Market Harborough in the Ice.

We are now moored at Market Harborough on the towpath outside of the basin, having left Bridge 14. We managed to plough through the ice. Overnight we had some snow, so we are now in a Winter wonderland. We have had a busy day supplying our customers with coal and kindling.

Foxton to Bridge 14 near Market Harborough.

We are now moored at Bridge 14 near Market Harborough having moved in the dark and ice after being filmed by a film crew for most of the day at Foxton. 4.3 miles, 2 swingbridges in 2 hrs 25 mins.
We had a fantastic day with Ian, Tony and Bertil, who came and did some filming with us at Foxton. It was an absolute pleasure to spend the day with them. They wanted to capture us delivering to some of our customers. The weather certainly played the part, because it was freezing. There was even ice on the canal. Having said cheerio to them at 3.20pm, we headed for Market Harborough with the light fading fast. We found we then had a problem, our temperature gauge was rising rapidly, which meant one thing. The impeller had broken up in the water cooling pump, so we stopped the boat in the middle of the canal and set about finding the cause. We had guessed right the impeller was shot, so we replaced it and were soon on our way again. We arrived at bridge 14 in the dark, so moored up in front of NB Lady Gwendolyn, who we ill be supplying with coal in the morning. We have had dinner and a nice hot shower. All's we want to do now is relax until bedtime. Tomorrow we will try and get into Market Harborough.

Top of Foxton Locks to Rainbow Bridge.

We are now moored at the bottom of Foxton Locks near Rainbow Bridge 62, having descended the locks this morning. We had a very heavy over night frost, but it meant we had a stunning sunrise. There was no one else around, so we had the flight to ourselves. After leaving the locks we cruised down to Debdale, on doing so we passed NB Wilver. Bill stuck his head out of the side door's and said good morning to us. We had a quick chat and headed to the winding hole at Debdale, where we turned the boat around. We then returned to the bottom of Foxton Locks where we will be for a few days as we have people coming to see us. After mooring up, we shut the boat up and headed to bridge 61 for a coffee and a chat with Tony Matts. Jo then decided to use the laundrette, so that she could do all of the washing at once. It was well worth the £3 for the wash, as it got everything done at once.
Mo and Nessa on NB Balmaha are now moored behind us, so we will catch up with them tomorrow. It will be wonderful to catch up on all their news.
The day is now drawing to a close as the light is fading fast and the temperature is dropping rapidly, so we will be staying inside tonight.

Welford Arm to the top of Foxton Locks.

Hadar has a lovely full hold after taking on 6 tonne this morning from Hills Coal Merchants. Now moored at the top of Foxton Locks having done 8.58 in 4 hrs 20 mins. Keith and Jo have had a busy day. and are now relaxing.

Welford Junction to Kilsby Bridge No 8.

After another very foggy start to the day, we moved from Welford Junction to Kilsby Bridge No 8, after a very busy day supplying coal to regular and new customers. My hold is almost empty, so I am looking forward to a refill on Tuesday. Jo and Keith need to order more coal.

Bridge 57 to Welford Junction

We are now moored at Welford Junction after a pleasant mornings cruise. It was foggy to begin with, but once the sun burnt through the haze it turned into a beautiful day. We stocked up customers with coal on route and met another at Welford Junction. We will be here for tonight, tomorrow we are heading to Crick to supply customers with fuel. Keith is still struggling with his back. The sack truck with towels inside the tyre has been tried and tested and it will do until we can get another sack truck sorted out.

Market Harborough to Bridge 57.

Jo set off early this morning on foot into Harborough to get a puncture repair kit so Keith can repair the puncture in the trolley tyre. Keith was going to go into town to try to get another trolley, but his back decided to go again yesterday, and having to unload 32 bags of coal and deliver them didn't help. When Jo returned with said puncture repair kit we set off for Foxton locks. as we were ascending them a boat started down from the top, so we had to pull into the side at the middle pound and wait for them to pass. We had intended no stopping just above the locks, but decided to carry on a bit further asn we had a coal delivery to make, and having found the customers boat at Bridge 57 we decided to moor there for the night, and to get the puncture repaired so we can deliver the coal.

Trolley Tyre Update:-

Having tried 2 puncture repairs, and both having failed, the 2nd more dramatically by ripping the inner tube, We have given up on that score. The problem is that unlike cycle tyres where the tube is similar in size to the tyre, so doesn't expand too much. However the inner tube of our trolley is far smaller than the tyre and has to inflate and expand quite a bit to fill the tyre, thus any repair gets stretched and fails. As a temporary fix we have stuffed towels inside the tyre and will try it out with our next customer to see if it works. Keith is rather surprised that the inner tube is that much smaller than the tyre, he will take it up with ATS who supplied the new tubes and tyres at the first opportunity.

Black Horse Bridge to Gallows Hill

Having had our Tesco's delivery at Black Horse Bridge, we have moved to Gallows Hill for the night, having crept through the thick fog this morning. We had coffee and a chat with Bill and Virginia on Wilvir and delivered them some coal.

Foxton Locks to Black Horse Bridge

Having had the broken wheel of our sack barrow successfully repaired by Sam Matts of Foxton Boat Services we moved Hadar to Black Horse Bridge Foxton, ready for our Tesco Delivery tomorrow morning. We are contemplating getting another sack barrow as a standby as we can't cope without one.

Top of Foxton Lock to Foxton Junction.

We moved down through Foxton locks this morning and are now moored at the junction for the weekend. Despite being a bit chilly and a still quite strong winds, it has been a lovely sunny morning trip down through the locks.

Keith's Mushroom and Bacon Omelettes

Keith attempted to make mushroom and bacon omelettes for breakfast today.







He needs more practice!

Bridge 51 to Top of Foxton Locks

After the buffeting winds of the past couple of days this morning was dead calm, not a breathe of wind disturbed a single leaf, which made for a pleasant run to the top of Foxton Locks. Keith entered a competition on our local Radio Station Hfm to win a pair of tickets to watch Leicester play the Derby at the Walkers Stadium in Leicester. He didn't win, boo hoo. Neither of us has ever been to a football match, perhaps one day we will, just for the experience.

Welford to Bridge 51

Yet another windy morning as we headed up the Welford arm to deliver some coal, then winded and returned back to the main line and headed toward Foxton but at least it wasn't raining. With the occasional sunshine turning into every blacker clouds we decided to moor up near Bridge 51.

Crick to Welford Junction

Yesterday we moved through Crick tunnel to the winding 'ole near the M1 bridge and returned to Crick to moor opposite ABNB, but out internet signal was non-existent.

This morning we moved on again to Welford Junction, despite the gale force winds and lashing rain. The inside of Hadar is steaming with all the wet clothes drying in the heat of the coal stoves.

Welford Junction to Crick

Despite being in what we thought to be the countryside last night at Welford Junction we could still here some fireworks, but they were not enough to rouse Paddy from his bed!

Another beautiful mornings run through to Crick, wall to wall sunshine, and no wind!

Village at War Photographs.

Hi Friends.

We wanted to share some photographs with you which were sent to Jo yesterday. Thank you to Peter Frost for sending us some of the photographs he took of us at Stoke Bruerne's, Village at War Weekend at the beginning of October. Deep in thought.

Taken by Peter Frost.

Something to smile about.

Taken by Peter Frost.

Time for a cuppa.

Taken by Peter Frost.Taking a break from Brass cleaning.

Taken by Peter Frost.Anyone for a brew?

Taken by Peter Frost. A Step back in time.

Taken by Peter Frost.

Foxton Locks to Welford Junction

A dull morning run, but fortunately the rain held off until after we moored up at Welford Junction. Hopefully should be a quiet November 5th for us here, if not we should have an excellent view across the valley towards Welford and any fireworks which may be in that vacinity.

Black Horse Bridge to Foxton Junction.

Our Tesco delivery arrived this morning, and once onboard we set off for the winding 'ole, Jo stowing the food away as we travelled. We winded, using the strong wind to good effect, and returned to the moorings just before Foxton Junction. As we were mooring up a Harrier screamed by.

Foxton Locks to Black Horse Bridge

What a taxing run this morning, all of 1200 yards, from the bottom of Foxton locks to Black Horse Bridge, Foxton. We had a great weekend, selling lots of coal. The weather wasn't too bad either. Keith managed to get another coat of red gloss paint on the wash bowl. Apart from touching up the green and yellow, and a couple of coats of varnish inside the bowl, it is nearly finished. He also rewired the temperature gauge, which he recently moved from the instrument panel in the engine room to the pigeon box. Hopefully it will now give a better reading, having moved the wire from the sensor to go directly to the gauge from the engine, rather than via the instrument panel, and doubling up the Positive supply wire from the panel to the gauge by using the now redundant wire which was being used for the sensor.


Whilst doing this he has also neated up the cabling from the panel passing underneath the Invertor/Charger to the engine, by refitting the spiral coating over all the cables and wires, including the new ones he has installed since the boat was built. He has also taken the opportunity whilst doing this of installing the new temperature sensor for the Invertor/Charger thus including the wires in the cable loom, but he still has to connect the two ends, which he will do next time he lifts the floor in the boatman's cabin and can get to the batteries. He also installed the cable needed to extend the wires needed for the new generator hour meter he will install in the instrument panel in the now vacant hole left by the moved temerature gauge. He will install it once it has reached the same number of hours as the existing meter on the generator, which is reading over 500 hours. He has had the new meter connected to 12volts for over a week now and it has clocked up 300 hours so far, only another 200 to go!