The Completed Brake Van and 1st Train Driving Lesson

The Brake Van is Rolled Out of the Unit.

Once the paintwork was completed Keith and Roger wheeled the rebuilt brake van out of the unit to return it to the track.

A Little Assistance to Return to the Track.

Muscle power alone was not enough to get it back up the slope and onto the track.

The Final Touches.

Once back onto the track a few final touches were done to complete the rebuild. The brake van looks very smart in it's new livery.

The Finished Van Joins the Train.

All finished the brake van joins the 2 new wagons they rebuilt to form a very smart looking train already for service.

Engine Driving Instruction.

Roger then showed Keith how to drive his engine. He enjoyed the opportunity to actually get to drive it. He is looking forward to taking it for a complete circuit once he and Roger have rebuilt the track which has got damaged.

Keith's 1st Solo Journey.

New Gaskets Arrive.

The 3 New Gaskets.

The new gaskets arrived yesterday. This is one set, there is a second set which Keith will keep in a safe place, but hopefully we won't need them. We are just waiting for the liners to be completed, which should be in 2 weeks time. So all is going well with the engine rebuild.

Hadar's new crew member.

My Name is Marmite, and I am Very Pretty.

Hello, my name is Marmite and I have found a new home on this boat called Hadar. It has 2 large monsters called Keith & Jo that look after me and feed me and play with me. There is a 3rd scary monster called Paddy, I think he wants to eat me! But I make myself bigger and hiss at him, that seems to scare him.

I Like to Play.

I like to play with my ball and crumpled up paper. I chase them up and down the floor. I pounce on them and kill them.

This is a Strange Sort of Mouse.

The big monster said something about a mouse in this thing. I can't find it, but I will keep an eye on it.

You Can't Really See Me Hiding Here.

There are many places to explore and to hide behind. The big monsters keep finding me and picking me up and putting me back on the floor. This is a great game to play.

So Much to be Explored in My New Home.

Stone Food and Drinks Festival.

One advantage of us still being in Stone is the fact that we got to enjoy the Food and Drinks Festival again this year, we were unable to bring Hadar down to the site, but will be making every effort to bring her down to the festival next year.

The high street in Stone was absolutely jam packed with people who were enjoying the Farmers Market which is in Stone on the first Saturday of every month, and very good it is too. There is plenty of choice when it comes to local produce. It is probably one of the best Farmers Markets in the country.

It was nice to see the Stoke-on-Trent IWA stall here again, and the infamous nail game was taking place.

For the first time the Gourmet Food Marquee was in Westbridge Park only a couple of minutes stroll from the high street. The marquee housed over 60 stands with exhibitors giving samples and tasters and selling their produce from across the country all under cover, incase the weather should change. Fortunately the weather was very kind to the festival and they had a weekend of excellent weather. We spent Saturday walking around the marquee enjoying some of the wonderful foods and drinks on offer. Everything from nuts and organic foods to meat and drink. It was a taste sensation and well worth the £2.50 entrance fee.

It was wonderful to see so many people turning out for such a well organised event, the organisers did a fantastic job. It must have been a huge amount of work for them all. We know that on the two weeks prior to the event they were having to turn people away who were requesting stalls, as they could not take anymore.

As we came through the enterance we were greeted by live music, and many outdoor stalls of French produce. There was also plenty of places to get a coffee and seating for those with tired feet.

Inside the Marquee we were spoilt for choice of things to try. We were drawn to the wines and cheeses. We bought some lovely cheeses from Premier Welsh Hampers, which included Apricot and Brandy mmmmm.

Cenarth Brandi Brav
Mature cheese with Apricots and Brandy. Ideal with sweet biscuits.
In all we bought 3 cheeese from the stall, and will enjoy them with crackers or shortbread.

Cothi Valley Goats.

I have never tried Goats cheese before, so this was a good opportunity. My favourite was goats cheese with chives, and yes you guessed it we bought some. I reckon it will go nice on toast. Cothi Valley Goats, are located in the village of Talley Wales, on Cilwr farm. If you have never tried goats milk or cheese, believe me it is well worth a go.

Celtic Country Wines.

So of course once we had our cheese, we needed the wine to go along with it. Celtic Wines are made in the Teifi Valley, one of the most picturesque in Wales and the envy of salmon and trout fishermen throughout the Country. We got talking to Keith on the stall and just had to have a taste of a few of the wines, and they were so good that we bought 2 bottles of his finest wines.

Elderflower and Apple Wine, Ginger Wine and Mediaeval Mead Wine The oldest alcoholic drink favoured by kings and knights in bygone days, so looks like we will be having our very own private cheese and wine party.

We also tried Olives, which I have to say are not for me although Keith did like them.

This year there were also three celebrity TV chefs on each day. Mary Berry, Paul Rankin, and James Tanner. I was able to see James Tanner on Sunday as I was asked to take some photographs by the orgrnaiser of the festival for future promotions. Again a very well organised event for ticket holders only. Each chef gave two demonstrations a day in the Trentham Estate sponsored kitchen in the Crown Hotel. James Tanner was Sundays Chef, he is the youngest chef to appear on Ready Steady Cook, it was a pleasure to stand and watch him entertain the people in the room.

James was cooking something splendid with chocolate. I was lucky to actually meet James later in the day in the high street, and I can say he is as nice off the TV as he is on it.

If this years festival is anything to go by, next years will be fantastic, so remember to keep the beginning of October free, you will not be disappointed.

The Great Engine Strip Down

The Head is Removed.

After the head had been removed to get to the head gasket for a template for the new ones, and sent away for skimming and the valves rebedding, Keith and Roger blocked of the cooling system within the block and then filled it with water. This was then left for a few days to see if the wet liners were leaking. A wet liner is a cylinder that fits inside the engine block within which the piston slides up and down. It is wet because it is internally exposed to the water jacket to greatly increase the cooling effect. However it does mean that a water seal has to be present at the bottom of the liner to prevent water from dripping into the oil sump. After a few days the water level had dropped and there were damp patches on the paper towels they had left under the cylinders. Keith took the decision to take the liners out and get them checked, he felt there was no point in only doing half a job on the engine having got this far.

The 2nd Piston and Crank is removed.

It took Roger and Keith a whole day to remove both pistons in preparation to remove the liners. It was a learning curve for both of them as without any form of manual on the engine they had to guess each stage. Fortunately having spent many hours stripping down car engines when Keith used to do rallying in his younger days this came in useful. They took each step slowly checking everything as they went. Although there are access panels on both sides of the engine to the crankshaft area, there is not a lot of room. One of the hardest parts was getting the split pins out of the big-end blots, but enventually they came out, and so did each piston and crank. Initially they undid the big ends and lifted the pistons up to be able to remove the pistons rings. This then gave them more leeway to drop the pistons back down the cylinders and out through the crank casing.

The Home Made Liner Puller in Operation.

The following morning Roger made a liner puller, which worked very well. Pulling the liners out was the bit they were dreading, yet it ended up being the easiest part, hahahahaha.

1st Liner comes Out.

As can be seen the liners could do with a good scrub down. This being the part of the liner exposed to the water jacket.

Inside the Water Jacket.

The exposed water jacket could also do with a good clean out. It took quite a while to get the inside of the water jacket all cleaned out, but it will be worth it as it will allow the water cooling to be far more effective.

Cleaning the Liners.

The liners needed a good clean up to be able to inspect their condition. During this clean up they discovered that where we had expected an 'O' ring at the bottom of the liner to create the water seal, there was none. Instead there appeared to be the remains of silicone sealant! Keith was glad he decided to do this stage, it could have proved disasterous if this rough seal had failed and dumped the coolant into the oil system, especially whilst on a river, or even worse, tidal waters!

They Now Look a Lot Better.

Now doesn't that look better. below his left hand, the one with the watch on, can be seen the groove in which the 'O' ring should sit. Having got everything all cleaned up, Roger then delivered the liners, pistons and cranks to Allards In Stoke-on-Trent, so that work could be carried out on them. At the worst we may have to have the liners bored out and sleeved as they have worn, a lot depends on what they decide to do after measuring everything.

This Lot was Scraped Out from Inside the Water Jacket.

This tidy pile was what was scraped out of the water jacket once they had got the liners out. Keith thinks this engine is going to sigh a huge sigh of relief when they 1st start it up when it is all back together, and if it could speak we are sure it would thank us for allowing the cooling to cool it properly, bit like for us enjoying a cold shower on a hot day! With the pistons and cranks out of the way access to the sump is now easier, and having removed the oil suction unit, they could now get fully inside and clean out all the emulsified oil and other muck. The oil suction unit cleaned up nicely. This unit lies in the bottom of the sump and is at the lower end of the oil pump, it filters out large lumps from the oil before it is sucked up from the sump into the pump. We now just have to wait for the liners, pistons and cranks to be returned and the long awaited gaskets to arrive when they are ready.

The Oil Suction Unit.

The Inside of Hadar.

Boatman's Cabin Stove.

Now that Hadar is nearly completed we thought it time to show some photos of the inside, which hasn't been easy to do since we moved onboard. We are both so pleased with how Hadar has turned out, she is everything we wanted and much, much more. Starting with the boatman's cabin, this has been decorated as near traditional as possible. The stove area is really the focal point especially when the boat is moored on the starboard side and this area can be viewed from the towpath. Many of the items on display Keith has owned for many years, and some we have bought since living on the canals. I am looking forward to cooking on and in the stove, once the weather gets cold enough. Hopefully many a good stew will be cooked on the stove.

Drop down Table and Crumb draw.

Once the stew is cooked after a long day of cruising, we will be able to sit down at our drop down table to eat dinner.

The Bed 'ole and Cupboards.

The cupboards and bed 'ole end of the cabin. Of course Paddy had to get in on the act.

The Bed Seat.

The photos above the bed seat are myself and Keith when we were little. they go very well with the atmosphere of the traditional cabin.

Side Bed.

Facing the stove is the side bed. This was originally a single bed. The knitted squares blanket is one made by Keith's late mother. Paddy's bed can be seen in front of the coal box (the box with the castle painted on it which also acts as a step). The only untraditional items in the cabin can be seen at the top left, the CB and marine VHF radio transmitters.

Shower.

This photo shows the shower which we have used extensively since we moved onboard and it is vast improvement over the one on "Misty Lady". Unfortunately due to the door configuration it isn't possible to get a photo of the toilet end of the cubicle, but trust me it is there along with a basin!

Utility Area.

The utility area opposite the shower/toilet cubicle with the washing machine, tumble drier and fridge freezer. The small white box on the ceiling is one of the two carbon monoxide detectors.

Starboard Side of the Galley.

The galley area is compact but very functional, with plenty of cupboard space. The picture that can be seen above the TV is of Stone, it was given to me by one of our boating friends here in the basin on her birthday. It will constantly remind us of the lovely time we have had living here.

Port Side of the Galley.

The port side of the galley is the "wet" side with the sink and electric kettle. We have added many extras and hanging utensils again to maximise the space.

The Galley from the Saloon.

From the Saloon end.

The view from the saloon has changed dramatically since we have moved onboard and added all our personal touches. The display cabinet on the left houses Keith's model trains from his exhibition layout Holmehurst. My bookshelf can be seen on the right. The laminated flooring just finishes off the cabin nicely. We are gradually filling up the sloping walls of the saloon with photos and pictures. The 2 bed chairs can be converted into either 2 single beds, or joined together to make a double bed. Paddy gets in on the act again. The stool behind him is one that Kieth's grandfather on his mother's side made. It all looks very cosy and we can both guarantee that it is.

The Saloon End.

Starlight, Starbright.

(Photographs taken by Andrew Denny)

From our previous posting you will have seen that we had a visit from Andrew on Granny Buttons, a wonderful visit it was. The night before we got to meet Andrew took this lovely night time photograph of Hadar from the towpath. If you look closely you can see the Plough in the night sky. It is a superbly taken photo.

A Welcome Visitor.

We had a very welcome visitor yesterday. Yes you will recognise him if you read his blog Granny Buttons. Andrew Denny stopped off in Stone and was moored just up the canal from our boat. Having walked past his boat with Paddy early in the morning, I went back to and see him on Granny Buttons, Andrew then came to the boatyard armed with his camera, to come and have a look at Hadar. It was wonderful to finally shake the hand of Andrew and put a face to the wonderful blog diary he writes. Andrew was very taken with Paddy as was Paddy with him. Keith and I had a lovely time chatting to Andrew. If you see Granny Buttons and Andrew whilst out and about say hello to him, he is a lovely guy. We look forward to catching up with him again when we are on the move.

Today we got the opportunity to take some photographs of Hadar.

Viewed from the Basin.

Today Keith took advantage whilst we had to move Hadar out of the basin, so that a boat could be craned back into the water, to take some photos of Hadar moored on the towpath.

Bow View.

As you can guess we are very proud of her. Trust Paddy to get in on the act. He loves to lay on the counter.

Stern View.

Loading 5 Tons of Coal by Hand

The 1st Bag.

Yesterday saw the arrival of our 1st consignment of coal. It arrived by lorry early in the morning. The plan was to unload it from the lorry into wagons on Roger's narrow-gauge railway. We had previously the day before sorted out 3 wagons, 2 of which could carry 1ton each and the 3rd would hold ½ton. Thus with 2 train loads we could move the full 5tons. The delivery man handed us down the bags and Keith and I stacked them in the wagons. I had the honour of taking the 1st bag, seeing as the business is in my name.

2½tons Loaded and Traveling by Train to the Wharf.

With all 3 wagons filled, the 1st 2½tons was then transported by the train around to the wharf. We then had to unload the wagons at the wharf so that the train could return to the car park for the final load. The whole lot was unloaded and paid for within 45 minutes!

Already to be Loaded into the Hold.

Keith and I then had the task of loading it all into Hadar's hold. Piled up high it looked a daunting task, but we set about it a ton at a time with a drinks break in between to keep our fluid levels up, especially as the sun had come out.

The 1st Sack Goes In.

We used a slide to assist getting the sacks in for the lower layers, until they were high enough to be able to lift the higher ones in directly onto the lower ones. As each ton went in we also checked the level of the boat. The bow was coming done and the stern was staying the same, which was great news. With the final sack in place the sheeting was refitted, Job Done! and amazingly in one day, we had expected to take the weekend to get it loaded in. We went out for a meal to celebrate. Rather surprisingly this morning we both woke up expecting to ache all over, but we didn't!

Filling Up Nicely.

Many thanks to Tina and Roger for taking the photographs for us, so that we could put them in to the diary. Another dream come true for Keith, to see his working boat carrying cargo.

All 5 tons Onboard.