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One man and His Boats

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Braunston to Home

Plain sailing from Braunston. It was very sad to see Clent looking sorry for itself. I have some very fond memories of her and her Captain in 1998 !   We got to the top of Atherstone about 3.30   The Jag looking and sounding a bit better then last time here with the blown top joint. Only a small weep this time although Luce looks a bit the worse for wear.   http://narrowboatsalesltd.co.uk/botather.mp4   Bloody good trip   Thanks Luce ! Love You ! You can come boating with me an
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Simpson to Braunston

A very sore captain kicked off in the morning. And of course with rain I suspect waterways had opened a few drain off paddles as it took me 45 minutes in the rain to get off the mooring ! After that though progress was swift and were through Stoke by midday.     Plain sailing now and on way down braunston I sent Luce in the Nelson for some beer. She came back and said She had booked a table as they stop servig at 8.30pm I had to send her back and cancel as how can we tie up in the light !
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Apsley to Simpson

Got a good start despite waterways filling up Apsley top pond and having to run water below Berko.   Agter filling two pounds we managed to bounce through and progress was good to we were able to scrub the boat up a bit !   Made Leighton Lock before 5 pm so looking good for Milton Keynes.   After Stoke Hammond it was time for a scrub off ( Me that is as boat already done). I have a tap on the water outlet which is fine for washing hands when in the engine 'ole. Not so fine for a man
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Pitstone to Watford

This one needed an early start as we had to make Watford in time to unload. With a crew of four it was easy riding and we got to Cassio Wharf where we said goodbye to young Michael.   We were quickly unloaded with the usual super efficiency of Derek and John. It was here when we saw the 'friends' of Roger that we thought is was strange we were contracted when they could have bought Roger up to Alvecote and loaded the ballast there.   We made it back up to Apsley for the night where we w
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Blisworth to Pitstone

What a relief to awaken just before light and no rain. That meant we were clear of Stoke by 9 and batting round the pound when I notice the auto bilge pump working overtime. Thought is was the rain water draining through and thought no more of it. Around Castlethorpe thought I should take a further look and discovered that the bottom engine water pipe from the pump to the cylingder was leaking badly and squirting in a direction that I was unable to see when normally oiling up. I took the steelso
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Stop to Blisworth in a Storm !

5.30 Monday morning saw in the dark shadows Michael bow hauling Emu round the turn and by 6 we were on the move.     Came out of top of 'morton around 11 and crawled through Braunston around 1. We then we flew up and over in 3 hours. Stoke was clearly on the agenda until the heavens opened.     Emu' bolinder was settling in and going round a treat. Rain, Real Rain, More Rain. Michael suffered more than me as I had the benefit of a roaring range. Settled for Blisworth as it got dark b
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Shakerstone for starters !

The trip really started two weeks ago after Kangaroo and Australia headed to Beale Park. five 2 ton bags of railway line was delivered to the yard for transhipment to Watford. It being sods law the JCB had a puncture so we had to position it and use the back hoe as a static crane to unload the lorry. Pete Gilbert then came to the rescue with his hi-ab and we managed to load into the boat although it was very precarious as his hi-ab only handles 1500 kgs 3 ft out !!!   The plan was that we s
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It's good to be on the move again !

I was asked on my recent trip why I have not been blogging on my way.   I admit it is bit of a trial with a loaded boat, back cabin, bolinder and summer traffic!   However if there is interest I shall write it up this week.   We took the Jag loaded at Alvecote to Watford with railway line ballast for NB Roger.   We did find the time to go to Shakerstone and actually met up with Kangaroo and Australia at Marston Lane Junction.   Lawrence, Matthew and Caz had left Beale Park with 32 tons
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Atherstone Locks

left at 7 with sun shining and no need for a top as it was so still and warm. After a short stop at Charity got to top Atherstone at 11 am. Well 4 waiting in front and 3 boats waiting in the first pound DON'T THEY KNOW ANTHING !! What a waste of time water effort. I walked home and will go back to night or early in the morning ! Time now 1 pm and havinmg luch at home. I but will complete later. Hare came past the house at 2.30 which was 3 hrs 30 mins helped by the fact that the boats in front st
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Stoke to Ansty

Late start 5.15 should have been 5 !!! but a good run and had a clear run up and over the hill which meant that we cleared Braunston by 1 pm. Cracking run top Morton at 3 and out bottom at 3.20. Thats the way to do it!! But then we joined a convoy and tied up at Ansty as it was painfully slow with the right amount of boats coming the other way which mean no chanch of overtaking and well as wall to wall tied up boats. Lie in in the morning as now cracked it and will be back home tomorrow ! I t
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Wendover to Stoke

Went to Wendover from Ricky and tied at the end of the arm. Went back to recover Stafford on Tuesday evening and apologise for running engine for 30 mins. I was going to go on Monday Night by my Good friend Michael said his Son was moving Hare from Ricky on tuesday morning and was heading for Cowroast on Tuesday night. Left the end of the arm at 5.30 in time to meet Hare at Maffers. Good day wall to wall tea and sandwiches made me think I must get my domestic life sorted. We tied top of Stoke
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Ricky over the years

A lot has happened since the first Ricky festival in 1993. It was set up to commemorate 200 years of the Grand Union. It is still going strong and well run by the Rickmansworth waterways Trust.   Ricky really started me off in the canalworld in the early sixties I would cycle to Batchworth and buy my 10 Consulate Menthol cigs from Jon’s stores by the lock. I spent my first night aboard a boat above the lock on Trojan listening to the water weiring over on the opposite bank.   In 1993 I too
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Helm sorted

Took advantage of some muscle on Sunday to try and put it back in again. Ist prize a few pints. Nobody won as it would not drop in. Decided to drop the rudder out whilst in the deep water to check it was not damaged. Dropped it out and it was okay and managed to get arm down to the cup and it was clean. Then put it in the cup without the collar and it dropped in place. Repalced the cup and perfect. It was a case over my lads had overengineered it and not allowed enough tolerance with the new r
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Little Venice

Still dragging the helm I crept slowly through London again watching the commuters commute. Same as Birmingham with Café in one hand and Metro paper in the other. I ties up below St Pancras at 8.40 to do a car shuffle. How things change I got on a bus to Liverpool St and was told to pay at the machine by the bus stop. This I did and the bus sped off! I got a train to Ponders End then took car to Uxbridge and back on tube to Kings Cross. Back on boat just before 12 and within the 4 hours moorings
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Its good to be on the move again

In the words of Ronnie Barker “Its good to be on the move again” Left Enfield on Stafford around 3 .30 on Thursday. It was strange to have a full conversion ahead of me again. On the way to Enfield a few weeks ago I vent close to rivers edge around Tottenham to pass the dredging works when I went over something solid and rested on it. A tug pulled me off or over as the case maybe and the helm came out. It is quite amazing that that the deepest BW navigation in the South is being dredged but gu
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Home in 3

Did not appear to have moved overnight and quickly got range roaring for the tea and was at top of 13 for 7.30. A mob handed Viking Hire boat had just gone down and they said they were following a boat with only 2 crew and that they would help them out. I asked if they would pull me a pasddle then. I visited the facilities at top lock and then set down to 3 as started down at 8am. Its handy in the thick of the 13 as the boat will go on its own along the pounds if you set the tiller strings right
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We shall try again !

Fired up at 6 and make rapid progress up the rest of Audlem and had a very un eventful Adderley thank goodness.   Only one boat ahead at Tyrley and two coming down so again flew up here.   What a glorious day to be on the Shropshire Mooring Canal all was well until the bilge pump slowed and slowed until it stopped. The stern tube leaks when under way I regard it as good lubrication for the shaft. The water pump plunger was squirting back since I rebuilt it so the pump was needed to keep the
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Get 'em ahead

Fired up at 6.45 after floating towards the bridge so as to not wake up the now sleeping party goers. Went ahead of Lamprey who were waiting for young James Booth to come with us to top of Chester. We came out of the top of Chester at 10.30 so under 4 hours from the Port. Looking good until Shady Oak when 2 lockfuls of boat were waiting. One hour 'til we got in the lock. At least they were only going to Beeston for the Monday Market. As I approached Beeston there were a dozen boats lined up wait
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Ellesmere Port Boat Museum

Good to see the changes since my last visit. Over 70 visiting boats (I was no. 69 to arrive) and good to see some 'old' friends with old being appropriate. Found a cracking picture of Kangaroo with Australia on one off their posters. Loaded with Salt on the River Weaver with Lol steering, Clare posing and me making lines. However began to feel been here done it by early afternoon and thinking about getting on the move again. lamprey was leaving at 6.30 Sunday so a decision was made for a 6.30 st
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Chester

Dropped down into Chester Basin for a scrub off. Found a cafe with full breakfast for £3.50 and a spotless toilet that I was alowwed to use. Paid £3.09 for a box of Persil in Spar shop. There where about 10 boats in the basin when I arrived. I had work to do and scrubbed the boat off. Went shopping in Chester and found T J Hughes with jeans for £4 which makes them almost disposable. Fresh milk, bread and hot cross buns on the list. I set off at 4 and I saw a Toshiba sign at the Ellesmere Designe
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Pit Stop for Helm

Fired up at 7 again and set off from bottom of Audlem with the rudder dragging the cut and a fibregalss tiller bar that was fragile. Not many bends here though. Went past Hankelowe Mill and thought would you let your 5 or 6 year old daughter go picnicing and swimming there with the Audlem local teens ? I did in the early eighties, gosh how the World has changed. Water still a problem so I tied up in the wide railway bridge to re-build the water pump. Not the pump but the mud box was full ! Tam
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Booby trapped by Ike Argent ???

At 7 I pulled Roo into lock 19 whilst the lamp was on ( I regard this as a free lock ) and along came Waterways man to check level and again what a bonus he set the bottom 2. Was through Cut End just after 8 and thought I'd cracked it now. batted up the Shroppie or should I say the Shropshire Mooring Canal. Its changed since last time I did the full trip. I was concerned with the water as I had to ease off when it started to steam. So took it steady as not many place to bat on now. I gazed
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I should have learnt by now !

Well I woke the sparrows and bow hauled into bottom lock at 4,30. I was considerate not like the person who parks their car overlapping the lock tail. Sorry about the rope marks but at least I did not fire up until out off lock. Many thanks toTrevor who appearsed as I fired up and wound me up chasing the light to the top. Well Minworth does not change. more things in the cut than before it was dredged. So bacon sarnie at the Drome who ripped 3 of my £20 notes as she thought they were forgeries
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It's good to be on the move again!

Started off today with good intentions. Found hub puller and was going to remove the clutch back plate and start re-building the Jag. But as I started I realised that whilst it was aprt I should make a reverse pulley and then the motion is very tired. So I went to the Kangaroo where the hub puller way last used and decided to fire it up. Well 1st kick !! Change of plan I shall use the change boat instead. So spent another day cleaning and scrubbing and well I got further tonight than I did
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Got to Fazeley

Well spent all day changing the clutch on the Jag as the shaft was loose in the cone. A temp repair has already been done. Probably 30 years ago. So put in another clutch and thought lets go boating. Habving spent al week making it comfortable with lights and heating I thought time to go. Never set off with an unknown boat in the dark. Yes the rear bearing tightened up and I ended up bow hauling to Fazeley. Will take a rain check and watch the race instead tomorrow morning! Watch this space l
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