Perfect cruising weather back to the marina

Monday 31^st March; Oddingley to the marina

There was a sharp frost when I took the dog out first thing, but it disappeared as the sun rose higher.  The air was chilly to start with, but with hardly any wind it was a beautiful day for cruising.

Blackthorn blossom

Trinity Boats, a small hire company at Dunhampstead, has moved now to the old Anglo-Welsh base at Tardebigge Old Wharf, which is between Tardebigge and Shortwood tunnels.  The Tardebigge lock closure happened just after they started the move, which will have meant it would have taken longer to move the boats, but their old home looks empty now.

Trinity’s old home.  With two more hire boats coming on stream there wouldn't be enough room here

On the way to Hanbury Junction there is a large house with a very long garden and canal frontage, and for years there has been a decrepit boathouse with a tatty looking cruiser inside, reeds growing across the front.  It has all been renovated now.

A bit smarter now

It’s less than two miles to Hanbury Locks from Oddingley.  We haven’t seen the volunteers yet this year, and these locks empty themselves so even though a boat had just left the top lock I had to top that one up and then turn the second and third.  These locks have working side ponds which are a water-saving device as long as they get used!  The procedure is the same whether you are going up or down.  First you open the side pond paddles, so if you are emptying the lock, as we were, you will fill the empty side pond from the lock.

Empty

If you are coming up and need to fill the lock, there should be water waiting in the side pond for you to start the process.

But we were going down, so half our lockful went in here.

When the levels have equalised (the flow in or out of the side pond stops) you close those paddles then open the ground or gate paddles as appropriate.

All ready for the next boat

 We've had such a dry winter and spring so far I wonder whether CRT might consider bring other side ponds back into use, such as on the Stoke Bruerne and Atherstone flights?

Today's weather was perfect for marina mooring – not a breath of wind – and we slid into our berth very easily.  As well as the normal packing up, there were the toilets to be sorted out.  Plural, because the Porta-Potti was deployed yesterday evening.  There isn’t a problem with the macerator, but it was being descaled.  We had never thought about it until Dave was doing research on macerator pump-outs soon after we got the boat.  It’s like descaling a kettle really, you buy the stuff and follow the instructions.  Various sources said it needed to ‘soak’ from a few hours to 72.  So we started it yesterday evening and  finished the job in the marina, then of course the cassette needed to be emptied too.  I have never seen descaling mentioned on blogs or websites, so I wonder if most people don't do it?

We had a list of jobs that need doing, and most didn’t get done, but the biggest – get the batteries changed – and the most annoying - descale the macerator - are out of the way at last. 

We still haven’t finalised our cruising plans for the year.  There are three ways to the main canal network; the first, via the Worcester and Birmingham, is out for months because of the stoppage at Tardebigge top lock.  The second, down the Severn to Tewkesbury for the Avon Ring, which we would have liked as our 'escape' cruise, is also out till the end of May as there is a stoppage on the Wilmcote flight.  So that leaves the Severn to Stourport, to join the Staffs and Worcester.  As we spent time further north last year, and with the recent breach on the Macc, we will be in the Midlands and south this year, but still have to decide on our first destination.

Further news on the Tardebigge work click HERE.

Today's stats; 3 locks, 3 miles

Trip stats; 17 miles narrow canals, 30 narrow locks, Dunhampstead tunnel (twice).  Waterways; Droitwich Junction canal, Worcester and Birmingham.

A good workout

Sunday 30^th March; Perdiswell Park to Oddingley

Yesterday evening we were startled by an unearthly scream outside the boat, almost human.  But as it was travelling at some speed along the canal we thought it must be a barn owl – a quick search on the laptop found a YouTube with recordings of their calls to confirm the ID.  There are a lot of rough edges for its prey (mice and voles) to live around the park, which contains an 18-hole golf-course as well as woods and paths.  The clocks went back last night, but we didn't worry about the time we got up – I needed to go to Sainsbury’s and it doesn’t open till 10 on a Sunday.  The sun was shining again but the wind was still cold.

Two colours of violets turning their faces to the morning sun

Fishermen with their trolleys started arriving soon after 8.  There is a match on today, but the only peg near us was not in use and we would not be obstructing them.  We went our separate ways, Dave and Jess to the park and me to go shopping for some more things to stock the galley for summer cruising.  We got away at about 11.15, the sun warm on our backs but we had hats and gloves against the cold wind in our faces.

Fishing match at Blackpole

We had hot drinks and a hot cross bun each to keep us going in the stretch between Blackpole and Tolladine locks.  I needed the fuel as the ground paddles on these locks are extremely stiff – I think of them as bodyweight locks, as I need my full weight pushing down on the windlass to move it at all.  Sometimes I have to do a half-turn of the windlass and then re-position it for another push, as to start with the paddle is too stiff for me to pull the windlass to complete the turn.  I do the trick of raising one side a little, getting a few seconds’ rest while crossing the top gate, then doing the other side.  As the water levels begin to equalise the paddles get easier.

Blackpole lock

We decided to clear the Offerton flight before we stopped to get all the work out of the way.  So I was ready for my lunch by the time we moored at Tibberton!

Bridge 24, Offerton top lock

I like the variation in style of the bridge numbers

 We toyed with the idea of moving on to below Astwood locks for a change of mooring, or even to go down to the marina tonight, but Oddingley is so delightful we stayed exactly where we had a couple of nights ago.   Dave washed the starboard side yesterday, so had a go with the polish to see if it would improve the streaky and faded black paint.  It didn’t, but it’s shinier now.

Hello!

It might be time to think about a repaint.  While Dave was doing the polishing a local walker stopped to chat.  A train went by and he started to talk about the level crossing.  The other day I couldn’t recall if there had been a siren, but at the back of my mind I thought there might have been a signal box.  I looked back in my photos and found the evidence.  Well it was a crossing box rather than a signal box, and it was there till at least 2015 when I took this picture!  The crossing had been due for automation that year but it hadn’t happened yet.

Oddingley crossing box, 2015

The crossing keeper lived in the cottage, and a buzzer sounded when a train was due, so he would come out and close the barriers.  The night shift sat in the box.  All there is now is a green electrical control box and an emergency telephone.

And in 2020.  The box had been in the area behind the hedge to the right of the blue sign

It was a beautiful clear evening but getting very cold, and the fire was lit before sunset.

4 miles, 8 locks

 

Heavy work!

Saturday 29^th March; Landsdown Park to Lowesmoor Basin, then to Perdiswell Park, bridge 17.

There was frost on the grass when I took the dog out first thing, but it soon went.  The sun was shining brightly as we left for Lowesmoor Basin, arriving before 9 am.

Early morning at Landsdown Park

Stuart soon arrived and set to work.  He is tall, broad and at least 10 years younger than us, but even so he said that our batteries, at 31 kg each, were at the limit of his capabilities.  So it’s hardly surprising that Dave decided a boatyard would be better equipped than us to change the leisure battery bank.

Stuart removing battery no 3

There was a lot of puffing and grunting – it was clearly a very difficult job.  Glass-of-squash work rather than cup-of-tea!  Stuart knew Martin, the boater Dave had been talking to at Droitwich, whose batteries were 36 kg each – that was a 2-men-and-a-winch job.

Just one to go - the one on the left is the starter battery

Stuart confirmed that the frame securing the batteries was welded in place, so the only way to get a battery out was to lift it.  The first was the hardest, as the others could be shuffled sideways, with a bit more space to heave them out.

In goes the first new one

Two to go

Stuart keeps a tidy ship

He had a magnetic lamp which gave a good light, so that this photo of the finished job is very clear.

It looks as though there is plenty of room to get the batteries out, but that really wasn’t the case at all

Because the solar had been keeping the batteries topped up, and we had turned the fridge off overnight to reduce drain, it was hard to tell which of the old batteries had failed.  Or maybe more than one?  Anyway, with the old bow thruster lead-acids on their last legs Dave swapped them with two of the old leisure batteries, and will monitor them closely to see how they behave.  We have kept the other two to try as needed.

And now the bow thruster is happy too, and so are we!

We paid our bill in the office and were on our way again by 11.30.  There was apparently a partial solar eclipse this morning, but the hazy cloud had been building up so we didn’t notice – and had forgotten about it anyway.  But it would have been good to try projecting the image onto the ground using a colander, as was suggested on the radio!

Reversing out of Lowesmoor Basin

We stopped again at Landsdown Park so Jess could have a play, had lunch and then moved off north again.  The swans were pottering about between the two Gregory’s Mill locks and were no trouble this time, thank goodness.  We could see a boat ahead of us at Bilford bottom lock, progressing very slowly.  They turned out to be first-timers up from Diglis, with two adults on the boat and one little lad working the locks.  He was doing very well, and got most upset when I turned up to help!  Personally, I wouldn’t have allowed a child of 10 (at a rough guess) to be operating a lock with no adult on the bank.  They were winding at the Bilford winding hole, which is between the two Bilford locks.  They found it very difficult, mainly because the pound was very low (this one often is).  Dave managed to get Bonjour out of the bottom lock but stuck on the way into the top one, so I had to run some water down.  A good learning experience for the newbies, anyway – Dave was close enough to the lock mooring to give them a running commentary, and they paid close attention as this will be their local patch.

The afternoon was cloudy and increasingly cold so we were glad to moor before bridge 17 at Perdiswell Park, a favourite spot.  Jess was bouncing up and down with excitement at the prospect of a walk in the park, which she duly got.  I had remembered to re-proof the little area on the cratch cover that had been leaking, though an hour later had to hastily bring the cover down so it stayed dry when the rain started.  The fire was lit early. 

Less than 3 miles, 4 locks

Pesky swans at Gregory’s Mill

Friday 28^th March; Oddingley to Lansdown Park, Worcester

Though it had rained overnight it had stopped by getting-up time.  But the rain meant I could finally find  the source of the leak in the cratch cover after I had re-proofed it last year - it is on the stitching of the window panel, the cover of which is kept closed when we leave the boat so it had been dry all winter. 

Quite a puddle

We were up reasonably early and on our way by 9, needing to get down towards Worcester near to Lowesmoor Basin, where we hope to get our leisure batteries replaced – we need someone younger and stronger, maybe in possession of a winch, to get the originals out.  In chilly, cloudy but dry weather we reached the top of Offerton locks by the thundering M5.  We shared the work in our normal way and with locking ahead we made good progress even though four of the flight were completely empty, two with a bottom gate swung open for good measure.  At the bottom lock a boat was approaching – only the second on the move we’ve seen so far this trip – and the crew came up to help.  They had spent the winter in Diglis and were now on the move to Mercia.  With the top lock of Tardebigge out of action for some time, their favoured route isn’t available, and with Bevere Lock on the Severn also closed at the moment, they can’t go up-river to Stourport from Worcester.  Their only option is to go all the way up to Hanbury junction then down the Droitwich canals to the Severn, adding many miles and locks to their journey. 

The rumour at Droitwich is that the Grade II listed Tardebigge top lock** could be out for most of the season – it is going to impact many people’s plans for the summer as the only way to the rest of the network is via the river Severn.  I feel sorry for the poor hire companies – Cafwyn Cruises, based at Droitwich marina, has lost a three-week booking because of the stoppage and is now offering a top-spec electric boat hire at a big discount.  ABC and the share boats from Canal Boat Club at Lowesmoor Basin, and Black Prince at Stoke Prior, will all be affected by the closure.  Our ‘escape’ in a few weeks’ time will depend on the Severn not being in flood.   

There was time to make a pot of coffee as we cruised down to Tolladine lock, where a top paddle is still out of action.

At least the lockside damson trees are in bloom, though you can only see the smaller tree to the right of the ratchet.  I wasn't thinking of the blossom when I took the photo.

Tolladine and the following locks were all nearly full, so we continued making good progress.  At Bilford Top Lock a local group, the Worcester Craftivists, fed up with dog mess, have created a small artwork.

A bit small though, how many offenders will stop to read it?

Then we reached Gregory’s Mill locks.  As we worked through the top lock I could see that the bottom lock, a hundred yards or so further on, was open and the local swans were hanging around.  A passer-by confirmed they were in the lock itself, and he had opened the top gate fully so that they could get out, but they weren’t budging.  Before we left the top lock we made sure Jess was securely shut in on the stern deck, and I armed myself with some bread before walking along the towpath.  They were very reluctant to move, and they stopped taking the bread when a dog went by, but eventually I tempted them out so Dave could safely get into the lock.

Don’t you dare follow the boat!  Bad swans!

Then it was a rush to get the gate closed – they were following the boat and one nearly made it back into the lock through the narrowing gap.  I shouted at it, making it stop just long enough to let me finish closing the gate.  Phew!  We dropped down with no further problems.  It was now nearly lunchtime, so we stopped at Lansdown Park just past bridge 11.  After lunch Dave called Lowesmoor Basin and booked us in for 9 am tomorrow.  Now the important question was, do we continue to Diglis basin, turn and moor at the Commandery, which we often do?  Less than a mile and one lock to do in the morning.  But the wind is strong, we have no bow thruster (Dave is now pretty sure the batteries are buggered) and winding at Diglis is tricky at the best of times.  So we stayed put, less than half a mile from Lowesmoor.  Dave cleaned the engine hole while I took Jess along the towpath to Wickes for some WD-40 and 3-in-1.  Luckily for her there is a pet store next to Wickes, so some tasty treats were bought, then a lovely gentleman in Wickes happened to have treats in his pocket.  Lucky girl.

The wind finally started to drop after dark and it was very cold outside.

Just over 5 miles, 12 locks.  Some of that paddle gear was extremely heavy.

**Tardebigge news; the Boaters’ Update has further information and an informative video.   As the lock is a listed structure, CRT has to apply for Listed Building consent for every step of the investigation and repair.  The most hopeful date for re-opening is the end of August.