bargeeboy

This is a 'modern' boat built for John Forth He carried in it during the late 80's and 90's It was built with conversion in mind in later days. God Bless Him !!

I once had a contact (before patrol notices) of Greyhound being tied on the loading bay at Sutton Stop for 2 weeks. I had actually loaded anbd gone to London with coal and back in that time. Remember they are a Navigation Authority and nothing else !! Suedo police type chequers on the notice (I have a nice collection) have no weight !! Persist continually and wait for the section 8 then move in the 28 days they give you!

explains it all

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 water from getting round the flywheel which causes a right mess in the engine 'ole as well as getting oil on the clutch. I had a solar charger on the battery and was convinced that it was not keeping up with demand. I then put the genny on and after 15 mins the pump was still at a dribble. Up floors and it was plastic in the pump which was duly rectified. Now we were cooking on gas and got to Cut End at 6 against my earlier prediction of 5 o'clock. Wolverhampton here we come. No probs until 15 when the pounds was well down. I then spent the rest of the way up pinching water from above and in case I did get stemmed up leaving a feeder on each time. Out of top at 10.154 and put out engine near Smethwick where the boat glided to the offside and was still there in the morning.

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 waiting for the lock. I pulled onto Chas's Wharf and let Lamprey hop along the queue and put my head down expecting him to breast up in an hour os so as he came by. Two hours later there were 5 boats ahead of us asnd I was thinking I should really go up with the short boat I was behind. I could put him on the off side of the lock so we were away from the pinch spot. I then dozed off again and when I looked there were 2 boats. Where had the 'odd' boat gone I asked Tony. He told me they were all locking up single as recommended on the sign !!!!! 3 Hours it took to get into the lock then 2 working boats breasted up went through with no problem !!!!!! GGGGrrrreeee !!!!!! See General Boating topic on Beeston... Tony had informed them that it was not a problem unless you were in excess of 7' woth a similar oversized boat and 70' in length on the off side. Even so The counter was inside the 'wide' bit going up and the fore end had started to narrow at the point where the lock is distorted. The sign used to warn of two 70' 'wide' boats but not now. Same at Bunbury the boats in front would not go upo because 2 small ones were coming down !! Eventually got them organised and to the sound of a ticking over bolinder we did the Banbury Shuffle. So much for an early start as only 2 boats appeared behind us at Beeston we could have started at 10 and been in the same place. I now know why I gave up 'proper' boating years ago ! It was looking like a late night as it got dark as I cleared Hack Green thying to make myself as secret as the Secret Bunker as I passed all the moored boats on the picnic site. No time to stop at the Shroppie as the locks were all for me. I wanted to get into the thick at least but as i approached each lock the gates parted which told me the road was still good. Thinking about making the top now until stemmed up on the weir side bottom of No 6. I held back and the engine said No. Did the sensible thing and put the fore line around the gate and went to bed. Would have liked to have cleared Audlem and had a pint but que sera !

Guess you understand what I meant about Uxbridge then ?

Come to think of it in 30 years I've only had a horn for a little while until it blew off the cabin top. That was useful to remind somebody ahead not to turn the lock round.

I like you !

I have just received a 'phone call from waterways West Midlands Office at 10.20 today. I understand that you have a problem at Aldridge Road Bridge ? Pardon say I ? You left a message on our machine. THAT WAS ON LAST TUESDAY I've been to the Port and Back to Alvecote since then. Full details on my blog !

Off topic slightly BUT at the Port this weekend and can recommend the Indian in Cambridge St Highly as will most of the boaters at the Port this weekend. Over station bridge second on the left Full card £9.95 !! and I mean full card !

I have just spent 7 days going from Alvecote to Ellesmere Port and back and NEVER used a horn. I went to London a few weeks ago No horn again. I would suggest that Barbridge or Middlewich junctions are the only places where usage of a horn might be acceptable. Lets keep the canals peaceful and quiet please.

Chas Harden

Encouraging to find the judge 100% correct ! If I was stupid enough to build a boat of these proportions I would immediately give a full refund with compensation and feel thoroughy ashamed of myself and my company ! Please find another career as your attention to detail is not of a sufficient standard to involve yourself in canal boat building !

I know I was one of them 3 hours !!! see my blog !! I went down with Alton on Thursday and up with Lamprey on Sunday.

You're welcome at the Samuel Barlow any time Only 1 days boating away. ( see the blog !)

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 start on Sunday. Now home in 3 days and will post return trip later today after going to the yard to empty the till !

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 Designer Outlet about 1 mile from the Port. Tied on offside under a bridge to go the the stores to look for a new laptop. Well I could see it but two fences were a problem. I walked round the adjoining football pitch up to the council houses. Still no way through until I saw the McDonald wrappers. I followed the trail through a hole in the fence, over the stream and squeezed through the secutity fence where one upright had been removed. Back to boat and while stopped gave my self a scrub off and put on new clean clothes. Felt good when I arrived at the Port in my clean boat and clean clothes and even the engine behaved itself whilst I winded. Time for a pint at the Time Warp pub. Yes still the same formica table tops and plastic chairs from 10 years ago when last at the Port.

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 ! Tame Valley silt no doubt. Well clean out and wall to wall water. The bends on the Chester cut were proving a problem with the tiller so I blagged a scaffold pole from a building site which although much too long it just missed the chimney pipe so we coped with the bends better. I waited at Tarvin for Alton who came up behind me at Bunbury. We breasted up at Beeston Stone and came down the Iron abreast as well. Noted that the sign used to say that wide full lengths boats might get wedged in the Iron lock. CORRECT , WIDE FULL LENGTH BOATS ABREAST !!! Sign says "strongly recommends single passage". The wide bit is on the off side at the top. Alton dropped me off at Chas Hardens at 2. Helm out heat on and back in water and tiller made inside 2 hours. Thanks Chas, you're a star and always have been. early tie up then at the top of Chester Locks and posted last nights log. Was then checking e-mails when laptop died without warning. Oh well it had been shaking about a bit the last few days.

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 at the telegraph pole and thought What A Pratt I Was! In the early eighties it fell over, the tie straps had corroded. I has a brilliant idea to fix it. One Sunday morning with Michael Pinnock we strapped our boats underneath and I put a laddre on the cabin to up to the arch. It is only when you get there that you realise that the arch is about 5 foot deep. I got off the ladder an onto the top and managed to prop up the pole. Easy so far ! Try getting back down. But I'm still here. Got to Adderley about 4.30 and thought maybe bottom of Audlem. Mistake to think these things. At lock 4 I left the boat paddling in ahead with 1 paddles as I had done down the 21 and Tyrley with no probs when I went to set the bottom lock. As I walked back up I heard the noise ! The cill had caught me or rather I had caught the cill. It had settled down when I got to it to survey the damage. No chance of the rudder going back in and definately bent the shaft. I tried to put it in the cup but to no avail and to and insult to injury I used the tiller bar without the tiller pin to lift it with my back. I then took the tiller off and put it on the cabin top OR NOT as in the cut in went. Time to tie up ! I pulled the boat out off the lock and thought no problem a spare is on the boat or is it No its on the Jag that I got ready to take on Saturday. Time to go in and get it. down the ladder on the bottom with water around belly but as I moved to the back of the lock with the water around my nipples I thought No go. I got out wet and sat on Ike Argents bench and had a few words with him. The mop stick is a hollow fibreglass tube so off came the end 3 ft of it and with the help off some string to stop it splitting we are on the move again but looking like top of Audlem now and a walk to the pub. As I came out of the bottom lock with the rudder dragging the mud a voice said " You going dowm Audlem" well Christmas had arrived. Max walked to Audlem top wher we were joined by Rogewr who said " you going down, I'll set 'em". 6.50 in glorious sunshine with 2 crew was a bit different than 24 hours earlier at Wolverhampton. Tied up down the bottom at 8.20 and in the Shroppie at 8.30. Well fed and watered I tried again in a dark cabin to find the dongle but I don't think the keyboard would have spelt correctly if I had found it anyway! Went to bed a 10.30 thinking 12 hours Cut End to bottom Audlem Not Bad !Oh and did not think about the helm that I was still dragging hanging loose in the cut. Something will crop up I am sure. Ni Ni.

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. That was all My starting money !! Off I bounced my way into Brum. I should hav learnt by now but am still convinced that the Tame Valley is quickest route through to Wolverhampton. Perhaps so if you have a shallow boat and are mob handed. Goodish progress until the lock below Aldridge Road where the short pound was low. I topped up from the long pound and left a feeder on whilst up went through the short pound. It was needed and I was stuck in the middle for 15 mins whilst the pound filled. This of course caused problems on the long pound. I gave it a try but only did a boats length then stopped so I called our Waterways. They arrived in 15 mins and well it was not a ploy but they wound me up the top. Bonus! Slow progree acroos the high bit but good views. Then here we go again withing site of West Browwich 8 Up camr the counter and it must have been a safe. I pushed I pulled I waited I cursed I got off with line I used pole I called Waterways again. But I got off before they arrived and my first priotity was the booze shop in Great Bridge where I got some cold beer to help me up the eight. Arrive at 6.50 the top of the 21. Raining and miserable but no scrouts about so you've got to move on. Tied up at the bottom of the racecourse and spent 30 minutes in a cabin with only the 'phone light trying to find the dongle to write this. No good so slept well. Not a bad day considering Arkright !

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 on Saturday Now tied up below Curdorth after setting off at 8 pm. I spent a week doing the Jag with lights etc. and all I've got now is a nite lite but the range is on and a full supply of pasties under the couner so all is well. Sparrow fart start and we shall see where we get to. It did feel good to have my baby back I think I've missed the Roo. Ni Ni

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 looks like clutch out again ! At least I will be able to fit the reversing pulley as its been on the reins since I fitted this engine after the 20 hp went to Lily.

Better make the route with most Boatyards on It ! Get floor up near the loo !!