FRI 22nd Oct: The boats were moved from Long Buckby to Braunston on Thursday, and were loaded with 17 tons of various domestic coal at Braunston Marina. Nuneaton already had around 3 tons on, and Brighton around 5 tons. To avoid extra tolls on the Thames, Nuneaton was fully loaded, with Brighton taking Grand Union and Brentford orders.

SAT 23rd Oct: The Boats left Braunston at the commencement of the Jam 'Ole Run, crewed by David Blagrove, Fabian Hiscock and David Miles, heading for Stoke Bruerne, while the other boats went to Atherstone, where the Jam 'Ole boats used to load from Baddesley Colliery. They arrived at stoke Bruerne saturday evening, mooring outside David Blagrove's Wharf Cottage.
Sunday 24th: Oct: I arrived around 10.30am, and had to knock-up a slightly hung-over David Miles! The day was

Through Cosgrave by 10.40am, where we loosed the persuing Withy's, Corona, Jubilee, and Tim Coughlan by.
Finally tied up in the pitch dark above Grove Lock at 8pm. Although finding this new pub somewhat posh on my last visit in July, the assorted crews managed to have a spendid, mainly Fuller's ESB-fuelled evening!
Tuesday 26th Oct:

David Blagrove's Report of Sat 30th and Sun 31st Oct 2004.

Well, we made it, but what a hard pull! After you left I worked a sneaky trick at Windsor Bridge by going up the side arch. You get a back eddy here and it sends you up through the arch with no bother. Then we moved steadily up to Boveney, avoiding tripping steamers, but getting a right bollocking from one because I was creeping up the wrong side of the river in the slack water as he came downstream. He could see us well in advance, but they do rather consider that they are the owners of the Thames.
Below Bray there are a couple of islands where the water runs fast, and we nearly came to a stand. Finally between the M4 bridge and Bray Lock we could only creep at a snail's pace. Luckily the lock gates were open and we shot in once we hit slack water at about ten mph. Here we singled out, with Fabian and Andy on the butty. By now it was about 7.00 pm and pitch dark, but the reach above is well lit from riverside houses. Fabian had been on the phone to Keith
Norfolk, who came to watch us go up through Maidenhead Bridge. In fact, going single, we were able to make it with no trouble, but there was a hairy moment as another tripper, 'Southern Comfort', a mock-up Mississippi river boat, came roaring up on us between Sounding Arch (railway bridge) and the road bridge. I had seen his lights about half a mile astern as we went through Sounding Arch and the next I knew he was passing the butty and yelling abuse at Fabian for not showing a stern light. He zoomed up through Maidenhead road bridge and I hoped we would not stop in the arch and give him a nasty laugh at our expense. Anyway all was well and up we went. Topsides Bridge 7.55. Keith got Boulters ready, and motored round to Cookham. We continued singled out and got up the next reach OK, although it was very slow opposite Cliveden Woods. We tied just above Cookham Bridge at about 9.50 in bright moonlight. The pub, a Harvester, was dire. Only teenaged staff on duty and completely empty, and nothing on the handpumps. Gassed-up fizz only.
Left next morning (clocks having been put back) at 5.45am and took a chance on getting up to Marlow abreast. Just a bit slow below Quarry Woods, but came into Marlow Lock at 7.30am, meeting Keith who had driven out from Reading. He lockwheeled again to Hurley, but was unable to find a way to Temple. We left Hurley at 8.55 singled out and saw our first lockkeeper, Peter Svensson who used to work Jaguar for Nick Hill, at Hambleden 10.05. He said the river had been running consistently hard for 36 hours, presumably last week's rain running off from the upper valley.
Through Henley Bridge 11.00 and more slow shoving up through the islands at Henley, with a very spectacular entry to Marsh Lock behind a crunchable hire cruiser. We tore up through the weir race, zoomed into the lock on the back eddy and stopped both boats on a sixpence, much to Nigel O'Connor's (the lockkeeper's) amusement, but possibly several filled trousers on the hire boat! Also had our photos taken by Sue Milton, who works at the Museum of the River Thames just downstream and was much amused at our entry.
More pulling past islands at Wargrave Reach and above Shiplake (again helped
by Keith), after Sonning things got better. There is a wide reach below Kennet Mouth, Dreadnought Reach, and it seemed that a good deal of water was
coming down the Kennet. Pulled into the Free Wharf at Caversham at 3.25pm. John Fevyer and Keith were waiting and we loaded the truck with 2 tonnes for
Aldermaston. Away 3.55pm in lovely fine autumn weather. Dark by the time we were at Norcot Scours, and dropped some more (60 bags in all) at Romilly's barge, a narrow boat and a small island mooring. On to Mapledurham in pitch black, but bottom gates were open, thank God. John and Keith appeared, having walked down the towpath from Whitchurch and rode back up with us.
Andy Belton got off at Whitchurch to go home and we arrived at Goring at
9.00 to unload in the bridge a final 2 tonnes onto Keith's truck for delivery to Lower Basildon. Fabian had meantime got the boats more or less ready for leaving. We went up to Cleeve Lock, tied up in the weir stream and Pat Hiscock finally picked us up at 11.00. Got home 12.15, Fabian and Pat going to Weedon to sleep on their boat.
Keith and mate(s) will pick the boats up on Saturday and make for Iffley (3
tonne drop) and then the Oxford Canal.