Saturday 16 March 2024

Another Quick Visit

 It was time for another check on the boat - just in case and also we had a very short list of tasks to do, including re-filling the fuel tank and replacing the shower bar.

We have been having a tussle most winters with the heating system. We are reluctant to forego the protection of the frost stat entirely but out neighbour has reported that the heater comes on much more frequently than that (as if it was on its normal schedule) and we do 'lose' diesel from the tank.

When we left last time, with the help from Steve next door, we really did think that it was switched off but more diesel had been consumed. Thankfully, the tank was not quite empty as that makes re-starting the heater system rather tedious (usually needed to employ someone more agile than either of us to get to the appropriate recesses of the engine bay!) 

First, however, was the shower. Right at then end of the last season, just before we were holed up at Alvechurch, the shower started to behave very oddly. When it was first turned on, no water emerged until the nearby wash basin tap was turned on just briefly. The shower would then work but all rather worrying. We did get the staff at ABC to take a look, which they kindly did whilst we returned home, but - despite being able to replicate the problem - they could not find a reason, other than to suggest replacing the shower bar, the combined on/off and temperature controller. Last week we bought a new one from  our local Screwfix - we were advised not to bother with anything more expensive than the basis, the chap indicated that they all do the same thing but some look fancier! Andrew had advised that it would be a simple task but we have never attempted it before and, with our track record on plumbing work (ie avoiding it like the plague) it was with some trepidation that we made it the first task (apart from connecting up the hose pipe to ensure that we had some water to test out the shower!) The old bar came off without a hitch and the new one was soon in its place. Could it really be that easy? We put the immersion heater on, as we were connected to the landline, and gave the shower a test. Well, we did not actually disrobe to get in under it for a full run but it does have the appearance of having fixed the problem.

We checked the bilges but they were bone dry and for once the drain channels around the deck board remained clear of leaves. However, we did notice a strange back residue around the rain hole from the starboard stern locker. After the contents had been removed, mainly at the moment a small stock of coke and tonic cans, we were able to mop out a smallish amount of liquid. But why was it black? Where did it come from? Normally if anything gets into the lockers it is rain and usually remains quite clean. No obvious answer until we started to return the stock - one of the coke cans was empty but with the ring pull intact. Even so, the mystery was not completely solved as the can was not keen to be crushed so there was no obvious leak!

Meanwhile, Christine had been stowing away the partial stock of boat clothes to save time when we eventually start off the season. Time then for the rolls we had brought with us for lunch!

After that we cast off and cruised all of the few hundred metres to the fuel point by the office and, after filling up, back to where we started. But at least it was a cruise!

A month ago we switched to an electric car for the first time. So far we had only been to Swindon and back, well within the range. Coming to the marina we should have had plenty for the round trip but we had had a lengthy diversion resulting from a weekend road closure we did not know about until we reached it. In any case, we wanted to try out charging from a public point - the nearest (and the only one working according to one of the online maps/guides) was at Lidl in town. So we locked up the boat about three o'clock and found the charge point - fortunately not in use as there is only one at a time! We did have to download an app but, for once, it went without hitch after we had fed it with all the usual personal details and top-up! We then went to the adjoining B&M and Lidl stores to fill in time and pick up one or two items, including milk for home. 

When we returned the charge session had finished - it had done as much as it could with the £10 top up we had put on, which put us back to just over 80%. We could then set off back without range-anxiety. In fact the road closure was only on the north-bound carriageway of the A419 so no additional miles needed.

We now plan to start our season cruising a week after Easter. We need to head northwards as we are booked in for an extensive boat re-paint, starting late May. (We had to book this two seasons back!) However, we have not been able to set off by now, even for a shakedown cruise, for two unrelated reasons. Firstly, we have had further health issues (more Mike this time) but a Consultant has prescribed medication (only available from last year) that appears to have had very beneficial results. Even without that, we could not have gone very far. There have been planned stoppages both north and south from Hanbury Junction on the Worcester and Birmingham, whilst the winter rains and flooding have closed the Droitwich with sediment that prevented lock operation. We understand that it is expected that all will be clear by Easter (unlike those hoping to do a route via the North Oxford) The River Severn remains closed to navigation and unlikely to recover to a safe level for some time so we do not have much hope of avoiding Tardebigge, yet again. we had hope to be able to avoid going all the way up to the Birmingham level and back down again at Wolverhampton - but we should have time to take it easy!

Wednesday 17 January 2024

Winter Checkup

Yesterday we made a brief visit to Alchemy just to be sure that no adverse effects of the winter had occurred! For the  most part all was well but we did discover why diesel was disappearing when we thought that the heating system was turned off. This was due to a mis-reading of the not-always-user-friendly small user guide for Heat Miser! The result was that we had left it on frost stat settings that were not visible on the control panel. Hopefully we have now corrected that.

We took the opportunity to make sure that the drainage channels around the rear deck board were clear of leaves as this can lead to quite a lot of rainwater spilling into a engine bay. The bays themselves were almost dry and there were few leaves trapped in the channels but in the past6 this has been a problem.

In the process of all this we discovered yet again the willingness of boaters to look after each other. Thanks folks!

On the way back we called on a friend who now lives in Cheltenham and had a lovely light lunch with her. Alas, after an otherwise good journey back, with about five miles to go, something (we know not what) happened that led to our front left wheel hitting a kerb and the wing being reshaped by a tree! Fortunately we were only going at 20 mph around a series of tight bends and no human was damaged in the process. Hence we are temporarily car-less and can only get into town by taxi. A night to forget especially as it was very cold and icy indeed.

Saturday 2 December 2023

Car Shuffle and Home

We arrived in the marina last night so no cruising today, but we did still have the car to retrieve from Alvechurch. Today was one of several train driver strike days but schedules were supposed to be published by yesterday - with some indicated that way. Mike found that the last trip of the morning using the 3 train route (in reverse) that he used when unexpectedly collecting the car from the marina just after the slippage at Shortwood was still due to depart just after 10 am. He booked etickets. (Droitwich->Bromsgrove->Barnt Green ->Alvechurch in 45 minutes) and a taxi from the marina to the station at 9.30.

We awoke to find a very different day, weather-wise, from the previous two days. There was a significant fog/mist with freezing temperatures. Just the conditions for chilling the lungs when doing anything energetic outside. At least we had made the right call on days to come down all those locks.

The taxi arrived on time but when Mike was dropped at the station he immediately saw that his train was CANCELLED! The schedule on the display was sparse and the next after the 10:03 only showed the destination, not the route. The further complication was that Three, the provider for Mike's phone, still did not have any data service - the outage had started some time yesterday, Fortunately Christine's is on a different network so we could book the tickets. The ticket office at the station was not manned this morning, either! Luckily a lady sitting next to Mike on the platform thought to look up his route and showed that the recommended option was to take the next train (actually a little earlier) into Birmingham Moor Street, walk to New Street and thence down to Alvechurch, 

Of course, all trains today were extremely busy with limited standing room at times. As the phone network still had data outage, Mike was not able to display the QR code of his ticket but the train manager accepted the email. 

This train was actually going to Stratford-on-Avon, on a long loop through Kidderminster, around Birmingham and  then southwards. Just before we arrived at Smethwick Galton Bridge there was an announcement that suggested passengers for New Street could change here. A lot did! And there was a train ready and waiting at platform 4 on the lower level.

At last this meant not having to do the walk from Moor Street to New Street (which always seems to take longer than the five minutes officially allowed) and so there was time to pick up a warming cup of coffee.

The train to Alvechurch, the stop before the end of the line at Redditch, was on time and arrived as scheduled, just an hour later than the original plan. It could have been a lot worse.

Mike then drove back to the marina - the motorway was not busy, luckily as by the M5 the fog was thickening and the overhead signs warned drivers to slow down. Christine, meanwhile, had done a good job in making sure that what we needed to load into the car was ready for immediate collection. This was soon transferred before lunch. Then time to empty the last few drops of water in the tank (we had not taken on a full tank to avoid wasting more than we needed), empty the elsan and go through our pre-departure checklist.

We were away just a few minutes after 2, which is what we had hoped so that we could reach home whilst there was still daylight - sunset was just after 4. Again, traffic was moderate and not too much fog until we were about two miles from home. The fog bank, with a sharp 'edge' to it , was rather impressive.

When we left home on  Wednesday we were still expecting not to be back until Sunday with at least one day of rain  forecast. Since we had set the heating to Holiday and to come back on on Sunday, the house was really, really cold and it warmed up very slowly. We were very glad that our menu plan was to collect fish 'n chips from a local chippie - and boy, was it good!

We will need to return to the boat for some maintenance before the start of next season's cruising but w do not yet have a plan - just a growing list of things to attend to! The next fixed point on the agenda will be the boat painting, starting at the end of May 2024. 

Friday 1 December 2023

Back to the Marina - at last!

Today's Canal : Worcester and Birmingham, Droitwich

After the coldest night yet - although tonight is forecast even colder - we awoke to find that the canal was covered with ice! What was this going to do to our plans - we hoped to be back on our marina mooring by sundown.



A quick poke with a stick revealed that although it was extensive, the ice was only about 10 mm thick which we hoped would allow us to proceed.


By the time that we were ready to leave, one of the boats that came down after us last night and moored a short distance ahead, had already left, so we assumed that progress was possible (unless it turned out to be a narrowboat shaped Tardis!) Casting off was interesting as the mooring ropes were frozen solid. Eventually we were on our way, accompanied by a gentle crunching of ice.


It was only a short distance around the corner to the start of the Stoke Locks - with a very wintry look. We knew that we would have to be especially vigilant working around the locks, to avoid slipping. As another boat was just ahead of us, finding all them empty and set against us was a no-brainer.


At this time of the year, with the sun low in the sky, parts of the landscape in sunshine are brilliant bit strong shadows are cast elsewhere.


Another wintry landscape. really quite picturesque.


Just above one lock, the ice was right across as these ducks discovered. However, there were enough of them that they soon started to sink and they found a gap where they could paddle away.


At the last Astwood lock we caught up with the boat ahead and discovered that they too were heading for the same marina.


The pound below the Atwood flight was long enough to serve up mugs of soup and chunks of bread to eat 'on the go'. It was already 2 o'clock where we turned onto the Droitwich canal at Hanbury so we needed to press on if we were to be tied up in daylight.

Just after we arrived at hanbury Top Lock another boat arrived, having come up from Worcester after yesterday an 'interesting' run up the Severn from Tewkesbury. They too were heading for the marina.


The marina did not have much ice - we called at the service wharf first to fill up with fuel and to buy an electricity card. Then, with the sun setting fast, we cruised across the marina to our berth - no wind so it was somewhat easier than it can be to reverse into our slot.

We hooked up to the electric and stoked up the fire to ward off what promises to be a very cold night. Mike booked train tickers and a taxi for the morning so that he an collect the car. Despite the strikes, some trains are still running - we hope!

It has certainly been an eventful year of boating and it is rather later than 'normal' that we return to a winter mooring in December. Despite the cold, we have enjoyed these last three days with some quite special views.

4.7 Miles - 15 Locks 

Thursday 30 November 2023

Tardebigge

Today's Canal : Worcester and Birmingham

We awoke knowing exactly what we had to do today: 29 locks to the bottom of the Tardebigge flight! Not only is this the longest flight on the system (30 including the Top Lock which we did yesterday) but does not, except perhaps in an emergency, have anywhere to stop overnight between the next to top and the bottom locks.


It was was wonderful, bright autumnal - well wintery - day with cloudless skies throughout. It was also pretty chilly, there was a coating of frost and our ropes were quite solid. We wrapped with as many layers as we cold manage - almost Michelin Man! - gloves, scarf and wooly hats.


We also needed to be especially careful around the locks as it was slippery in places. The first lock was full, with the gate open but this was rarely the case and all but six of the locks were empty, needing to be filled before we could start down them.


Some of the locks in the flighty, by by no means all of them - have their number carved into a wingwall below the lock, as well as having the usual cast metal place on the balance beams.


Tardebigge Reservoir was much fuller than we have sometimes seen it but kit could perhaps still take a bit more to be sure of lasting through next summer.


Someone may have been magnet fishing (but perhaps just fishing if it was made of aluminium) or was this left behind by the volunteer lock keepers, now stood down until the start of the 2024 season.


In some ways, at this time of the year the trees and bushes are more interesting as they show their structure, which during the summer is hidden under their cloak of leaves.


The house with the aerials is an obligatory picture, never looking better with the almost cloudless blue sky in the background.


Eventually the end was close and at the penultimate lock we could see how close it was to sunset with the long, low light and shadow.


And the bottom lock now appeared - hooray we might make it before sunset.


Just!


i

So, here we are at the Bottom Lock. Last year we came down in 6 hours 13 minutes - but 6 weeks earlier, well before the clocks went back and a much later sunset. (We did make it up in 4 hrs 38 minutes in April but we had a lot of help from a large gang of volunteers. You only have to save just a bit on each lock to make a real difference overall) And this time? 6 hours 47 minutes which we though not bad given how so many were against us and that we did not encounter a single boat coming up.

Needless to say we moored immediately after exiting the last lock. To our surprise two more boats arrived down a little later, the second by now in the dark.

2.4 Miles - 29 Locks

Wednesday 29 November 2023

Leaving Withybed Moorings

Today's Canal : Worcester and Birmingham

After a long wait whilst the land slip was being repaired just south of Shortwood Tunnel, eventually at the end of last week it was announced that navigation would resume at the end of last week. Given the scale of the task, that does seem to be good progress and a bot faster than originally suggested. However, we could not leave instantly (!) as Christine had an appointment at Salisbury for a routine ear check on Tuesday afternoon.

That meant the the earliest departure would could manage was 9 am today although we did as much as possible of the packing and car loading yesterday. We were away as planned and had a good run up to Swindon, across to the M5 and thence to Alvechurch. We stopped first at the bridge by Alvechurch Marina and the railway station, just to check on mooring space for unloading. Just as well we did check as there was no room at all! Most of the visitor mooring was taken up by pans that CaRT had been using to remove the landslip spoil.

At Withybed we loaded up a trolley and a wheelbarrow, about three quarters of what we needed to unload, and walked around to where our boat had been moored - right at the far side! All seemed to be well although the credit on the electricity had expired, but going by the State of Charge it must have been very recent.


By midday we were able to cast off and cruise across to the service wharf to add a bit of fuel to our tank as well as to retrieve out boat keys - the annual RCR service had been done whilst we were away. Both marinas were very helpful and pleasant, getting us out of our difficulty with having to leave the boat and return home. Thanks everyone and we recommend them both for their service.



Finally we were able to commence the remaining part of our 'Back to Base' trip that had been frustrated by the land slip. It was a bright and sunny day even if, when out of the sun, it was really rather chilly. It is definitely turning into winter. 

Christine drove the car to the station car park so that Mike can come back by train from Droitwich to collect it at the end of this trip. Mike picked her up at Bridge 69, close to the station.


ABC are continuing to update their fleet with several new boats nearing completion. Some already named and indicate that they are for Kings Orchard but others are still to be sign written.



About 20 minutes later the entrance to Shortwood Tunnel came into sight. From this end we could not yet see any sign of the repairs.





However as soon as we emerged back into daylight we could see what has been behind our delay. As we understand it, trees on the steep bank to the tunnel portal were loosened by storm conditions and then excess surface water running down the towpath cause the land to slip into the canal. CaRT (with their contractors) have removed all of the spoil from the canal and re-opened the navigation. Obviously this was a priority but it seems that they have yet to come up with a plan for the bank, For the time being, large bags (of aggregate?) have helped to stabilise the bank but as yet the towpath remains unusable. The emergency drainage has been left in place to help prevent further damage from any more winter storms.


We continued on  towards Tardebigge with yet another tunnel to transit. It was still very sunny but we paused on the lock landing for Tardebigge Top Lock just long enough to have a quick, but late, lunch.



Still only a bit after 2.30 but the temperature was dropping quickly so we dropped down the lock to the visitor moorings in the pound below. These have rings to tie up to (those above the lock do not) and also this will give us a little bit more time to reach the bottom of the flight before dark tomorrow - sunset is now just before 4.

3.5 Miles - 1 Lock

Monday 6 November 2023

Moving Mooring

Now that we have the estimate for the length of time to clear the Shortwood landslip, we can make further temporary arrangements for the boat. Alvechurch have been very supportive - they are now not only storing their own fleet for the winter but also a number for other places whose hire boats have not been able to make it home. At the outset they could only promise a couple of weeks. They could have stretched it a little but we needed to sort something for the duration.

Withybed Moorings is a small marina about half a mile away and they had just one space available, a month at a time. So, we have taken that, initially for a month and then we can see how CaRT are progressing and whether they have a clearer estimate for re-opening navigation.

We planned to  drive up on Thursday but were put off by the forecast conditions from Storm Ciaran. Driving on a motorway with lots of spray is not our idea of fun! Fortunately we could go on Friday instead and the drive up was actually quite pleasant.

We settled our account with Alvechurch and then Christine set off with the car, hoping to establish where we were to moor before Mike arrived. In the event, Mike did not take long and the marina person was down at the entrance to lift the footbridge when he arrived.

Everything went well and Mike even managed to reverse onto the mooring without touching the sides! (Not even the boat alongside) We did not have much to unload which was fortunate as it is quite a walk and the trolleys were all at the car park.

The journey home was uneventful - the first part was in pleasant weather but by the time we passed Swindon promised rain turned up and stayed with us for the rest of the journey.