Foxton Locks

1 mile, 10 locks 1hr.

Jo and I started early this morning walking up to the festival site and taking photographs. As there was spaces in the reserved moorings at the top of Foxton locks for the festival I brought Hadar up through the locks just before lunch. We both came down to the boat and Jo was supposed to open the swingbridge for me, but Ben the lock keeper beat her to it, and then Andy, one of the volunteer lock keepers locked me through the locks so Jo could return to her photographing. I winded at the entrance to the upper arm and reversed back to the mooring. I then spent the afternoon at the boat, chatting to visitors. It was a busy day with lots of visitors for the festival, the weather bringing them out.

Keith.

Prize Winner.

Today we caught the bus from Foxton to Market Harborough so that Jo could collect her third place prize in the Harborough Mail and Specsavers photographic competition. Jo won a pair of spectacles.

Keith.

Foxton Locks Festival

Today we walked up the locks to the festival site to help with setting things up.

This was the site for the marquee being prepared.

The marquee goes up. A lot of preparation was achieved today.

The finished marquee.

Setting up the tables and chairs in the marquee.

Keith.

Union Wharf to Foxton Junction.

5.1 miles, 2hrs.

A quick run out to Black Horse bridge, Foxton this morning to await our Tesco delivery this afternoon. After the delivery we moved up to near Foxton junction.

Keith.

Foxton Top Lock to Union Wharf

6.1 miles, 10 locks, 4hrs 10mins

A quick dash down Foxton locks this morning, and then an hours wait at Foxton swing bridge as it would not work, the lever to release the bridge was not being released by the barriers. The CRT man arrived and had to push the post over to get it to work, so we could carry on to Harborough. We moored up in the basin and had a quick chat with Linda off of Pheonix and then we went down the town for shopping, etc.

Keith.

Welford to Foxton Top Lock.

8.37 miles, 1 lock, 3hrs 10mins.

Having spent nearly 2 weeks in Welford having work done to the boat, and very poor internet connection, I can a last catch up.

We had new battery trays fitted to lift the batteries clear of the boats’ baseplate, so they no longer stand in water, grease and anything else floating around in the bilges. We also had some air vents cut into the doors into the hold from the saloon for low level ventilation, which we needed to have done to get our next BSS test done as a working boat. We also had a new bracket made for our Klaxon, which once it has been painted will be attached to the slide to replace the temporary one I made from a piece of wood.

We did attempt to leave Welford on Monday, but had to return Tuesday as we discovered we had a leaking stern tube, which was successfully fixed yesterday.

We had to squeeze past this downed tree between North Kilworth Wharf and Husbands Bosworth tunnel this morning.

This tree put a lovely scratch down the whole length of the cabin-side

We are not impressed.

Keith.

Welford to Br.21 near Yelvertoft.

9.2 miles, 1 lock, 4hrs 5mins.

We finally escaped from Welford today, having taken on a coal delivery last Monday, and awaited to have some work carried on on the boat which was done yesterday. We had some low level vents holes cut into  the doors into the hold from the saloon,  and some new batter trays constructed and fitted.

We had to sit in the wet dock at Welford to have this work done by Les.

These are the 4 new battery trays being fitted, 2 of which hold 2 batteries each, and 2 single trays. These have lifted the batteries off of the base plate, and clear of any water which can accumulate in the bilges and provide a good air gap under the batteries. It has also allowed us to fit some retaining straps, to keep the batteries firmly held in the new trays.

We moved out to Welford junction where we moored up and had lunch and had intended to stay for a couple of days.

However we have had some concern about the  amount of water accumulating in the bilges below the stern tube, and whilst moored here we have discovered that we have a leak from the stern tube area, and decided to return to Welford to have Les have a look at it for us. However having unsuccessfully attempted to wind at 2 winding holes and noticing that the engine water temperature was rising we moored up near Bridge No.21 near Yelvertoft to check the prop and water pump. Jo went down the weed hatch for the first time, to see if she could, and found some twigs around the shaft. Once she had finished down the weed hatch we moved Mog and Dog into the boatman’s cabin so I could check the engine water pump, which needed the impellor replacing, which I did. We will return to Welford tomorrow to get this leak looked into.

Keith.

Laughton Hills to Welford

6.3 miles, 1 lock, 2hrs 20mins.

With a coal delivery due at Welford on Monday we moved up to Welford to be there ready for when the coal lorry arrives. Not a good day for travelling though, my back locked up yesterday and it has been painful all morning.

Entering Bosworth tunnel. At least we are now moored up in Welford and I can rest my back for a couple of days.

Yesterday we had lots of little fish swimming past the boat, hard to tell what they were, but there were lots of them!

The bright blue patch behind the head is obviously a clue as to what they are.

Keith.

4th Day of Painting Etc.

Whilst we were preparing to start some painting this morning we saw a hare on the towpath, it was too quick for us to get our cameras out, but I took a walk along the towpath to see if I could see where it went. However in a field on the other side of the canal a saw another one.

I dashed back to the boat to get my camera, and Jo came along with hers.

I managed to capture two together, but Jo saw 2 pairs in the field and took far more photos with her more powerful telephoto lens.

I returned to the boat as Waiouru pulled in to see us. Jo came back from photographing the hares and we  had a good chat with Tom & Jan before we had lunch and then carried on with some final painting for this week.

Final coat of paint on the mop handle.

Finishing of the repaint of the two water cans. We then had a great afternoon chatting to Tom & Jan before a late dinner in the warm late afternoon early evening sunshine.

Keith.

3rd Day of Painting Etc.

This is the framework, for our solar panel, I constructed yesterday so that we can capture either the early morning or late evening sun, depending on where we are moored.

The galley window doors that Jo varnished Monday and yesterday.

Jo painting the gunnels this morning. I have been repainting our water cans over the past 3 days, tomorrow I hope to finish them with the white bands between the red and blue. An afternoon of enjoying the glorious sunshine, and Jo went off with her camera after butterflies.

Keith.

2nd Day of Painting Etc.

This morning I cut down the broken keb pole and refitted to the keb, then Jo oiled it with teak oil.

Jo painted the new fireman’s hose with 2 coats of white emulsion.

The freshly painted fireman’s hose refitted and the repaired keb back on top of the top plank.

Jo then prepared and applied the first coat of paint to the galley roof.

Keith.

First day of Painting Etc.

Jo painted the cabin roof, from boatman’s cabin to engine room.

I made a new fireman’s hose for the cratch.

Jo did some other minor preparation and paintwork, but by lunchtime it was too hot to do any more painting. I constructed the framework for our solar panel so it can be tilted from flat for more of the early morning and evening sun, depending where we are moored.

Keith.

Foxton to Laughton Hills via Debdale Wharf

5.9 miles, 10 locks, 4hrs 15mins.

A cracking morning as we set of for Debdale Wharf to fill up with diesel. Once that was done we returned to Foxton locks and awaited the boats travelling down the locks, before we could set off up them.

Waiting patiently at the bottom of Foxton locks in the sunshine.

Nearing the top of the locks. We have moored at Laughton Hills where we will spend the next few days painting the boat, as the weather forecast is favourable for painting.

Keith.

Market Harborough to Foxton Locks

Having spent a few very pleasant days in Union Wharf we set off this morning for Foxton. very sunny, and warm, such a pleasant change from a couple of weeks ago.

Oil seed rape is very prevalent in the fields at present.

The field alongside our mooring is very purple, and apparently it is Red Campion according to the book, a wild flower, but in great abundance in this field.

Keith.