Wednesday 21st
November 2018
After breakfast, we topped up with water and left Napton. We had been
here a week, arriving last Thursday.
We had a slow, uneventful cruise to Napton Junction where we turned
off towards Warwick and Birmingham on the Grand Union Canal. We have never been
down here before.
We passed Napton reservoir that feeds into the canal, before coming to
the three Calcutt Locks. Again, we are with wide locks. They are horrible to
manoeuvre in and out of when you are working the boat on your own, much easier
with two boats.
Usually with wide locks, there is no bridge to pass from one side of
the lock to the other, and so it is necessary to walk to the opposite end and
cross over the lock gates. This is always a balancing act and never looks
completely safe. It is also time consuming. So whenever possible, the locks are
worked from one side only, only opening one gate which necessitates careful
manoeuvring. When moving downhill, because of the nature of the water flow, the
closed gate invariably swings open so either the boat is steered so as to cross
the lock so the steerer can get off and close the gate, or the lock operator
has to cross over to close it. Either way, it is a pain in the backside. Coming
out of the middle lock, I lost a side fender that got caught on the gate.
Pissed off when that happens. They sink like a stone, take time to splice a new
one, and cost about £9 each.
The lock paddles had an operating mechanism we had not seen before. Although
still operated with a windlass, they are hydraulic with an indicator rod that
protrudes from the top of the paddle. They are very easy to operate and close
gently under their own weight once the lock is removed.
Calcutt Locks have, in the past, been duplicated, with a wide lock and
a narrow one. However, the narrow ones are no longer in use and Calcutt Boats
use them as offline docks. The Calcutt Boats hire fleet are all berthed between
two of the locks. It must be good fun passing through here in the summer on
turn-around day.
Just beyond the locks are two huge marinas, one each side of the
canal, Calcutt and Ventnor. There are so many boats in these marinas, it is
staggering.
We came across the fuel boat and butty, Corona and Alsager, that we
had seen at Stoke Bruene. We bought four bags of Excel coal from them.
A further 1½ miles down the canal we winded at the Willow Wren
Training Centre. Apparently, the guy here, who has obviously spent a lot of money
on the set-up, watches the boats winding and then holds up a score card. Unfortunately,
we didn’t see him, wouldn’t mind knowing my grades.
We reversed down the canal and moored just before bridge 21. A new side
fender was spliced and hung while Brenda prepared dinner. We then walked to the
nearest pub, the Boat Inn, just a hundred yards away. This place supposedly, has
a good reputation. We must have caught them on a bad day. There was just one other
couple in there that had lunch and one drink and then left, leaving just us.
The place had no character or atmosphere and the bar staff didn’t really engage.
They did have two Old English Bulldogs in the bar. Very powerful looking dogs
that are very laidback. Lovely looking things.
Weather: a pleasant autumnal day. A short sleety shower mid-day.
Day Total: 3 locks; 4 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Boat Lift;
engine running hours 5.4
(including running
for hot water)
Overall Total: 316 locks; 571 miles; 25 tunnels; 4 Swing Bridges; 2
Boat Lifts; engine running hours 351.5
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