A
call to David Blagrove about the best
route for the coal run produced a three page
E-Mail detailing the way, and a mass of useful
detail en-route. Marcus Bricknell and
I travelled to the Black Country Museum
arriving lunch time Monday to pickup the boats.
We were soon joined by John Bull and
Colin Morgan who had come by train
from London. Despite Blossom's advice
to use cross straps we found that the Butty
behaved like an unruly horse so we quickly
reverted to a 30 ft tow. Our first problem
was getting aground while attempting to turn
out of the BCM onto the Old Main
line. Once clear, we had a good run to
Smethick locks and moored short of
Gas St basin at around 7.00pm. John
and Colin headed back to London and
Marcus and I settled for Pizza Express.
After bacon buttys and strong coffee we started
just after 8.00am. Just out of Gas St
the tight right hand bend was made more interesting
by a Gondola moored on the inside of the bend,
clearing that we made our way down the cut
to Kings Norton Junction and the Stratford
canal. David reckoned on 1.5 hrs
but the depth made the going very slow, we
had to clear the prop every 20mins or so.
John and Colin were waiting
patiently for us at the top of Lapworth
but we did not show until late afternoon,
consequently, we had to moor in one of the
short pounds as the light failed. A following
hire boat had a couple on board who owned
a bike shop in Bromley they serviced
the NBT bike which was in a poor condition,
for the sum of 4 chicken breasts. At first
light next day Marcus and I started
to make our way down. Colin arrived
later on we were then near Kingswood Junction.
We then passed through the cut and joined
the GU. a bit like going from a minor
road onto a motorway. Colin's GPS made
our speed some 3.4 mph is this a record? Hatton
sooned loomed up, our progress blocked by
a fey hippie in a boat without an engine.
Marcus aptly named him Wurzul,
he successfully put us aground so much so
that we had to get a tow off from a passing
boat. Hatton was easier as we were breasted
up but some time later we found ourselves
heading into dusk as Cape locks appeared.
Mike Young turned up with his trailer
and relieved us of 15 bags of coal and fetched
two bottles of gas from Kate Boats. The
Cape pub looked inviting so in we went
and sampled the local brew. Great food, fab
beer, and very friendly.
Early next morning a call to Mike Young
confirmed that he would be waiting for us
at the next lock and would stay with us until
Stockton Top Lock. Mike had
the lock ready for us and was soon off on
his bike to the next lock. He was a tremendous
help to us and has good local knowledge, he
also gave us some useful tips on handling
the boats. We were sorry to see him go at
Stockton, though he did offer to meet
with us at Napton and do some more
lockwheeling. Three hours later saw us at
Napton through the bottom lock and
moored for the night, the Folly lured
us in for beer, whisky and ham and eggs.
We had to wait next morning for John, Colin
and so we cleaned the brasses and other jobs.
About 8.30 am Ivor Batchelor passed
by en-route to Braunston. "What's
this then, effing Hotel boats, you should
have been moving hours ago. Where ever you
are going its now too late, its 10hrs to Banbury,
you might as well stop where you are"
John and Co caught up with us further
up the flight and stayed with us until past
Claydon we then carried on for a short
way in the dark, mooring at Clattercote
for the night.
We called in at Cropedy and serviced the loo's
and then pushed South for Banbury. Colin
came to Banbury by train John
and picked him up and once again joined us
for another days graft. We had some grumbling
noises from the prop shaft from time to time
but just out of Banbury it began to
screech rather than rumble. Marcus
got the floor up and inspected the bearing
which was coming adrift from its housing.
We obtained the right size Allen key from
a local boater and tightened the bearing shell
back on the shaft. There was plenty of grease
on the bearing, but eyeing the housing up
it seemed to be out of line with the shaft.
Setting off it seemed to us that the temp
repair had worked. Later as we were approaching
Aynho the rumble followed by the screeching
started again. We limped in past Aynho
Wharf, it seemed like every boat on the
Oxford had decided to moor there that night.
At last we found a space just enough to squeeze
in, we then moored in the dark. As butty battery
had failed we did not leave the boat as it
should be. Sorry Keith!!
Overall the trip was hard work, however, thanks
to John Bull who drove miles fetching
my car from Brum and ferrying the rest of
the crew about, as well as the train journeys
from and to London. A special mention to Mrs
Bull for outstanding sandwiches on more
than one occasion. Colin Morgan for
all the effort and travel he put in. David
Junkison for coming at short notice and
quickly becoming part of the team. Mike
Young for all his help and advice. Marcus
Bricknell for just being a great practical
guy to have around, especially when anything
mechanical goes wrong. Blossom for
loading and clothing the boats so well that
they were subject to much comment and photographs
throughout the trip.
