridge so they could be with us through Kings Lock and to our mooring at the old Middlewich Narrowboats site.

We picked Eva up from school at 3.20, it was a delight to see her. Manny was at home and joined us and off we went for the last ½ mile of our long journey. The kids both seemed excited and Manny steered the boat until, approaching Kings Lock, the wind started to take him.

So to the mooring that Kenny had reserved for us. Great to arrive.

Kenny and Sue came over and we went straight to the beer boat which, unfortunately, is just two boats up from us. After a few pints we were changed and went to meet up at the Kings Lock. A couple we had met the night before where there and Martin, Michelle and Abbey arrived followed by Chris and Donna. Lovely to all meet up again.

Day Total: 5 locks; 6 miles; engine running hours 3.5

Overall Total: 93 locks; 100 miles; engine running hours 59.9

That gives us an average speed from Swanley Bridge Marina to Middlewich of 1.67mph.

Friday 15^th June 2018

Martin turned up to reconnect us to the internet. Bless you Martin, we are very grateful.

Aaron arrived at 2.30 after travelling by train to Sandbach and onwards by bus. He is with us for Folk and Boat and Sarah joins us tomorrow.

Andy Taylor came to fit the blinds in the galley and dinette. We are well pleased with them.

And so to the pub.