Just a quick update for anybody interested, so far I’ve got from Brinklow to Gailey Lock, which is near Stafford, I’ve covered 67 miles and been through 30 locks, this has taken six days although I haven’t been rushing. Today is the first day I haven’t moved, had a lay-in, watched the British Grand Prix, did a bit of engine maintenance, some painting and tidying up etc.
I’ve turned towards Wolverhampton, at Autherley Junction I’ll turn to the north-west towards Market Drayton, then on to Llangollen. I’ll be taking the best part of a month to do this.
So far the boat has been running fine, I have had a few problems with weeds clogging the propellor, a common thing at this time of year, but nothing that a quick blast in reverse gear couldn’t sort out. Meanwhile, my truck passed the MOT and this week I’m having the leaking engine side plate repaired, I’m still not 100% sure if I will keep it or sell it, I’ll think about that later.
Nice relaxing photos. Sounds like you’re enjoying it. Canals can be very scenic, especially in summer.
I may be going to Ross-on-Wye on business Friday morning, visiting a friend with overnight stay in the Birmingham area Friday evening. Heading home (Preston) on Saturday. Any idea where you’ll be Saturday?
If I don’t do this Friday 10th (car is in bits at the mo) it will be one day next week.
Not sure yet, I’m going to Brewood today, then I’m going to moor there for a couple of days because I’m having some stuff forwarded to the Post Office, so it depends when that turns up at home and my girlfriend gets the chance to forward it. Somewhere between Brewood and Market Drayton would be my best guess at the moment, but I’ll have a better idea towards the end of the week.
Keep your truck Harry because I’m sure that urge to be back on the road will resurface at some time no matter how much you dislike it at the moment. Few years ago after working the west African coast for a few months I came home and bought a rigid Leyland Roadtrain, biggest load of crap going but enjoyed it for a while, then sold it and went back on the water to work. Came ashore again and sad to say regretted selling the heap and so had to drive for an employer.
Driveroneuk:
Was there a few years ago Dave when I went on a motoring holiday to Scotland in the Triumph Dolomite Sprint I had at the time.
I remember that story.
If you’re at the bottom of Neptune’s Staircase at 10:30 - 10:45ish, you’ll get to see the Jacobite steam train go over the (very) nearby railway bridge.
(Pics in my second post in the steam train thread.)
Get even nearer to the train if you can make it to Corpach basin.
If you’re at the bottom of Neptune’s Staircase at 10:30 - 10:45ish, you’ll get to see the Jacobite steam train go over the (very) nearby railway bridge.
(Pics in my second post in the steam train thread.)
Harry Monk:
Not sure yet, I’m going to Brewood today, then I’m going to moor there for a couple of days because I’m having some stuff forwarded to the Post Office, so it depends when that turns up at home and my girlfriend gets the chance to forward it. Somewhere between Brewood and Market Drayton would be my best guess at the moment, but I’ll have a better idea towards the end of the week.
I can’t get away this Fri/Sat so it now looks like next Wed/Thurs.
Driveroneuk:
I can’t get away this Fri/Sat so it now looks like next Wed/Thurs.
OK, I’ll post an update as to where I am nearer the time, I’m at Wheaton Aston at the mo (second boat along, the green one) and planning to push off tomorrow about mid-day, where I will be next week,who knows? But you’re welcome to come along if you can make it.
No, that will be next month sometime, I’m not planning to be at Llangollen until the end of this month because my kids are getting the train up for that bit and their school holidays don’t start until the 27th. I’ll probably push off from here tomorrow and go to Tyrley, then I’ll have 25 locks to try to get through over the following day or two, that will be hard work!
I envy you your trip Harry, both the missus and me love canals and always intended to have a holiday on one (would have loved our own boat) but the expense of hiring a boat, plus her disabilities, have knocked it in the head now alas. We still head for canals when out and about in the car and took a trip on the Falkirk Wheel in March for our 40th Wedding Anniversary, unfortunately the following day she lost the use of her legs totally so we are glad that we managed that day out on the wheel as it seems unlikely that she will walk again. You are having the best of the weather which helps, I walked across ‘that aqueduct in Wales’ a couple of years ago and, as I have no head for heights, it was pretty scary!
Really sorry to hear that Pete, hope things go as well for her as they can. I’d love to do a trip on the Falkirk Wheel myself although it would of course involve getting the boat up there by road.
Harry Monk:
Really sorry to hear that Pete, hope things go as well for her as they can. I’d love to do a trip on the Falkirk Wheel myself although it would of course involve getting the boat up there by road.
Sorry to see that as well Pete, obviously I hope things work out as well as possible for her.
My wife has recently been diagnosed with well advanced kidney cancer. We’re having this canal boating holiday on the L&L this year because sh’ll probably be unable to do it next year or any other year after. The stretch we’re doing is her favourite of all the (few) canal holidays we’ve done. She discovered that she can steer the boat after all, on our last holiday. I had enjoyed the onerous duties of steering into and out of all the locks before then while she did the easy bit of opening and closing paddles and gates and so on
I’ve now been relegated to that job
Aye. I think the furthest North you can get on the English canals is just North of J36 on the M6. On the Lancaster Canal which used to go to Kendal.
The canal dead ends just around Crooklands Garage. There is a canal boaters club and moorings, then there are the derelict locks climbing alongside the M6, then the canal is culverted under the M6 with zero headroom. If you look West, you can see the canals line, still in water but silted up and full of reeds, heading North West ish towards Kendal.
You could always hire a boat for a week or two and ‘do’ both of the Scottish narrow canals, including the Falkirk Wheel. Old Kirkpatrick/Glasgow to Falkirk on the Forth and Clyde. Falkirk to Edinburgh on the Union.
Probably cheaper than transporting your boat both ways by road, unless you do that bit yourself. Cranage on it’s own at both ends probably wouldn’t be too horrendous. I wouldn’t know really, I’ve only ever hired a holiday boat for a week. It just seems reasonable and likely.
Harry Monk:
Really sorry to hear that Pete, hope things go as well for her as they can. I’d love to do a trip on the Falkirk Wheel myself although it would of course involve getting the boat up there by road.
Thank’s Harry and Simon, I hope that your good lady has some improvement Simon. A friend has a saying that “health is more important than wealth” and it is true, only you don’t realise it when you are fit and well. Until Simon mentioned it I hadn’t realised that the canal network didn’t cross the Scottish border so I assumed that Harry could just sail up to the Falkirk Wheel! Well worth a visit, I wanted to see it because it was one of the last large projects carried out by the Butterley Company at Ripley, Derbyshire, which was close to us. All gone now of course! You get a guided tour of ‘the wheel’ including a boat trip with knowledgeable guides for around £8 each and they accomodated wheelchairs. Just don’t mention Timothy and Prunella West’s’ visit as shown on tv, apparently he hit just about everything in sight and the guides ended up taking his boat through!
Just re-read this thread and I see that your boat is fitted with the BMC 1.5 diesel Harry. I did my apprenticeship at a BMC commercial dealer in the 60’s and they were a nice smooth running engine compared to the Perkins etc but sluggish in a van of course. Mind you most small diesels were far from lively back then! Regular oil and filter changes are the key to long life,and if memory serves me well there was a small gauze filter in the oil gallery at the rear of the engine on the fuel pump side. It is under a hexagonal brass plug mounted vertically on the oil gallery ‘bulge’, the early ones were brass and broke up but later were made of steel I think, these were supposed to be cleaned at oil change time but often got neglected as folk didn’t know they were there! BMC also made a marine version of the 2.2 diesel from the LD van and taxi, named the Vedette I think, they were very good as well.
Sorry to read about the wife Pete. You have to try to stay positive and think about the (presumably) many happy years you have already enjoyed together when she was in good health.
I’ve been on The Falkirk Wheel myself, on the guided tour/boat ride some years back now. Unfortunately it was absolutely bucketing down throughout.
windrush:
Just re-read this thread and I see that your boat is fitted with the BMC 1.5 diesel Harry. I did my apprenticeship at a BMC commercial dealer in the 60’s and they were a nice smooth running engine compared to the Perkins etc but sluggish in a van of course. Mind you most small diesels were far from lively back then! Regular oil and filter changes are the key to long life,and if memory serves me well there was a small gauze filter in the oil gallery at the rear of the engine on the fuel pump side. It is under a hexagonal brass plug mounted vertically on the oil gallery ‘bulge’, the early ones were brass and broke up but later were made of steel I think, these were supposed to be cleaned at oil change time but often got neglected as folk didn’t know they were there!
I remember the BMC 1.5 diesel being fitted to J4 vans, and also some Austin Cambridges and Morris Oxfords, generally taxi versions and they were renowned as being an awful, gutless engine, I believe the road going versions developed 40 horsepower (mine has apparently been downrated to 35) , and even the 60 horsepower petrol engined Farinas couldn’t pull the skin off of a rice pudding.
However, they were around when leisure boating first started becoming popular, and it was soon discovered that they made a fantastic narrowboat engine, simple, reliable, timing chain rather than cam belt, brand-new boats were still being fitted with reconditioned BMC 1.5 diesel engines until fairly recently, decades after they went out of production. Mine has done 2,800 hours and I doubt it’s even half-way through its service life, when cruising it runs at a fairly constant 1,400 rpm so it doesn’t get very stressed. I do keep on top of the servicing, to be honest I think of looking after the engine as being an enjoyable activity rather than a chore.
I’m currently at Market Drayton, just an overnight stop to top up with provisions, going to push off tomorrow, it will probably take most of the day to do the Adderley and Audlem locks. Then I think I’m going to stop and have a look at that secret nuclear bunker that I’ve seen signposted from the road but never been to, it’s apparently right by the canal.
Hi Harry. I expect to be heading north from Birmingham Thursday morning. (not early). Any idea where you’ll be?
After midnight tonight my internet access will be sporadic at best, possibly non existent. Perhaps you could text me? My number is on my profile.
At the moment I’m moored outside the Shroppie Fly pub in Audlem and I’m probably going to stay here for a few days, if not I won’t be moving very far, I’ll text you tomorrow when I’ve made a decision, and if you can get along, that would be great, I’ve done ten locks on my own today, I could do with a hand for the last five!
Well worth a visit, I wanted to see it because it was one of the last large projects carried out by the Butterley Company at Ripley, Derbyshire, which was close to us. All gone now of course! 
You get a guided tour of ‘the wheel’ including a boat trip with knowledgeable guides for around £8 each and they accomodated wheelchairs. Just don’t mention Timothy and Prunella West’s’ visit as shown on tv, apparently he hit just about everything in sight and the guides ended up taking his boat through! 