Shopping in Banbury

We spent the morning shopping in Banbury. Our first stop was B&M as we had heard from another moorer that they were doing large sacks of good logs for a reasonable price. We discovered that they were only £16 each - we paid rather more than this for the sack we brought up from Devizes - we opted for two although stowing them may be a problem! It is highly likely that we will get through most of them before the end of the colder weather. In the summer we rely on the diesel heated radiators to take the edge off a chilly evening.

It is a substantial version of B&M with a much wider range of goods than we have spotted before. As a result we cane away with rather more than just the logs! However, they did not have any dried parsley or sweeteners. We also were on the lookout for milk and bread. More especially, Christine remembered from our last shopping foray here that she had found a good quality shoe shop on the main street. So we parked closer to the town centre and wandered around.

There are plenty of small shops but, alas, it seems that shoe shops, including the remembered one, have fallen alongside Debenhams and Wilko. We only saw a Clarks in the Castle Quay Shopping Centre and a cheap place on its Closing Down Sale! And Clarks do not stock slippers . . . 

In the afternoon, Mike took a short trip to the churchyard in Great Bourton to photograph some more gravestones, whilst Christine sorted out the boxes to go back home tomorrow.

Finding the Serial Number

Our gas hob has been playing up for a while and not staying alight after being lit. Advice seems to agree that it is likely to be the thermocouples that activate the latch that allows the gas to flow after the control knob is released. Sadly this model is no longer produced so tracking down a potential source of new parts took a while. Unfortunately the supplier we did find needed the serial,number in order to select the correct part. We attempted to take photos underneath the hob when we were on board a few weeks ago. This was not easy because a baffle board is fitted just below the hob - required by RCD apparently. It should protect the workings below the hob from damage when taking things in or out of the shelves below.

Sadly when we came to inspect the photos back at home we found that none showed the serial number. We have to remove the baffle sheet to see more of the underside and also to be able to hold the phone camera far enough away to focus properly. The sheet is held by six screws, three either side. Removing these and the sheet can't be that difficult, surely?

Well, nothing on a boat is ever easy, mainly because of the confined spaces. Moreover, it was quickly obvious that these screws had been put in with a power tool as they were reluctant to come out. The two at the front were possible to unscrew but getting enough leverage for the other entailed removing one of the cupboard doors! 

Eventually we had five of them out but the one furthest away n the right just would not come free, However, we did find that with the others out, the sheet could be dropped down far enough for this purpose.

Finally, we did locate the serial number! The arrow on the first photo above shows where it is located. Let's hope that this will suffice to sort out a repair. (The problem with fitting a whole new, but different, hob is that those currently available have square corners whilst the present one has rounded ones) 

Putting everything back was just a little easier - well, we did know what we ere doing by then. nevertheless, this took up almost all morning up to lunch time.

It had been wet overnight and the rain persisted until early afternoon.The sky was overcast and the temperature decidedly on the chilly side of unpleasant! Hence we remained tucked up with the stove stoked up to keep us very comfortable. Only braved the outside (other than retrieving things from the decks) just the once, to empty the elsan.

Diesel

After emptying an elsan cassette the main task today was to make the short trip to the fuel dock in the marina. We were quite low and wanted to be sure that there was plenty in the tank by the time we go back home on Friday. The morning was much windier than the forecast suggested but the general picture was for it to get stronger from lunchtime and for the next couple of days. Hence we needed to do it this morning. We prepared to leave our pontoon with a bit of apprehension but with a detailed plan in our minds of bow to cope with the wind in it present direction. 

The marina comprises three separate areas, the original, quite wide section (where the fuel dock is located), a central basin and then the newest part I(Swan Basin) where we are moored. Going to the fuel dock means going into the middle section via a short cut which has a foot swing bridge that has to be opened, and from there out onto the Oxford Canal. The entrance to the main section is about a 100m down the canal and the dock is straight ahead on the far side.

As we have to moor bow first in this marina, we first had to reverse out with the wind side on. Then we needed to turn to be at right angle to direction of the pontoon in order to go through the short cut. We were fortunate that another boater offered to Christine to swing the bridge open and back again for us. An immediate left turn, side on to the wind took us to the exit onto the canal, followed by a right turn into the south entrance!

The fuel dock was straight ahead but we needed to allow for the cross wind which can quickly take the boat sideways, especially at low speed. We lined up just up-wind of the mooring and allowed for the wind to move us sideways onto the wharf as we went into strong reverse to stop before we hit the bank!

All of this is much easier to follow if you look at Google Maps Aerial View. Blue is the route out and red the extra bit on the way back. (Hope Google allow us to include this image!)

Staff filled our tank and Christine went to the office to pay. At that point, with the wind ever strengthening, we had no option but to make our way back to our pontoon.

We are located almost immediately after the final cut and swing bridge (again someone kindly opened up for us) and we discovered when we arrived here that there is not enough room to turn immediately left. Instead it is better to continue down into the centre of the basin and turn, coming back head into the wind. This basin is a lot narrower but we made the turn - just - without being blown either into the far end or colliding with the boats moored either side.

The final turn onto the pontoon - at this time of year almost all berths are occupied so there was just a single boat space to head into. The manoeuvre entails going a bit up wind of the space at a narrow angle to the pontoon and waiting until the wind lines the boat up - then it is full steam to get the bow of the boat 'trapped' in the gap. At least our pontoon is down wind which means that the pontoon keeps us in place whilst we tied up. Phew!

After lunch we went to visit Cropredy Church - Mike to look at surveying the gravestones and Christine to look around inside. It was soon time, with light fading fast, to return to the boat and a piece of fruit cake.

Chores and Shopping and Charging

This morning Mike set about a number of routine chores some of which take a little longer when in the marina than out cruising. Most of the facilities are a bit of a walk from the boat (but not as far as for some of the mooring pontoons). 

On Saturday morning before we left for the station, the current gas bottle gave out. In the short term that is not an issue as we have two bottles and, as long as an empty one is replaced as soon as possible, all that has to be done is turn off one and turn on the other. We only get through between two and three bottles a year (just as well as they are now over £50 a go) so there is plenty of time to find a refill. However, if not done straightaway it is easy to forget until it is too late! So that was one of today's tasks - as they are too heavy for us to carry far the first ting is to collect a trolley from behind the office.

We were also very low on water but at least there is a tap beside every pontoon. Rubbish disposal was needed but that could be loaded onto the trolley along with the empty gas bottle. The gas bottle store is beyond the bin store and next to the fuel dock.

We do also need to fill up the diesel tank but we opted tp leave that to another day (this might turn out to be a bad decision as we now see that the wind is likely to increase for the next few days until we return home)

Rubbish disposed and a full bottle on the trolley it was back to the boat and the task of lifting the bottle into the gas locker. Mike managed without too much huffing and puffing - but for how much longer before we will need help to do this? Logs we brought from home were properly stowed (althiugh the number left is declining fast in this cold snap)

It was just on 11 by the time everything was stowed back away - a cup of coffee was needed!

The morning started very cold but sunny, gradually the edge off the cold air meant that outdoors was at least tolerable if not yet quite 'pleasant'. Still, there was time for Mike to take a short trip to the nearby parish council cemetery. Mike occasionally spends time transcribing and photographing gravestones and then uploading to an international website Find A Grave. During the time at home he had discovered that this one had not yet been listed - most at least have a placeholder. Mike had made a start on Friday but it was then too cold to do much of it - today much better on the hands and so he was able to finish taking the photos in just over an hour. (The grass was quite long and very wet so he ended up with wet feet and soggy trouser leg bottoms!)

After lunch we went into town to Morrisons - we needed a few food items but the main reason was to charge up the car which was, by now, down to 37%. At least this time both charge points were available. When we returned to the car after about half an hour, it was back to 85% - the estimate to 100% was another 25 minutes so we did not bother. (Actually many folk recommend not aiming for much more than 85%, especially on public chargers. OK on overnight at home)

Meanwhile, Christine took the opportunity to clean the boat floor. One of the current downsides with this marina (one shared with many others!) is that the entrance drive and the car parks are really in need of some tlc - the staff tried a minor repair to the worst potholes a couple of months back but failed to compact them properly so they are now even worse. But also, the surface is generally very muddy after the recent trains and it is impossible to avoid getting some on the boat and on our shoes.

Back to the boat and that was it for today - time for tea and a small piece of tasty fruit cake that we were given on Sunday morning.

A Relaxing Sunday

We went first to the 10 am service at Great Bourton church - it was a combined one for all of the churches  in the benefice. As so often is the case, most of the congregations from the others seemed to treat this as a 'week off' - or were all away visiting relatives! 

There were about 14, including ourselves, and we were made very welcome when we arrived. The service was conducted by Bishop Jonathan Meyrick, who is now retired and lives nearby. He gave an excellent sermon and the local organist also good. Coffee and cakes were on offer afterwards and we had a number of interesting conversations. Indeed, we could hardly get away - it was around noon when we were back on the boat.

The blog for the rest of the day will be quite short - dinner was a roast based on using some of the turkey and trimmings from Christmas Day!

War Horse

We had to make a good start today - away by half last nine as we were meeting up with the three grand daughters in Oxford to go to the matinee performance of War Horse - Andrew was also coming up from Devizes to join the party.

The two from Windsor were arriving at 10:43 on a train from Taplow, changing at Reading. The oldest, Ellie was already in Oxford as she arrived yesterday to stay for a few days with her Dad. Andrew was driving but coming into the city centre by Park and Ride bus.

We checked out the station in Banbury - specifically the parking. Mike has been through Banbury on a number of occasions as part of a car shuffle but we have not had to park here before. In any case, the older surface car parks at the main station entrance are no longer in use for general public but a large multi storey has been built on the opposite side. We planned to catch the 10:17 arriving at 10:10.

Until yesterday we had been expecting to have a meal with everyone after the performance but various logistical factors meant that the three girls had to leave after the finish of the play at 5 pm. A quick re-plan and Christine booked a table at what seemed an interesting small cafe/restaurant close to the station, with a Moroccan flavour.

All the journeys went to plan and we met without a hitch in the station concourse. We had a little time before the noon booking - Ellie suggested a quick trip to the Ashmolean, not far away. The girls visited the mummy gallery (!) whilst we to sit in the basement cafe - Andrew took a look around the main shopping streets.

We met up at the Olive Branch and were greeted by the owner who happily re-arranged the furniture to accommodate six. It is not a large place, originally part of what was once a Railway Hotel. Old photos of trains and stations featured in the decor along with some collages of tickets.

We managed to make our choices from the menu without a lot of difficulty - we went for the lamb tagine. Service was excellent as was the food and we were all well pleased.

By the time we had finished and paid up it was time to walk - slowly - to the New Theatre, only 8 minutes according to Google Maps but we sauntered a little slower. The theatre asks the audience to arrive by 2, for a 2:30 performance just as well most of us kept to the request as there were few empty seats - inevitably there were the stragglers that insisted in  making their way in with seconds to go, looking as if they had all the time in the world . . . 

The performance was from a new touring production by the National Theatre. The tour began in September and goes on until next ¬October, all over the country.

The production has, as might be expected from the NT, amazing production values with a cast of over 40, inclusion the incredible puppeteers who bring the horses to life in a really believable way. The back of the stage displayed what looked like a torn sheet of paper on which were projected images, back and white sketches and animations all of which were effective in helping to make the action seem real.

The stage version of Michael Morpurgo's novel is more condensed than we recall of the film but this allows it to use all the arts of the stage to be amazingly immersive. Most especially, the latter part set in the disastrous Somme battlefield permeates the whole body for those watching. In particular, the scene where Joey, the horse around which the story is woven, is caught in barbed wire defences in No Man's Land and then freed by men from both sides, could not be told more effectively.

We had to go our separate ways at the end, doing so inside the theatre rather than risk the melee outside in the street. We walked back to the station where we had about half an hour to wait for the next train to Banbury - we managed to get seats but the carriages were almost full.

Back at Banbury we retrieved our car and drove the short distance to the marina after a quite successful outing.

Late Start and Shopping in Banbury

 Neither of us was in anything other than slow gear this morning and it was not before 122:30 before we were ready to discover the outdoor conditions. If anything, it was slightly denser fog than yesterday and with the extra dampness came a chillier feel. The weather forecasters had told us that it was be a lot warmer - not sure what chillier would have felt like!

We checked out the way to the main station car park in preparation for tomorrow morning. The centre of Banbury is quite convoluted for driving, no doubt quite easy once you know where everything is.

We did most of our shopping at Morrisons. An intended top up of the car battery was thwarted by both stations being occupied and Mike could not work out if the slower connection could be used at the same time as the rapid one and the screen was not a lot of help. He did not want to disrupt the connection to the other car by experimenting - we have enough power left for the next couple of days at least.

We missed out on a couple of items - the bakery section looked as if it was just selling of pre-Christmas leftovers and  much of the fresh stand was empty.

So, back to Lidl - not been to that store before but it, a bit to our surprise, does have its own customer car park. The stock on their bakery shelves was obviously fresh today. We found the other item missing from Morrisons (gnocchi) and a few other things crept into our trolley whilst we were not looking!

Back to the boat for lunch only slightly late. Christine went to the office to arrange a top-up of the electricity and to buy a bag of coal which the staff kindly delivered to the boat.

Afterwards Mike took a short trip to a nearby cemetery. It does not appear to have been added to FindAGrave, the web site that Mike uses to record his photos and transcriptions of the gravestones. Although he made a start, the light was poor and fading fast, but also hands were cold taking photos and the grass long and wet! He beat an early retreat back to the boat for a mug of tea.