Tuesday 20^th November 2018

We were still deliberating as to whether or not to move. We reversed down to the service point, took on water, emptied the loo and dumped rubbish. While on the water point we did a wash. The washing machine takes ¼ of a tank of water so whenever possible now, we do a wash while filling and then top-up once the wash is finished.

The lock mooring just beyond the bridge at the service point had become empty. This is right beside the pub and on the lane leading to the village so we reversed and moored up.

Once the washing was hung out, I walked across the fields to get a closer look at the work they are doing on the lock. One of the side walls had been bulging in and so was being taken down, reinforced and rebuilt. I wasn’t allowed to get too close, Health and Safety has its place of course, but it is a stupid thing sometimes, especially when I think of the conditions I have had to work in. One of the guys on the site though, took my camera and got a few photos of the works for me. A thank you to him. They have built terraces into the towpath in case of any landslides into the work area, then they are building footings, a block built retaining wall and a brick faced exterior wall with new coping stones. A big job. He was telling me that when the wall was demolished, they found 250-year-old elm beamed frames every 10 feet that were holding the side wall in place. The pegs holding the framework together had rotted allowing the wall to bulge. Apparently nobody knew these frames were there and it was a complete surprise to them when they realised their purpose.

      

                                                                                     Work on the lock wall                                                          

                                                                      250-year-old Elm beams found in lock side

During the Second World War when invasion was a threat, some of Britain’s canal system was to be used as lines of defence. The South Oxford was one such canal. On the bridge next to the lock was the remains of a tank trap and, beside the linesman’s hut, was a pillbox.

        

                             

                                                                                   World War II tank trap                                                                

                                                                                          World War II pill box

We had to visit the village shop again as we had forgotten teabags. Brenda baked a banana cake, the first baking done on the boat.

It was a very cold day so, apart from that, we had another quiet day. We are getting well into the winter hibernation mode.

Weather: still and dry but very cold.