Wednesday 26^th September 2018

We had planned to spend a second night in Loughborough Wharf. There was a lot we had planned. I wanted a visit to B&Qs for plywood to make another porthole bung and a side board for the bed, and we wanted to travel on the preserved Great Central Railway. However, something just said to move on, a maximum stay in the wharf was only supposed to be 24 hours anyway. A shame really, one of the boats at the wharf was a Braidbar belonging to John and Martina, who we had met in Middlewich about 3 years ago and we would have liked to have spoken more to them.

We should have taken on water before leaving the wharf but the water point meant climbing up a 6-foot ladder. The side frames of the ladder consisted of metal bar that stuck out and would have ruined the sides of the boat. There was another water point just beyond the junction so it was decided to wait. As it turned out this, and the next water point, had fallen out of use.

We left the wharf just before 8am with Brenda still in bed, turned the junction to head for Leicester and cruised for a mile until bridge 36 where we again, tied up. This was closer to the railway, was rural on one side but, across the canal from us, was a swathe of social housing. On the way here we passed a number of old disused mills, Loughborough apparently, was known for its textile industries.

We walked up to Loughborough Central Station, home of the preserved railway, and let the 10am diesel train leave in order to catch the 11am steam train. The railway runs as far as Leicester about 12 miles away and stops at two other stations en-route. The day rover ticket allows you to disembark at any or all stations. Each station represents a different era, Edwardian, 1940’s World War II and 1960’s. Although we only alighted at Leicester to watch the locomotive disconnect and move to the other end of the carriages for the return journey, we thoroughly enjoyed the day. Certainly Loughborough station is remarkable for its detail. The only thing not properly replicated was the smell in the gent’s toilet that seemed to pervade all BR stations.

It does strike you though, that us British are very much a nostalgic nation. 

              

There was a party of first and second year schoolchildren on the train from a town on the Leicestershire/Nottinghamshire border that, in its day, was home to a large colliery. They had a guide from the railway and in Leicester, while having a talk on the loco from the driver, they were shown a lump of coal. None of them knew what it was. Britain was built on coal and yet here is a generation that doesn’t even know what coal is. Moreover, their teacher was telling me that they didn’t even know what a ticket is as, nowadays, most tickets are just carried on a mobile phone.

Upon our return to Loughborough, we visited Taylor’s Bell Foundry which was not far from the boat. Taylor’s is the world’s largest working bell foundry. The business originated in the 14^th century and became Taylor’s in 1784 when the family took over. In 2009 Taylor’s went bankrupt but were bought out by a consortium that retained the name. The foundry has a museum of bells and bell-founding that is the only one of its kind in the UK. It is one of the few Victorian purpose-built manufacturing sites still being used for its original purpose. Unfortunately, you had to pre-book for a tour and visit to the site but, through an open gate and gaps in doorways, we got tantalising glimpses inside.

                                                                                        Taylor’s Bell Foundry,

                                                                                              Loughborough

Back at the boat we quickly left Loughborough behind us and entered countryside again. Pilling’s Lock was another flood lock which was open. However, we were held up here waiting for a dredger to finish its work and move. We sent the time speaking to a group of nice young lads engaged in their D of E expedition. There are a lot of bridge holes on the Soar Navigation that are fitted with flood gates.

The navigation around Loughborough is an artificial cut. Beyond Pilling’s Lock we again joined the main river. The waterway opened out very wide, beautiful, and only seen from the water. As with the whole of the River Soar though, there were large islands of floating weed waiting to foul the unwary boaters propeller.

     

 

Barrow-upon-Soar was soon reached. Here another meander of the river, separated from the navigation, rejoins beneath a delightful three arched bridge followed by a deep lock. We watered at the service point and were going to visit the chandlery, but it doesn’t open now until spring. We spoke to an interesting, older couple that have been continuous cruisers for over 10 years, but have now taken winter mooring for the last 3.

Barrow is very reminiscent of Normanton. Very expensive looking properties with huge gardens that slope down to the river’s edge. It is always interesting to see how some make a lot of their river frontage and how some just seem to turn their backs on it.

                                                                            This garden wall at Barrow-upon-Soar

                                                               was made to look like gunports on an old Man-of-War

There was a Union Jack flying in one of the gardens that had the United Kingdom motto “Dieu et Mon Droit” worked into it. And yet the Union Jack was upside down. This is always a pet hate to me, but to have an actual flag manufactured that is upside down is unforgiveable and should be severely punished. It always amazes me how many Union Jacks you see that are upside down. If people are going to fly it they should at least have the common decency and pride to make sure it is flown correctly.

  

Beyond Barrow the river meandered very tightly until the A6 was passed and the town of Mountsorrel was reached. On the skyline behind the town are signs of what looked to be a massive quarry. This is where Mountsorrel granite is produced and is one of the largest granite quarries in Europe with an area of almost 800,000 m². The granite is used primarily in construction and road repair, produces 3 million tonnes per year and has reserves of 160 million tonnes.

At Mountsorrel there is a very attractive, disused railway bridge that has the date “1860” worked into its brickwork. We had wanted to moor up here. The day had been long enough but there didn’t seem to be any moorings to be had, they are few and far between on the river. We worked through Mountsorrel Lock and were lucky to get the last mooring outside the Waterside Inn. A hard life.

We were speaking to a local couple in the pub who reminded us that there is a play on in Leicester that we had seen advertised, wanted to see, but had forgotten about. The Wipers Times. A true story of a satirical newspaper that was produced in the mud and mayhem of the First World War trenches. So we booked to see this in Leicester on Friday night. We just hope Harvey co-operates and sleeps. He should be OK though, with a double gin in his dinner.

Weather: hot and sunny. A mild evening.

Day Total: 3 locks; 6 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 2.7

Overall Total: 224 locks; 404 miles; 15 tunnels; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 243.7