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