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Appendices - Trip Reports 2006.

Trip Report - Jam 'Ole Run, 19th - 28th October 2006. By David Blagrove. Crew: David Blagrove, Steve Borondy, Martin O’Callaghan and Lawrence Williams. .

The boats were delivered to Stoke Bruerne on 18th October by David Vickers and David Venn, and taken over in good order other than there was no cabin shaft on either boat, and the rams head of the motor was bent to the right. Thursday 19th: Boats lay at Stoke being prepared. Friday 20th: Left Stoke 08.45 for Braunston, crew DB and Steve Borondy. Weather had been torrential until 08.30, after which it cleared and by the time the boats reached the Blisworth end of the tunnel the sky was cloudless, with brilliant sunshine. No cabin shaft meant that the only way of clearing the blades was by chucking back. Although the pound was well up, it was unpleasant opening up more than 2/3 throttle because of black smoke from exhaust. In consequence, and also because of so many tied-up boats along the pound, we lost a certain amount of time, taking 4 hours 20 minutes for what should have been 3 hours 50 minutes. Met Towcester loaded in Gayton turnover bridge hole, but avoided collision. More time lost through having a bad road at Buckby, and reached top lock at 15.10. Very slow again down Braunston. A top gate at lock 5 was chained shut, causing us to single out in order to get in. Since it only has ground paddles and there were boats coming up and boats ahead of us, passing this took nearly half an hour. After this we speeded up, meeting my wife, daughter and grandsons at Lock 3. Youngest grandson (aged 2½) most impressed and didn’t stop talking and asking questions about the boats and the cut until his parents bundled him into the car at Braunston Marina. Backed the boats into the Marina assisted by Ron Withy and tied up 17.45. Steve away home and replacement crew, Martin O’Callaghan and Lawrence Williams arrived that evening.

Saturday 21st: Some rain during the night, but fine by daylight. Other boats on run are: Corona, Nutfield, Swallow, Lily and cabin boats Duke, Berwyn and Shoestring. The latter worked by NBT member Mike Askin. After photo call for all crews, Alice Lapworth started us away at 09.00 precisely, and Braunston Church bells rang to mark the occasion. They were still ringing when we were out in Braunston Fields! Corona and Nutfield led, followed by N & B.

Nick Hill was waiting at the bridge at the end of Barby Straight with words of abuse and had the top lock of Hillmorton ready for us exactly at 11.00. We longlined the butty down the first two locks in 12 minutes, but then ran into problems, because only one lock was working at the bottom and other boats were moving by now. Worked the butty through first because of the melee, and then made a complete mess of grabbing the cross straps as we set off again.

Fortunately athletic work by Martin armed with the long shaft saved the day and we were off again at 11.40. Lawrence then took over the motor while I washed and shaved, during which time we managed to meet a Rose hireboat stem-on in Clifton Road Bridge. It was a party of ladies, who panicked and sat transfixed in the middle of the cut like a rabbit facing a stoat. Lawrence held back and managed to avoid hitting them broadside, merely shoving them gently backwards, amid shrieks. Later the lady at Rose Narrowboats at Stretton was pretty laid back about the matter. Apart from this no further incident happened until just after passing Ansty the gear linkage fell to bits, jamming in astern. Lawrence investigated and quickly diagnosed the problem; lashing the whole assembly with string (this saw us round the rest of the trip). Obviously this was the third incident of the day, and thereafter all went smoothly. Rain began falling, which was a nuisance, but did not cause any real problems.

Suttons Stop and photographed Lawrence and Martin taking the pair round in one at 16.00. Dark soon after Nuneaton and a spectacular thunderstorm, then I found that the headlamp had packed up, so we stuck close to Nutfield as far as Atherstone. Winded the pair singly, because the winding hole has been somewhat reduced, with the aid of John and Janet Barrett and Alice Lapworth, who had come out by car from Coventry to see us arrive. A convivial night followed in The Maid of the Mill. 22.30, we were joined by Clover from Alvecote Marina, en route to Cassio Bridge for an engine change. Sunday 22nd. Because of headlight problems, I decided to leave before the rest in case we got into trouble in the dark and we would not hold anyone else up. Also it was blowing a hooly first thing. So we left at 04.15, closely followed by Swallow. The rest had a lie-in until 05.00. The wind was funnelling up between the old hat factory and the houses opposite, but more athletics from Martin got us free. Made very good time in spite of no light, and were exactly 2 hours to the footbridge in Nuneaton where the Mill Clock used to stand (an hour “twixt the clocks” i.e. Hartshill Depot to Nuneaton Mill, was considered the correct working boat time). John Barrett had said that he and Janet would be at Suttons to see us come through before 08.00, and we were in fact just coming into the Coventry Stop at 07.45. John had the lock ready and we were away heading for Braunston by 08.10. Nick Hill was again waiting at Hillmorton, where we were again slowed up by other boats, but still managed to pause at Braunston Stop for a short break at 15.10 while the crew obtained gear from their cars. Martin had by now fixed the headlight problem and also discovered why we were not apparently charging batteries. An earth wire had come adrift on the alternator, and a wire had come loose on the headlight, so, again assisted by Nick, we went up Braunston in just on the hour, singling out round lock 5, but again held up by ditherers. Nick went by car to top of Buckby and had it ready as we arrived at 17.45, in pouring rain. Dark by the time we were at Middle lock and out of bottom 18.50. Good, if wet, run then to Stowe Hill and tied up at 20.10. Monday 23rd. A good deal of rain during the night. Loosed off 04.45 and into top lock of Stoke at 07.45. Exactly three hours for 10 miles. Photos being taken in flight by Jim Payler, veteran photographer, who caught us losing ‘ellum in bottom lock. The steel guard at the back of the rudder had sprung and caught a piece of steel sill guard in the last four inches of drop. Hoicked the ‘ellum back aboard and secured same while we set off to Cosgrove. At Cosgrove we quickly dropped it back in by dint of standing on a top gate in the full lock with assistance from a Wyvern Hire boat. More photographs round the Fenny Pound. Fenny lock 13.20 and out of three locks by 15.30. Leighton Bridge exactly 16.30. By now the modern boats were close behind us, but we still kept ahead and turned all locks for Ron Withy and Tim, finally tying at Marsworth by Red Lion at 20.10. Tuesday 24th. Woken at 04.00 by deluge on cabin tops. At 05.00 an emissary from Tim came by and told us that the start was postponed an hour. By 06.00 rain had eased and we followed Ron and Tim up the flight.

At the top we met a BW team about to clap on an emergency stoppage, but managed to blag our way out, and let all the others through. Pretty speedy run until we got to the bottom of Nash, where we were held up for nearly an hour by BW unloading a rubbish barge in the lock.Got going again at 13.40 and met NBT member Richard Cooper at Hunton Bridge. By now the sky had cleared and a fine, sunny day developed. Came into Batchworth lock at 17.15 and tied below at 17.30.

Wednesday 25th. A lie-in. Up by 06.30 and started 06.50 behind Corona and Nutfield. A bit of confusion at Stockers, with everyone swilling about awaiting their turn, but thereafter things went very smoothly. Arrived at Cowley 10.20 and waited below for all the fleet to arrive. Gravel barges coming down and going up, while we all piled into lockhouse for breakfast. Left Cowley in a long line, now behind Lily & Swallow, all the fleet except us stopped at Bulls Bridge for shopping, but we slipped round the turn and tied first at the Jam ‘ole.

After the ceremony we set off again and were first into Willowbridge Marina. Remembering the problem two years ago when we stuck in the entrance abreast, we went in singled out, breasted up inside and swung round abreast, obtaining pole position for the laundrette, showers etc. All done by 15.45 and a very pleasant and relaxing afternoon and evening.

Thursday 26th. Off 04.45. Fast run to Cowley, 06.30, but other boats in front held us up. Through by 06.45 and then a very good run, passing Richard Horne with Arundel just leaving gravel wharf below Denham at 07.30. Day turned out warm and sunny. The pair in front lost crew members at Five Paddle lock, going to catch train home from Kings Langley, so we were somewhat slower after this. Nevertheless reached Berkhamstead in daylight. Rising Sun lock 17.40.

DB caught train home for family business on Friday, but boats went ahead. More problems with gear linkage and the oil pressure line split, spraying hot oil round engine hole. Lawrence found something to seal the pipe with, but this will need attention before the boats move any distance. Tied at Bulbourne 20.30. Friday 27th. Off 05.00 and a steady run to Stoke Bruerne. Stopped below Nags Head and changed the oil (new filter needed), after which motor ran sweetly, with no black smoke at all. After this managed to maintain working boat times and in bottom lock of Stoke 19.45, tied above top lock 20.40. Saturday 28th. Spend most of day tidying up, and crew departed. DB put the boats temporarily on towpath moorings, will move them to the cutting shortly. David Blagrove.

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