Birdingbury

Today's Canals : Oxford, Grand Union

It was very grey when we set off with the cloud levels almost down to the ground. Although there was a half hearted attempt later for the sun to break through there was little change for the rest of the day. BUt it did not rain.

In our description of different types of bank protection yesterday, we did not mention this one which is, as far as we know, unique to the Grand Union. The concrete coping is the main characteristic as well as the basic data that are imprinted whilst the concrete was still setting. The depth of the piles and the dredging limit are always given and, in many cases, also a year date. 

In this case, it was created in 1934 which according to what we understand, is quite significant. Although canal traffic was clearly in its sunset years, it was still strategically important. But this was also the time of widespread depression and low economic activity. Traditional economics only seemed  to make matters worse until the arrival of Keynesian theory. A core proposal was that governments should inject money into the economy by setting up labour intensive capital projects, typically infrastructure. The most important canal (or so it seemed to London centric politicians!) was the Grand Union and bank renewal and dredging were undertaken along the whole length, where needed.

Many of the new works were on bends where badly steered boats have a tendency to run straight into the apex of the curve. (This typically happens if the boat is steered too far to the inside of the bend, then catches on  shallow silt whereupon it looses steering and continues straight ahead, rather than making the turn requested via the rudder) The damage over the years can always be seen - this example is especially large, but at least it comes across in the photo! It is, however, an important tribute to this design as, even with such damage, the bank remains intact - not bad for ninety years.

A little further, as we passed under Bridge 103, we spotted that the towpath ahead is temporarily closed. 

The reason quickly became apparent as we passed a team busy (ish!) at installing a new piece of piling and armco.

New ideas about bank protection continue to be tried out. For a few years, there has been some pressure from environmental lobbies to use more eco-friendly techniques. One method that comes from work on still waters (such as fishing lakes and reservoirs) uses a special mesh which is supported at intervals by wooden stakes hammered into the ground (unlikely to be the depths of the 1934 piles!) Not everyone was convinced at the outset, especially about its durability and this photo shows those fears realised. The passing of boats, with the attendant wakes, has sucked out the soil from behind the mesh, exposing more of the posts to weathering. The mesh is  not very deep, as we have seen when we have passed it being installed, and this can lead to the bank being undermined. It seems unlikely that this specimen will survive 90 years . . .

At Napton Junction we turned right, passing under the junction bridge that carries the towpath. The entrance to Wigrams Turn Marina is directly opposite the bridge. The Oxford Canal continues in its same direction heading down to the River Thames. We will turn in that direction when we come back here next week. There is  no ambiguity now - we are definitely on the Grand Union, heading to Warwick. (Well, probably Leamington Spa but the canal was built as the Warwick and Napton Canal. The Grand Union was gradually formed from several once independent companies, taking its current definition in 1929)

We were joined at Napton Top Lock by another boat Simply Messing, but they were intending to stop at the boatyard to fill with diesel.

However, as they arrived they were told that the diesel tank was empty so they rejoined us and we worked down all the three locks together, our locking techniques seemed very compatible. They currently have their home mooring in the Sunrise part of Ventnor Farm Marina. They also admitted to reading our blog! A pity we could not share any more of the upcoming locks. (20 to Leamington)

We waved farewell to them as they turned into their marina. (We had already passed the entrance by then)

The steam powered narrow boat Adamant was moored in its usual place but a sign in a window announced that it is now for sale. It was looking a little in need of tlc - perhaps it has become too much for its owner. It cannot be an easy boat to own, learning how to get the best out of a steam engine is not simple and regular boiler maintenance and testing is never going to be either straightforward or cheap. Lets hope that it finds a new enthusiastic owner soon and that we can see it chuffing around the network for a lot longer.

Shortly before Birdingbury Bridge, we could see a long line of moored boats and fearing that we might be stuck with nowhere to stop for lunch just above the Stockton flight, we grabbed a vacant spot right at the start, almost hidden in extensive reeds. As soon as we had tied up we agreed that this might just do for the rest of the day - but we will have a busier day tomorrow, with at least 11 locks to do.

6.3 Miles - 3 Locks

Wolfhamcote

Today's Canal : Oxford (Grand Union)

The forecast for today suggested an improvement after about 10 am with dry, if overcast, thereafter, Alas, following a reasonably dry start, damp conditions soon prevailed, much less pleasant than expected.

We promised yesterday to say a bit more about the sloping sided towpaths which restrict mooring opportunities. As it happened, the next stretch from our overnight stop was predominantly the first style of bank improvements - concrete piles held together with solid steel bars. In general, this type of construction seems to have lasted well although the disadvantage for boaters is that there no general way of making the boat fast against it. The bars start off flush to the piles although over time some gaps do appear. Aften - as happened when we stopped in Rugby to visit Tesco, it is best to look for a rope loop which a previous moorer has left behind.

For several decades until recently, almost all bank repairs were made with steel piles held together with armco bars, the most common crash barrier style. These have the definite advantage that the corrugated shape of the piles leaves regular gaps through which moorings can be made, altogether much to be preferred to banging in mooring pins! 

There are two popular ways of attaching mooring ropes to armco - mooring clips (aka nappy pins) and 'goat' chains. The first are about 250mm in length, made from bent and formed steel rod in a shape that sort of resembles a nappy or safety pin. One end is closed through which a rope is passed whilst the other end is open and is hooked onto the armco. It works surprisingly better than it looks as if it will! The other type is a short length of strong chain with a different sized ring at either end. The smaller ring is dropped down behind the armco and then passed through the larger ring and used to attach a rope. Although we have both types, the goat chain is our preferred option. It also has the added bonus of being much less susceptible those members of society that enjoy setting boats free from their moorings. Once happened to us in Burnley in the middle of the night when a group of revellers pulled out our pins and tossed them into the water!

From the entrance to Dunchurch Pools marina much of the bank reverted to the sloping stones. The  problem with this kind of towpath edge is that the slope extends some depth so that the edge of the boat cannot reach the bankside and the bottom corner of the hull grates against the stones.

Also, as the stones become loose they drop into the main channel and expose the towpath to serious erosion from the wake of passing boats.

We met the Bywater pair of hotel boats - must have been a special charter as no trip was listed after 10th October from Oxford to Banbury. They were closely tied together but this was not immediately obvious as they were coming around a bend. Moored boats on our side were an added complication - between us we just made it without an incident! But we were too 'busy' to take a photo until they were well passed us.

The final section into Braunston mostly has the bank protect by armco. The difference is evident on the Waterway Routes maps - after a section with almost no places marked as suitable to stop, there are frequent options leading up to Braunston.

We stopped at the first service point in Braunston to fill with water and make the usual disposals. A branch of Midland Chandlers is alongside and we took the opportunity to stock up on Elsan Blue and Marine 16. They were out of stock of their cheaper (aka less expensive) nets of logs and Christine decided that the ones they did have were unnecessarily expensive!

After passing under the double branch junction with its iconic cast iron bridges, we were technically still on the Oxford Canal, the link between the north and south parts. This was built first but after the Grand Union arrived there was an agreement to share the canal for boats passing from the southern to the northern parts of the GU from London to Birmingham and widened when the rest of the GU allowed wide beam boats. 

It was coming up to lunch time and we were not feeling too comfortable in the cold and damp,  but we had to go a little further as the Oxford Canal origins show up with yet more sloping stone banks. After a while some good armco appeared (and marked on our map) and we happily came alongside. We also decided to take the afternoon off from cruising! (Well, we do have a relaxed schedule this week) At the moment it looks likely that we will take our time, aiming for Leamington Spa on Saturday when we meet up with Andrew for the rest of the trip to Cropredy.

4.9 Miles - 0 Locks

Barby Wood

Today's Canal : Oxford

This morning we went to the main service at the nearby parish church for Hillmorton. Although the main centre of Hillmorton is the other side of the railway lines, the church is just a short walk from the bridge above the bottom lock.

A church has been on this site since at least the 12th century but the present building was started in the 14th.

The layout is quite traditional but has been adapted to present day needs quite recently. It has an excellent audio visual system which, apart from a couple of glitches, was worked very smoothly - the control desk looks quite complex!

At the back there is still a West Gallery which once held the band and singers from the 18C until they were replaced by the organ in the mid 19C. It is slightly unusual in being fitted with a barrel that can play one of 10 tunes in the absence of an organist (must have become rather boring or well known, depending on taste!)

Today, a couple of modern electronic instruments at the front of the nave are being used, and this morning the NSM curate also led the hymns and songs with her guitar.

The service was less liturgical than we are  mostly accustomed to but in formal parts were interspersed with the key parts of the set pattern. The talk was quite lengthy and detailed, setting out he approach to life after death that comes from an Evangelical perspective (there are others LTRU!)

Afterwards there was coffee and a good array of cakes and savouries - we spent most of the time chatting to another visitor, a liveaboard boater that is moored above the locks awaiting some important work to be done on his Russell Newbury engine - the main specialists in this type are based on the arm mid flight. We then walked back to the boat - by now it was about time for lunch.

Lunch over, Mike began by moving the boat a short distance to the water point. Fortunately there are two taps as another boat was also just pulling in to fill up. The bank and water depth here are surprisingly poor as this is a very popular water point (these locks are usually considered to be the busiest on the network)

Once full we set off towards the lock. Just before is the start of another former loop - the canal originally went straight from the bottom lock but the shortened alignment bears off to the left. 

This flight has pairs of locks - installed at the height of traffic to reduce the delays that otherwise were aa frustration to speeding boaters. As always, delivery poeple were pressed to complete their journeys as speedily as they could. Even today, at busy times there can be queues but not today, although a constant stream kept the wo volunteer lockies busy.

An information board between the bottom and middle lock has some interesting facts about the area. One, that caught pour attention, was about the famous socialite Unity Mitford who for a time was Hitler's girlfriend (along with Eva Braun!) She and her sisters developed strong political views - but each of very different directions. Unity became an ultra Nazi and white supremacist, which fitted well with the views emerging in the period just before the war.

When Britain declared war on Germany, Unity was distraught and shot herself in the head in a failed suicide attempt. However, as soon as possible she was repatriated to convalesce. And here comes the local connection as for some time she was looked after by the vicar in Hillmorton parsonage. In the end she succumbed to the consequence of her self harm.

We were aided in our ascent of the locks not only by the lock keepers but also good timing with boats on the way down. As a result we emerged from the top in under half an hour from entering the bottom. Moored nearest to the lock was the boater we met earlier and we exchanged a cheery wave.

Hillmorton Wharf, just after the railways lines pass over the canal, is undergoing re-development (it needed it!) There is still plenty to be done but the older building which we have always noted as a canoe centre, is now converted to residential use and the plot between it and the main road is being filled in with further housing. We left Take Five in the small marina many years ago - it looks as if there will be yet further changes (for the better) when pass here another time.

Old maps show that the site next to Bridge 74,  Kilsby Road, was once a farm. The delightful buildings were converted some time ago to a series of homes.

Just before the start of the Barby Moorings we notice this new house which we did not think we had seen before. Looking at older Google Street Views conforms that the earlier bungalow has been replaced by this larger modern design. It is possible that we missed it last year when we came this way but certainly no longer ago.

Some of the local residents were still enjoying a late lunch!

This was followed by the entrance to the main Barby Moorings marina - the much older waterside moorings (each with a significant plot of land) are still very much in use.

Not for nothing is this section of canal now named Barby Straight.

Between Hillmorton and Napton Junction, the towpath is frequently unsuitable for mooring as the sides were built with sloping flat stones. Just after Barby wood bridge is one of the rare spots that is marked on Waterway Routes. It is a good long stretch of Armco and were were highly delighted to find that most of it was free. We quickly pulled in to the first length! (We will try to remember tomorrow to include a photo to show why mooring is an issue)

3.3 Miles - 3 Locks

End of Season Trip - Hillmorton

Today's Canal : Oxford

We drove up to Brinklow Marina on Thursday, arriving just after 1. We took a coffee break at Stow-on-the-Wold - an open fire felt very welcoming!

After lunch we unloaded the car and started to stow away. However, we decided that it would be a good idea to charge up the car so that it would be more comfortably full after the car shuffle, well able to get us back home without having to stop again. We had planned to charge up at the marina overnight but unfortunately the charger has developed a fault since we  brought the boat here three weeks ago. One of the staff in the marina office, who lives on a mooring here and also uses the charger, advised that the best option was to go to Rugby Services where there is a large set of rapid chargers.

Leaving Christine to complete the stowing away, Mike set off as suggested - about 14 minutes drive. The service station does indeed have a large number of chargers - with more being added - and a substantial proportion were being used. Mike used the time to pop into the M&S Food Hall for some more milk.

Friday was car shuffle day, with the car being taken down to Cropredy where we are headed and have our new Home Mooring (from the start of the month) The drive was only about 40 minutes. Now for the return trip. Neither marina has a nearby bus service (the one in Cropredy is one bus a week!) and about four miles from a main line station. Using advice from the marina, a taxi was booked about a week ago and, most efficiently, it arrived dead on time. They even have an app that gives details of the booking, the car and the driver but also allows you to follow the car on its way from its base next to the station to the pick up point. 

Two trains - a change at Coventry - took Mike to Rugby station on time. Assuming that it would have a good taxi rank no car had been pre-booked so it was a tad alarming to see passengers quicker off the platform jump into all that were waiting. However it was only a few minutes before another one arrived and equally efficiently transported Mike back to the starting point. We were not planning on leaving until the next morning so the afternoon was a laid back reading session!

After two glorious days with clear skies, today began grey and at times a bit wet. After casting off from the mooring pontoon we only went far enough to the service point so that we could fill with diesel and check out with the office. They did make yet another attempt to persuade us to stay -we could transfer at no extra cost! Tempting in a way but it is the extra drive - from home to Cropredy is possible without a stop, even for us!

Eventually we were underway for this final trip of the season. Our schedule for the first week is a little fluid as Andrew plans to join us next weekend and we need to leave a good trip, getting to Cropredy in time to be able to return home on the following Saturday (we need to be home for Sunday)

At the entrance to the marina the line of the original Brindley canal can be seen. passing alongside what is now the marina basin.

The first bridge surprisingly has a number but this was an original bridge across the old line of the canal and carries a local road. It has, of course, been re-built in recent times to carry modern weights of traffic.

The splendid cast iron bridge at the point where we re-joined the present day canal is the same as quite a number that also mark where new sections were bult when the north Oxford was later improved to shorten the distances involved in following contours. Later technology allowed more direct routes with embankments and cuttings.

The rain soon cleared and we had a number of pleasant sunny spells - most with sunshine in one direction and cloud cover in the other!

Newbold Tunnel is short and sometimes when we can see that there is nothing coming towards us we do not even bother with the head light for such a brief time (just over a minute) Fortunately we did switch it on this time as before we reached the other end a boat arrived - the approach is on a bend so we could only see it at the last moment, not helped as it ran aground on some unexpected silt.

After the tunnel came another straight, clearly part of the improvements. Here there are at least three bridges close together that highlight the size of the cutting we were passing through.

Rugby Wharf, with a hire base, is also located on the stub end of a former original section.

Opposite the entrance is a winding hole, unusually large as it was formed from the start of the next abandoned section that crossed here at right angles to the new alignment. This was one of the largest time savings as there is a deep valley that Brindley could not cross directly. Instead, he contoured up the valley for over a mile to a small hamlet called Cosford and then back down again only a few hundred metres from the start!

That short section now has a couple of aqueducts that indicate why Brindley found the diversion a necessity.

And here is where the old line came back in. Just after this point we were lucky to find a free mooring spot as close to Tesco as possible - understandably this is always a popular spot for mooring.

After tying up we went immediately to do the shopping - we did not bring a few set of stores with us from home, knowing that we could stock up here. We were somewhat over ambitious with the quantity which, even with our new shopping trolley, was quite a test of our 'beast of burden' skills.

After lunch we set off once more as we planned to get as far as just below Hillmorton Locks, close to the village church where we plan to go in the morning.

We have shown the new Houlton Bridge before - we watched it gradually taking shape several years ago as the new 'village' development was being prepared. The first occupiers of new homes moved in about 6 years ago. We will not actually see any of it until tomorrow once we start to pass through Hillmorton.

About 25 minutes later we were close to our destination. We spotted good moorings but passed on until we could see that there was no more space below the locks. Actually we had to back up a few boat lengths as we reached this conclusion as we came around a bend and saw that what looked like a suitable gap turned out to be an overflow weir! Still, close enough.

5.7 Miles - 0 Locks

Car Shuffle and Cleaning

Today was devoted to the usual round for the end of a trip: the manager of the marina very kindly offered to take Mike to the station this morning on his sway to a meeting at Cropredy. This meant Mike was able to buy his e-ticket last night and then walk straight on to the station and platform with a mere wave of his phone!

The train to Crewe was on time and even though it was a stopping train its journey time was better than the more expensive alternative train companies. The only disappointment was that there was nowhere to buy a coffee either on the platform or on the train.

At Crewe, there was a line of taxis, deflating Mike's worry that he would not be able to get one, which took him straight to the marina where the car had been hibernating for the past six weeks. It awoke with no difficulty. After returning the gate card and parking tickets to the office and then picking up a tin of touch up paint from Sally at Willow Boats.

Mike set his sat nav and was surprised that he was being routed via the A500 (once known as the D Road) round Stoke and then along A roads most of the way to the marina. He texted Christine an ETA.

But he eventually found that he was directed back onto the M6 where the ETA suddenly improved by almost half a hour! Traffic was heavy but congestion speed restrictions kept it flowing all the time The route was all the ay on the M6 (making sure to avoid various seductive turns that catch the unwary) until very close to the destination. Finally a few minutes on country roads, gradually narrower, until the turn into the marina.

Meanwhile, Christine had been sorting and packing as well as starting on the cleaning. After lunch we loaded most of what needs to go back home - including a few items for home that we picked up on shopping forays along the way. Not too much to carry to the car in the morning.

Mike then sorted out with the office how to charge our car - they have a proper EV point but it seems not yet well used. It is not a fast charger but we are happy to leave it co The connected for as long as it takes. The car's estimate suggests it will be full enough before bedtime!

Whilst Christine complete the floor wash Mike was banished but this gave him an excuse to try out one of the additional features of the marina, a large and comfortable summer house in the grounds.

Brinklow Marina

Today's Canals : Coventry, Oxford

We were keen to make sure that we arrived at our destination in good time as we have not been in here before. Part of the reason for the choice this time is that Brinklow and Cropredy (where we are heading for the winter) are part pof the same group, Aquavista. One of the benefits is that all our details are on their computer system which makes check in much simpler. 

In any event, we left our mooring not long after 8 am - crack of dawn for us! The day was grey and remained that way all morning although after we arrived at the destination there was much better sunshine. 

Very soon we passed this boat (no-one awake yet) and we had to wait until later to check out the Latin tag, although our translation capability got us close. It means If you want peace, prepare for war in modern times it is used to assert that if you look as if your are ready for a fight then your potential enemies are unlikely to attack. We are not sure whether historians would agree but perhaps it does take a view on Putin and the war in Ukraine along with questions about the stamina of Western countries to continue with supplies. In any event, it seems an unusual choice for the name of a narrowboat whose armed capabilities are limited!

We intended to stop at Hawkesbury for the usual round of services but by the time we arrived there we revised our plan on the basis that we could manage until we were in the marina. Christine opted to work the paddles and gates - the change in level is minimal! Whist she was doing this, Mike went to the Jules Fuels boat just before the junction to buy a bag of solid fuel. We did not want any more at this stage as the evenings are still not always cold enough to warrant the effort of lighting the stove. We intend to bring logs and firewood back from home with on our next visit.

The towpath immediately above the lock is closed for a short distance as it is undergoing substantial repair to the bank.

We were now on the North Oxford which was an early canal and, given the technology of the day, was built following contours to minimise large scale earthworks , tunnels and locks. Some time later, as civil engineering moved forward, a lot of this canal was straightened with new cuts bypassing significant loops.This made journey times much shorter and thus earned more money for the canal company. Some of these changes are still obvious but many lie hidden by vegetation or even new building. Just after the Wyken Arm (it served a local colliery but was originally part of the main line) there is now a long straight.

However, it comes to an abrupt end with a sharp bend - even more obvious from the bridge which is just behind the camera. The line of the towpath from the start of the picture was the original direction and the canal headed off to the left of the present canal for about a mile.

We passed a group of cygnets - now beginning to look more like stroppy teenagers - with, we think, their mother. Just ahead two other adult swans, presumably male (!) were having a very lengthy extended fight, quite spectacular. Things quietened down a little after one retreated to the towpath as we passed them but as soon as we passed they were at it again. It did look as if the one being chased was very definitely 'after' one of the family, whether mother or perhaps a daughter we do not know but father was definitely defending his rights. Alas we did not manage the best of photos.

The little footbridge was across the canal at Stretton Stop. Mike jumped off to open it and then realised that a boat was coming in both directions - Christine called for him to jump back aboard and leave the two to fight it out which would close up afterwards!

As we passed through Easenhall Cutting we could see the repairs to two substantial land sips that occurred last winter.

Although the main work has been finished - and the canal re-opened remarkably quickly, given that constructing a roadway to bring in the heavy equipment was a major project in itself - it is clear it will not be finished any time soon. The usual temporary fencing across the towpath has been replaced at both ends by a much more substantial locked barrier.

Not far to go now - well before 12:30 we were turning under the ornate towpath cast iron bridge and then through the entrance into the marina itself. The marina is to one side of the first part of an old loop abandoned after straightening.

We completed the formalities at the marina office - so far we have been delighted by the obvious 'customer focussed' approach of Aquavista. We were made very welcome and one of the staff went down to our pontoon to guide us in. Mike made a hash of his first attempt to reverse in (strong winds!) so had to go back and start again but this time, following specific guidance, he came in almost perfectly.

As soon as we tied up we had lunch! `The afternoon started very quietly but we did manage most of the necessary chores including sorting out which clothes to take back home (this trip has been nothing like our expectations, dress-wise) and also checking the weed hatch. Mike did indeed find a significant amount of plastic, wire and fishing line will have accounted for the slight vibration of the last two days. At least it was nothing worse.

10.0 Miles - 1 Lock