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