The Boot Inn to Lapworth Top Lock

Finished the Lapworth Flight this morning.

First we met historic Grand Union narrowboat Star at the short pound with the tightish bend! I managed to squeeze past OK  

Then we met historic Grand Union narrowboat Corolla at the next pound which is a bit longer and not so tight a bend.

All passed without too much problem. Once through the top lock, I carried on, leaving Jo at the lift bridge, to the winding hole just before Swallow Cruisers, winded, and returned to pick up Jo and we returned and moored up just above the top lock, ready to move below the lock Saturday Morning to load some more bricks for ballast.  

Keith.

Tom O’The Wood to The Boot Inn, Lapworth

Short run this morning, 6 locks up the North Stratford Canal.

Now moored on the visitor moorings near The Boot Inn, Lapworth, where we have just had a superb lunch.

Keith.

Saltisford Arm to Tom O’The Wood, Rowington

Good run up the Hatton locks this morning, 2¾ hours in company with nb Dragonfly and with much appreciated help from our friends Nigel and Paul who did a sterling job for us.

A couple of locks up the flight.

Nearly at the top.

Now moored at Tom O'The Wood, Rowington.

Keith.

Radford Semele to Saltisford Canal Centre.

Last leg of the trip, with  stop for a food shop at Aldi, before returning to our mooring at the Saltisford Canal Centre.

Keith.

Long Itchington to Radford Semele.

Now moored at Radford Semele.

Keith.

Braunston to Long Itchington

Now moored at The Two Boats Inn, Long Itchington, had lunch and a couple of pints there, and a good chat with the landlord about the history of the pub.

Keith.

Hawkesbury Junction to Bridge 100 Grand Union/Oxford link.

Now Moored at Bridge 100 on the Grand Union/Oxford Canals link west of Braunston.

Keith.

Alvecote to Hawkesbury Junction

Wet run up through Atherstone flight.

Stopped raining as we approached sunny Nunny, now moored just before Hawkesbury junction.

Keith.

Fazeley to the Samuel Barlow, Alvecote

Now moored near the Samuel Barlow, Alvecote.

Keith.

Rugeley to Fazeley

Now moored at Bonehill Road Bridge, Fazeley.

Keith.

Stone to Trent Aqueduct, Brindley Bank, Rugeley.

Now moored at Trent Aqueduct, Brindley Bank, Rugeley.

Keith.

Ingestre to Stone.

Now moored at Stone, birthplace of Hadar.

Keith.

Fox and Anchor to Ingestre Bridge No.78 T&M

Weather-wise today, couldn't have been better.

Lock-wise not so, 13 locks against us today, none with us.

Now moored at Ingestre Bridge No. 78 between Great Haywood and Weston on the Trent & Motorway.

Keith.

Black Country Living Museum to Fox and Anchor, Cross Green

Really lovely day travelling down the 21. All against us apart from the first two, but managed to do them in 3½ hours.

Now moored at Fox and Anchor, Cross Green.

Keith.

Oozells Street Loop Junction to Black Country Living Museum.

Nice run from Birmingham up Smethwick locks, old main line to Black Country Living Museum.

Smethwick top lock.

Engine Arm.

Black Country Living Museum.

Keith.

Merry Hill to Birmingham

Now moored Old Turn Junction end of Oozells Street loop in Birmingham.

Keith.

Black Country Living Museum to Merry Hill Embankment

Food shop at Aldi before setting off from Black Country Living Museum. Stopped briefly at Waterfront at Brierley Hill before reversing to the moorings on the embankment above Merry Hill Shopping Centre.

Keith.

Neptune Wharf to Black Country Museum

Now moored inside the Black Country Living Museum. In between 2 bigguns.

Keith.

Drawbridge Inn, Shirley to Neptune Wharf, Tipton

Early morning 6:00am start, got to Neptune Wharf, Tipton at 12:45pm.

Keith.

Kingswood Junction to Drawbridge Inn, Shirley

Lapworth flight done, check.

Bricks from Jacky loaded in hold, check.

Moored at Drawbridge Inn, Shirley, check.

Fish and chips twice and 2 pints of Golden Hen, check.

Think we deserved that!

Keith.

Saltisford Arm to Kingswood Junction

Set off for Birmingham this morning, our Yucca plant will flower whilst we are away .

A wet run up the Hatton locks, but we did complete them in 2hrs 45mins, now moored at Kingswood junction.

Keith.

Further Work on the Baseplate

Today we managed to complete work underneath the floor of the hold as far as the new model railway room will go. Lagging the main water pipe to stop the condensation, painting the baseplate with used engine oil, and refitting the shutts.

Keith.

Work in the Hold

Today we started preparatory work for building my model railway room in the hold. First we had to sort out the rubbish, which went in the bins, then moved everything as far forward as possible, which allowed us access to and removal of the first two shutts (floorboards) from the bulkhead at the saloon end of the hold.

It is in better condition than we thought it might be. Jo set about scraping and removing the loose bits, then painted the base of the walls. It is already for oiling tomorrow morning, then we can do under the next 2 shutts. We thought that whilst we had the shutts up it was lagging the main water pipe from the water tank in the bow with some pipe insulation, to stop the condensation which appears to be happening, so I popped to Screwfix to get some and have fitted the first lengths.

Keith.

Final Work on New Generator

The final piece, an anti-siphoning vent valve fitted and connected. As the raw water cooling water is ejected out of the exhaust, this valve is required, as the generator is mounted below water level, to stop the raw water siphoning back into the engine.

With the shelf fitted back in place.

It is now up and running, and so much quieter than the old one, both inside the engine room and outside from the exhaust.

Keith.