On the move again

Thursday 3^rd September; Penkridge to Moat House Bridge no 73

Apart from a small dog yapping until 11 pm it was very quiet where we were moored.  In the morning it was forecast to be dry all day so we though we’d make the most of it and by 9 we were up Penkridge lock, recycling and food waste dealt with, a couple of books left at the book swap at the corner shop and the water tank nearly full.  A boating couple with their little grandson had opened up for us, closed the top gate too and we arrived at Filance lock as they were opening the bottom gates.  We had passed their beautiful boat, Sarah Kaye, and thought it looked familiar – we had been moored next to her at Droitwich Spa for a couple of winters and remembered Jayne, the previous owner, very well.

Otherton lock

We met our first boat of the day at Otherton lock, which is quite deep and very noisy as it is close to the M6.  We were their first boat too.

Painted stone at Otherton

We met boats at every lock today and Rodbaston was no exception.  This was even noisier.

Another ropey balance beam.  You could easily get onto the M6 from here.

We started to move away from the motorway now, which was a relief.  At Bogg’s lock the remains of the old lock beam had been chain-sawed into chunks and left by the hedge.

The beam has been completely replaced by 5 long planks screwed together.  The towpath side bottom gate beam had been replaced in this way already.

Will it last as long as the solid ones?  Will they just replace a single plank if one is damaged?

There was another bit of painted rock here, this time with words – Norfolk Rocks (UK).  The hire boater taking the lock from us said it is quite a thing on the part of the south coast where they live – children paint stones from the beach and hide them around the place, and anyone finding one is supposed to hide it in a new place.  Norfolk Rocks is another such ‘community treasure hunt’.

Brick Kiln lock was next and the balance beam there is in a parlous state.  It’s hard to see in the photo, but there were several places where you could put your hand right through the metalwork from top to bottom.

A boat was just leaving Gailey lock as we approached and after that there was nothing on the move for a while.

The old lock cottage is now a private residence and the little shop on the ground floor seems to be closed.

We were soon at the Schenectady chemical works, still as dangerous and smelly as ever.

There is an emergency holding tank behind the fence

This section was the stinkiest

It was slow going past Hatherton marina, where the Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust trip boat was just reversing out to begin its excursion.  We moored in a sunny spot at lunchtime, just past Moat House bridge.  I cleaned the stove flue, which didn’t really need doing but better safe than sorry where fire is concerned.  Last time it was extremely difficult getting the baffle plate out and then back in, so Dave took an inch off the screw that holds it in place at the back of the fire, so although it is still a fiddly job it is much easier to get it out and put it back again.

We need a new one I think, this one has some pinholes 

Dave did some varnishing yesterday and would have continued, but as I was doing the cleaning I put off yesterday he took the dog out instead.  It’s a nice sunny mooring here, away from the busy roads.

Jess scrutinises the trees on the offside for squirrels

There was a damson tree too not far away, so I picked a few.

6½ miles, 7 locks