An overdue update

It’s been a few weeks since I last blogged and I have quite a bit of catching up to do, no excuses! What will follow is a set of updates one after the other but I have entered them as separate blogs just for ease of reading.  I have started each one off with the date as the blog relates to, hope this makes sense.

COMBING THE INTANET

Just a quickie tonight. Last weekend, while Dawn and I were being shown round Chris Shenton’s boat, Nod, moored next to us at Great Haywood, we got to talking about the graining on the inside of his cabin and he informed me that  J H Ratcliffe’s had stopped making their wood graining undercoat and that he had had to use a cream gloss paint to do his, and I must say it looked good. After, when I got home I thought I would Ebay for this product on the off chance that someone was selling off any stock that they had as I would have bought it and stock piled it for future use.  Needless to say I had no luck but while I was browsing Ebay with all sorts of different ‘Graining’ ‘woodgrain’ ‘scumble’ type products I came across a very interesting item, which I though to myself I will have that if it comes at a sensible price.  Well it arrived today and I can only say I am over the moon with my new purchase and I am sure it will give me hours of fun for only £23.40. Here’s what the advert said:

Nice old set of 12 carbon steel graining combs in original purpose made compartmented tin, there are 3 each of 4 widths 1 inch 2 inch 3 inch and 4 inch and have tooth counts of 6, 9 and 12 teeth to the inch.Faux woodgrain finishes were very popular in the 1930's this set looks to have come from this period

And here’s what they look like

Even came in their original sectionalised tin box, what a bargain! So if you pass Darley on her mooring and all is quiet and there’s a distinct smell of graining paint, Don’t bang ‘em about

Blossom.

HORSES, PIGS AND DISCO DIVAS

So here I am again, at last.  I know it’s been a long time since I last blogged but we have been soooo busy boating and at various gatherings that I have been a little pre-occupied.  We have had an absolutely brilliant season this year taking Darley to lots of gatherings and having a real good time.  Back in July, after we left Alvecote, we travelled up onto the BCN for the Black Country Boaters gathering at Windmill End followed by Tipton community Canal Festival then the next weekend at the Black Country museum.  So I ask myself what is the recipe for an enjoyable time.  The answer is simple good company, good food, good liquid refreshment and something to keep you entertained between eating and drinking!  Last weekend had all these.  Oh what a glorious week end and firstly a HUGE thank you to Theresa and Roger Fuller for putting on an end of season party for family and friends, to beat all parties.  People came by train, bus, car, boat and one even came by horse boat.  Historic boats included, Darley, Aquarius, Victoria, Thaxted, Thea, Oakley, Dove, Kestral, Kangaroo, Monarch & Grimsby, Ibex & Ilford, Verbena, Tench, Trout, Ant, Touchwood and evn the steam powered Emily Ann.  Dawn had been in hospital the previous Friday for a second operation on her little toe removing a piece of bone and re attaching her tendon so was on ‘light duties’ which included sitting in the back cabin most of the trip up there and effecting her ability to make drinks or cook meals, (couldn’t get down the ladder into the hold to the ‘kitchen’ under the cratch)

 Only joking she did take Darley through all the locks giving me a chance to work them.  We went down to Darley on Thursday night after I had finished work and took fish and chips with us.  After a night’s sleep (2 hours, as I can never sleep first night on the boat) we were off at about 7.30am and tied up at Stone by midday in front of our very good friends Viv and Si off Monarch and Grimsby.  On Friday night we did what we often do and had a joint effort for our tea. Simon’s dad had given him a brace of Pheasant and a duck which Viv made into a lovely game casserole with wedges of crusty bread and Dawn had made a very large cottage pie.  When everything was ready seven of us piled onto the towpath with an assortment of seats and all brought our plates/bowls and fighting irons and just tucked in. (good food 1) Most of the other ‘boaty folk’ had walked down to Wetherspoons in stone for a meal and after we had eaten we joined them for a pint or two (good company 1, drink 1)  After this we all moved on to the Talbot pub in the town where we took over the whole of the bar area.  As we walked up to the pub we could hear the gentle strains of music drifting out into the street! It was Karaoke night. The locals were friendly , very friendly in Dave Ray’s case, (good company 2) the beer was good and reasonable (drink 2) and when once the alcohol kicked in, and the ‘singers’ got started (entertainment 1) the evening, and the pub, really started to bounce.  Dawn went into the other side of the room and collected some song requests and the song book to select something to sing, and the pub was soon being entertained by two disco divas(Dawn and Keith Browne) singing Islands in the stream.  That was it, the plug had been pulled, there’s no stopping us now! this was followed by many renditions of various hits from the decades from many of the assembled crowd including Matt Parrot, Rebecca Fuller, and a combined effort from almost the whole team of YMCA!  All too soon it was time to retire, but this was only the rehearsal as more ‘entertainment was to follow.   Saturday morning was spent polishing brasses by most as the glorious weather started to unfold. 

A mobile phone call announced that Verbena was on her way from Aston lock, about an hour away,  under power from Andy’s driving cob Danny, (entertainment 2)having horse boated Verbena from Great Haywood that morning.  We walked down the Stone flight to await their approach (stopping at the Star for a pint (drink 3) mob handed we worked Verbena up the flight with Thea towing Verbena up the final approach to Stone due to moored boats everywhere. 

After all the excitement it was decided that we would cause more havoc and head off for a jolly up to the winding hole then back to the boat yard where Roger assisted in turning the boats with the use of his pusher tug Prowler (Entertainment 3) 

Saturday afternoon and again the pusher tug was put into use ferrying everybody back and forth to the boatyard where train rides were the order of the day.  Roger has a narrow gauge railway which runs all round the boatyard with a signal box, 3 diesel engines, trucks, guards van and all the paraphernalia required for a fully operational system and a St Trinian’s hand pumped cart which Dawn and Viv immediately grabbed and spent the next half hour going round and round even managing to de rail it at one point. 

(entertainment 4) The afternoon merged into evening and a bon fire was lit around which every body sat chatting and drinking (drink 4) while the hog roast filled the air with wonderful aromas.  Pork baps with stuffing and beautiful crackling were the order of the day (food 2) entertainment being provided by four friends and family Dave Ray with his squeeze box, and two fiddles, a clarinet (although I never saw Rebecca actually blow a single note) and a flute (entertainment 5) The chatting, drinking and chilling out continued well into the morning with things finally finishing with the ‘ferry’ being shafted across the basin with the last of the revellers at about 1.30am.  Sunday morning and we were all at it again with another boat jolly down to the winding hole and back, Verbena set off back with Danny the horse and ferry rides in the afternoon across to the boat yard, this time to look at the fascinating old wood working machinery Roger has in his workshop (entertainment 6)for rapidly converting trees into usable planks and sized and planed timber.  In the evening, Roger fired up his old diesel road roller and demonstrated it on the car park to the yard (entertainment 7) as darkness came on Theresa went round and took orders for Chinese take away for all that wanted it and the bon fire was re ignited ready for a chill evening. Everyone returned later armed with more drink(drink 5) bowls/plates and cutlery.  We all sat round the fire in a big circle, the night slowly ambled on into the early hours again with Chinese take away, beer, and chatting and having a laugh.  At 8.00 am on the Sunday morning,  

Andycap and Flo off Dove had fired their Merganser up and were off up the Cauldon canal with Trout,  we had some breakfast and were soon saying our farewells to everyone and heading back to Great Haywood, content in the fact that we had had an absolutely brilliant time which included all the required elements, and not once did anyone bang ‘em about.

Blossom

Shiny boats, butty flaps and Bar B Ques

Well another cracking week/week end so far only spoilt by the odd interjection.  Whilst down at Alvecote Laurence Williams had asked me to paint some canvas butty flaps for Australia then after I agreed to do them he stated he needed them for Thursday (3 days away) For those of you that don’t know what I’m on about , a brief explanation.  To protect the paint work on the wooden cants on each side of a butty’s well boatmen had ash strips fixed on top of them.  They then started scrubbing the ash strips until they were white and as a result would not step on them so they had small pieces of canvas which were laid over the top of the ash strips to protect them.  They then took to painting the canvas with a bunch of roses, are you with me now. 

I spent Tuesday/Wednesday nights painting a bunch of roses on each.  On Thursday night we had arranged to meet up with Laurence and a few others at Fradley Junction on their way to the National at Burton on Trent.  When we got there some of the ‘fleet’ had already moored at New Bridge No 61 on the Coventry and had a bar b que well on the way.  There was Tench, Emu, Clover & Fazeley and Michael Pinnock Senior’s cabin boat Alder.  After about another half an hour Kangaroo & Australia arrived making a total of six well loaded Joshers.  The next couple of hours were spent chatting, eating and drinking until it was time for Dawn and I to leave (we had work the next day)

Saturday I spent down the mooring doing lots of jobs keeping Darley looking good (how I keep my boats) re-painting the tunnel bands, painting an old porters sack truck blue and yellow with BW 135 on it’s sides, shortening the chains and lifting the back fenders, Taking the cratch cloth off and replacing it with the front full cloth so she is now clothed back to the mast.  This is so I can install some basics underneath such as a fridge and hob/cooker etc.  After finishing work, Dawn came down and brought with her a small bar b que and the necessary cobs, burgers, sausages, chicken and salad.   I mask taped the bows off and Dawn set about re-painting the panels, well the wharf side it was left to me to hang over the off side and paint. Ended the day off with a pleasant evening relaxing and watching the world go by while munching barbqued bits and bobs.  Have been down to Darley again tonight after work just to paint the first coat of yellow on the boas and a second coat on the sack truck so all in all a good long weekend so to speak. 

  Oh and the things which spoilt it, I never said did I.  As people know, I can sometimes be a little picky about detail but I am a firm believer in the fact it is important to get the detail right such as narrowboats don’t have cabin roofs, engine rooms or forward and reverse but they do have a cabin top an engine ‘ole and they do go ahead and astarn.  Another thing that really really annoys me is when people, who should know better, make comments in public places such as “ restored as over shiny looking representations of what their owners think they may have looked like?”  I can only think this is due to A) not knowing any better, B) just looking at boats from the end of commercial carrying days when their condition was allowed to deteriorate in some cases, or C) a sign that they themselves are too idle to keep their boats something like.  I am proud of my shiny boat and I keep it how I was taught, many years ago by people who knew what they were on about.  I get a great sense of pride when comments are passed by those who matter to me, such as last week end returning from Alvecote, as we came past the top of Shadehouse lock where Fred Heritage Junior and Sadie were sat on the towpath on deck chairs catching some rays aside Lynx, and as I passed Fred just pointed at Darley and put two thumbs up and said beautiful!  I think people should not confuse ‘shiny boats’ with ‘boats that people have pride’ ‘nuff said, moan over – for now so till next time as always

Don’t bang ‘em about (you might scratch the shiny paint!)

Blossom. 

Canal blockage at Alvecote!

Another cracking weekend down at Alvecote with Malcolm Burge’s supprise 60^th birthday. Dawn took me down on Friday night after work and came back as she had to go to work on Saturday so an evening in the Barlow was on the cards with the boys, and girls.  Saturday morning was spent polishing all the brasses both inside and out and by 2.00pm I had finished all my chores so toddled off to the pub to see what was going on and joined Matt Parrot, Sarah Parrot, Michael Pinnock Snr & Jnr for a chat and a beer or two outside the pub.  By 5.30 Dawn had arrived with our eldest grand daughter Sophie, who was joining us for the rest of the weekend.  The car was unloaded and all the stuff loaded into Darley’s back cabin then we returned to the pub as Malcolm was due to arrive.  Malcolm has always said that he wanted to walk from the towpath to the pub across the canal on loaded joshers, so Kestral and Verbena, Kangaroo and Australia and Emu were all breasted up outside the pub, completely blocking the canal and awaiting Malcolm’s arrival who was bringing a boat from home to the marina which he had been told was needed there as a customer was coming to view it.  The assembled crowd all made their way onto the pub’s balcony and a huge cheer went up as Malcolm came through the bridge ‘ole.  Suitably armed with a pint of beer he fulfilled his ambition and walked across the bows of the five loaded Joshers to more cheers from the crowd.

 (Photo by Vivvy Monarch, hope me daughter don't mind!)

The rest of the evening went off with music and beer in the upstairs room, a hog roast in the grounds and much frivolity and more beer.  Sunday morning saw more than a few sore heads, but even so we quietly slipped off with Darly at about 10.00am and had a very pleasant trip back to Great Haywood and our home moorings where Darley will stay for th next few weeks while i get her ready for our next outing to Shackerston at the end of next month so, as always, till next time

Don’t bang ‘em about.

Blossom.

Minnows, Dove’s and grey bearded bikers.

Got home from work last night and Dawn said she wanted to take the dog a walk down at Fradley Junction so after running the Hoover over and a couple of other household tasks we loaded the dog into the car along with salt, vinegar , a bottle of red sauce and a bottle of blackcurrant squash.  Set off down to Armitage and Michael’s chippy for two cod and chips and then continued down to Fradley and parked at Junction lock and ate our chips while the dog drooled in the back! As we walked up to the junction we were overtaken by loads of large motor bikes including several Harley Davidson’s and I commented to Dawn about the fact that all the riders of HD’s were grey beards, in fact when we got to the Swan car park there was about eighty bikes parked up and I would say the average age of all concerned was about fifty. (perhaps you are that old before you can afford one of these mighty beasts!)  As we got to the junction we could see that the new owner of our old boat Minnow has been very busy and the under cloth conversion was well under way, not my thing mind you and it saddened me to see her like this but----hey ho things move on and he owns her now and it’s his boat and decisions, but I still miss her.

 As we walked up towards  Fradley Middle lock a head popped out of the side hatches of Achilles and a familiar voice shouted Hey, what you doing.  It was Andrew off Josher motor boat Dove and so we spent the next half hour chatting about boaty things, as you do, he also informed us that Wednesday evening was bikers night at The Swan sometimes attracting over 100bikers. After our chat we decided to continue with our walk, besides the fact we were being eaten alive by the mossies.  Returning back to the junction we crossed Junction lock and walked up the Coventry to the next bridge ‘ole then re-traced our steps back to the junction where we left the towpath and followed the nature trail round the fishing pool next to the canal. Getting back to the car we loaded the dog back in and made our way back home.  What a pleasant evening we had and the walk was most enjoyable.  Can’t wait for tomorrow night as we are off down to Alvecote marina and bringing Darley back to her moorings at Great Haywood to get her ready for Shackerstone show at the beginning of September, so until then

Don’t bang ‘em about

Blossom.

In Need of a good rest!

The trouble with leaving blogging so long in between blogs is that there is so much to report on that a lot gets missed out but here we go;

Since my last blog we have had some hectic weekends, eaten loads of the wrong food and drunk far too many pints of beer & wine! But have had an excellent time doing it.

Over the years I have never been to Braunston by boat but have always driven down for the Saturday or Sunday and have thoroughly enjoyed the event.  This year we decided to take Darley, when we made the decision folks said “you won’t enjoy it Blossom” and how right they were.  We booked Darley in months ago and were looking forward to the event.  On arrival, after travelling down from Alvecote with Viv & Si off Monarch, we temporarily moored on the entrance to the marina bridge and found one of the yellow coated ‘organisers’ who stated we were to go back up the cut and moor abreast Whitby, but we told him that there was another boat against Whitby so were told to hang on a bit.  Minutes later Whitby came past having been moved to accommodate a pair, so that plan was scuppered.  After hanging about for about half an hour we were told there was no-where for us to moor and we would have to go below Braunston bottom lock, i’ll let you fill in my answer!  The only other option was that if we could find somewhere and sort ourselves out.  We went inside the marina and spoke to the lovely couple on ‘The Fudge Boat’ as to would they mind Darley and Monarch mooring on the pontoons behind them.  As they had no problems with that we reversed into the marina and tied up and that’s where we stayed for the weekend. On the Sunday afternoon we joined the parade and when we got to Braunston Turns we carried straight on heading for Newbold that night.  We went intpo The Barley Mow for a good meal, reasonably priced and were entertained by a 60’s Karaoke (and I mean the age of those singing) in the back room.  Our intention was, as we were on holiday, to have a relaxing jaunter back to Alvecote, stopping at Suttons and having an early tea/late dinner in The Greyhound, but that was not to be.  Earlier in the day, Kangaroo & Australia had left Braunston loaded with 41 tons of bagged coal and as we approached Suttons Dawn’s mobile rang.  After a short conversation she came to me on the back end and said “that was Laurence, he wants to tranship 4 tons of coal into Darley as he is stuck at Bridge 13"  thats OK but it’s past Suttons!  In just over an hour we were chucking 4 tons into Darley then we were off. 

What started out as an easy, lazy Day ended up as a 13 hour day and throwing 4tons into Darley at Griff, out of Darley at Atherstone bottom and back into Kangaroo, and all because some scroats decided to chuck the bridge parapet into the bridge ‘ole.  On arrival back at Alvecote we discovered that the Samuel Barlow was not open so having had nothing to eat all day we ordered a Chinese set meal for four and we all sat down in darley’s back cabin and pigged out.  As we were on holiday for another two days we stopped at the marina and chilled returning home on the Tuesday, only to return two weeks Later for the Alvecote gathering.

What a difference this boat gathering was. Arrived on Friday night and spent a very sociable evening in the Samuel Barlow amongst many friends drinking reasonably priced well kept Guinness whilst being entertained by the Marina’s sign writers rock band, which by the end of the evening had every body on the dance floor shaking their bits! The pub finally closed at about 1.30am so coalboys Tom and Jay came back to Darley and we continued to drink and chatt until 3.30 Saturday morning just as the sun was rising.  Needless to say Saturday morning brought with it a thumping hangover as I cleaned all the brass inside and out. 

As all the working boats were moored in the marina pontoons end on, it gave the public etc easy access to all the boats which numbered about 40 including

Joshers ~  Kangaroo & Australia, Kestrel & Verbena, Clover & Fazeley, Greyhound, Otter, Jaguar, Tench, Emu, Sunny Valley, Stafford,  Petrel, Dove, Monarch & Grimsby, Hare, Python, Panther, Madeley, Bream, Linda & Longton.

GU’s ~ Darley, Hadley, Cedar, Achilles & Ara, Nuneaton & Brighton, Thea, Chertsey, Victoria

Cowburn & Cowpar’s ~ Skylark, Swallow

As well as iceboat Laplander,FMC dayboat Elizabeth, Bantock Sucsess. 

Over the weekend there were lots of other things going on like morris dancers, welly wanging as well as trade boats and stands.. A competition was also  held for the best turned out historic working boat with every boat owner having to vote for their choice. The trophy, the Les Lapworth trophy was presented by the late boatman’s wife Alice and was awarded to butty Verbena which was a worthy winner (got my vote anyway)  All in all it was a brilliant weekend, but now I need a week off to catch up on sleep and dry out (alcohol)  And so to my final overall summary of the last two boat gatherings:

BRAUNSTON

Meeting and chatting with friends............................................great (if we walked to them)

Seeing all the boats.......................................................................great

Music in beer tent Friday.............................................................very loud crap

Music in beer tent Saturday........................................................even louder crap

Beer in beer tent.............................................................................overpriced crap

Food available on site......................................................................overpriced crap

Public/friends seeing Darley.........................................................didn’t happen

Will we go again................................................................................not by boat

ALVECOTE GATHERING.

Overall summary of the weekend:

Meeting and chatting with friends........................................great all weekend

Seeing all the boats...................................................................great all weekend

Music in pub Friday....................................................................excellent

Music in pub Saturday...............................................................good but very loud

Beer in pub.................................................................................. excellent and fair priced

Food available on site.................................................................OK but limited

Public/friends seeing Darley....................................................total access all weekend

Will we go again...........................................................................can’t wait till next year but until then, as always,

Don’t bang ‘em about

Blossom.