Cows and Coldplay

Anne's aunt who works at a vet's in rural South Wales has pointed out that my group of cows in my posting on the 16 September are infact Charolais Bulls. She says they are big cowards and by sitting like that, they can see who is creeping up on them. Don't challenge them though as they can be nasty buggers!

We had to come back home last week and it would appear we have missed the lovely autum weather, but it was worthwhile. We went to see Coldplay at Wembley Stadium last Friday evening with our friends Bill and Clare. They were fantastic and gave it 110% throughout their performance. It was their 163rd concert, a really great night which will not be forgotten.

Way back from Welford

Back to the boat last Friday and the weather was glorious for the autumn. We collected the boat from Les and started the journey back to Wigrams hopefully with no scrapes on th nice paint work. We were also due to meet our son Simon and girlfriend Debbie at Crick for a meal in Edwards on Saturday - my 62nd birthday and 2 years since I stopped working -time does go quick when you are enjoying yourself. I was given a fridge magnet when I left work which said " stop living at work and start working at living" how very true.

There were lots of birds on the towpath which I think are partridge which then collected on bridge 33 as the sun set - very strange.

The same bridge 33 in the early mist and sunshine the following morning

Bridge 32 on the Leicester arm which is in need of some desperate TLC from BW soon.

We meet Si and Debs for our meal at Edwards which was excellent and they then helped us down the Watford locks and back to Wigrams. A very pleasant cruise although the sunshine had gone and it was now cloudy and a bit chilly. Only a few marks on the new paint which were quickly covered over.

Cromford Canal

On our way back from Lancashire we stopped with some old friends Jeff and Sylvia in Uttoxeter by which time the weather had really improved for the better so last Wednesday we went on a trip to see the Cromford canal.

The warehouses at the end of the Cromford canal at Cromford.


Whilst we were walking along the canal to the Cromford and High Peak Railway we saw this water vole going about its business oblivious to the 6 people standing very still on the tow path watching. They are such timid creatures but this one stayed still for a good 5 minutes before it calmly made its way home.

Slow boat to Welford

Its that time again when we need to take BB to Les at Welford for her 2 yearly black bottoming session and a general hull tidy up. It will take about 5 days so we also planned to visit friends Bury and Uttoxeter.

The weather was cloudy but otherwise good for boating with chilly evenings so the fire was lit just for the evenings

After it must be nearly 2 years BW have started work on the Braunston tunnel slip which presumably means they have to stabilise the ground first and put in drainage before they can move the obstruction.


View back to the land slide as you enter- which seems to be moving further across the entrance.


The south end of the tunnel in the early morning sun.

An unusual group of back to back cows

Its a big hole and site as they work on the new marina at Yelvertoft (near bridge18)

Something different

A winter project- I now have part ownership in a 1972 MGBGT which needs some TLC to its interior, bodywork in places ( as the main parts are all OK) and some work in the engine bay. Its lovelly to drive and takes you back to a time when motoring was a joy a bit like narrow boating.

Water stains on the woodwork are no more

We decided to leave the sunshine of the south east and go up to BB last week as we had arranged to meet Pete Hill who was going to help us remove the bad water stains which we had following the very cold weather last winter.

The weather at Napton has not been good over the last few weeks with a fair amount of rain and last week was no exception with only one really nice day Thursday when we managed a pleasant cruise to Braunston and back with an overnight stop near bridge 103 and a BBQ.

The main work to be done was the water stains on the light oak veneered panels and the stains on the oak shelves. They had been caused by condensation either running down behind the panels and finding a way out onto the shelves or dripping down from a ceiling panel. The condensation was caused when we had the stove on during the winter when the outside temperature was minus 10c, the coldest it has been since we had the boat. Pete had identified the areas where there is probably a gap in the polystyrene insulation and therefore where he needed to inject some spray foam to cure the problem.

We had major thin stains running down on each of three panels that Pete attacked by first rubbing down with very fine sand paper, then putting on some undiluted bleach which was left for about 30 minutes before being washed off. After this some clear satin varnish was applied and when dry Briwax clear was put on using 0000 grade wire wool- they now look good as new.

I set to work (with some guidance from Pete) on the shelves which are solid oak as follows:-

As the shelves have been waxed it was necessary to scrape this off and then a layer of the oak shelf using a Skarsten finishing scraper (large red wooden handle in the picture) and a Bahco 625 scraper on which much more pressure could be applied.

Picture of the two scrapers used to deal with the water stains on the solid oak wooden parts.

Once the stains had been removed it was then sanded with the fine paper and wiped clean with white spirit. When dry satin varnish was applied and then when that was dry Briwax clear was put on with 0000 grade wire wool.

In all it took all day but was well worth the effort.

Next trip is to Welford in early September for bottom blacking etc.

Stowe Hill Marine no more

It would appear that Stowe Hill Marine are no more. There is a news item in CanalsandRiver dated 8 July that states Stowe Hill Marine ceased trading a the end of June 09. Pete & Julie Hill sold the business to Simon Kennedy at the end of May04- BB being the last Pete Hill Stowe boat (number 165), about another 25 boats have been built by Simon.

The article states that Rugby Boat Sales are taking over the shop area and will take over the diesel and pump out facilities. Robert Gudgeon and Graham Shepherd will take over the dry dock and workshop. No mention has been made about unfinished boats although when we went past in June we couldn't see any new hulls.

The end of an era no more Stowe Hill low line tug style narrow boats- RIP.